Steve Wright - The World Race 2008

Obama's acceptance speech

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Obama just won the Nobel Peace prize, in case you hadn't heard. He accepted the prize because of the work he has done overseas making peace with other nations, whether he deserves the award or not, I won't debate. One thing that this has made me think about though is how difficult it is to be accepted as a Christian. John 6:40 says, to him who looks on Jesus and believes. Thats it, no special recitation or set of rules we have to follow (although we don't want to quench the spirit...)

Romans 2:12-13 says for all who sin apart from the law will perish apart from the law and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. Paul goes on to defend the Gentiles.

I think God probably fits into other people's lives easier then we want him to. Why do we sometimes expect people to make a complete life change so that they can understand life like we do. Although it is important for God to be the center of their lives, all they have to do is look on Jesus and believe.

Pastor Gift

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

When we were in Africa, I spent time with Pastor Gift. The past few weeks he has been on my mind for some reason, I guess I have just been admiring the work he has been doing in Swaziland. Seth Barnes (AIM leader) posted a blog from Pastor Gift a few days ago and the blog describes the problems that they are dealing with, here it is:

If you take Matthew 25* literally in the context of what's going on in Swaziland, it's sobering.

Over in Nsoko, Swaziland, Pastor Gift's average day doesn't look like yours or mine. For example, here in Georgia it's rare that a random neighbor knocks on our door - maybe a Fedex guy stops by needing a signature. In contrast, Pastor Gift is the last hope some neighbors have. Here's his blog:

Yesterday I was sitting in my house doing administrative work when I heard a timid knock at the door. I reluctantly stood up and went to check this unusual knock out.

There was this lady who was so frail and skinny you could have thought she was dead. I inquired, "how can I help you gogo". She shyly gave a response, "I am hungry my son, help I am dying." I immediately thought of what we had at the kitchen. We had no food too except some bread that I was serving for my daughter when she comes from school.

The Spirit within me said, "Are you going to spare food for your daughter and not give God right at your door. I went to the kitchen and began to make juice and took all the slices of bread put it on a tray and went to give the old lady outside. Her eyes immediately brightened at the sight of food. I watched her eat as if she had not eaten in days.

When she was done I cannot remember how many times she said "God bless you my son", "Thank you so much" with that shaking timid voice. I watched her as she stoop up to leave her body telling a story of shame as she moved. As she disappeared she left me with a picture of a miserable face that does not remember any joy. Here is someone that has lived a life of shame most of her life.

Later we went to this gogo's home.She is trying her best to raise her grandchildren that were left behind by her dead children. The only surviving daughter destroyed her house and left never to come back.

I must say, the people of Nsoko are still full of hope. They hope in life, they hope in hope, and above all they have hope in God.How people survive hear sometimes I do not know. But the fact is they do survive. They hope against hope. As I write in my car there is an envelope full if HIV results. Almost all of the people who got tested, tested positive. These people are poor and they are also the most infected. In Swaziland the infection rate is at 42%. Nsoko has a 49% infection rate. People are dying and in numbers. Businesses are being affected.

The other day I was called upon to rescue a young man of about 22 years. He was from hospital to collect his ARV's. He had just enough money for transport and nothing for food. He fell next to the gate because he could not walk any longer. We have hope though. We hope against hope.

*Matt. 25 says: "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

⁴⁰"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

⁴¹"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴²For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'"

The Good old USA

Sat, 31 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I keep telling people that I just got back to the States a few weeks ago from this missions trip, but then I think a little about the calender and realize its been over two months.

I have to admit, its been great being with my family while I was transitioning back to places that were familiar. I spent a lot of time in my room, by myself, which was great for me, just relaxing from all of the commotion that can go on when you cram 27 people into a small building for several consecutive months. Its really not as bad as I make it sound, but variety is the spice of life, eh?

So, in the past two months, Aside from being somewhat inactive, I was at home for December, and spent the holidays with my family. I had a chance to see my grandmas, and some other relatives that I had grown up with. I was somewhat involved with the church I grew up in, and got to play a few basketball games with the old church team. I was able to catch up with some of my old friends from Michigan, and Chicago. December kind of reminded me of Thanksgiving, you always get invited to too many meals, haha, but I had a really great time.

In January, I moved to Chicago, where I am now living for a while. I haven't decided how long I'll stay, but I am just enjoying the company for the moment. The tenants are very nice (old friends) and I get to hang out with some of my college friends. Other then that, I am working a few different jobs, finishing my undergrad degree and paying off some college debt. This summer, there is an opportunity for me to help out with a basketball camp directed towards teenagers in the city. By The Hand Kids Club has already decided to sponser the camp. Im very excited about that opportunity and pray for God's will in that.

Finally, I hate to keep asking for your money, but Im still a little short on the support from the race. If I don't recieve money, I will pay from the money I make while I'm in Chicago, which is not my first choice, but I feel it is important to honor that commitment. If you would like to donate, you could click on the "Support me!" link to the left, or call Adventures in Missions at 1 (800) 881-2461. This missions trip was great for me, I really learned alot, and I thank you all for your prayers and encouragement along the way.

Back in the US

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Back in the good old US of A.

Quote, "This (WR) was like the Chicago Marathon on steriods." I kind of remember saying that. That last week in debrief was a blur, and this first week back home has been too. Trying to think about everything that has happened on this trip, I don't think I will ever put it all together. There were so many injustices that I saw, (poor, oppressed) and I don't really know what to do with them. I keep blaming the tension inside of me on the injustices that I saw on this trip, but Im not so sure that is the whole story. I guess the harder part is that now I have to change the way I have lived, and that is really difficult after living one way for 22 years, and then trusting that this new way is actually rooted in truth, but I do believe that there is something very important that I have gained from this trip. I have different emotions, I pay attention to different things, I am constantly fighting guilt, and finally, the most difficult one, the world doesn't depend on me.

My little sister told me to check out the snow flakes, they are huge. Its really a joy just being back home with my brothers and sisters. Just being back the last week or so, I have laughed really hard sometimes with my family.

I know that God is watching over me, and my future is so uncertain. Im just trying to make the best of what I have at the moment, and be faithful in the small things. I guess that is really all that we can do, knowing how much bigger the world and its struggles are then my aspirations.

Im still about $1200 short, I really want to thank everyone who has supported me on the trip, its been amazing to see how much God has provided, My expectations for support were much smaller then this. If you have any money left after spending all of it on your family for Christmas, consider helping me with the rest of the money, AIM is a good ministry.

Mark Stratmann

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Mark! what a great guy, I wish I would have realized this sooner.

I met Mark in training camp, and we talked a little. The first thing I noticed about him at training camp was his laugh. We just talked about him selling his house and transitioning. I honestly thought he was a little nutty for giving up his job and his life to travel the world for a year.

So fast forward a few months and I found myself on the same team as Mark. I really tried to be intentional with Mark the first three months. I remember a few times in South America where we were just walking the streets chatting, or sitting in a restaurant drinking Inka (maybe Coca) Cola. I really started to apreciate, and I think I took him for granted.

Throughout Africa, we were on our own as a small group, and our team really came together in Nelspruit. We were always eating meals together and there didn't seem to be much tension. In Swaziland, our team, especially me and my relationship with the team was challenged. I remember there was a point in Swazi where I didn't feel comfortable around Mark. I just remember Mark standing up to me. He very politely asked me to coffee, and Im thankful for the way that Mark restored me.

Mark, its been a great year, and Im really glad that we were on the same team this year. I just see someone who is patient, has a lot of maturity, but also humility, and really wants to see the kingdom grow, even if its at your own expense. I feel like God is going to give you back your old life it you want it, but I think that you will accomplish whatever is put before you. I love you, and I hope that God will bless you.

Tammy Peters

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Its Tammy's birthday today! Happy Birthday Tammy!

Tammy and I met on the bus going to training camp, we were both from the same part of Michigan, and I knew we were going to be good friends. A few months later, I found out that we were on the same team, and I was really excited because I knew that we would have a great time.

When we were in Chincha, I saw that Tammy was a great leader. She always had good ideas and was always thinking ahead with different situations. She is kind first of all, then intelligent and wise, always looking for other people that she could help out. She doesn't hesitate to give out advice when she feels the spirit is moving in the situation.

I remember back to chincha, we were all still trying to grow closer to each other, and I decided to ask Tammy why she is a christian. I think I kind of caught her off gaurd a little, and she kind of laughed. Then she said something like, "don't you think you should build up to a question that is deep like that?" Ummm, yeah, good point. I really apreciate the time that she has spent building the kingdom of God in my life.

We also had a lot of little jokes here and there. There was a missionary in Swaziland that was always saying, "I don't know" in a distinct tone. We asked the missionary, "who says, I don't know" (in the same dinstinct tone). The missionary paused for a second, and then said, "I don't know" (in that same distinct tone). We still use that phrase sometimes.

Tammy, it was really good to be on the same team this year. I'll be praying for you in the next path you take, have a great birthday!

Rubie Palmer

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I had the pleasure of getting to know Rubie this year, and it was a privelage.

I just want to start off by saying that I don't think that Rubie has a mean bone in her. She is very innocent

Rubie was already doing ministy in Peru when we got there in January. The first week that we were in Chincha, she joined our team, and she almost always seemed to be smiling. I never really got a chance to sit down and talk with Rubie until we had a break in ministry during our first month debrief. We just talked and I gave my testimony. I really felt like family.

Later on in India, hot hot India, we were making dinner as a team for the squad. At this point, we had been together as a squad, and I felt distant from the whole team that I had spent the past three months with in Africa. I just remember her asking questions about my family, how many brothers and sisters I had, all of that. I know that that stuff is what is important to her.

Rubie's sense of humor is really funny. I've already told her this, but she just has a way of putting sentences into conversation that...I can't really explain it, you should just get to know her and you will probably understand.

She is always level headed and standing for truth. I just feel comfortable knowing that she isn't judging me, and that she is thinking fairly of me, taking into account everything that is involved in the situation, including the fact that I (Steve) may not be right, and then she honestly, and politely gives her opinion.

It is a really good idea to get to know Rubie.

Laura Johnston

Sun, 9 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Hey everyone! Im just about finished with this trip, so I thought I would write about the people on my team. They have helped me through some tough times, and Im definitely going to miss them. So, I want to remember the people on my team by just writing a few things about them, and the reasons why I have pushed through during hard times, and not given up on them, and am greatful that they didn't give up on me.

I remember training camp on the flight back was the first time that I actually got to talk with Laura. The whole training camp we didn't even say anything, then all of the sudden I found out the night before that we were on the same plane. We had funtalking, and then I come to find out that we get to spend the next 11 months together on the same team, who would have thought that?

Laura is always having bad luck with her bags and souvenirs and stuff. I just read her last blog about DHL, then remembered how the robbers stole her clothes! they stole her clothes? go figure, wierd. Besides that, the first plane ride she had, the plane company couldn't find her pack, and she had to file for insurance. There's other stories that she can tell also.

I feel like I didn't really get to know who Laura was until Durbin (Sixth month). All I really knew was that she was always hanging out with Tammy, that her father was a Pastor, and that she has a steel trap for a mind, she really can remember almost anything. We had some great times together as a team in Durban, I'll never forget the weekends at the mall (we needed weekends those days), and the coffee shop talks, great times.

After Durban, we really hit some tough times as a squad and a team. We were robbed at gun point, and lots of other little nicks, and all of the sudden, we were looking at the fact that a few people might have to go home just because of how much had happened. I remember those times, dark and difficult, and I wasn't sure how our team was going to look after that, but Laura stuck it out, and I was impressed with her spirit in India, and how she really pulled through, just through friends and prayer and journaling and turning to the Bible.

Laura has really been through a lot this year, and I feel like she chose to run to the right people when she needed them in difficult times. I really think that she's going to be a great encouragement to the young women that she surrounds herself with when she comes back. I just wanted to thank you for being patient with me, we've had some great times!

last month!

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I was just thinking the other day of iquitos, and it instantly brought back a flood of feelings. So many things were going on back then, i was in such a different state of mind. Its hard to believe that i have been away for 10 months now. Back in Iquitos i couldn't see the end of the trip. At the time i was sick, and a lot happened that month. This was the month where the bus got attacked by an angry mob, and we went to the Amazon river and stayed on a boat. I'm pretty sure I had a few dreams in Peru, where I was in a tunnel, and the light kept disappearing from my sight, it was really depressing, but at the same time, God was doing a lot with me, and he has really changed me.

Skip forward a few months, and now we only have a little over a month left before we get on our planes and go back to the States. I can't wait for this month to start, the community here is really amazing. I have so many friends here that I feel like I can connect with, and mostly what we talk about has to do with things that are really interesting to me. I feel so safe a protected, and everyone's problems are somewhat known, and we are all looking out for each other. I know I'm going to have a lot of fun this next month.

So I still haven't spoken in tongues, don't know if I ever will, but at the same time, I feel comfortable in the community, so that wasn't the issue. The issue must have been something else, maybe my apprehension?

big cities

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Im currently listening to the new coldplay cd, so that might affect the contents of this blog a little.

I was just thinking about the fickleness of this world in general. I keep trying to think what I can put my foundation on, and I know it is God and his kingdom, but how do we find that kingdom, and then when we think we have found the kingdom, is it really the true kingdom? I don't know, probably not. Pastor Mike says we will always be adjusting, which is going to be tough just thinking about the change that I have been through this year. But every time I have been put through a change, whether it's environment, social dynamics, whatever, it seems that I've see some dark parts in my life that I hadn't seen before, and on the other hand I also have a few moments where I recieve joy because things seem right.

Just thinking a little bit about fame vs the kingdom of God, and I think there is a direct correlation between the two. God wants unity, the other wants power, but at the same time, fame and personal power seem to bring me sadness and sin, while serving and thinking of others only brings me joy and peace. Who wouldn't want that, right? and we see in Romans 1 that God gives people over to their desires because he loves us so much, so therefore, what you want might not always be good for you, and what you get could be harmful. That's a scary thought. But I want to choose peace and joy over power, and be a part of something bigger. I have some friends that see this kingdom, and I don't really see that yet, but I want to.

Im still $1800 short, please pray about giving me more money, so that I can finish out this trip. We have less then 40 days left, I'm trying my best to finish strong.

Religion

Mon, 6 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I finally got away with a laptop, which doesn't happen very much, so I decided to take advantage of it while I have the chance.

I guess what is on my mind at the moment is religion. I've been reading a cynical book towards Christianity that is giving me a check of a few things to watch out for. This guy is intelligent and hard to follow, not always sane, but very convicting and truthful at times.

I have seen a lot of the effects of bad religion/theology in the past months I guess through looking at colonization, and I had heard plenty of stories in school through my history classes. It seems like a few people get a platform and introduce a few revolutionary ideas, and the ideas gain a little too much momentum and gets out of control. Maybe they say words when their adrenaline is going that they don't necessarily mean, and bad events follow. I know I can get sucked into this. Maybe it is because I lose focus on the kingdom of God and see how I can start building my own kingdom. Sounds selfish, and it is, but it is very dangerous and I just praise God for his grace in renewing my mind this time in canchamamaburi. It seems to me like a cloud starts to come, maybe you start to have doubts and worries. You start to plot a little, plan ahead for the future.

Just the other day I was reading through the ten plagues and realizing how much bigger God's kingdom is. I could imagine Moses holding up his staff in front of Pharoah and his audience. Maybe he was wondering what to do, then thought he should lift up his staff. Anyways, then the plagues happened and the Israelites were set free. The plagues were big time too. Anything that Moses tried to do on his own to build his own kingdom wouldn't have turned the water to blood or sent locust.

The clouds starting coming to me, then I thought, maybe I will read my bible. I couldn't concentrate on it, gave up a few times and started again, finally I could concentrate and read through the plagues, and it brought me a lot of joy and out of the trap of religion for that day.

I still need another $1800 to finish this trip. please think about supporting me.

Thailand

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

We made it to Thailand!

Actually, we are getting ready to leave Thailand tomarrow. There is a lot of work that happened in the last couple of weeks since traveling from India. Thailand is a beautiful country, and Christianity seems to be growing. At the moment, this country is 95% buddhist, and only 1% Christian. So, you can probably guess what the need was here, building churches, which is what we did. It was a lot of hard work, and a lot of fun.

We stayed with a nice couple and their parents for the three weeks. They already had a few large tree houses built, which is where us guys stayed in tents. Everyday, we would wake up early and go to work, doing manual labor of some type. The land was cleared, but we had to dig and set the foundation, and the last week we got to see the roof and the rafters go up.

I will definitely write more this next month. It sounds like we will have regular access to computers, so I will write about last month in Thailand, and try and keep everyone updated about Vietnam. I'm still behind on my support. I need another 1800 to finish this trip. If God moves you to give, click on the support me link on the left. Thanks for everything.

PS. my camera is floating around somewhere in Swaziland at the moment, something to do with a soccer game. Anyways, I can't take any pictures, but Mark has a lot of team pictures that I am in, Kelton is posting a few videos of ministry this month, and I think Nate is planning on posting some pictures of last months ministry. Check out those guys blogs, lots of solid people on this trip!

update on support

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

thanks to every who gave. I think I wrote that I needed about $700 and just in the past week or so $680 came in. I can't help but laugh to myself.

we're going to Thailand for debrief in a few days, so I will send out a few blogs then about our time in ministry, Thanks for all of your prayers!

ministry in India

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

We have two more weeks in India, about a week and a half left of minstry, and then we move on. Its amazing how quickly the time has went, even though I couldn't see the end of this month the first night that I arrived here. I have seen a lot of things in India that are amazing (Taj Mahal) and some things that were difficult to take in (leper colony).

We basically have three ministries that we have been doing. Orphanage, leper colony, and Burmese refugees. At this point Ive been to all three, and they are going well. At the orphanage, we've been able to play with the children, and they love the bible lessons and singing. IN the morning when they are at school, there is a group that has gone in and fixed up the place as best as they can. We bought some paint and also fixed a few fans of theirs.

About a week ago I went to the leper colony, and I saw something that was difficult to take in. There was a man that was crippled from leperousy. All I could do was pray for him. We prayer walked through the colony and played with kids. Some of us sat a talked with some of the people their. As soon as I went off on my own I saw this man, covered in a blanket, and swarmed with flies. I went to put my hand on his shoulder and I only felt his bone. I had to walk away after that, I didn't have anything to give him. On the good side, I guess there is a chance that we could get some medicine to him for free, but we still havce to find out a few details.

The ministry that I have become most involved in here is with Eisel. He is a young man (maybe early 30's) and has graduated from Bible school. He basically just walks around and visits with people, praying with them and encouraging them with scripture. I really look up to him alot. The people that he visits are the Burmese refugees and the people from Nagaland. Eisel grew up in India although he looks Asian, and is familiar with New Delhi, so I can imagine it is a great help for Eisel to be with them and help them get connected and not taken advantage of.

I think I have mentioned the Burmese refugees in a previous blog, but basically, the Burmese people have been treated badly by the government, and even killed for not giving money. So they often cross the border to India. India gives them money for a few months (about $35 a month) and then they have to find their own job. They are often mistreated by the locals when finding a job. One lady we talked to had worked for several months without getting paid. She finally quit. They also get stared at, and sometimes hurt if they are at the wrong place at the wrong time.

The people from Nagaland are college students, kind of doing a foreign exchange program. Actually, Nagaland is part of India, but they don't necessarily like being a part of India. Nagaland is in the Northeast part of India, and they like to call it the Scotland of Asia because of the scenery. The students come to New Delhi to go to school and get degrees and when they are finished, they will head back to find jobs.

Out of all of the ministries here, the Burmese refugees could really use some help. Many of them are christians. A missionary came there from american 100 years ago and the population is now about 95% christian. It is nice to relate to them on that level, but they really don't have much, and what little they do have they give to us. We always are eating cookies or drinking juice. I sometimes wish that I still worked and had money to give, but I am hopeing and praying that maybe some of you back home could give some money to AIM, and tell them that the money is for the Burmese refugees in India that Rusty's squad is working with. If God puts that on your heart, Im sure they would greatly apreciate the help.

Also, I am a little behind at the moment, and soon to be far behind. I am currently about $2,500 short from the end of the year deadline. By September 1st, I need $700 to continue. I know that God has raised alot of money and I am thankful for what he has raised and know that the rest will come in. THanks again for all of your support.

Finally, pray for us as we finish out India. We still have two weeks left, and it can be really hot here sometimes, especially when the electricity goes out. Just pray for perseverance, that we wouldn't get passive at the end of this month. God bless

Transition to India

Fri, 8 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

We are now in India. Hot, hot India. To get here was not too difficult. We took two flights, and both were very accommodating. When we got here though, it was difficult. The temperature is very hot, even at night, there are lots of mosquitos, sometimes the power goes out, and sometimes the electricity goes out. Many of these things are being worked on, and the conditions are not as bad at the moment because we have found shops where we can get bug repellant for the room and extra fans.

Two days after we got into India, Michael and Kathy in to debrief out team. Thanks to the other World Race teams, they had raised some money for us because of the robbery and we were able to spend some time at a nicer place while we could spend time with our teams working out the social dynamics and such. We had a good time at the hotel, and I could think straight for a few days.

When we finally got back, we went out and made the house more livable, and currently I am enjoying the housing situation....as soon as we get the water fixed, haha.

India is a huge country. I really didn't know much about the countries in Asia, except that their religion and living was much different than I'm used to. India is the second most populous country in the world, and the largest democracy in the world. Southern India has many Christians, but New Delhi (where we are) and the rest of northern India is somewhat hostile towards Christians. We are safe, but we have to be careful when we talk about Christ.

There are three different ministries that we are able to do. We can play with children at an orphanage, we can pray and encourage Burmese refugees, or we can visit and pray with lepers. So far I have been involved in only the first two, but I want to go to the leper colony at some point.

Today, we have a group that is going out to buy supplies for the orphanage. That place has some difficulties, but all of the children seem to love the Lord. The Burmese refugees have fled their home land because there is a lot of killing and unfairness. They are allowed to stay here in India for a few years, and then they are reassigned to another country, where they should be able to continue to live their lives. At the moment, the refugees live off of government support, but they only get about $35 dollars a month to live on.

India can be a dark place at times, please pray for us. I am totally out of my element, and am learning a lot about this culture. Even though we are all trying to adjust, it is encouraging to see the faith of the children at the orphanage and the refugees. More blogs to come!

Robbed

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I was robbed at Gunpoint a few days ago. Lots of things were taken, but thankfully no one was hurt. This is the official letter that Rusty has written.

Dear World Race parents,

First off I want to apologize to ya'll for just now getting in touch with you. The last couple days have been hectic and stressful to say the least. And my TOP priority has been getting the squad moved out of the hostel and into a location where the folks can feel safe. Not to mention, some of us have been scrambling to get new passports and visas for our upcoming trip to India. So thank you very much for your patience in all this. I can't even imagine the worry ya'll must have been going thru and are still going through.

I'm sure you have heard all sorts of things about what happened two nights ago, so let me just give you the facts. Tuesday afternoon the whole squad, minus Patrice's team, (Patrice, Nate, Angie, Andi and Jen) arrived at The Brown Sugar Hostel in Johannesburg.

I realize it's got a funny name, but the hostel is not in a bad part of Jo'Burg plus we have stayed there three different times while in Africa. So I felt safe about bringing the team here. Anyway, around 8p that evening probably four, maybe five men came into the hostel armed with pistols and told everyone to get on their face in the lounge area. That's where about 12 of us were and the rest of the squad was being held in their dorm room.

Guns were pointed at people, threats were made, but NO ONE was physically harmed. Praise the Lord! However, LOTS of our stuff was taken: cash, cameras, computers, passports, phones, clothes, IPOD's, etc. I'd say the whole thing lasted about 20 minutes. As soon as it was over, the first thing we did was to make sure everyone was OK. Then we started taking an inventory of what was taken, I called AIM, and then people began calling and canceling cards. So anyway, things are just now settling down.

Just so you know, I got the squad at a missionary base an hour away from Jo'Burg. Luckily, when we get to India our team coaches Michael and Kathy Hindes will be there to help us process thru everything. Believe me, we are taking this matter seriously and we do understand the need for counseling at this time.

Again thank you for your patience. I love each one of your kids so much and their safety and well-being is my main concern. So if ya'll have any questions please email me or our team coach Michael. His email is Michael@ccchurches.com.

I personally am okay. I am still processing what has happened, and I'm looking forward to talking with Michael and Kathy about what has happened. Please keep praying for me and the rest of the squad, as many of us are in somewhat difficult financial circumstances. Some of us lost everything, clothes, passports, iPods. I did lose a lot, but I was lucky enough to keep my traveling pack. I did lose my Laptop (MacBook) and my iPod. Not fun, and very expensive. Thank you for your support, and we definitely apreciate your prayers.

New pictures

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Hey everyone,

I have a few stories to tell from this month, but for right now I'll just post a few pictures. The "Browse my Photos" has been updated, just click the link of the left. hopefully I'll post another set of pics and a few update blogs before I take off to India. Also, I am behind on my support. Thank you for your support this far, and please pray about your future involvement. God Bless.

Quick Update

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Hello to everyone back home. Its been awhile since I blogged last, but the internet at Durban went down as soon as we got to the missionaries house. Things have been going very well this month, and we are getting ready to move on to India soon. Thanks for all of your support.

This past month, we worked with Missions Ablaze. This is a missions organization located about half an hour outside of Durban that focuses on the poor. They feed about 50,000 people a week. Also, they are busy building an orphanage that will house one hundred children and give jobs to ten widows. There are about twenty people that are missionaries here, and it was amazing to be a part of their lives for the past few weeks.

Our team mostly helped out with the orphanage. We were busy building beds and tiling walls. Tiling can be difficult, and several times I was very tired from the day of work. I had a lot of time to think about the work that we were doing and I was overwhelmed many times about the significance. There were three areas of ministry that stuck out to me, even though in actuality I was only doing one thing.

The first and most obvious was the children. These children currently were being fed, but their living conditions were less then suitable. They were all crammed into a small house, and it definitely gets cold here in the winter. I was excited to know that these children will have a nice place to stay. Its one less thing for them to worry about, and they can focus more on growing into strong and intelligent adults.

The second area I saw myself being used in was in helping the widows. I can't relate too much to a widow at this point in my life, but I know that being connected is important to me. These widows will be connected with each other, the children, and the missionaries at the base here. Besides that, they are crucial in these children's education and health. I know that a hard days work is actually a blessing, and I am glad that these women will be able to live better.

The third area that I saw myself, and to a much greater extent the missionary that I was working with (Peit) was with the workers I was with. Some of these guys knew how to build things while others didn't know anything about building. Peit showed me that these guys need to learn how to make a living, and he was teaching them what he knew about building so that they could earn their own. Aside from that, he was telling them about the gospel. It was encouraging to see.

Inconsistencies

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Devil tells us many lies to keep us from following God as well as we could. He feeds us lies that cause pain, and when we attempt to understand these lies, sometimes we experience more pain and maybe give up or redirect our pain in another direction. Most of us started this race knowing in the back of our minds that there were probably lies we have bought into.

I promise you I am not alone when I write about some of the things that God has been teaching me about everyday life. The two big lies that I have bought into are: "you must always do more to be accepted," and "people are probably talking about you."

Being able to see what is a lie has enabled me to shift my focus from what isn't important to things that are important. Sometimes I find myself buying into these lies and thinking about unimportant things. These three things are important: the kingdom of God (the church), your own group of friends, and your personal life. What isn't important is your reputation, which both of these lies I have been dealing with, and many lies in general seem to provoke.

For a long time I thought that I had to do things to be accepted. I was always doing things growing up. I always seemed to be in charge of something. I was in the school band, playing sports, winning awards. I was the leader of bible studies and church activities. I was always doing something. When I wasn't leading something, I was entertaining people with stunts that I was pulling. Always making jokes, always doing something crazy. When I wasn't doing one of these two things, I was feeling like something needed to happen or else everyone would blame me for the atmosphere being boring. After this they would leave me forever, and probably make fun of me and tell all of my friends that I was boring. The party, to me, always seemed to be in another group, and that group never seemed to want to hang out with me. All of that is a lie and feed my want to impress people by always doing more.

A few years ago I found that others didn't judge me based on performance. It is just a pit that does not return what is put into it. I have been working to adjust my lifestyle to fit this idea ever since. God has shown my how I react to certain situations that show that I have this problem. All of these little corrections come from this central truth, and I no longer worry so much how others respond, but rather worry about what God would have in every situation. I just do my own thing, and if people want to join me, then they can join me. If I see someone doing something I want to do, then I join them. A few years ago, I was bound by entertaining other people, now I'm recovering from this addiction.

Instead of thinking that the party is somewhere else, God is really teaching me that the party is where I am at. I now believe that God brings people around us for a reason. Instead of wishing I could hang out with those people over here, or that group over there, I have been content with being with the people that God brings around me. Aside from that, God calls us to help out the orphans and widows (the least of these), not to minister to the people who have everything put together spiritually. It is nice when we have the opportunity to hang out with people like that, but those aren't the people that really need God shown to them.

What I wrote about above is one lie that I have been dealing with for the past few years, and I have grown a lot through that process. Honestly, I thought that this was the big problem in my life that I needed to get rid of, and it was one of the big problems that I thought was a reality, but was actually a false reality. When I had found truth, I went to seek out friends that would help me live out that truth in my life. Through living out this truth with my friends, I was able to see the inconsistencies in my life and change them.

I thought that this might be the final piece to the puzzle, and would allow me to make friends, and help people like I should be able to. Actually, this past few months God has brought something else to my attention. I have found that I also have a problem with misjudgments.

Sometimes I think everyone is talking about me. I misjudge what others could possibly be saying about me, when I really don't know what they are saying. Here is a scenario. I have a misunderstanding with someone where we don't see quite eye to eye, but sometimes it is just every day stuff. Then I see a group of two look my way and decide that I am curious what they are talking about, maybe it was me. I see one of those two talk with a group of three and start to wonder how many people I can trust, and how many people have decided to make a pact against me. Honestly, this is an exaggeration to some extent, but this is something that I deal with, and I think if you are honest with yourself, you may find that you may have struggled with this or if you are really honest with yourself you may find that you are currently struggling with this.

The group that I am with (team Soteria) watches "The Office" a lot. I love the office. Tammy and I say that we watch the office so that we can feel normal. I personally like to think of myself as Jim. He gets a lot of good witty lines. Sometimes though, I can see myself acting more like Dwight. Dwight has a very high view of himself, and always ends up doing goofy and weird things because of this misperception of himself. One of the episodes that I love watching involves mostly Jim and Dwight. Jim is always looking for ways to make Dwight look goofy. In this particular episode, Dwight is worried for his job because the company is downsizing so he decides it is in his best interest to form "alliances." He goes to Jim and asks Jim if he is willing to form an "alliance." The whole time Jim is cracking up and playing on Dwight's paranoia because Dwight's paranoia is unwarranted. By the end of the episode, Jim convinces Dwight to bleach his hair and go on a ridiculous reconnaissance mission.

I think I might have to high of a view of myself. People probably aren't talking much about me. I have a hard enough time listening and processing what others say because I have my own ideas and struggles, so why should I think that other people are judging me when they have their own ideas struggles. I'm still working through this, but I praise God though that he has shown me that this is a problem and not a reality.

A few years ago, when I began dealing with the first problem that I wrote about in this blog, I was crushed. There was a lot of work to do on my part because I was stripped of one of the foundational ideas that I based m life on how I relate to people. Taking that away was really difficult. I felt very awkward at times, and I kind of wanted to go back to that habit because it was comfortable and I knew how to operate in it. It's a weird paradox.

I know though that I can't go back to that comfortable spot. I need to live my life without these lies, and surround myself with people that are willing to show me how to live without these lies. This second lie is so enmeshed in my everyday life, but I know that if I keep seeking truth with this new truth, I will see inconsistencies in my life. I used to be scared of this kind of stuff, but now I enjoy it. This is what living the Christian life is all about.

Current support: $9,500

Needed by July 11th: $11,040

Needed to finish: $13,800

Future of Swaziland

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

This past month we were in Swaziland working with G42 ministries. I honestly didn't want to go to Swaziland. I had just heard a lot of depressing facts about how the country was doing. When I was actually there ministering though, my eyes were opened a lot to how much people want Swaziland to survive this crisis. I met a couple of different groups of people who have devoted their life to help fix some of the problems.

The first person that I met was Pastor Gift. He's the man in charge of organizing much of the G42 project on the Swaziland side, which is a lot of responsibility. G42 feeds between 200-400 children a month while also giving them an education. The idea is to help these children grow into a kingdom mindset, whether that means they become Pastors, lawyers, teachers, whatever they desire. Pastor Gift is always running around and trying to get food to all of the care points, while also organizing all of the workers and giving them guidelines and assistance. The amazing thing about Pastor Gift though is that when he has the time to slow down, he really listens. He has a lot of social skills and is more then able to take care of problems. It's encouraging to see someone with such a good head on their shoulders giving their life to helping out others when he could probably start up his own business and be successful.

The second group I met was one of the professional soccer teams in Swaziland. I wouldn't have expected them so much to be interested in helping out the community, but I was shocked when I had a chance to talk with them about what they cared about. They cared about teens who were committing suicide and what was causing them to do that. They cared about the future of Swaziland, and how outside sources were predicting bad things. They loved Soccer, but they took the responsibility of the future upon themselves. I met Bhecky on the bus to Manzini. He sat down next to me and was asking what I was doing in Swaziland. We started talking about the care points and G42, and his eyes lit up. He lived near two care points that weren't operational at that time and he was interested in helping out however he could. It was refreshing to meet someone who was interested in Swaziland's future. He wasn't a christian, but he was a good man, and he challenged me to really care more for others.

The third group I met was a group of traveling Pastors. They were in their mid-thirties, most of them married, and they were all about having fun. Their mission was to go around to the different cities in Swaziland, reach out to local Pastors and teach a three day, four hour a day seminar on HIV/AIDs and how it affects different cultures. I met them in the restaurant, and they invited me to sit with them and watch basketball and soccer for a while. The next day I was doing ministry visits with them. Their long term goal was to educate people about this virus, but they also had their eyes on empowering others that wanted to help out the country. One of the visits we made was to a small local business. This visit was about the possibility of electing one of the Pastors with us to a government position. During the course of the conversation, I was touched and convinced that Swaziland is in the hands of very good and caring people.

I think that Swaziland will change a lot in the next couple of decades, but I don't think it will cease to exist. There are a lot of people that believe in Swaziland, and I feel much better now about the ministry knowing what they do and seeing that there is a future in Swaziland.

Swaziland, Johannesburg, Durban, India

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Our team is headed to Johannesburg to get our Visas for India, then to Durban for ministry.

Africa has been a great place of ministry. I've learned a lot and grown a lot. These past two months have been less focused on discipleship and more focused on evangelism. Working with G42 has been stretching, but it's exciting to hear about their vision for the future.

Next month we are heading to Durban. Durban is one of the biggest cities in South Africa (1.1 million) and is right on the coast. I think I will feel at home. In Durban, we will be working with Ablaze ministries, who feed about 40,000-50,000 people a month and also work with building houses and furniture. Past that, we don't really know, but this will be our last month in Africa.

Big cities allow me to feel at home. I can't exactly put my finger on why. It might be because I lived in Chicago when I was at school. Maybe it's because there is so much possibility in big cities. Regardless, Durban and Johannesburg are getting me very excited.

Our team is in Johannesburg right now, where we will be for a few days to get our Visas for India which is our next destination. India, Thailand, maybe Vietnam and Cambodia, not quite sure of the exact route that we are going to take. I've never been to Asia, and I don't really know what to think. I have only heard stories and watched a few movies about Asia. So this is the destination of our team for the next few months.

Thank you for your prayers. Please continue to prayer for the people I have met on the missions field already (Pastor Nestor, Joel, Pastor Jorge, Shawn, Mike, Blessing) and also some of the people that I have just recently met, (Pastor Gift, Pastor Timba) and finally for the people that are on my team. (Mark, Laura, Tammy, Rubie)

Support update

Sat, 7 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

So, I have been on this trip for several months going from country to country and basically trying to help out wherever I can. I've learned a lot more then I have taught and helped out. This trip has been very eye opening, as I had only previously heard stories about other countries and their struggles. Experiencing these hardships firsthand has really left me feeling helpless, but definitely changed some of my priorities in life.

If I want to continue on the World Race I need to raise more money. Currently I am a little above $9,000. To finish the race, I need to be at $13,800. I still need close to $5,000 more. This can seem like a lot, but God has answered many financial needs in my life and in the life of the other World Racers, and so I put my trust in him. I really want to thank all of those who have helped me this far, both financially and in prayer.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I am taking full advantage of it. We've been all over creation. We stayed in Peru for two months. One of those months was spent in the desert where a huge earthquake had devastated several thousands of people, the other month was spent floating on the Amazon river in a boat helping out the local church. Next we went to Bolivia and built orphanages in the Rainforest. Most recently we have been traveling Southern Africa, helping out wherever we can. In the future we will be traveling through Asia. It seems like our ministry locations have continuously been changing, but we will be in India and Thailand for a while with the possibility also of traveling to Cambodia, Vietnam, and Nepal.

Aside from being in many different cultures and seeing how churches around the world work, we've had the opportunity to to be discipled by a Pastor from Michigan who has flown out to our different locations several times and many others along the way. Through this process of community with guidance and checks and balances, I have grown a lot. Even though at times I have been put in difficult situations with only difficult choices to choose from, I have learned a lot of invaluable lessons about community. I'm looking forward to the times that I'll be stretched through trials so that hope may abound.

I'm praying and thinking of all of you back at home in the States that this trip that I'm on is blessing you in some way. One of my biggest desires at this point is to finish the World Race with the rest of the team and come back at some point to tell everyone all that he has done with me during this trip through pictures and stories.

Even though $5,000 does seem like a lot, I'm confident that God can provide it. If some of you give smaller amounts, $20, $50, $100, I'll reach my goal quickly. Presently, I am a little behind in my support raising. I need to have $2,000 more by July 1st. After that, I need only about $500 a month until the race is finished. Please pray and seek God's will about what level of commitment he is leading you to, whether it be financial or in prayer.

We have been having a lot of fun, learning many different things and praising God through the whole trip. Thank you for your prayers and support.

quick update

Fri, 6 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Quick update

So, I honestly thought that this month I wouldn't have internet access, but this weekend we made a special trip into a big city in Swaziland, so that we could update everyone and see what is going on in the world. I hope I can post a few updates and pictures.

So, we left from Manzini about 1 1/2 weeks ago, and went to Nsoko, which is a small town in Swazi. We have been staying in a Safari while we have been here in Nsoko. The people there are really nice, and the facilities are also really nice. Mark has some interesting pictures from his morning walks around the park.

When we got there, we were met by Pastor Gifts. He is a very nice man, who does much of the organization of G42 and also pastoring a small church. His family lives in South Africa, while the G42 care points are in Swaziland. It is energizing and refreshing just being with him. He has a great sense of humor and is very thoughtful.

G42 has many care points (I'm sure if you look around on the different bloggers sites, you can get details about G42) that feed several children. Altogether there are between 200-400 children each day that get food and education for the day. The program is somewhat new and definetly has kinks to get worked out, but it is very effective and promising, especially after this summer, which Gary Black has a few short-term missionaries coming to help with the organization and structure.

We have been busy with the care points, just visiting the houses and being with the kids. I am dizzy about half of the time because the kids always want to play. We also get a chance to talk with the Gogo's, which are the caretakers of the care points. They cook the food for the children and teach them many different subjects.

The situation that is happening right now in Swazi is that there are many orphans that don't have family that will take care of them. This is because of two reasons. First of all, many of the children's parents have died because of AID's. Swaziland has the highest percentage of effected AID's victims with a 48% infection rate. The second reason is just that the parents aren't able to take care of the children because of the economy.

It has been humbling to see these children. I keep thinking of how many great minds are getting food and education. If they can just make it to 15 or 16, maybe they can get a job, attend a university, get a good job and change Swaziland.

It would be amazing to see Swaziland continue, and it won't continue if something big doesn't happen. G42 has found a way for very cheap to help the children out. Most of the gogo's work for free. It is out of the goodness of their heart that they wake up every day to take care of the next generation. The food is provided by our government in the States. The only cost is the transportation. In the end, these kids can eat a meal for 3 cents a day. For just around $7,000, almost 250,000 meals are provided. That is enough to feed the care points for many months.

We are halfway through our stay in Swaziland already, and it has been an very good experience. Please keep praying for me and my team. I am a little behind in finances at the moment, as are a few others on our squad (Jen, Rusty, Ruby). We will be here for another two weeks and then move onto our third location in Africa.

Thanks to all of those who wrote on my last blog, I will be praying for all of you.

the body of Christ

Wed, 28 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A few Days ago I posted about how my world view is changing, and in large part this is because of the church. This blog is about how my view of the church is being broadened and strengthened.

My favorite passage at this moment on the church is 1 Timothy 3:1-7.

This passage talks about Elders. It talks about all of the things that elders are supposed to be and what they need to be aware of. There is a lot of insightful information about the characteristics we should want an desire. It's definitely a tall order to follow, but, the other thing I realized is that Elders don't get to where they are at in one days time, but that they have most likely gone through many changes.

Elders are like a tree. If you look at a big oak tree, you realize that it was a seed, and it grew into a small tree, and finally after years of growing, it grew into what it is now. When I go to these different churches and see all of the little children, I realize that they need water and food, and they will grow, it is inevitable. I see the youth and the young men and women and realize they have struggles of their own but are fighting through them and trying to grow. Finally, I see the people in church who have been there for years. They have been through the trials and tests and they are firmly planted in the word. Even when lies come, they see right past them and speak truth to defeat the lies. The body of Christ is an amazing thing.

This last missionary that we were with was an interesting guy. He lived life unsaved for a while and did some things that he wasn't proud of. After he changed his lifestyle, his desire was to give himself to Christ and the people that were committed to be followers of Christ. I would never have had the opportunity to be with this guy except for the fact that we both were following Christ. The church just brings together people that normally wouldn't be together. Our views are stretched, we are given new thoughts, new ways of living, and this is only possible through the church.

This isn't the case just here in Africa. The blessings that the church can bring us as a congregation are many. There are probably people who have much to offer because of where they came from. We all have a lot to offer each other, and in the body of Christ we can bring these things together and grow to be stronger then we were at first. On the other hand, there are people who haven't come to the church yet, and are looking for what we have to offer.

Seeing the people around the world that care for me because I claim I am a christian has been humbling. I have seen many people who don't struggle with jealousy, and will do whatever they can to help me in my future ministry, whatever that looks like. These people aren't always the Pastors or ministers, but the body of Christ as a whole. This is such a blessing. The church in Europe wants the church in America to be healthy and some will bend over backwards to make this happen. If that means taking people into their communities for a few months so that they can experience a different point of view, then so be it. The possibilities are so much greater then I had thought at first.

Think and pray about the church for a second. There is so much available to us.

How are you all doing?

Wed, 28 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I just wanted to take time to thank everyone that has read some of my blogs and are praying and supporting me. I have been praying and thinking of all of you back home. take a second to post on this blog and bring me up to date on what you have been up to/how the lord has been working in your life/how I can pray for you. God bless.

Communal minded

Sun, 25 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Being communally minded was explained to me this way while I was having a conversation with someone in a South African mall of whom I had never met before.

"If someone else is being hurt in some way, not getting enough food, not having shelter, being mistreated, then in some way I am also being hurt."

I think I have understood this concept, and I sure most of us have, but this concept was made real to me these past couple of months. I have been finding out lately how hurt people are.

I don't consider myself to have changed into an extremist concerning environmental issues, but I do consider myself more aware, or at least wanting to be more aware of my surroundings. How do the different candidates for the election really effect myself and everyone involved? (when speaking about the candidates of the US, it involves a lot of people) I think I will watch more CNN and Fox News when I get back home.

I know that my view of the world has been limited to what I have seen in the small region of the States that I have lived in. The churches that I know are effective and doing a great job. I love church, I grew up in church, and I hope, at this moment that I will live a full life and die in the church. The body (church) should be aware of the needs in different countries. It is interesting to see how God is moving in different countries. There are so many ideas on helping others that I am not aware of, but am becoming more aware of, and am realizing that there is much more out there that I need to be aware of.

This is not a blog for the church as a whole to "wake up and look around them because there are so many people suffering that we are not aware of." This is just me saying that this missions trip is starting to wake me up to the suffering of others.

This has inspired me to finish the World Race (not a small challenge), learn a few languages and visit other countries afterwards, keep in contact with a few of the local people that I have met in the past few weeks, and stay in the church and not look to the left or the right, but trust that God's provision for my life is in the church.

One thing that has come from being more communal minded is a bigger appreciation of the church. I have realized that I am in a sort of worldwide fraternity. Where ever I go I see so many willing people that want to help me learn their struggles while helping me with mine. I have a family almost anywhere I go. This just blows me away, because for some of my life I felt like the church was kind of a useless appendage that forced me to do certain things certain ways. I was so wrong. The church is God's and he will build his church. (this is another blog, maybe tomorrow)

Another thing that becoming communal minded is forcing me to do is to become less selfish and focus on others and their problems. I have found myself several times in the past few months asking questions that are important to me. "How has the economy here in ______ been." This is an interesting question to me. This may be somewhat important to them, but the thing that is probably on their mind and should be on mine also is, "We need to dig a well that is 55 meters and it will cost $15,000." I don't think I have realized how important some details really are.

Finally, communal minded has allowed me to exercise my trust in God. There have been several times when I saw a need, and it was met. There have been several others when a need went unmet. The only thing I can do, even though I and my friends care deeply about these people is trust and pray to God that all things will work out for good.

Honestly, being communally minded is a lot tougher then I had thought at first. I seem much smaller and the world seems much bigger, because many problems are too big to reconcile a solution. At the same time, community is something important to consider.

Visiting the fatherless

Sat, 24 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Wow, has God been busy in my life lately. I have a few days, and I my hope is that I will post one blog each day on the things that God has been teaching me on this trip. Thanks for your time.

A Father to the Fatherless.

I was blessed to have a father growing up. He has given me direction several times, of which I am sure he would have appreciated himself while growing up. I was never forced to think what it might have been like without a father.

James 1:27 - Religion that is pure and undefiled before our God is this, to visit orphans and widows in their affliction and keep oneself unstained from the world.

In every country that I have been in so far, there is a big problem with orphans. These kids are lucky if they have a guardian that pays attention to them, but this may not be the same as a father.

So many times the Bible talks about the fatherless. Why is this? It puts the fatherless into a category that needs assistance. They need people to visit them.

The world doesn't owe these fatherless people anything. The world wants people who will owe them. They world wants people who will tithe to them in many different ways, mostly it seems in ways that give them popularity to some degree. If a fatherless (and I mean truly fatherless, as in, never been fathered before by anyone) person doesn't have the attention of a father, where will they learn to realize that the world will take advantage of them while understanding that this isn't the way that relationships are supposed to be.

Isaiah 10:1-2 - Woe to them that decree unrighteous decrees...and that they may make the fatherless their prey.

I have been blessed. I knew my father growing up very well. We were talking the other day, and he said he had three goals for us growing up. Go to Christian summer camp (check), go on a missions trip (check), and have the opportunity to go to a Christian college (check). That is helpful direction, and I have grown through these opportunities.

Aside from this direction, these different places put me in a situation where I was able to be fathered by a wider variety of Christians. I still keep in contact with one of my camp counselors. His name is Josh. I was able to meet my father's mentor when I was on a missions trip. In college, I was able to make a bunch of good friends, and also get counsel from some of my professors and coaches. I have had so many opportunities, and I know that I will still have opportunities in the future.

This last week I was in Back Door ministries in South Africa. I made good friends with Izboseso (Blessings in English). His parents were both gone, he never gave a reason. He had dropped out of high school a few years back and was now playing soccer for the local team. His closest friend was his buddy that had done the same thing. I spent a lot of time with him when we were actually there. When we had to leave, he started to cry. This guy was lonely, he didn't have direction, and the sad thing was, I couldn't give him direction, because I am not in a position to do this at the moment. I wanted so badly to give him a family and give him his high school diploma and a job, but I can't do any of that.

Psalms 68:1,5 - Let God arise, a father to the fatherless.

I have been reading many books on discipleship. The Master Plan of Evangelism by Coleman. This is a great book about how Jesus did discipleship. Think about this for a second. Jesus, being perfectly God in every way discipled twelve men over the corse of three years. Break that down further, he discipled roughly four guys a year, or one every three months. I sometimes get greedy, looking at these big ministries and want to teach thousands, all the while forgetting that there may be a kid in the youth group, the local school, or the sports team that could use a visit.

Swaziland Debriefing

Fri, 23 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

So, we are in Swaziland at the moment relaxing for a few days. It is good to finally be back with the rest of the team and see my friends again. We all told a lot of unique stories about the different places that God had us.

Swaziland is a small country in Africa. Only about 300,000 people live here. We are real close to Manzini, and there is a small mall along with a lot of KFC's. Swazi seems to be a nice country, but we have only been exposed to a small portion here. One of the big problems that this country is dealing with is orphans, which is not unique from other countries that we have been to. The unique part is that many of the orphan's parents have died because of AID's. At the current rate in 30 years, Swaziland will no longer exist; it may be just a piece of land.

Our next destination is actually still in Swaziland, but we will be moving to another city called Nsoko, which is about 1 hours away. This is a smaller town, and we aren't really sure what we will be doing yet. We will probably be working with children, but we don't know much past this. The missionary contact that we are with is Pastor Gifts. He is a young Pastor that is trying to get to know his community.

At the moment, I am a little behind in my fund raising. I need to be at $10,350 by June 1^st, and I am only at $9,000. In total, I still need close to $4,000. I really appreciate all of your support this far, both prayers and money. Please consider and pray about further support.

Africa

Mon, 19 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Africa!

Well, we have finished out first month in Africa, and it has been a blessing to get to know this country. We started out in Nelspruit, one of the fastest growing communities in South Africa. Downtown is very modernized, but the towns around Nelspruit have a lot of poverty. We were helping with a soup kitchen, mainly for children, but many adults would come also. After the soup kitchen, all of the high schoolers break off into their soccer teams. I mention this because I was actually picked up for a week and played with a team. It was a great time, and reminded me of basketball back home.

After the first week or so, we went to what is called the "bush." This is quite a bit less modernized. There isn't running water, sometimes no electricity, and the houses are basically tucked away in the bush. We were only there for a weekend, but we made some good friends.

When we got back, our plans changed, and for the rest of the month we found out that we would be traveling to Mozambique and speaking to people who have never heard the gospel. God did some amazing things that week. Many people asked if they could accept Christ. Also, the missionary that we met there, Yako, is making sure that there is follow up with the groups that came to Christ. It is encouraging to see that this movement has structure and the possibility for the new converts to grow in Christ.

Tomorrow we go to Swaziland to debrief for a little less then a week. This will be a nice break. I think I will be able to post more of my thoughts on this last month while I'm there. For now, enjoy some of the new pics of Africa!

Mozambique

Tue, 6 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

We will be headed Mozambique!

change of pace, we were planning on being in South Africa for two more weeks, but God has called us to a different spot. We will be close to the Indian ocean, and we really don't know what to expect. Thank you for your prayers.