The January 2009 World Race - Noah Zelvis

The Last Entry?

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Well, it's been a little while since I've written a blog...it's not that the internet hasn't been available, I just haven't been sure what to say.

I'm writing this on the eve of our last full day in Europe, just two days before we fly back to the US of A. Most likely this will be my last blog entry of the World Race.

I'm not even sure what to write. I have all kinds of mixed emotions about the end of this chapter of my life. I'm still not too sure what God will lead Cathy and I into next, so I have mixed emotions about starting the next chapter as well. I can already tell that this year is an introduction to something much greater that God has planned. Let's face it - this year has been largely about God breaking me, about tearing down my walls and laying the groundwork for the person He wants me to be. It's been one insanely difficult, grueling, frustrating, annoying, wonderful year.

Adjusting to life in the States again is going to be a challenge in itself, as I am used to living in community and without a lot of my freedoms. It's going to be a struggle at times to continue being who I have become, especially since I am not completely sure who that is!

The good news is that God has it all figured out, so I have excitement and joy in knowing that simple truth. Throughout the year God has provided for me non-stop, and I know that won't change as I return home.

I look forward to seeing all of you and hearing how your year has been. You'll understand when I ask you this question that it's not an easy thing to answer, but I hope God will give us the words to share when that time comes. God bless. :)

Gone Till November

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Here's a litle video that shows my team as we've grown over the last 11 months. I hope you enjoy it!

Where Are We Today?

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

We've finished our University ministry in Warsaw and are now in the capital of the Czech Republic, Prague. We got some cheap flights from here to Milan, Italy, and are here for the day. Starting tomorrow we have about 10 days of ministry somewhere in Italy, and then we head to Vienna for a week of R&R. After that, we start our 12th month of ministry in the US. :) So, that's what's going on with us. I'll try to write again from Italy.

Our Last Month of Ministry - A Trip Update

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

In my last blog, I left you wondering what our last month of ministry would look like...

On October 26, we caught a train from Kiev all the way to Warsaw, Poland. There we met up with a wonderful family who has taken us into their home for free and basically gave us a whole floor of their house to use while we're here. We all have beds, and there are two bathrooms with plenty of hot water! It's hands down the best place we have stayed in to date. We have a full kitchen so we can eat whatever we want. Our ministry is revolving around Bible studies with Poles of all ages and giving talks about our missions trip to high school and university students. I believe this will continue to evolve until we leave here on November 3.

From Warsaw, we'll be heading down to Prague (we're not sure how we're getting there yet) for a few days of ministry. We have a few contacts there but we're not yet sure who we'll be working with. On November 6, we take a flight from Prague down to Milan, Italy. We will either stay there and do ministry or continue south to Florence, where we also have a contact.

We've talked a bit about going to Switzerland, but when we reach Italy we'll have to see if that door is still open. Worst case, we finish up our ministry in Italy and head to Vienna on November 16th. That will give us one week in Vienna to relax and spend time together as a squad one last time before we head back to the States. I can already tell that day will be bittersweet. Who needs to think about that now, though? We still have a lot of ministry to do!

We all want to finish strong with our eyes focused firmly on Jesus. With everything going on, this is definitely a challenge. This is a month of ministry like any other, and I know God has big plans for it. After all, this is the last page of this chapter of life. It certainly can't be anticlimactic, can it? I know we're prepared for the challenges God is going to throw at us, and we all expect to return home completely exhausted. It's a really exciting feeling though to know that I was able to give it all for Jesus. Now I just have to make sure I put this into action. Please pray that this happens, and that we have safe travels and that we can have peace of mind in the midst of all the chaos.

Leaving Memories Behind

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Back in 2005, God called me to Europe for a three month backpacking trip. For me, it was a chance to really start a relationship with Him - to place my full trust in Him and simply believe that He would take care of me. Of course, that's exactly what He did. Before I left, I purchased two pairs of shorts to take with me. It was summertime, and so for the majority of the trip I could be seen wearing them.

The side pockets were big enough to hold an entire guide book, and in the back pocket I could fit a 1.5L bottle of water. The other pockets could carry countless tissues and paper towels, as well as all the change I would accumulate. Those shorts carried my maps, my gum, train tickets, information, and often times even my lunch. It was easy to keep my camera and sunglasses close to my side. I had no idea when they were purchased just how useful they would be.

My shorts shared every experience with me. Walking the sun-baked streets of Rome, mountain climbing in Switzerland, all the night trains all over Europe. I think my heart broke a little when I ripped one of the pockets in Munich. We created all these memories together!

These same pairs of shorts went with me on every future trip, and there was no question that I would bring them along on the World Race as well. Even at the beginning of this year, however, they were looking a little worse for wear. They'd collected a few holes over the last few years, and I suppose they'd lost a bit of their luster. Even so, I love those shorts. Other people didn't understand, but we'd been so many places together!

This year was not kind to those shorts, though. Every month they picked up a nice new rip or a new stain from something we'd done. Climbing waterfalls, staining a church, snagging them on a sharp object...it was terrible! I even managed to split both pairs in the back, from top to bottom. No matter what happened though, I would pull out the needle and thread (I didn't bring any, so I always had to borrow from others) and sew them back up. There were even times where other racers would help me mend them. Both pairs of shorts died several times, but I always brought them back to life. There was no way I could let my oldest travel companions die!

When we got to Europe and the weather started to become cold, I began to wonder when the end would come. I could often be seen with a warm hoodie but still wearing those shorts. In fact, I went well into October before it just simply got too cold to keep wearing them. I know the University students in the Ukraine thought I was crazy. My shorts were finished, though...they had been mortally wounded and just couldn't be worn anymore. I knew it didn't make sense to keep carrying them around, so I knew it was time to part ways.

Sure, all this sounds silly to you, but I once again thought about all the memories I had with these pairs of shorts, and all they had done for me. It was hard to let go! On our last day in Odessa though, I said my goodbyes and left them behind. I'm pretty sure I sulked the rest of that day, but I could also see that God wanted me to learn an important lesson.

Even though I threw those shorts away, the memories stayed with me. I still have all of them right here in my heart. I still remember all the crazy experiences I've had, and all the things I was able to do. We've had to say goodbye to a lot of people and a lot of things this year, and it's been very tough for me each time. I get flat out miserable when it's time to say goodbye, and it's a painful experience. I realized though that although I leave a piece of my heart at each place, I get to take all the wonderful memories with me.

As the race comes to an end, I really have countless memories that I've experienced and written about over the year. All those memories will always have a special place in my heart, and I can see how they have changed and influenced me. It blows my mind to see all that God has done this year, and I see how important it is to keep those things close to my heart in order to continue to grow into who God wants me to be. This is one chapter of many, and I know that God has many more memories for me. I can't wait to see what those are.

Fundraising Request!!

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Well, we have only a few more days out here on the mission field, and Cathy and I still owe $1,137 to AIM which I am assuming they still want. We're so close to our goal though, if anyone feels called to give at this time, please do so. It would be great to come home and not have to worry about support raising. Thank you so much in advance, and w will see you soon!

If you feel called to give, please click here to make a donation. I will update this as much as I can, so check in often.

Preparing for Our Last Month

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Here's an update from the mission field with what information I know about our final month of ministry. Is anyone still out there? :)

Month 11 takes us into Central Europe, and we have the option of doing ministry in multiple countries if we feel so led. We've spent some time in prayer about this, and here's where the Lord is leading us:

Our first week of ministry will be in Warsaw, Poland. Although we're not really sure what we'll be doing, we're working with a family and a church there. We made some Polish friends in Odessa, and they set us up with this contact. In fact, we are living with the parents of our new Polish friends!

After spending a week there, it looks like we'll be heading somewhere in the Czech Republic for at least our second week. My guess is that we'll end up in Prague. After that, it's really up in the air, although two people feel a calling to Switzerland.

After our three weeks of ministry, we'll spend a week in Vienna, Austria where our final debrief will be. A week to relax before heading home!

No one knows what this month will look like, but please pray that we finish strong and don't try to become tourists or anything like that.

God bless!

Noah

Sacrifice VS Obedience

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Throughout the course of this year, I've been reading Psalms each and every morning. If you've spent any time in this longest book of the Bible (if you haven't, shame on you! :) ), you'd know that the writers talk about anything from journeys to Jerusalem to the restoration of the Temple to the Lord's power to prayers to forgiveness, and so on. There are so many good truths to gain from reading this book, but I've found that as I am struggling with something, God's responses to my struggles always stand out as I read His Word. After all, even some of the Biblical greats struggled with things from time to time.

Lately, it's been King David's writing that has spoken to me the most. (I am not talking about the King David from Swaziland, if you read that blog...I am pretty sure he doesn't know how to write). There are a few times in the book of Psalms where David is not doing too well. In Psalm 51 David says to the Lord, "You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not desire a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit." Similarly, in Psalm 40 he says to the Lord "You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings."

I began to wonder what exactly this meant. The Old Testament is chock full of talk on sacrifices. There was a sacrifice for just about everything it seems. David himself lived in the Old Testament days. What sacrifice is it that the Lord doesn't desire? In Psalm 50 God speaks to the wicked people of that day and says that He has "no complaint about your sacrifices or the burnt offerings you constantly offer" but goes on to say that He doesn't need the bulls or the goats or the birds or the cattle.

I thought about all I have sacrificed this year. I've sold most of my belongings and put the others in storage for the year. I thought about all the time I sacrificed before the race to get ready for what was to come, and I thought about all the time I've sacrificed this year on the race. God has given me a servant's heart, so when something needs to get done I am usually the first to volunteer to help out. What I realized though was that in the midst of all this, I was going through the motions instead of turning to God and seeing what He wanted my daily sacrifice to look like. The work will always get done, but when God wants you to spend the day on the mountain with him - well, that's not something you want to miss.

I discovered that God doesn't want me - or anyone, for that matter - to go through these motions. What God wants is not the animal sacrifice, but he wants obedience. He wants us to lay down our lives each and every day and be obedient to Him - to serve and love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. God wants us to have the faith to know that He has everything under control, and we don't have to "sacrifice" our time trying to figure it all out. Truth be told, I can look back and see when I have been obedient and when I have not, based on the fruits of my actions - even when the entire time I thought I was sacrificing for God. Can you imagine what our lives would be like if we were obedient to Him?

Ministry in Odessa

Fri, 9 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

We came into this month without any certainty on what our ministry was going to look like for the month. Honestly, we were unsure if we were going to have a set ministry at all! We were prepared to "wing it", but fortunately we've had the pleasure of meeting up with three Americans, John, Patty, and Mark, who have given us plenty of opportunities.

Our new American friends all teach at the Christian University in Odessa. Of the 500 of so students that attend the university, only about 15% profess to be believers. Although founded by a Christian, the school is simply the best and cheapest option available for a lot of the young men and women of Odessa and the surrounding area. It's our job to sit in on some classes and help out the students.

There's a Spanish class that some of us attended (although we haven't spoken Spanish since January!) where the students were learning some basic vocabulary and greetings. We were able to help them with pronunciation and conjugation, but I think we learned a lot of new words as well! We also sat in on some theology classes and participated in the discussion. Finally, we joined the conversational english classes where we were able to give students some one-on-one time.

On Tuesday evenings after class there's a Bible study for all who are interested. It's a chance to take those who want to learn more and show them how to apply Biblical principles to their every day lives. On Wednesday evenings, we head out to an Odessa neighborhood of some 200,000 people and do street evangelism. Taking along a translator, we ask Ukranians some questions about life and then open a doorway for the translator to share the Gospel. It's a system they've developed, and my team was met with a lot of success. Check out Cathy's blog for more details.

On Thursday evenings, we have what I would consider the coup de gras - English Club! Many students from the University and even some who don't attend come out for a chance to learn some new english words and a chance to practice with Americans. This week my team was asked to run the show, so we put together a presentation on the places we've been this year. We taught them about the peoples of the world, food, religion, and we showed the some of our pictures. When our presentation was complete, we split them into groups and talked with the students about where they've been, where they want to go, what foods, they want to try, etc.

Our ministry has already been a lot of fun, and I think it's only going to get better! Tonight we're going out with the students to play lazer tag, and on Saturday we'll be visiting an orphanage to act out some skits and play with some kids. We'll have more opportunities next week to attend classes, and we're trying to put together dinner parties and Bible studies and things to get these students around us so we can pour into them. I had a vision where God told me to fill these kids with as much of the Word as we can, so that's what we'll do. More to come!

Odessa

Fri, 2 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The month of October (holy smokes, where did the time go?) takes us to the port city of Odessa in southern Ukraine. Our 24 hour journey (which is very short compared to some teams) took us by bus to the capital city of Chisinau in Moldova. From there we took a van all the way to the border of The Ukraine, but the driver did not have the documentation to take us the rest of the way. We ended up waiting there until two taxis came that could take us the rest of the way.

We had no problems crossing the border and our taxi ride ended at one of the bus stations in Odessa. The fact that there is more than one turned out to be a small problem, as the girl we were meeting up with went to the other one in a differnt part of the city. While we waited for her, another Ukranian girl came up to us and began chatting with us in English about all sorts of things. She was simply interested in practicing her English and she seemed quite excited to give us information about the country we are now in. So, we made our first Ukranian connection there...it will be interesting to see if and how that plays our in our ministry.

We were finally whisked away to the far corner of the city where we spent the night in the house of an 18 year old girl and her mother. This was such a blessing since we had nowhere else to go! The following day, we headed into the downtown area where we spent the better part of the day hunting for an apartment. We finally found one in the downtown area in our price range that has quite a bit of room, which is another blessing from God!

Since we've arrived here, we've had the pleasure of meeting several university students that have already blessed us immensely. I will take some pictures of them and write up a blog introducing you to them. I'm pretty sure they will be our ministry this month - we can help them with their English and just love on them as much as we can. We've already made some of them dinner and watched a movie together. It should be a great month of ministry! We will be doing teaching and things at a Christian University where all these students go during our time here as well.

When we arrived though, I was immediately blown away by the city of Odessa! It has the feel of a western European city and it's breathtaking! Tree-lined streets with shops, lots of cute cafes and pedestrian streets to walk, along with neat older buildings, and it sits right on the Black Sea! They speak Russian here, and I have enjoyed trying to learn it thus far. We've really been showered with blessings this month. I wonder what the rest of it holds!

Month 10, here we come!

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

We finally know our plans for our tenth month of ministry! Tomorrow afternoon we are heading by bus through Moldova to Odessa, Ukraine! We have a contact there, and if everything works out, that's where we'll be. Either way, it sounds like we'll be somewhere in the Ukraine at the very least. Tomorrow we'll take an overnight bus to Moldova and then a train from there. We'll be sure to update you when we get there, so stay in touch!

In the Months to Come...

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The first nine months of the race have been amazing, but I believe these last two will be even better. God still has a lot He wants to do in me, and although I don't even know exactly what that looks like, I want to share with you the little I do know.

Since the middle of September, I have had prophetic words (basically, the words of the Lord spoken through people) spoken over me. It seems that in these last months, God wants to teach me a lot about faith and love. It's His goal to show me how to love Him the way that I should. Sure, I love God, but when I think about His love for me, my little love doesn't come close. You see, God loves me unconditionally. It doesn't matter what I do, where I go, what I say, He still loves me with all His heart. It doesn't matter how many good things I do, or how many bad things I do...He still loves me the same. Why does He do this, you ask? I can't figure it out myself, because of how badly I have treated Him over the years, but...He is my heavenly Father, and because He is my Father, He just loves me no matter what. If you have a child, or even if you have good parents, I am sure you understand.

Whenever God does something I don't like, or does something I don't want Him to, I find myself getting frustrated. Why? I guess I am stubborn and I want to be in control. I see things in my own little world from my own perspective and think I know what is right. I fail to grasp that God sees everything, and He knows what is best for me. He knows which paths end in failure and death, and He knows which one ends in the light. God also knows which struggles I need to go through in order to grow stronger and gain the skills and knowledge that will make me a better person.

I've given God my life because He will take care of me. Sometimes I pull back, trying to hold onto something that's no longer mine, and it only gets me in trouble. It is hard at times, when you're in the valley, to see God...but I know He's crying with me when I am there. After all, He sent Jesus Christ to die for us, so that we can re-establish a relationship with Him...and if He loves us that much, why would He not care if we were in some hard times? The good news is that He always rescues us from those times before they overwhelm us.

My challange from this point in is to have the faith that God is in control and to trust in all He puts me through. It is my challenge to love Him enough to accept that, and in the highs and the lows to love Him with all my heart, and not to get upset or frustrated. God never does anything bad to us, even though we do so many bad things to Him. It's just not in His nature. He will punish us, but is there a good parent out there who wouldn't?

I know this challenge will carry me even beyond the race, and I have no idea how long it will take me to fully grasp, if ever. Please pray that I will have the wisdom to accept these prophetic words and to start walking in them right away. I know it's going to be a tough time, and God is going to take me a lot of places I don't want to go, but I am okay with that. Now, more than ever, I will need those prayers! God is slowly revealing things about the future, but the one thing I can tell you is this - the race is only the beginning!

Romania Ministry

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The ministry we've been doing in Romania is unlike anything I thought it would be.

Our contact is an American by the name of John Fracker. Since John didn't want to turn away any World Race teams, our entire squad is in this small town, as well as three teams from the new World Race squads, with yet more teams in other villages nearby. Unfortunately, the large number of Americans in a small town means that there aren't an abundance of ministry opportunities. My team is camping behind his house with team Tikvah, and we're working directly with John this month. He gives us projects as they come to him, and here's what we've been doing:

Our first week here, we built what John refers to as "The Great Wall of Viile Tecii". John has a vision to fill in the land behind his house and build a small workshop on the land. This workshop will be used to make jams which will be sold to the magazines (shops) in town. It will also be a place for locals to come and make some money, which will be a big blessing for them. The second floor of this building will be a dormitory for missionaries. The wall had to be built to keep dirt from flowing into the stream behind John's house, and also to serve as a barrier when the water level rises in winter/springtime.

So, we dug a trench, made cement, and placed cement blocks in true Romanian style. The overseer of the project was a Romanian individual, so things weren't done terribly efficiently nor was it constructed in the manner many of us proposed, but...it's finished and we're praying it's structurally sound. This is the World Race, and sometimes you just have to go with the flow. We completed the wall and prepared for a new ministry the following week.

About 40 of us were recruited to go and pick apples from a field just a little ways out of the city. On Tuesday morning, we hiked over there and found not an apple orchard, but several apple trees scattered over the hillside. Instead of picking the apples off the trees, we were instructed to shake the trees until every last apple fell, and then pick up any apple that was not too badly rotted. We put in our four hours of work and filled eight large wagons full of apples, with bags of apples left over. When we returned home, we discovered that we were supposed to fill 25 wagons fill of apples to meet quota. As it turns out, the owner of the apple trees made an impossible demand so that he wouldn't have to pay us when we were finished. That was the one and only day we worked there.

The rest of our time here has been filled with odds and ends. We built a pigpen for two baby pigs that John purchased to eat our leftovers. We've also visited some homes and showed some love to families that have nothing. We've cleaned and played with the kids there. We've also run the church services on Sunday mornings and evenings, preaching, taking care of the kids, singing, all that stuff.

I'm not sure what the rest of this week has to offer, but I am sure it will be more random goodness. There's talk of doing more cement work, and we can always visit more homes to show people we care. The villagers that walk by all smile and wave, and that leads me to believe that we're doing something right. It's hard come to terms with the fact that we're already in our last week of ministry for September, but I pray that we all keep commiting to God and that we don't focus on anything else. Yeah, we'll be home before we know it, but God still has a lot in store for us. After all, the Race is just the beginning of what life will be like in the future!

When the Saints Come Marching In

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Our ministry here in Romania revolves around the village of Viile Tecii. I guess you could say that the town itself is our ministry. There's a population here of 500 people, most (if not all) of whom are Gypsies. In case you are wondering, the Gypsies are a people group of Eastern Europe. They are a nomadic group known for their music, darker skin color, and, unfortunately, they are sometimes seen in major cities of Europe trying to get your money from you. These people have no country to call their own, but they have their own language and way of life. Some of the Gypsies in Viile Tecii are Christian, but even then they have strict rules about what they can and can't do that inhibit their spiritual growth.

On the first Sunday we were here in the village, we headed to the 10AM service with some short, simple messages prepared for the people. When we got there, the entire congregation, save 3 or 4 people, were World Racers. Dismayed, we went into a time of worship, inviting the Lord's presence in. After the second song came to an end, the Lord placed on our contact's heart that we should parade around town, inviting everyone we saw to come to the 6PM service that night.

With two guitarists at the head of the line, we 80 or so Americans (this month we are working with a few teams from the August 09 squad) walked down the street, singing as loud as we could. Believe it or not, the sight of us drew out all the people of the town, some with smiles, others with looks of curiousity and confusion. We used the few translators we had with us to share with these people about the evening service, and we received many favorable responses. This was the case as we walked the entire length of the village. Would these people keep their word?

As 6:00 rolled around, I was delighted to see so many Gypsy people come to join us! They filled up nearly all the seats in the church! We Americans had no problem standing in the back and watching the service unfold. We quickly discovered that the Gypsies loved the music we played, even though they could not understand the words. This we followed up with three short messages about God's love and ended the night with a time of prayer, which many locals responded to. One man was led to Christ, although I feel in my heart that many more embraced what was said.

It turned out to be a wonderful night, and we were truly blessed by the Gypsies who came out to worship with us. Although there are 5 churches in this little town alone, I feel like many of the people here do not know God nor do they know what God has done (and wants to do) for them. My prayer is that, as we continue to pour into these people, they see the love of Christ flowing through us.

Viile Tecii

Mon, 7 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hey everyone!

We're in the town of Viile Tecii in northern Romania for the month. It's situated in Transylvania, and it's in a really beautiful area! There have been bats flying around, though...hmm...

Anyway, we're in a community that is somewhat Christian, but very legalistic. Christians are not allowed to put their hands in their pockets, there's a strict dress code in church, and Christians do not dance! This is hard for us coming off a month where we danced a lot in Africa! Christians do not drink alcohol at all here and don't even use sugar! It's just very strange.

We've already done a church service, which I'll write about in my next blog. Our ministry for the month is this community and helping them with chores while showing them who Christ really is. It sounds like a great challenge for us. We're also finally in a place where travel is not impossible, so we can see other towns and have some adventure!

Stay tuned, I should be able to use the internet once a week while we're here for the month. I can't wait to share our stories with you!

Heading to Romania

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Okay, this is the September version of the blog I send out every month letting you know what we'll be doing the following month. Here's what I know...

We're flying out of Johannesburg, South Africa on September 3, in the evening. We'll make our way overnight to Istanbul, Turkey, where we'll have a two hour layover. From there, we're flying to somewhere in Romania. I assume Bucharest, the capital, but I don't know for sure. We may spend a few hours or a few days there before heading somewhere else in Romania to start our ministry. At the time of writing, we have no idea where we will be or what we will be doing. It sounds like some teams will be camping out, and it also sounds like the weather is going to be very nice!

So, this lack of information is really nothing new for us, and not having any expectations going into a country leaves only room for excitement when we discover that we have something we didn't think we'd have...like a kitchen or a shower. On the World Race, those things are not necessities, only bonuses. We're not even sure about having internet, so I'll write again when I can.

Pray for us as we head into Europe. We're in our last three months of ministry, and I know for many people this is the beginning of the end. It's important, however, that we focus only on God until it literally is the end. This is tough for everyone, because we all have a reason to return home! I believe with all my heart though that it's in these months that God will do even more than He has in previous months, as well as prepare us for what's to come. God, give us the strength to keep going and keep our minds on the task at hand!

Foot Ministry

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Throughout the time we have spent in Swaziland, in the afternoons Hanna and I have been spending time with the boys who are 16 years old and younger. We've been out on the soccer field teaching them how to play the game. It is every young boy's dream to rise up and one day become a successful professional soccer player, which would give them an opportunity to escape the poverty they now live in. Since some of them have no one to go home to, it's also great to see them making friends and interacting together out on the field. Plus, it keeps them away from the trouble that many Swazi men find themselves in with alcohol.

In reality, I spent just about all my time on the field playing with the kids. I knew very little about soccer, so it was fun learning with them how to play the game. On average, we had 25 boys in attendance, and it was fun to run the drills and do stretches with them. They all quickly learned my name, and although it was difficult to learn all theirs (they use some clicking noises in their language that I am still trying to figure out), I know I became friends with many of them.

Hanna and I (she did all the work, I just played around) were preparing them for a tournament which was held the last Saturday we were here. The boys and I learned how to pass and dribble, how to run and shoot the ball. We also learned to take our defensive stances when a challenger was coming our way. Some of the boys have learned some english in school, and that allowed some communication while we were training together. They always show up with questions to ask about America or what my thoughts are on Swaziland. No conversation is complete without a mention of the singer Beyonce.

The tournament took place on August 22, where our boys, who were split into two teams, faced off against two other teams from different churches in the area. The youngest boys played first, and even though the excitement would sometimes lead them away from their positions, they played very well. The only goal scored against them was a penalty kick at the very end of the game. They won, 2-1. The older kids played next, in an equally exciting game. Many of them show a lot of skill and in a few years will be ready for Pastor Gift's traveling team. They worked well together and won their game 2-1 as well. A final game was played with a mix of players from both teams. If you ask me, this team played against some of the very best, and really held their own. Although they lost, 0-1, they know they played well and that we were really proud of them!

After the games were over, while waiting for the bus to come, a group of boys called me over and we just talked for a time. They shared how much fun they'd had and how great of a job Coach Hanna did. They were sad to find out that we would be leaving in a few days, and made it very clear that we would be missed. The way they talked about Christ gives me so much hope that this generation will accomplish great things. It breaks my heart that I will probably never see any of these boys again, but I will be praying that I will some day hear of their successes, either on the field or off.

A Walk on the Wild Side

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

When doing ministry in Swaziland, every once in a while a break is necessary. So, one evening after we'd finished ministry for the day, we went to take a walk on the wild side.

Just a few minutes up the road from where we were staying is a game reserve known as Nifsala Safaris. Our plan was simply to show up and walk on the property in hopes of seeing some neat animals before we were either tired or kicked out for wandering in unannounced. This wouldn't be possible at all if there were predatory animals on the reserve, but the big cats were taken away. Apparently, during a birthday party for a teenager and his friends, the boys taunted a lion until the lion leaped over one of two eleven foot high fences in an attempt to see how fierce the taunters were face to face.

Anyway, the seven of us walked past the fat crocodile in his pen and started down one of the paths into the reserve. Almost immediately we saw several ostriches running through the African brush. These beautiful birds were quite the sight! Shortly thereafter, we came across some warthogs running across the street and disappearing into the bushes nearby.

Venturing deeper into the park, we came across a group of wildebeasts foraging. When the animals took notice of us, they quickly formed a circle. The ones closest to us began stomping their hooves and moving their heads up and down. It didn't take a zoologist to know that they were giving us one - and only one - warning. We slowly backed away, and when the beasts no longer felt threatened, they ran off in the opposite direction. What I thought was a small group turned into a stampede of at least 100. Thank goodness they changed their minds about us.

Following the path further, we came across the crown jewel of our visit - several giraffes and some zebra munching on some greens. Although they noticed us early on, we slowly approached them until we were quite close. (I'm not good with distances, so just check out the pictures). We just stood and watched each other, both the giraffes and humans in awe of each other. It was truly a magnificent sight, watching giraffes from so close as the sun began to set.

As we prepared to move on, one of the park managers happened to drive by and saw us. He asked if we had made reservations to be there, which we answered no. He smiled and told us that had we called, he could have arranged a guide for us. As he told us to make our way back to the entrance, he warned us that the octriches and warthogs are in mating season, and can be quite aggressive if their territory is invaded. We all walked back to the entrance with smiles of our own, knowing that God had kept us safe and shown us some cool stuff along the way. :)

King David

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This is King David. Okay, well, he's not really a king (believe it or not), and his name's not even David. I'm actually not sure what his real name is. What I can tell you about him is that he played David in the David and Goliath skit we performed, and he successfully hit me between the eyes with a piece of paper made to look like a rock. Oh, and he's the cutest kid you'll ever see.

I met King David at the Mbhuthu carepoint, which is a 20 minute walk on the main road from where we are staying. This carepoint is one of eight in the area that children can go to in order to be fed - at least a lunch meal, but occasionally breakfast is provided as well. The meals I've seen are always a type of porridge with a bean of peanut buttery type of protein mixed in. There's usually a vegetable mixed in there too. The meals that the children get at the carepoints are the only meals they eat in a day. If there's no food to make, they go hungry that day.

The carepoint itself is nothing more than a concrete building where the food is stored. The Gogos (the term means grandmother in Saswati) are "elderly" ladies who run the place. They do so because they are then entitled to a free meal for themselves, their children, and their grandchildren for that day. They Gogos cook outside using a big cauldron and a fire. They siphon water out of a large green container to soften the porridge and so the kids can wash their hands. On any normal day, the kids show up around 10AM and they play together until lunch is ready. Sometimes they receive some teaching from the Gogos on math or english, if they have materials to use that are donated by organizations like UNICEF.

For the last week, we've been able to visit carepoints in the morning and spend time with the children. We teach them songs and games, and sometimes we get them to teach us too. We blow bubbles and give them time to color, and as long as we have a translator, we perform an interactive skit for them. That's when a first noticed David. We was volunteered to play the role, and although I don't think he knew exactly what was going on, he stepped into the role without hesitation.

Someone so small turned out to be the perfect rival for a giant like myself. As I taunted the Israelite army, David was trying on Saul's armor. Realizing the armor was just too big, David "found" some "smooth stones" and proceeded to "sling" one of them at me. The "stone" caught me between my eyes, bringing me to the ground. The little guy was victorious.

After our battle, I noticed that little David wanted to be buddy-buddy. I thought this might be difficult considering that he had just struck me between the eyes with an object of destruction, but he proved quite easy to love. He really enjoys being launched into the air and twirled around, and he also likes using my leg as a seat whenever I am sitting down. From there I usually turn into a jungle-gym of some sort. You won't hear me complaining, it's actually quite fun.

I'm not sure how much of a difference we have made while we've been here, but I know God has a plan for this country and for the people here. It's my hope that, even if the little children don't yet understand, that the adults see that God loves this place and that He is working to save this country. While statistics show Swaziland is a dying country, in Christ there is hope that little guys like David can have a future.

Making Friends

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

We've been in Nsoko for a week now, and in that week I've met several new people. A majority of these are the children we'll be ministering to this month. There are also the sick in the villages who we are caring for. Then, there's the group of young adults who hang out here.

We've been able to get to know the children as they come around the building we're staying in. Here there is a small playground and also a place for them to eat lunch. The school is just up the road so we get a lot of kids during their break. I often have trouble with names, but it's easy to recognize faces - and they all know who we are. We've been able to play sports with them in the afternoons and chat using whatever English they know. This has been a great way to build relationships with them! Other timers, it's fun to just sit around and goof off.

Just the other day I was going to fetch some water and some of the neighborhood kids decided to help me out. With three water jugs between the 8 of us, we headed off toward the well. Since one of the first things these kids learn in school is some english, we were able to make conversation on the way. They asked my name and where I was from, my age, those kinds of questions. Then, one of the boys pointed to another and said, "He is your brother.". I smiled and replied that we're all brothers, and all friends. The same boy responded, "No, he is your brother - and I am your father!". So before we even made it to the well, I was made aware that I was traveling with my family, from nephews to my grandmother, who was a younger lady doing laundry by the well. Laughter ensued.

This week we've been doing home visits. Cathy and I have been visiting a woman in her 40's who is HIV+ and has pains in her throat when breathing. Montombi can't even work when it's windy outside because the air burns her throat. Her knee is badly bruised and she has trouble getting around at times. She has a one room house she stays in, but she is worried it will be taken from her. She is a believer. Through a translator, we've been getting to know Montombi and her family. We've been able to pray for her and share words from the Bible as well. I hope that by being there, we're showing her that God cares for her and that He will take care of her.

These young adults, whose ages range from 18-22, are on staff for Pastor Gift's ministry. These guys and girls have also been our translators for the past few days while we visit the sick in their homes. They are also quickly becoming good friends. Each one dreams big, with thoughts of going to university or traveling to far off lands like America. For now, they are filling a need in the community and helping spread the Word of God. We introduced them to Mexican cooking the other night and they all loved it. They've also had PB&J's for the first time recently - I wonder what else we can treat them to?

The individual I am closest to is Majabane Magagula. Just like everyone else here, he is a Swazi from Nsoko. His father is still alive and they live together at the moment, but Majabane wants to travel to the US and work for a few seasons before returning to Swaziland and opening a business here. He has a heart for God and it looks to me like he is really seeking to learn more at this point in his life, and I hope I can help him with that.

These Swazis currently live in a dying, rather forgotten country. We're simply here to show that God has not forgotten about this place. Instead, God has a plan for even such a small country as this, and we need to raise up these people and give them hope so that they can accomplish what He has planned for them. When God is in charge, all is never lost.

Intro to Swaziland

Wed, 5 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This month, teams Indelible and Spectable are in Nsoko, Swaziland. We were orignally under the impression that we'd be working at an orphanage this month, but it is going to be much more than that. We are staying at a carepoint, which is one of nine locations in the city where children can come and get some food at lunchtime. The children also have a place to play and people to care for them...at least for a few hours. You see, the majority of these children are orphans. Usually, the father disappears early on and the mother dies as a result of the AIDS virus. This carepoint is supervised by Pastor Gift, and although I don't know much about him as of yet, I can tell he will be great to work with.

Some of you may already know this, but Swaziland is a country ravaged by AIDS. It is believed here that fifty percent of the population has the disease. That's one in every two people! A majority of the middle-age generation has been wiped out because of it, leaving mostly children and a few elderly to take care of them. The average person lives to only thirty years of age. The entire country is dying, and at this rate will not exist after the year 2040.

What will we be doing here? I'm still not 100% sure, but we have plenty of opportunities. Just yesterday we visited a young lady who is dying of a skin disease she cannot fight off because of AIDS. While we were there, we prayed for her and shared some things God was laying on our hearts. Pastor Gift knows of several such people who just want to know they are cared for in their last days. Today we visited the carepoints in the area, and we were able to interact with the children there. We sang, danced, played games, and even helped the children write some letters. These children usually get only one meal a day and a very basic education. We are hoping to build relationships with the people here in various ways and share with them the love of God. They need to know they are not lost and definitely not beyond hope. There's no doubt God has a plan for this country, and it's our responsibility to turn their eyes upon Him.

As a side note, we do have very limited internet access, and we're going to try to post blogs once a week. There will not be time to check emails, and the internet here is simply too slow to put up pictures. So, use your imagination. :) I look forward to sharing our month with you, but please keep us and the Swazi people in your prayers.

The Plan for August!

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

We we all know, plans have a way of changing... :)

But for now, here's the scoop!

Cathy and I are heading from South Africa up to Zambia on the 30th of July to spend a few days at Mosi-oa-Tunya , the mighty Victoria Falls! We'll be returning to South Africa on August 3rd, where we'll reunite with our team and head down to Swaziland for the month! It sounds like we'll be working with the Nsoko project, which involves working at an orphanage there. That's about all I know about it at this time. Towards the end of the month, our team will meet back up with the squad in Johannesburg for a few days rest. On September 1st, we'll be leaving Africa and flying to Romania in Europe. Who knows what crazy adventures await us there. We'll be in touch again in early August. We love you guys!

Restoring the Foundations

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The landlord of a 20 story apartment complex finds a crack on the 15th floor. He calls an architect to come survey the property, in hopes of fixing the damage. The architect arrives and goes about his work. After some time passes, the landlord goes to look for the architect on the 15th floor, but does not find him there. At the end of an extensive search, the architect is found in the basement. A bit upset, the landlord demands to know what the architect is doing. The architect simply smiles and points out that the crack now visible on the 15th floor is caused by damage done all the way down here - at the foundation.

This same logic holds true for the human being, as well. When many cracks appear on the surface, there's almost always a deep crack that was formed at the very core of our structure. As with the building, it's necessary to fix the crack at the core - the foundation - before the others can be addressed. If not taken care of, the entire structure can - and will - collapse! Since those cracks are in the basement, in the deep, dark parts of ourselves, how can we identify them? That process is not easy, and it wasn't something I was able to do by myself.

Cathy and I were fortunate enough to be invited to a seminar on Restoring the Foundations. Restoring OUR Foundations. In this seminar, we were shown how cracks can develop because of events that have happened in our lives. Those events may even appear insignificant at the time! The program is broken into four parts: Generational Sins and Curses, Ungodly Beliefs, Soul and Spirit Hurts, and Demonic Oppression. Each of the four parts has significance and all must be addressed in order to patch up the cracks, starting from the inside out!

Generational Sins are not too difficult to understand. There are sins that parents, grandparents, and even ancestors further down the line can commit. These tendencies can pass to the next generation, making it easier for a son or daughter to commit those same sins. There are also instances in the Bible where curses can result from generational sins. These curses will also carry down the line until they are revealed and broken. It is necessary to ask forgiveness for these sins, renounce them, and break the curse they have on your life!

Ungodly beliefs are just that - beliefs that aren't from the Lord! They are beliefs that perhaps someone pressed upon you, saying "You're not good enough" or something to that effect. These beliefs could also originate from the devil as he whispers negative thoughts into your ear. He certainly doesn't want you to believe the truths God is telling you! Finally, these are beliefs that could come from yourself. Things you have made up about yourself that are contrary to what the Word has to say about you. It takes time to identify these ungodly beliefs, but once you do, be sure to rebuke it and replace it with a new godly belief (one from Scripture) that will encourage you!

Soul and Spirit Hurts get a little more complex. I am sure all of us have an event or events in our lives that have had a very powerful effect on who we are today. Some of those events are good, and others can be quite bad. The bad events result in burdens that we choose to carry from that moment on. After all, what else can we do with them? Jesus asks us to give all of our burdens to Him so we don't have to carry them anymore! Finding the source of these burdens can be difficult, though. In order to discover them, we need to ask the Holy Spirit to show us where those painful memories reside, so we can cast them upon Jesus. Ahh, it's such a liberating feeling!

Finally, and just as equally important, is dealing with Demonic Oppression. Many of us don't fully understand the power demons can have over us, if we let them. They come in many shapes and sizes, from greed to murder to laziness to anger to feelings of rejection. They each have one purpose, and that's to make us feel a certain way. This is all the devil and his minions can do to stop us, but it can be very crippling if we don't take care of it! Thankfully, by the blood of Jesus we have power over all demons - even the devil himself! We can tell them what they can and can't do, and we can certainly tell them to leave us alone! It's important to call the demons by name and ask them to get out of our heads! If anger consumes you, ask the demon of Anger to leave you in the Name of Jesus! If it's lust, do the same thing! Just remember to ask the Lord Jesus to fill those voids with His peace and joy.

I had a chance to run through this process about a week ago. It feels a little bit like a therapy session, but in all honesty it's a ministry. It can be very difficult and painful at times, but we collect "junk" inside us that we need to let the Lord deal with. How often do we take half a day and really let the Lord come in and clean all that stuff out? It took a big push from God to get me to go to this seminar in the first place and realize that it was something I needed to do. I am very glad I did. There were a lot of things that the Lord revealed to me that I had never addressed, and many things that I had just left to collect dust. We are the Lord's temple, and He wants to use every ounce of that space for His good! There's no room for junk that gets left around. Cathy wrote a blog about an experience she had, read about it here. Even if you don't have access to a really neat program like this one, spend some time with the Spirit, and listen very carefully for God to speak to you. Let the cleaning begin! (After all, there is no end - it's one of those things you need to keep doing all your life!)

Looking Through God's Window

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

When one thinks of Africa, usually what comes to mind are images of deserts, vast flatlands, and of course, animals. While this may be characteristic of a majority of the continent, South Africa has a landscape all it's own.

A few days ago, Cathy and I headed north to see some of the beauty South Africa has to offer. We were blessed to be able to take the trip with a couple named Scott and Becky. These two Americans have spent the last few years in South Africa, on and off, working on discipling the people here and raising up a new generation of believers. They've also been the ones to show us around town and take us to the places we need to go. They truly are a fun couple, and here they are taking us on an adventure to regions unknown! (Okay, the regions have obviously been well explored, but they were unknown to me!)

As we began our trip north, the scenery quickly changed from city life to rolling countryside. Evergreen trees extended every which way in long rows and columns. Grassland spread out as far as the eye could see, the perfect place for animals to graze. Large rocks were thrown about as if God had sprinkled them on the top of His masterpiece. Rivers trailblazed pathways through all this eons ago, creating valleys and cascading waterfalls. God had definitely taken some extra time when He made this land.

That was my thought as these beautiful landscapes passed me by. We made a stop at Mac Mac Falls, a powerful dual waterfall that creates a mighty splash as it crashes to the earth. As I stood there, I thought about what the purpose of a waterfall is. We may be able to generate some energy from them, but I just think that God created them for our enjoyment. I feel it was just one more way for us to stand in awe of His majesty.

Our next stop took us to the Blyde River Canyon, which I have been told is the third deepest on earth. It wasn't very deep in the area we were, but we didn't come to see how deep it was - we came to see the Potholes. The area is so named because of the way the canyon has eroded over time. The river encounters several craters in the rock as it flows through. From above, the rounded extrusions look a lot like potholes. I really enjoyed spending some time here, jumping from rock to rock, finding as many places as I could where God's finger had done some carving.

Our main destination for the day though was a place called God's Window. As we headed to this site from the Potholes, I wondered how a place could get a name like God's Window. What would God look at? With these thoughts in mind, we hiked up the path that led to the view point. As the world opened up in front of me, I could only let out a muffled "wow". It was a crystal clear day, and possible to see for kilometers and kilometers.

As I stood there, I pictured God sitting on the area named for Him, making the surrounding countryside at the beginning of time. Sure, it looked different then, but I can't imagine it looking any more beautiful. I imagined Him sprouting trees and creating lakes with a move of His finger. I saw Him making the area green and beautiful. I visualized His hands moving up and down as He created the mountains in the distance. If God is able to sweat, I could picture Him wiping a bead of it off His forehead, and then smiling. He was smiling at His beautiful, perfect creation out in front of Him. He was also smiling at the thought of me, standing in that very spot so many years in the future, praising Him for all I was seeing.

Yeah...God worked so hard for me...for all of us. And He still is. I can't imagine all God has done just for us. He didn't have to make the world so beautiful. He didn't have to make the tall mountains and the vast oceans for us to explore. He didn't have to make the leaves change colors in the fall, or paint amazing pictures with the sunset each evening. He didn't have to put the stars and planets in the sky for us to stare at in wonder. He didn't have to create us in the first place! Most of all, God certainly didn't have to send His Son to die a criminal's death for us, so that we could spend eternity with Him...in an even more beautiful place than the one I saw. Yet, He did all those things...and so many more...all because He loves us.

Even as I stood at the top of God's Window, I couldn't begin to comprehend all this. I'll never understand just how much He loves me. What I do know is that there's nothing I can do to cause Him to love me any more, or any less. It doesn't matter how good I do, or how much I screw up. What I do know is that as I stood in God's presence on that mountain, I could feel His arms around me, His warmth and His love...and I know that's exactly where I always want to be.

The Spirit Realm

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

We don't hear much about the Spirit Realm in the Western World, do we? Ooh, it feels kind of creepy to even write about it. Surely it's all fiction, right? ...right?

The people of Africa would attest to the fact that spirits are a very real thing. Long before Christianity was brought to this continent, the people here engaged in voodoo practices, ancestral worship, and worship of just about everything under the sun. Actually, I'm sure they worshipped the sun, too. The sangoma, or witch doctors, continue many of these practices today, enticing people to join them by offering healings, blessings,
and curses.

What these people don't know is that the spirits they worship are demonic in nature. That's right folks, there are indeed evil spirits working in the world even today. Jesus cast out many in His time, and they didn't call it quits when He died and rose again. They are still up to no good, doing anything they can to be a stumbling block to the Good News that Jesus Christ and His followers shared.

So, the people of Africa have grown up with an understanding of the spirit world. They know it exists, and they have seen the things that these evil spirits have been able to do here. When Christianity came to the dark continent, these people, who always seem to be hoping for something good, have started to embrace the Gospel and who Jesus Christ is. They understand the spirituality of God and they cling to the Scriptures that talk about the many miracles God can do.

Because of this, Africa is a place where many miracles happen. In many places in America, we wonder if such things can happen in our day. I tell you, they do happen here! Our team has seen people being healed and I have heard many stories of the blind seeing, the lame walking, and even the dead being raised. The spiritual air is just different here, and it's amazing to see how much faith these people have.

I am working on a blog regarding spiritual influences in my life, hopefully I can get it up some time soon. Call this an introduction to that. :)

Lost and Found

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I've been trying to debrief the month of June for the last few days, and I am still not sure what to say about it. That being said, I am going to try to pour out my thoughts into a blog for all to see.

Have you ever been lost? Have you ever been in a place, in your mind or in reality, where you've just had no clue as to what to do next? Have you ever lost something that was very dear to you? I'm sure we all have. I guess that's how this last month feels to me...a month of being lost...and found.

Everyone has struggles that they face in life, and I am no exception. I have a lot of stubbornness, a selfish streak, issues with anger, problems with self worth, envy, patience, and the list goes on and on. When you're out in the world following after God, He quickly and painfully reveals these things to you (if you don't know them already). It's kind of a sucky feeling to have God remind you of those, I am not going to lie. At the same time, I'm reminded that God is a loving Father to us, His children, and that He wants what's best for us.

I don't think God demands perfection, but He certainly wants us to live like Jesus Christ did. He does demand a spotless record in order to enter Heaven, but fortunately that's where being saved by grace comes in. He knows we can't live up to the law that He gave us. After all, lying is a sin...who hasn't done that?

Anyway, I found myself this last month desparately wanting to give up these things that don't do me, God, or anyone else a lick of good...but I realized that I have no idea how to do so. Like a child and his lollipop, sometimes even the bad things are difficult to give up. Once you build up your own little world, it's really hard to tear some of it back down.

It was finally in June where I really realized just how little I can do without Him. I remember prayer after prayer just asking for help, because I didn't know what else to ask for. I really felt lost in every spiritual sense of the word. Luckily for me, God talks back.

The Lord told me to read Psalm 34, which I have added to the bottom of this blog. It is a psalm of King David which he wrote about a really tough time in his life. I am sure in that moment he had to ask the Lord for help many times. The psalm reveals that God is listening and is ready to respond when we call to Him for help. He knows just what to do. Although I have no idea, He's already figured the whole thing out.

I am found in Jesus Christ, and I have been for four years now. Those words carry a lot more meaning at this moment in my life. I am really at His mercy to listen for His voice as He reveals what He wants to do in me. It's kind of scary, and a lot of times He takes me out of my comfort zone. The last half of the race is nothing like the first; I feel like we're just getting started with the real race now. I'd bet you that lollipop that the month of July is going to be a huge challenge, but if I carefully and patiently follow the Lord, I hope we'll see some big results.

Psalm 34 (NLT)

¹ I will praise the Lord at all times.
      I will constantly speak his praises.
² I will boast only in the Lord;
      let all who are helpless take heart.
³ Come, let us tell of the Lord's greatness;
      let us exalt his name together.

⁴ I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me.
      He freed me from all my fears.
⁵ Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy;
      no shadow of shame will darken their faces.
⁶ In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened;
      he saved me from all my troubles.
⁷ For the angel of the Lord is a guard;
      he surrounds and defends all who fear him.

⁸ Taste and see that the Lord is good.
      Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!
⁹ Fear the Lord, you his godly people,
      for those who fear him will have all they need.
¹⁰ Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry,
      but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.

¹¹ Come, my children, and listen to me,
      and I will teach you to fear the Lord.
¹² Does anyone want to live a life
      that is long and prosperous?
¹³ Then keep your tongue from speaking evil
      and your lips from telling lies!
¹⁴ Turn away from evil and do good.
      Search for peace, and work to maintain it.

¹⁵ The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right;
      his ears are open to their cries for help.
¹⁶ But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil;
      he will erase their memory from the earth.
¹⁷ The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help.
      He rescues them from all their troubles.
¹⁸ The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;
      he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

¹⁹ The righteous person faces many troubles,
but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.
²⁰ For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous;
not one of them is broken!

²¹ Calamity will surely overtake the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be punished.
²² But the Lord will redeem those who serve him.
No one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

July Ministry

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Here's an update from the mission field!

We're in South Africa this month, getting a bit of time back in the civilized world. We're still not really sure what we'll be doing in terms of ministry, but Cathy and I are hoping to get an opportunity to take a trip to Victoria Falls and also visit some of the neat sites in and around Nelspruit. For us, it's a time to feel like a couple again...like it's just the two of us, at least for a month! We love being with other racers, but sometimes it is nice to have the freedom to do whatever we want.

It's also a month where we need to focus on support raising...sorry in advance if we call you asking for money! We still need just under $7000 to be fully funded for the year.

There is a married couple, Scott and Becky, who live just across the street who are already taking good care of us. They've promised to take us to some of the sites and it's nice to spend time with a couple that's been married for a while. Sometimes it's tough not having a marital influence while on the race. We got to go to the Botanical Gardens the other day with them, to chat and learn more about where they come from.

July is a very special month for me, though - it's the month of my birthday and also my anniversary! It's nice to be in a place where we can go out to celebrate! I am curious to see what God is going to do this month. God has put Cathy and I in a place where the main focus can be us, which is something we have not had since we've been on this trip. My biggest fear is that we end up keeping ourselves busy and lose focus on what's important. Please pray that God's Will will be done!

Planting Seeds In God's Garden

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Our ministry for month six of the World Race has come to and end. No month has been without struggle, but I feel like this is the first time I have had a genuine challenge! As I mentioned in my other blogs, we spent a majority of our ministry time out in the bush. We've been camping out, working with a church in the remote village of Machanga. There has been very little Christian influence here, especially from the Western world.

There were church services every night, with one of us delivering the message. In the midst of all their dancing, singing, and shouting, we were asked to dance, sing, and do some sharing of our own. As the weekend rolled around, a large group of Mozambiquans came down from Beira, in the north. It just so happened that we arrived in Machanga the weekend of a women's conference, and we were asked to help with some of the teaching!

The church services, which ran from 9AM to the afternoon and then picked back up in the evening, were packed. Standing room only! Our group gave on average two talks a day, with all the other talks coming from the group in Beira. At first, we were excited about being able to rest, but found ourselves staring wide-eyed at the preachers. They were teaching a lot of false Scripture and other incorrect things! What made matters worse was that the leadership in Machanga did nothing to stop it!

All four teams out in the bush spent some time in prayer to see what God wanted us to do. After the women's conference was over, the church asked us to run the show for the next few days, so we began to put together services that we hoped would help us reach the people there. We prepared worship, skits, testimonies, dramas, and sermons based on who Jesus was and on the Biblical principle of being saved by grace and not by works.

Unfortunately, over the two days we preached, church attendance was quite low. There were times that we were only sharing with a few women from the village, but we pressed on. Several people came up for our Monday evening alter call, but we began to wonder if we were making any progress at all. Were we getting through to them?

As evening approached on Tuesday, our last night in the village, I think we were all a little frustrated. We just weren't getting through to anyone. Finally, a member of our team thought it would be a good idea to have a question and answer session. What questions did these villagers have about the faith they supposedly followed?

It came as a bit of a surprise when we received questions about who God was, and who Jesus was. To them, this was just another god to serve. We took the time to explain in detail all that God has done, and that they need to stop worshipping their ancestors and worthless idols. By the end of the evening, I truly believe they understood the message and are now on the winning side. It only took a little personal time, to show that we really cared, for them to see the light.

I'm not sure if I will ever see those people again, but I hope that little church rises up a strong beacon for Jesus Christ!

That Crazy Thing We Call Ministry

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Please note that I write this blog not as a complaint in any way, but rather so that you would know what our ministry is like out in the bush.

The people here have received the Word, and are eager to hear more. Unfortunately, they seem to want to hear it all day, every day! This definitely keeps us on our toes, as we're never sure when we will be called on to preach! Everyone on the team has a sermon ready just in case. I preached just last night on the topic of God's love. What's especially crazy is that church services sometimes randomly start at very early hours of the morning, while we're trying to sleep!

This may be an obvious point, but nothing here starts on time. Ever. The service today started an hour and a half late. That's just the way things are here, and we go with the flow. It doesn't matter much to us. Oftentimes in service, we will be told "Your team will preach after this song", or "We want to see some American song and dance!" Since we don't really put dance moves with worship songs, we ended up doing the electric slide while we sang along! There's no rhyme or reason to the service, so we never know what's coming. Sometimes we'll sit there for hours and not get called to do anything, but other times, we can't get things together fast enough! Whenever there's an 'awkward' pause while we put things quickly together, someone from the congregation always jumps up and starts singing and dancing. Never a dull moment!

In this village, they really believe in community living. There are two large drums of water that the entire village, small as it is, shares for cooking, cleaning, and showers. Someone regularly goes down to the large hole dug by the river to fill them up. Since we're part of the community, they share it with us. This, of course, means that all our things are up for grabs, no questions asked. Finish cleaning one of the two pots we have to cook in and ten minutes later it's being carried to the other side of the village by some random woman. It can take some time to track it down again. I noticed our dinner pot was missing this morning...I wonder who will be hunting for it later?

Probably the strangest thing here is the miscommunication...or lack of communication all together. Two nights ago, we were told about an all day fast that was only for the women of the village. The next morning, after we'd finished eating breakfast, we were asked why we hadn't fasted the meal. Apparently, we were somehow expected to although we were told to our faces otherwise. Church proceedings have been miscommunicated, usually leaving us looking clueless. There was even a day where we were supposed to go minister at a school, but were told the wrong time to be there. The children had waited for us for a while before leaving.

Fortunately, we were able to redeem ourselves at the school. We went back the next day and did song and dance. We also played games and did a David and Goliath skit, in which I was King Saul. I think the kids were a little overwhelmed and a little shy of white people. It's been the same with the kids in the village - we usually have to initiate contact with them, but they quickly overcome any fear and join us in whatever we're doing. When we're not spending time with them, they just stare at us from a distance.

Once, when a group of us went evangelizing, we found most the village at a funeral. The lady had died the night before and they were about to bury her. We showed up in time to walk with the village to the burial site. We stayed for the entire burial. The dead woman was covered in a sheet and carried on a gurney made of sticks. After she was lowered in, the gurney was dismantled and placed in the hole with her. The dirt was put back in it's place and plants were placed over the grave. When we returned to her house, my teammate Darci delivered a message on comfort.

This is Africa! It's a wonderful place, just a lot different from home...and there's nothing wrong with that. That's just the way it is. I really do love it here, and I wouldn't trade this time for anything. God is changing us and hopefully we will leave these people with an understanding of how awesome and mighty our God is. I pray that in all we do, whether struggle or triumph, that He be lifted high!

Life in Mozambique

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The squad left Nelspruit, South Africa and took a 20 hour van ride across the border and then north through Mozambique to the town of Valinculos. In reality, we were outside the city at the home of Jaco and Maria, our ministry contacts for the month. Three teams had to continue further north, but my team and three others stayed here. We really roughed it out there - we tented with an amazing view over a lake, had showers (sometimes even with hot water), and plenty of places to cook the food we had purchased for the month in South Africa. Since I hadn't expected to have any of the above, I felt like we were living in luxury! It's all relative, I suppose! =)

We were instantly blessed by Jaco and Maria, they are awesome people! Jaco is like a bear that had been through a lot in his life, but he is out serving God with all of his heart. Maria is just as strong in her faith and is a joy to be around. Although it's impossible to tell from looking at them, they are some of the goofiest people I've ever met. Maggie and Rudo complete the family. It was not uncommon to find us playing games or watching TV with them. Did I mention there was a TV? =)

Jaco's house was the launching point for the ministry we would be doing in the heart of Mozambique. After a few days of preparation and working around their house, we set out for the village of Machanga and what awaited us there. The trip took us on pothole covered streets to a bridge across the river, which turned out to be closed. We had to backtrack and take boats carved from logs over instead. We then hiked some 4kkm to our campsite.

Since it's winter here, the sun sets by 5:30 each evening. Nights, mornings, and evenings are quite cold (at least to us), but days can get quite hot. We're now in real Africa, with simple huts, holes in the ground for toilets, and definitely no electricity. We cook over a fire every meal, boiling water for oatmeal in the morning, bread for lunch, and rice or pasta at dinnertime. On a rare night, we cook up some fish that we were able to afford, or the goat that we killed and ate yesterday. We are truly living with the locals.

I can't forget to mention the people here...what would Africa be without them? Everywhere we go, children come out of the woodwork to see us, as if we were something special. They are reluctant at first, but will quickly join us in games and song, even though they do not know the english words they are reciting. Their torn and ragged clothes move in the wind as they dance around. The toys they play with are discarded cans or plastic bags. Yesterday, I even saw a soccer ball that was made from plastic bags. Even so, there is a happiness in their eyes that I feel most people back home do not have. For them, life is just fine.

The women are the ones that seem to make Africa come alive. They are right out of a magazine, with babies strapped to their backs and jogs of water almost too heavy to carry balanced perfectly on their heads. The strong hand shakes they give with smiles show their happiness even with all the burdens that they must carry daily. Their voices make the heart leap with the incredible harmonies they sing - music I have never heard anywhere else. Their love of dance completes the picture, moving intriquately with their words.

I was anxious about coming here...but I have no idea why now. Why was I worried about being clean or getting sick from one of the kids here? I can see that is foolish. I have given God this year of my life, and He is in control of all that happens here. He is the God of this continent and it's people, just as He is anywhere else in the world. Right now, this is where He wants me to be. As I look out at all the faces staring back at me, I think about all the possibilities God has for us here. This is Africa...and I love it!