My Journey 2 Love -

The End

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

All things must eventually come to an end--even the good stuff. I wrote my first blog on June 13, 2010. Since then I've not only completed my Race, getting the chance to write about my journey, but I've gone through a pretty good amount of re-entry, and am back in stride with life back home.

Obviously the World Race is not just an 11-month block of life that's experienced, reflected upon, and then forgotten about. It's now a part of all of us that lived it. It is woven into who we are, what we say, and how we see the world. That's something I'll go to the grave with.

As for this particular blog, it is my story. It is the best narrative of what I saw, what I went through, and what GOD did. It is a pure account of one year of international sanctification rooted in hardships, challenges, and unbelievable firsts.

I could not be more proud of this story. But it's time that I end this chapter of my WR story, and begin the new season of post-Race living. A new blog might surface in the future; I'm not sure. Until then...

For everyone that followed my story through these blogs, I hope that you were able to catch a glimpse of how AWESOME our God is. For those that read every single blog and made comment after comment, you have to know how encouraging that was. To read your responses, to get affirmation that the power of what I was seeing YOU were seeing...that was a gift like no other. I will always be grateful for your words.

All the praise to God for even considering to use me to tell his story. May HIS grace overwhelm you to the point of ACTION!

Forever Grateful,

Jordan

Turkey Tastes Better With Famly

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I will never forget the Thanksgiving meal I fixed last year in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysi. From the $30 turkey to the made-from-scratch pumpkin pie, it was quite a spread. And while I loved getting to break bread and give thanks with a solid group of my brothers, let's be honest...turkey just doesn't taste as good as it does when eaten in the presence of the people you love most. I was reminded of that tonight after spending the day with my family.

Thanksgiving is a funny paradox, because most of us think of it as a single day of the year. Yet, isn't thanksgiving a constant state we're called to live in as believers?

The truth is quite simple: I don't live in a constant state of thanksgiving.
A much more accurate state: I complain, worry, and stress.

But, our Dad opened my eyes to see what there is to be thankful for. He took me on an 11-month trip down the road to Damascus, a trip that we learned, had de-masked[us].

For when the scales fell off our eyes and we opened up wide to the sight of home, ordinary things began to look so majestic.

Suddenly I found myself almost in tears in sheer appreciation for the hot shower I was taking and for the closet of freshly laundered towels that awaited me with a clean scent.

I was in awe of simple tasks, like brushing my teeth. To walk into a heated room with a tile floor, flip on a light switch, turn a knob and get gallons of fresh, clean, cold water endlessly pouring over my electric toothbrush...it still to this day blows me away.

Unless you've trekked a quarter mile in the cold night air to a hole in the ground in which you used before brushing your teeth using a few tablespoons of water out of your only bottle, all while seeing your way thanks to the headlamp strapped to your forehead, none of this will really mean much. And that's okay.

But--take my word for it--we have absolutely no reason to not live in a constant state of thanksgiving.

Abba, Thank You! You have blessed me with abundantly more than I ever deserve. May I never take for granted the beautiful things you have provided, great or small. Thank you most of all for loving me. Spirit fill me with an everlasting state of thanksgiving. Amen.

Silent Reflections of Cambodia

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Our luggage had been left in the Philippines, along with all the new friends we had made in our first month of ministry. But this was month 2, and it promised a whole new set of opportunities. Team X-Stream piled into a van headed "just a few miles away" to our ministry site.

2 and a half hours later, while driving further and further into the vast nothingness of Cambodia, I remember telling Ryan, "I don't think we're in Phnom Penh this month."

Our month in Takeo was one of the hardest of my life. Nothing strenuous, stressful, or even dangerous awaited us each morning. But what did, threatened to drive us all mad: nothing.

For a solid month we spent 20+ hours a day doing nothing. The treehouse became an asylum, at times.

Because there was nothing.

Just me.

And God.

No English speakers.
No food that was remotely appetizing.
No electricity.
No football.

At one point during the month, during a rare time of communication back home, my mom asked me if this time next year I'd like to go to Colorado for Fall break.

I spent the next 10 months daydreaming of that day.

My Fall break was last week, and I spent it hiking in the snow and splendor of the Rocky Mountains. The trip I had daydreamed about for so long was finally happening.

And it was everything I had dreamed it would be.

It was on one of these hikes that it hit me: I would do just about anything to have a few weeks of nothingness!

20 hours a day to sleep, read whatever I want, pray, journal endlessly, write songs, play guitar, get on my knees and cry out? um, YES please!

Between the 18 hours of classes/week and the daily grind of American life, I find myself with no time to read, think, even sleep at times.

This isn't one of those blogs where a great new revelation smacks you on the head and a light bulb goes off...that's cause I don't have the answer.

How do you find time in a culture obsessed with utilizing every second of every day?

Authors have made millions writing answers to this question; seminars take place on a weekly basis trying to aid in this desire. Yet, the answer seems to remain as simple and straightforward as it always has:

Be Intentional.

Make time.

But I don't want to sacrifice my other crap for this solitude. I mean, it's pertinent that I ace that exam, have that conversation with her, make dinner on time, play the big word on Words with Friends, and see what happens on this week's Modern Family.

Or is it?

And it was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.

Luke 6:12

This is the Start of Something Beautiful (Part 2)

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

366 days ago I got on a plane in Nashville and made my way to the Philippines.

I still remember making the final two phone calls from my cell in LAX before calling Verizon and suspending my line "for 11 months."

I thought I knew what I was doing. I didn't have a clue.

I remember that first month, September 2010, living in Manila, and spending a lot of time driving back and forth from the hospital.

I remember the adrenaline rush that accompanied each morning when I woke up 8,000 miles away from home and didn't have a clue what was in store for the day.

The "good ole days" when we still had no idea what the Race was about, when we spent our days getting to know each other, and our nights secretly asking ourselves if we were really about to spend the next year traveling the world like a bunch of crazy people.

Fast forward 12 months and enter a man that has been newly born out of 11 months of 'clay in the maker's hands' reshaping, brand new in a way, walking into the depths of a world he knows far too well.

What a crazy paradox.

You realize that your world stopped spinning for a year while THE world kept going without you.

That rush of adrenaline is often replaced with a feeling of loneliness; losing your family of 30 for a year is tough.

But it's not all bad. In fact, life back here is pretty sweet.

There's cars, paved roads, ice, A/C, nice clothes, showers, toilets, fast food, pizza, and Red Boxes.

And best of all, the people that you love more than anything are finally within arms reach.

Looking back at last September the one thing that sticks out to me more than anything is the word "beginning."

It was a month of firsts; a month of fresh starts and new ideas.

As I began that journey I focused on what lied ahead, and it kept me going in those first few weeks.

I have spent my first 6 weeks back home forgetting that lesson, and I now find myself spiraling away from everything I absorbed on my Race.

But, if I learned anything, it's that we have the power to call out our own shortcomings, and speak life back into those traps...turning pitfalls into Golden Gate Bridges.

So, here's to new beginnings!

September 2010 was the beginning to a journey that forever changed my life.
September 2011 is the beginning to a journey that will forever change my life.

Sept. 11, 2010. Saying Goodbye for a year...

July 31, 2011. Saying Hello after a year!

We Baptize in Pots

Sat, 23 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

While we were in India, some of the girls met a man who had been sick for a while. For a few weeks he had been vomiting up blood, unaware of what was specifically wrong. They prayed for healing, and the healing came. Later that afternoon the blood was gone, and he entered into the Kingdom. We went back that afternoon to baptize him. This is the video of that day:

Playing Catch With My Dad

Sat, 23 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

by Theresa Duffy & Jordan Wheeler

Throughout the year we've been bombarded by the constant presence of beggars. From newborns to grandparents, we've been approached thousands of times in every country we've been to. We've been asked for money for tuition, food, water, drugs, cigarettes, even our watches.

The first four months of our Race challenged our patience and tested our grace towards those begging. By the time we arrived in Africa and became the immediate daily target of the poor, we developed a conditioned response of a bold, "no!"

As we've progressed through the world and the months have gone by, one thing sticks out in my mind. It's not the woman holding the baby in my face as I try to walk by, it's not the teenager relentlessly tugging at my shirt and repeating the same foreign words over and over that catches my eye; it's the small child silently standing in the background holding a ball.

When that child approaches and asks the simple question, "do you want to play?" we tend to drop everything at that moment and play.

Isn't that like us and our Father?

How much of our conversations with our Father are centered around us asking and telling Him what we need?

Are we tugging God's shirt or are we holding out our football with eager eyes?

Our Father is happy to give us all we ask for, but perhaps what we really need is to spend an afternoon playing catch.

Packing List for Upcoming Racers

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

So you've been accepted to the WR and you are now frantically asking what do I need? I know before I left 10 months ago, I was freaking out trying to figure out exactly what to get.

This is MY opinion; keep that in mind. Remember that routes do look differently with each Race. With that being said, this is what I strongly recommend you get for your Race:

The Big Item: The BACKPACK!

Here are my thoughts: personally, if I did the Race again, I would 100% opt for the rolling duffle instead of an internal frame backpack.

Why: on MY route, we did no hiking at all, our longest walk with our bags was roughly 1/4 mile. With that being said, I would much rather have had a rolling duffle. It would have been much easier to carry around, easier to pack and unpack, much handier to "live out of" and more logical than a backpack.

If you do want to go for a backpack, I was very pleased with my Osprey Aether 70L pack. I wouldn't go under the 70L mark.

TENT: This is your decision, but if you have the option to get the MSR Hubba Hubba, go for it! I absolutely love this tent. It is super easy to put up and take down, it's the right size for you and your pack, and it's super lightweight. It is pricey, but I think well worth the cost. Be sure to pick up the compatible footprint no matter which tent you decide to buy.

SLEEPING BAG: Don't bother. Once again, your route is not my route, so you always stand the chance of getting re-routed to Russia in winter, BUT the trend tends to be that all WR routes are now formed with most (if not all) months in HOT countries. I had 11 straight months of summer. I recognized that I wouldn't be needing my sleeping bag in my 2nd month, and shipped it home. A sleeping bag adds a lot of extra weight and takes up a ton of space in your bag. Unless you really think you'll need one, I would take my chances. Besides, if you do find yourself needing one, you can find them for sale in most any country you will be visiting (I saw sleeping bags for sale in all 3 African countries I visited). Opt for a high-quality sleeping bag liner instead.

SLEEPING BAG LINER: This is where you need to choose wisely (assuming you took my advice and avoided bringing a bulky unnecessary bag). I would HIGHLY recommend The Sea to Summit Reactor Thermolite. This beauty weighs just 9 ounces, packs to the size of an orange, and will give you 15 degrees of warmth (the perfect amount for what you'll need in these hot countries) in case of a chilly night. It is worth every penny. I absolutely love this thing, and would tell every racer to replace a bag with this great liner.

SLEEPING PAD: I am a huge fan of Therm-a-Rest brand pads. They are self-inflating, thin but still comfortable, and most of all DURABLE. You are going to want a durable liner for your Race. They offer mattresses that resemble pool floats in design... they tend to get holes easily; I would opt for the models with a more resistant material. These are super easy to wash with warm soapy water and dry in under 10 minutes (in case of a tent-flood).

PILLOW: The Compressible Therm-a-Rest Pillow is your best bet here. I would opt for the Medium or Large, though a medium worked fine for me. These are super comfortable, won't carry smells from sweat (this will be a constant) and are easily washable. Make sure to have a carabiner on your day-pack, for we almost always have this pillow strapped on it.

TOILETRIES: Do NOT bring extra toiletries of any kind. Bring a toothbrush and your razor and enough shampoo/shower gel for 3-4 days. Toiletries are available EVERYWHERE around the world, AND your WR budget includes a monthly stipend to buy them. Why weigh down your pack and take up valuable space with something you can buy anywhere you will be sent, and for much cheaper, I would add. Guys: Western branded razor blades (Mach3, Fusion, etc) are sold everywhere and they are much cheaper internationally.

TOWEL: You will definitely want to get a pack towel. They are pricey, but don't get stingy in this area. I used a Sea to Summit Tek Towel all year and it is still holding up great. I would get a Large or X-Large and consider getting two. They do get quite smelly and will need to be washed weekly.

CLOTHING: I don't know what the current WR packing list says, but I know the one I received told us (guys) to have dress clothes and a tie. I never encountered a country where this was necessary. As long as you have a polo shirt and a nice looking pair of jeans or even shorts (some places) you will be fine in church settings.

WARDROBE: The dry-fit T shirts at Target are perfect for the Race. I would get 3-4 of them, as well as bring a couple of cotton T shirts you wear at home. Bring a pair of blue jeans (don't ditch them early on...as the Race goes on you will wear them more). I brought a pair of Arcteryx shorts which worked phenomenally and I picked up a pair of Greg Norman khaki shorts in Malaysia after I realized the dry-fit material in golf apparel is ideal for the Race. As a general rule of thumb, get dry-fit clothing you would wear normally, and stick to the kind of clothes you wear at home. I would stay away from loading up on the zip-off outdoorsy stuff. I would recommend bringing a couple pairs of mesh basketball shorts, and it's a good idea to bring a rain jacket.

SHOES: 9 out of 10 Racers will go buy a pair of Chacos. The other 1 will buy a pair of Tevas. Unless you wear these on a normal basis at home, I wouldn't waste your money. The trend on my squad after the first month was that most Chacos were either given away or sent home (almost always from people who bought them solely for the Race) and most everybody was wearing flip-flops and tennis shoes. My choice: my 4-year old Rainbow sandals and my Asics tennis shoes. Contrary to what you might be imagining, the Race rarely involves cross- training and mountain climbing.

OTHER LITTLE ITEMS YOU WILL WANT TO BRING

HEADLAMP: This is a must. I would opt for a pricier model from an outdoor store versus the cheaper models usually hanging by the register at Walmart. You will end up using this thing a LOT and you want to make sure it will last. Things to remember when buying one: does it use traditional batteries (AAA or AA; these are found everywhere)? Stay away from 9V and button-cell operating lamps. If you will be reading from good old-fashioned books, you will benefit from a lamp with an optional Red lens setting. I did all my reading on my iTouch, so I didn't go with the red option. I would choose LED over traditional bulbs as well. I went with the Black Diamond Spot and loved it.

TRAVEL ADAPTER: This is what you want to get. Don't ask questions, just get it. It is the smallest, handiest, and easiest-to-use adapter out there. It will fit any outlet you come across. You do NOT need a voltage converter. Do not let anyone talk you into bringing one. You will never need it and it will take up precious space in your bag, not t mention add a lot of weight.

Targus World Power Travel Adapter

READING ON THE RACE: I discovered the best way to read on the Race was on my iPod Touch. I downloaded to Kindle app and downloaded books whenever I needed something else to read. Titles will go around the squad and there will be favorites that everyone reads. It helps if you can simply download it; remember...books take up so much space and weigh a lot. If you can adjust to it, I would HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend using your iTouch, iPhone, iPad, Droid, etc. to read on your Race.

**With that being said, some more thoughts on the iPod Touch (if you have an iPhone same applies...bring it!)

Wi-fi is everywhere. It is super handy to check emails, put up facebook statuses, and text (Google Voice; Get it) when you have your iTouch in your pocket. I would not opt for an iTouch in lieu of a netbook/laptop, but if you have the choice, you will be glad you brought it along!

COMPUTER: Bring one! I used a netbook and it worked out fine. One word of caution: If you are a Windows user, be sure to have anti-virus software running. I didn't have anti-virus software (used to my MacBook back home) and month 7 my netbook picked up a virus from another Racer (data sticks, external HD's, and memory cards get passed around daily) which completely destroyed the machine. Luckily, I was able to find a missionary that installed Linux and saved my computer.

**ONE FINAL NOTE**

Sharpie your name onto EVERYTHING you bring on the Race. You will be traveling and living with at least 10 other people that have the exact same item you have; prevent trouble and label all your stuff before you leave home.

Questions about anything? Feel free to ask away: jordan.wheeler@comcast.net

Park Bench Ministry

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

This morning we headed downtown to pursue an idea we have been throwing around since we got here. Our mission was simple, we would pick a spot in one of the beautiful garden areas of Odessa, open up my guitar case, and spend an afternoon playing a worship set.

We finally found an empty bench in an area that runs close to the waterfront, and set up our homemade signs inside the case along with a few bills. Our signs read:

"Need 1, Take 1...Have 1, Give 1"

The concept was pretty simple; I think we were all a bit unsure of what the reaction would be to such a policy.

As the day went on it was amazing to see God show up through the words and music, He really set a tone in that area. There was a steady stream of people stopping to listen, some taking a seat on the benches nearby and listening to several songs.

Theresa and Jeannie sat at benches opposite Heidi and me, and sure enough, God brought people to them, English speaking (even some Americans) that they got to share their stories with and have some great conversations about who we are and why we are here.

At the end of the day we ended with a good amount of money (we are pooling it with funds we will hopefully gather doing this another few times before we leave, and asking the Lord where He wants that money spent), but more importantly, the atmosphere of that particular walkway was changed for Him today.

I don't think we had one person take a bill, but I'm curious to see how the rest of the month unfolds.

Some in[tents] FOUR-Square

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Familiarity is a rarity on the World Race; it's something we tend to cling to when we find it.

Last week we were extremely blessed to work with a missions group from America (see "Pure Coincidence") in an English Bible Camp in Petrodolina. It was the first time our tents had been pulled out in a while, and we were all excited to be getting some personal isolation for a few days.

The camp, which ran Monday-Friday, took place at a public school down the road from the church we were staying at. The daily agenda included 3 different English sessions mixed in with sessions in music, crafts, and sports.

The first couple of days I had a great time helping out the Moberly sisters in crafts, which included the fun and messy paper-mace!

We were aiming for bowls, but most of the boys settled on helmets...I have no idea where they would've gotten such an idea.

The last few days of camp Theresa and I organized the sports sessions. The first couple of days had been a bit chaotic, but I knew exactly what they needed...4-Square! Sure enough, they loved it; the older kids were no longer too-cool to play, and the teachers even got in on the action! In fact, one session began chanting "HeT!" (Russian: No!) when we told them it was time for lunch; the game was an instant classic.

The camp ended strongly, and the kids had a blast. I know for a lot of them this will be a week they'll never forget, as well as for a lot of us teachers/staff. God definitely showed up in a big way!

Perhaps the biggest blessing of this week was the opportunity to be in community with other believers from home. I said above that when we find familiarity, we run to it. There's a lot to be said about getting to converse with people every day that simply speak your language well, not to mention pick up on your references, understand your sarcastic jokes, and can share their stories with you.

I'm extremely thankful for God's timing in this opportunity. Being amongst Americans again (non WR Americans) was invaluable as I got a little taste of what re-entry will be like in just a couple weeks. I know some areas that I'm going to need to start preparing my heart for, as well as things that I am really excited to share with people back home. As always, our Father is so good to us; His love never fails.

Pure Coincidence

Fri, 1 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

When I grew up 'miracle' was a bad word. It had a lot to do with the doctrine of the particular denomination we worshiped with. In fact, I can remember the word was replaced with distant synonyms such as "Godly providence," and so on. I've been thinking about that lately, and I guess when you live life more-or-less ignoring the Spirit, it only makes sense that miracles are a thing of the past, and today's world is run by nothing more than coincidence.

Today I realize I don't even care what you call it. Definitions and diction are nothing to be worried about when the substance of God manifests itself in your life.

What the heck am I talking about?

We entered into the Ukraine on Monday with no place to stay, one person to act as our contact/translator, and no ministry. We all fought the urge to complain, and said, "Okay, God...we know you have a plan."

Fast forward to Wednesday afternoon. Theresa, Jeannie and I decided to go downtown to grab some groceries and lunch. We made plans to grab groceries last, find a place to eat and use wifi beforehand. For whatever reason, I changed my mind and decided I was going to order a pizza from the restaurant outside the grocery store as soon as we got there.

Of the over 300 restaurants in Odessa, we ended up at this pizza joint. I ordered, and we sat down at the table third from the left in the first row. Out of the 20 or so tables in the restaurant, we sat at this one. Four English speaking people came and sat at the table next to ours.

In the land of Russian and Ukrainian, English sticks out like a sore-thumb; we immediately engaged them.

"Hey, are y'all American?"

"So are we, what brings you to Ukraine?"

Turns out that the two couples are a Father and son (and their wives) mission team from New Mexico. Bill, the father, is the director of an organization working in Eastern Europe for the past decade. His son, John, now also works with the organization, and the two are traveling across the continent putting on Bible camps.

We then find out that they are putting on one of these English Bible camps this coming week right outside of Odessa.

You have a month-11 World Race team, exhausted, but still anxious for the final month of ministry, left without anything to do, and unaware of the next step to take, who happened to eat lunch at the one table next to an American missions team who is not only putting on a Bible camp (the exact ministry we were supposed to be working with, and fell through) but also has room, and is welcoming us to join them.

Pure coincidence.

or maybe we'll call it Godly-providence...

We just finished our orientation with the group of 22 today. We head out tomorrow, about an hour outside of Odessa, to begin a week-long camp, teaching kids English and the Bible, building a relationship with over 120 children! Please be praying that this camp is a blessing to not just the kids involved but for the team from America and us as well.

I thank God that His timing is not ours, that His ways are not mine, and that He still is very much in the business of showing off.

On a completely unrelated note: Happy 4th of July! Brought to you by your local Romanian thrift store

Seeing My Breath For the First Time in 14 Months

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I'm currently on a train headed for Odessa, Ukraine, and my final month on the World Race. We arrived in Chisinau, Moldova yesterday morning, and I haven't been able to shake the chill from my bones yet. I just went in the W.C. and saw my breath for the first time since last March. It's been over a year of pure summer, with sweat, humidity, and heat indexes over 130 degrees at times. But it seems things are changing.

I found it kind of ironic that I'm seeing something I haven't in a long time... in a way it's as if time is finally catching up to me. On the WR we like to call it the "time warp." At times minutes seem to trickle by ever so slowly; other times a month flies by and you feel you just blinked. We feel as if we are going to step off the plane back home in 35 days and the world is going to pick back up where we left it, even though this entire time our world back home has kept spinning in our absence.

When I saw my exhalation visibly in front of my face just a second ago I realized that this is it; this is my last chance at giving myself to the world, at least for this particular season of my life. The choice has always been there, though it seems even more prevalent right now: will I leave anything on the table, or will I board that plane at the end of next month, and know that I put myself out there and didn't hold anything back?

Bob Dylan wrote, "these times they are a' changin," and how true that is. The shift has started, from worlds-apart-missionary to just another one of 30,000 college students, in just a couple months. This time around, I will not just be a number, another lukewarm kid with the title Christian, but rather a bruised and tried disciple, ready to bring the Kingdom to Middle Tennessee.

Until that shift is finalized, I have 25 days of ministry to bring down some Heaven into the Ukraine, and that is where my head is; please join me in praying in this final chapter of my race; for a strong finish and a strong beginning to the next chapter.

Justice is Not Accepting What Just[is]

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Last month I read Max Lucado's new book. He says something that I have been chewing on for the last few weeks, still trying to process. He writes,

"In the game of life, many of us who cross home plate do so because we were born on third base. Others aren't even on a team."

My first question was, "what does he define as crossing home plate?"

Maybe it's having a good education.

Perhaps it's a successful career.

Or maybe it's as simple as having good health.

Then again, maybe he was speaking about the spiritual...

What if it is surrendering your life to Jesus?

Perhaps it's leading your family in Spirit.

Or maybe it's simply hearing the Gospel at all.

But that raises the question, to steal a quote from Rob Bell: what if the missionary gets a flat tire? That is to say, what if you have never once heard the name of Jesus? What if there was no church within 50 miles of where you live, and you never leave that village? What if no one ever makes it into your neck of the woods to tell you the Truth?

I think "crossing home plate" is all of those things; a lifeline culmination of earthly and spiritual successes.

And that's when it hit me...

I was born three feet from home plate.

He goes on to say,

"Some people are poor because they are lazy. They need to get off their duffs. Others, however, are poor because parasites weaken their bodies, because they spend six hours a day collecting water, because rebel armies ravaged their farms, or because AIDS took their parents."

If I had read that sentence last August, I would have said something along the lines of, "yeah yeah. Most people are just lazy or drug addicts or alcoholics."

Then God introduced me to this thing called the WORLD... the real world.

I want to introduce you to some of my friends I've met along the way; some you'll recognize from earlier posts:

Arnold

Kigali, Rwanda

Arnold now lives with his grandmother, after losing both parents to AIDS. Arnold was our translator during our stay in January.

Damage

Kabuga, Rwanda

Damage was orphaned at age 15, after the national genocide claimed both of his parents. They were killed by rebel armies, part of which were his own uncles.

Imelde

Manila, Philippines

Imelde and her husband are now living in a refugee camp with 3,000 other victims, after a typhoon destroyed her home, her crops, and everything she owned. She now lives with her husband and daughter on the mud floor of her shop, which is a 5x5 tent.

Peter

Kitale, Kenya

Peter is 19 years old. I met him while giving out food in his slum. His parents were murdered by thieves who stole his father's cattle and land. He lives, with his 16-year old brother, in the hut he made out of trash. His dream is to be a painter.

Nelley

Kitale, Kenya

I met Nelley while touring her orphanage/school. She followed me all day, hand-in-hand, and showed me her bunk, her desk, where she ate her meals, and all of her friends. I later learned that she has been orphaned by AIDS, which has also been transmitted to her. She is 11.

Lakshmi

Rural Village, India

Lakshmi is one of the hundreds of women we met in Southern India who not only pump water from distant wells daily, but also shuck thousands of ears of corn by hand. The ears of corn are her most substantial form of income, wielding under $10 per week. Nearly every woman we met bore the same name. Ironic, it means goddess of wealth...or maybe she understands a different kind of wealth than I do.

Lucado ends the chapter by saying,

"No one can do everything, but everyone can do something."

Abba, let me not settle with lukewarm. I realize I have been given the opportunity to not just live comfortably, but to live in relationship with you, and for that, I lift my hands to you in surrender. Teach me how to play my part. Show me how to cross home plate the way you desire, with brothers and sisters on each side of me. Continue to open my eyes to your beautiful children. Amen

Bread, Trampolines, Breezes, and Techno

Wed, 1 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

It seems we have reached the land of milk and honey. I, in the spirit of the World Race culture, entered into Romania with literally no expectation whatsoever. Mostly because I had not a clue what lied in store for us here, and also because I knew nothing about the country. We spent our first two nights in Bucharest with another team's contact, who runs a children's home. As soon as I walked into the building I knew we weren't in Africa anymore, we definitely were not in India, and Southeast Asia was in our rear-view.

It's incredibly odd to be in a place where standards like hot showers, western toilets, toilet paper, and oh yes... BREAD are staples to living. I know it sounds funny, but during our months in Africa, Nepal, and India, the only bread we saw was a flat and bland tortilla (attach a different name for each location). I thought America knew how to do bread; we've got nothing on Eastern Europe.

But the comforts didn't stop inside. As soon as I stepped outside again, I almost began to cry. No, it wasn't a 62-inch HDTV with a Hurricanes game on (though that would have also brought tears to my eyes), it was a cool summer evening; the sun was still up at 9:30, a yard full of thick COLD grass beneath my bare feet, a football to throw, and a trampoline. Seriously... this was a dream.

We arrived in Arad after an easy-going overnight train ride, and we were immediately met with similar conditions. Beds, a fridge, hot water, a kitchen table, wifi, cereal, cold milk, grass, a neighborhood, a microwave, and water you can drink from the tap! Do you know how much you come to appreciate tap water after you have spent a month walking to the store, buying a 5-gallon jug of water, hauling it up 4 stories in 120-degree heat, and then turning it upside down on a bubbler? A lot!

The culture shock definitely kicked in when we took a 5-minute free bus ride (with 6 people on it) to the mall down the road, and we were met with a Romanian Home Depot, Sephora, a pet shop, and the mother-load... a Wal-Mart sized grocery store, playing techno (they play it everywhere here). I spent the better part of an hour simply walking the aisles LOOKING at all the food and drinks for sale. Just 2 weeks ago I was buying eggs with chicken poop on them from the woman who had gathered them from her chickens that morning inside a grass hut. Oh how times change.

And then it sunk in; my Father knew EXACTLY what I needed, and when I needed it. He has taken me out of a world where it took a new $400 electronic to bring a smile to my face, and put me in THE world, where my joy, outside of His people, comes from a cool breeze, the feel of grass beneath bare feet, old trampolines, and clean drinking water.

I am not the same person that I was 10 months ago; and for that I will never stop thanking God.

Fill Me Up God, Fill Me Up

Tue, 24 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I am exhausted. Truly exhausted.

But in my line of work that is an indicator that the job is getting done well.

The last month has been tough on all levels.

Physically, the 115-degree heat, coupled with the general nature of laying a granite foundation with nothing but two hands, has left my body feeling broken, burned, and bruised, but that's just what I was aiming for.

Emotionally, I am drained. We're about to begin month 10; parts of me feel like this journey has lasted 10 years, but at times it seems like its been just 10 weeks. The temptation to daydream about home has hit us all in a big way in the last couple of weeks. We learned our arrival date back in the States this month. I will be flying into Nashville on the morning of July 31st.

Spiritually I am taking time and refilling. I now know what Jesus was talking about when it says he feels the power getting drained from him when the woman reaches out and touches his clothes and is healed. I have never in my life had an experience that made me understand Jesus' discipling like this. Hundreds of people have come up to us this month asking for healing, asking for blessings, asking to know HIS story. I thank God that I did not hold back in pouring out the Spirit to all who asked, after all we have been told to freely give like we have so freely received, but I need some spiritual refueling before heading off to Europe.

From day one our organization has preached brokenness to us, promising us that we will spend seasons of this year being broken for different things, people, causes, and reasons. I've definitely experienced my share of such brokenness, and I feel like this is sort-of my "give me one last boost of supernatural energy" phase, to not just make it through the last two months, but to make them the best two months. Please be intentional in lifting me up to Abba in the next few days, asking him to fill me up once again.

When Heaven Invades Earth: Indian Style

Tue, 24 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

First of all, I want to apologize for not being timely with my updates this month. Our wi-fi connection in Ongole was not strong enough to allow me to access my blog, and I am sorry I was not able to update you throughout the month. With that being said, it's time to celebrate what God did in one small Indian village in May 2011.

Our strategy was simple enough: once or twice a day we would go door-to-door throughout the village, be welcomed into people's homes, tell them a little bit of our story, tell them a little bit of His story, and then pray for miracles. each night we would go to a different part of the village and set up a huge screen and projector and show the Jesus film to whoever wanted to watch. By the end of our stay, we would begin construction on the church building, and leave the seeds planted to germinate, and bud in the near future.

And that's exactly what we did.

We are in the land of 300 million gods. Homes are adorned with posters, calendars, pictures, and sculptures of god after god. Tables hold burning incense and tokens offered to the gods. So, to these people, what's one more god, when you already welcome over 300 million? And that was our biggest problem. How do you convince a person who openly tells you, "yes I believe in Jesus and I will worship him," that, while it's great you worship our God, He has to become your only God? And, we learned, you can't. After all, we weren't here to convince people to join our side, to come to bat for us. We simply wanted to let them know they were loved, and they had an opportunity to meet the real and living God, and communicate daily with Him. So, thats what we did.

Most homes welcomed us; others told us they didn't want us there. We said, okay, God bless you, and shook off the dirt from our sandals, walking to the next home.

GOD IS MOVING

Throughout the month, we saw miracle after miracle; healing after healing. We prayed for men and women who could not walk, and saw them literally run with the biggest grin on their face. We prayed for boils and wounds, and saw them be healed overnight. We prayed for disease and illness and saw it washed away before our eyes. In fact, the land that was donated for the church building was given to us after the family's son and daughter were healed of kidney stones.

One of the groups doing door-to-door one day prayed for an older man who had been vomiting blood for several days. He not only was healed of the sickness, but he asked for them to baptize him. We all got to go back and watch him be washed with the water, in the blood of Christ. That was a very awesome scene...one of my favorites of the month.

HIS KINGDOM IS EXPANDING

Each day we saw more and more people enter into the Kingdom. We heard person after person denounce all other gods and idols before God, and enter into his love.

One night Jeannie got to share the story of Jesus with a group of 25-30 children. At the end of her message, she asked if any of them wanted to give their life to Him. At one fluid time, the hand of every single child shot in the air.

This is Kingdom work; and this is what Luke 17 is all about.

THE CHURCH IS RISING

We not only saw the church body grow in numbers, but we were able to lay the church building foundation in the last few days we were there. Naturally, in India you use granite to cheaply build a foundation, since the 50-pound stones cost a mere 7 cents. The labor was tough in the heat, but it was so rewarding to see that simple foundation standing as we left that plot of land for the last time. Metaphorically, and quite literally, we were able to lay a lasting foundation that will provide the support needed for that village's Church.

THE ATMOSPHERE IS SHIFTING

The end of this month marks the end of this leg of our journey. It's on to the final chapter of our race, Eastern Europe. We will be flying through Istanbul into Bucharest, Romania on the 28th, and will be spending the month in Arad, Romania, working with orphans.

As the climate shifts, so will the people, and the spiritual environment. Romania is God's country, and He will be moving in new ways; please be praying us into this new season, as we enter the Kingdom in Romania and the Ukraine.

Osama Bin Laden is Dead

Fri, 6 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

"Osama Bin Laden is dead; they got him!" As Michael told us the news, we all ran to the upstairs apartment (where the only TV is) to watch the breaking news unfold. The images and video clips narrated the events in detail; the political banter began, and the world reacted.

It was weird being thousands of miles from home, actually being 10 times closer to where it happened than America, and not being in the midst of the news breaking. The next morning we picked up an English newspaper and I opened it up to see this picture.

The caption reads: "We got him! It's celebration time outside the White House..."

The section below the photo had this quote from Harry Gomez, a US National Guard trooper:

"There is no greater joy in my life than to know that this man is dead."

Really?

There is no greater joy in your life than to see a man dead?

What about when Jesus says, "I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you?"

Or how about the call to "love your enemies and do good to them?"

At what point in our life did we get the free access to decide who should live and who should die? Since when is one man's sins greater than mine? Because I commit my sins in private and they fail to make international news, I now have the right to find joy in a man's death whose sin is great in the world's eyes?

Here's something to chew on for a while: what if you die and enter into the Kingdom and the first person you see is Osama?

What would you do?

What would you say?

What would National Guard trooper Harry Gomez say?

Sadly, we have become a nation who finds joy in worldly justice, not our Father's. The real headline that would have shaken the world would have read something like this:

Osama Bin Laden renounces past, surrenders life to Jesus; enters Kingdom Monday

That would bring me the greatest joy in my life.

Why have we become a people that would rather see our enemies die than to know God?

I pray that my generation will not be amongst the crowds holding the banners in celebration, shouting "USA" at the top of their lungs. I pray that my generation would be in the corner of a quiet room, crying with the family that has lost a very real and living son, brother, and father; that we would be a people that would not see physical death of our enemy as victory, but rather a battle lost, if not won over in the spiritual realm.

Here's a challenge for you. Pray this, if you truly mean it:

"Father please remember Osama Bin Laden in your Kingdom." Amen.

My father posted a comment a couple days after I originally posted this blog that needs to be included:

"I asked Grama how people reacted to the news that Hitler was dead and she said most people went to church and prayed. Who was one of David's greatest enemies? Absalom. What did David do when finally his great adversary was dead? He cried and lamented. While I am glad that a terrible force for evil has been silenced and he was killed because he refused to surrender, I am not happy that he is dead. Grama put it best when she very simply said - "Once he is dead, he no longer has the chance to repent" I read an article where the author said that the last time he saw such celebration from a people was on Sept. 11, 2001 when many Muslim people celebrated wildly at the death of 3,000 Americans. We considered them barbaric. The author asked the question "Are we any different?"

Fingerprints of Love

Sun, 1 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

This month team Zion and team Hadassah are headed into a rural Indian village to plant a church. Partnering with Indian Christian Ministries (ICM), we have the opportunity to literally reach the unreached in one of the world's most densely populated countries. We will spend the next 3 weeks living amongst the people of a small village building a community around us.

As part of the process, we are going to be looking for someone to donate a plot of land that the church will be built on. After we establish the plot, we will physically be building the church structure, and this is where we really need your help. In order to erect the church we need to raise $2,000 in the next two weeks. Between the nine of us here, each one only needs to raise $220.

Our squad has been fully funded because of the hundreds of thousands of dollars generously donated by our friends, family, churches, and even complete strangers. We know first-hand how God provides for His children, and we are asking for more of his favor as we tackle this next endeavor.

If you have ever wanted to preach the Gospel to someone who has never heard it, to reach out a hand to a community who has no church, or plant a seed in the hearts of people who have never heard about our God's love, please help us in this challenge. Every amount helps, and we fully believe, by God's grace, this church will be raised before we leave.

It doesn't end with finances, though, we need a team of people back home praying for us as we go into this village and reach this community. We know how powerful our prayer warriors across the world have been in the last 9 months, and we truly couldn't be here without all of you.

At the end of each week, we'll have the opportunity to update you on our progress in the village, as we'll be coming back into town each Friday. We want you to be a part of this with us, each step of the way.

Step up, reach out, and love our brothers and sisters in India who need to know the love and hope of Jesus Christ.

To donate to our fund please click HERE. Thank you.

It's Time for India

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

We made it to Hyderabad, where we just finished 4 days of debrief with our squad. We are heading south tonight on the overnight train. We'll be heading into a remote village on the coast of the Bay of Bengal to spread the gospel to the unreached. This month our mission is to plant a church. More details will follow on that specific task.

We will finally be oulling out our tents and roughing it this month. This should be challenging in the 120-degree heat and 90% humidity. Please keep our team COVERED in your prayers in the next 30 days, as we will be battling dehydration, multiple bugs, worms, and bacterium that comes along with this area of the world.

It's strange to think about the final 3 months of the Race beginning, and how far we've come in the last 8 months. Let's see what God has in store this month in this crowded country.

10 Fun Facts About Nepal

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

10 Fun Facts About Nepal

#1 You can't just go to base camp at Everest. I wondered why we kept getting laughed at when we would ask about going to base camp...then I found out that in order to get there, you must fly to a remote village and then trek 12 days, acclimatizing yourself on the way. Did I mention all I have in the trekking gear department is a pair of worn-out tennis shoes, some short sleeve shirts, a pair of blue jeans, and a stinky Nalgene? Also, the trek comes with a hefty price tag of around $2,000! Guess we'll have to settle with I've been close.

2. Automobile horns are a great way to express yourself creatively. The mini-bus horns here are whole strings of notes, which when waking you up 25 times throughout the night, become a sort-of iPod to the common World Racer. I think I'll be disappointed when I get behind the wheel of my car back home and press the horn to only hear a boring monotone blaring.

3. Eyeliner is IN! It's become a cultural norm for mother's to don their babies/small children (both boys and girls) in heavy amounts of eye liner. If you've never seen a 3-month old that reminds you of the lead singer of Green Day, come to Nepal!

4. America is NOT the only place with funnel-cakes! They sell these deep fried, funnel-cake-looking scrumptious bites all over the place. They are crunchy, unlike its American cousin, soaked in sugar water to infuse the sweetness factor, and are every bit as horrible for you as the fair fare back home.

5. Electricity is on? SWEET! Nepal has developed a system called "load shedding" which, in essence, is its answer to a crappy infrastructure that has not been able to withstand the addition of millions of people using electrical devices, thus leaving the city on a scheduled electricity regimen. On an average day you get 2-3 hours in the morning, and then 5-7 hours at night. But the schedule changes daily, so you've always gotta be on your toes...or just get used to not having it.

6. The Laughing Cow really does exist in Nepal, because, like it's southern neighbors, you're more likely to find a Baskin Robbins here than a beef burger. Because of the heavy Hindu population, beef is simply avoided at all costs. Looks like we won't be getting our hands on that double cheeseburger until we venture to Eastern Europe. But for real...there's a Baskin Robbins here!

7. Weed is truly a weed. Marijuana plants grow in gardens, on the side of the road, in ditches, on mountainsides, pretty much everywhere here. On our way to a leper colony the other day we found hundreds of the plants alongside the road...where they remained...really.

8. Wear your Saturday best. In Nepal church is on Saturday and Sunday is the day off. I actually prefer it this way...who knew?

9. Go ahead and buy that doghouse. We learned, while visiting a village this month, that tigers are common visitors at night. The previous night's victim: a dog.

10. Nepal truly is God's playground. The country is absolutely beautiful. The landscapes here are stunning and leave me simply standing in awe before my mighty maker.

Nepal is for Lovers

Sun, 17 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Jesus was never hesitant to use children as the ultimate example of God's love to us. Heck, he even says we should be like them to enter into the Kingdom! This month it's becoming obvious what he's talking about, being surrounded by his beautiful children.

We are living in an orphanage with less than 20 precious children, eager to greet us each morning with a big bright smile and hug... not a bad way to start your morning. They range from ages 5-15, some have parents (who cannot support them financially) and some do not.

Our day-to-day for the past 2 weeks has been focused around a daily program for the kids; it's ranged from educational games of bingo to acting out skits from the Bible. The children are genuinely interested in what we have been teaching them, and are so well behaved.

I've really enjoyed getting to see the differences God's instilled in each of them. They each have their different quirks and mannerisms that become funny little reminders of how early we become exactly who we are today!

Each morning when I look off the balcony down below, I see a similar scene: the kids will be down there washing each other's hair, doing the laundry, filling up water buckets, or washing dishes. The way they help each other is truly a sight to see. Like I said, I think Jesus was on to something when he referred to children so often.

Nepal is a beautiful place to live; between the 360-degree panoramic sweep of mountains, the cool breeze, and symmetrical farmland on the ridges, I think God was in quite a good mood when he created this place!

We took the kids to the Central Zoo the other day. Here are some pictures from the outing; they had a grand time!

Just a reminder that you can see all my pics from the previous 8 months here!

A Taste of Home

Sun, 17 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

On the way to Thamel, the tourist district of Kathmandu, a couple weeks ago, I happened to look over and spot a little restaurant in a section of stores called The Lazy Gringo, with a promise stating they served Arizona-style Mexican food. Like two hawks diving for their prey, Heidi and I found our way back to the joint and walked up the iron staircase to the entrance. It was there, at the front counter, that we met Ellen, one of the owners of the restaurant. Little did we know, she would soon become one of the most amazing puzzle pieces that composes our World Race montage.

We shared a little bit about what we were doing in Nepal, and learned that she and her husband, from Arizona, have been living here for 9 years, completing a 10-year commitment which they will be finishing up at the end of this year. We grabbed her number and then consumed some of the best Mexican food I've ever had.

We met back up with Ellen a few days later, and got to sit down and talk with her for quite some time. These were some of the best hours I've spent on the Race; I love hearing people's stories. She was kind enough to take us around town and even showed us a frozen yogurt shop, which turned out to be quite good.

It was at the end of this evening that we heard the words that would forever change the month of April 2011 in my life. Having heard me say I missed BBQ more than anything, Ellen invited us all over to her house the following Monday, and to go feast at her friend's home nearby.

The day after Theresa and I jumped off a suspension bridge into a massive canyon, I was as equally as excited to get to spend the evening with Ellen. The night was marvelous; thank you Brian for fixing us an incredible meal (yes, including BBQ sandwiches!)

In addition to having us over, Ellen voluntarily cut my hair, washed our clothes, let us take hot showers, fixed us meals, and was the closest thing I've felt to a mother since leaving my own 8 months ago! Ellen's husband, Todd, went out of his way to not only clear my digital camera of the virus that struck it back in Africa, but he was able to save all my data, wipe my laptop clean, and installed Linux for me! I am happily writing this blog on my net-book once again.

Talk about a living breathing example of Jesus' words in Matthew 25... I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a dirty stranger on a mission trip around the world and you invited me in and said, 'make yourself at home. How can I serve you?'

Thank you Ellen and Todd for taking us under your wing, into your home, and loving on us SO much! I can never thank you enough; you have made a huge impact in my life, and I want to emulate your hospitality, kindness, and selflessness in the days to come. We love you!

The World's Highest Rope Swing

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Sunday morning Theresa and I made the trek to the Tibet/Nepal border to jump off the world's highest rope swing! The 100mph swing is off a suspension bridge stretched 525 ft. above a canyon, with a 6-second free-fall... It was pretty awesome!

This Guy Writes Poems?

Fri, 1 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

In the past couple months I have read "Radical" by Platt and "Crazy Love" by Chan, as well as other books detailing the radical side of "Jesus culture." But more than any of these books, though they are great wake-up calls to our church, I have read over and over the personal dialogue of Jesus himself, recorded in the gospels, the passages we like to call "metaphorical" or "symbolic," never giving the notion that these verses were very much literal.

I have been preaching sermons on the REAL cost of following Jesus; repainting our picture of Jesus. Through the past few weeks, I realized that living radically is even a choice for me this year. Yeah, I'm currently in Nepal, living amongst orphans a few miles from Everest, but I still have to choose into living radically each morning.

During a swahili sermon last month I wrote the following poem. It captures the essence of what I am saying. At the end of the day, we have been called to give it all: What will you say?

The Hard Question

"Just as I am"

Sounded good at the time.

But now you want more,

Than just a few dimes.

You say, " I want it all,"

That I've got room to grow.

But this means sacrifice,

and less comfort, I know.

I fear total surrender,

So I choose not to call.

I'll give you some,

But I can't possibly give all.

You call me lukewarm,

And beckon for more.

I want to say "yes!"

But I fear what's in store.

So I stay where I am,

And bank on your grace.

I pray for your favor,

At the end of my race.

You say believing is key,

So I live with no fear.

But is it really that easy,

For the end is near.

As I go about my day,

I'm plagued with the question:

Am I happy "just as I am?"

Are you happy with who I am?

I'll one day give in,

and give you my life...

Or 10 years down the road,

Will I repeat this to my wife?

You say you want it all,

Today is the day.

The only question that remains,

Is what will I say?

Spring Break: Zanzibar

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

After a 31 hour train ride that ended with a man coming into the room, grabbing Ryan's backpack and running off (with an unsuccessful chase sequence), Ryan and I spent the following morning hopping Embassy's and getting him a temporary passport, which was stolen, along with his laptop. He was a sport through the whole thing, and has had just a wonderful attitude through it all.

We made it to Zanzibar that evening, and got to spend 2 beautiful days on the beach. It was amazing; I'll have to put up pictures when I have more time.

Change is here, yet again. We learned yesterday that teams were being shuffled again. With that being said, I would like to introduce you to my 3 new teammates:

Heidi Tobe

Jeannie Moore

Theresa Duffy

That's right, I'm the only guy on the team; man-time with Ryan is a thing of the past. I believe this will be a great change and will bring a boost to these last 4 months, like so many times, change does.

With that being said, we're leaving for the airport this morning, and will be arriving in Kathmandu, Nepal tomorrow afternoon.

Ministry next month looks like will be working with orphans in Kathmandu, and of course, better include a trip to Base Camp of Everest.

Please be praying for us as we enter into a new season, new continent, and new team.

Wrapping up Tanzania

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I want to apologize for not updating my blog this month. I had decided to fast from the internet this month, and unfortunately, my netbook picked up a nasty virus that has left me in the hands of internet cafes and community computers. My digital camera also picked up this virus so pictures and videos from this point on will have to be from my teammates.

This was it. Tanzania: Our last month in Africa, the final destination before the last leg of our journey, a 4-month trek through India, Nepal, and Eastern Europe. The 48 hours in Dar es Salaam ended up being some of the most difficult of the Race, and the bus ride to our location this month (which was supposed to be a 9-hour trip) ended up being 16 of the most gruesome hours of my life; it was by-far the worst day of my Race.

Ministry this month was, well, bleak. We spent 85% of our time in ministry sitting in church services of Swahili, not understanding a word around us. Communication was frustrating beyond belief. Plans changed, hours were wasted waiting, ministry got forgotten about, and we were left with 3 weeks of very little "hands-on" work.

With that being said, I want to praise God for the great things of this month.

The overall theme for The S.E.E.D.S. this month was unity through struggle. Early on in the first days we gathered as a team, and took the first steps in coming together to get through these tough weeks. I have never relied on my team like I did this month; I am so thankful for their companionship, their friendship, their prayers, and support. We truly rallied as a team, and I praise God for that.

The highlight of my stay in Tanzania was the 5 days we spent in a remote village a couple of hours from the city we were based in for the month. Once again, for 5 hours a day we sat in a church listening to a service in a foreign language. But it was what happened outside of those walls that made an impact in my week. One night after Ryan preached about our Authority over sickness and negative things from the Evil one, the pastor of the village invited anyone who needed it, to come back to his house (where we were staying) for prayers.

I didn't think much of it, and a few minutes after we got back to the house, we fired up the kerosine lantern and burst out the Monopoly Deal cards. We were interrupted by the news that we had a group of people outside wanting us to pray for them. So, one-by-one, they walked in, and we would pray for them corporately. The first 4 visitors walked away with no obvious sign of healing, just adding to what I had seen all Race long. Then came the 5th lady...

She was an elderly woman who complained about pain in her neck, her arms and her chest. When she spoke her words were barely audible because the chest pain had caused her to be almost mute for several years. We began praying. She told us the pain had left her arms. Then the pain was absent from her neck. Still, her voice soft and raspy, and the chest pain lingering. We didn't accept that, and in the next few minutes of prayers the Spirit came down in a huge way. You could feel Her saturate the atmosphere in that room.

When we had finished we asked her to speak. Her words were amplified slightly, but nothing I'd call a miracle. Then our translator and my friend, Joyce told her, "shout my name!" ..... "JOYCEY!" again... "JOYCEY!"... it was getting louder and louder...again..."JOYCEY!!!" 6 times that woman shouted out her name, each stronger than before. I thank God for healing that woman in our sight!

For the first time in these 6 months, I felt like I was really on the Race. Something about walking through the African Jungle, going to a waterfall, then walking back, picking fresh oranges off a tree, and eating them on the spot... couldn't have felt any more "African."

I mentioned Joyce in the story above. God brought her back to Mbeya (the city we stayed in) just 4 months ago, after spending 8 years in Dar, and there's no doubt in my mind it was to meet us, befriend us, and help us out in an incredible way. Joyce is 24, and lives with her family nearby the church. Her parents had us over for lunch yesterday, and it was wonderful eating a meal and spending time with them. Joyce was so invaluable to our team this month. She speaks English, so she was, by title, our translator, although she's become a close friend to all of us. I thank God for her friendship and how she has helped us out through these last few weeks; she really made a lot of tough situations much easier on us.

We are headed back to Dar tomorrow on the train; it's supposed to be a beautiful view through the mountains, and it's a 24-hour trip in a sleeper car. (we all vowed to never get on an African bus again).

We're planning on spending 3 days in Zanzibar at a resort on the beach. It will be our farewell vacation to Africa, and much-needed rest and relaxation.

It's crazy to think we'll be at the beach Friday, and flying over Mt. Everest on Tuesday. Nepal here we come!

Remebering Kenya

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Wow! It's been an incredible month; Kitale, Kenya feels like a second home. I wanted to take the time to recap what we did this month, and highlight some major opportunities.

Our Host: Moses and Roselyn are such wonderful people! We instantly felt a part of their family; it seemed like we had known each other for years. Moses is hilarious. We had a blast with him, and were blessed to have him pour his wisdom into us. Moses oversees 8 local churches, and 118 churches across Eastern Africa. He also teaches at a Bible college nearby.

Teach(er): We got the chance to be teachers for 3 days during our first week at a nearby private Christian school. Carly and I taught a science class about drugs, we got to act out different Bible stories with them, as well as tell them about our lives back home, which they had many questions about. We administered exams, even graded them! It was the closest I've been to being a teacher in my mere 21 years. We're always meeting amazing people wherever we're doing ministry, and this was no exception. Paul and Nerbert, the principal and vice-principal were such gracious hosts.

Preach(er): I got to preach at 3 different churches this month. This is an area God is really growing me in, and it's becoming more natural each time I do it. I love teaching God's word like this; I am excited to see how this continues to grow in the coming months.

Party(er): This month we hit the halfway point of the Race, which fell on Valentine's Day. We celebrated with Team Agape, who was staying next door. We had a bonfire, ate some cookies, and even roasted a marshmallow or two. It's weird to think it's already halfway over!

Pray(er): We got to visit patients at a local hospital, talk to them, and pray for their specific needs. It was a good exercise of being an encouragement, even in little ways.

Friend (to the orphaned): We visited a children's home that was begun 10 years ago by one couple from Canada. In ten years it's grown to over 200 children, half of which are orphans, half of those, sadly, are HIV+. The system they have set up is pretty awesome. The food is grown on site, cows are kept for dairy needs, and they run a seamstress school on site, where, you guessed it, all the school uniforms are made. It is great to see such a subsistence system in place. I asked Moses what it costs to put a kid through school, pay for his uniforms, his food, his lodging, and books. Only $450 for a year! I am in the process of getting info from Moses about how we can donate to this orphanage/school. If this is something you'd like to help with, send me an email and I will get that info to you as soon as I get it.

Paint(er): We took a day to go to the Kwanza church site, and paint roof trusses all afternoon. After lunch we lifted them to the roof, which inspired us to fund raise for the roofing to complete this church. I am so happy to tell you that with the $1,163 we were able to give to the church, they were able to use that to get a loan for the rest of the tin sheets, and Moses said they hope to have the roof complete by April 15th! Because of your help, this church is going to be able to be the central hub for 7 other local churches, and allow 800 members to worship on Sunday mornings. Praise God!

Prison (visitor): We visited the Kitale prison, taking a couple of hours to sit down with the women's population. Carly shared some great words with them, we heard their testimonies, and we gave them some toiletry items, which they were very excited to receive. It was odd to see children in the laps of the prisoners. In Kenya, the women can keep their children with them. The kids all look really healthy and happy. Moses told us a lot of the times, the conditions in prison is actually quite better than that at home. At one point one of the prisoners walks up to me wielding a 6" steel knife. Turns out the guard had asked her to cut the soap we had brought...Some things over here you would just NEVER see back home!

Feed(er): Ryan had the desire to feed a community in a slum we visited, so we did just that. We were able to hand out over 40 kilos of ground corn flour to the families. For just under $20, we were able to give them enough food for a week! While I was there I met Peter, an 18 year-old who lives with his brother, who is finishing high school. His mother works 2 hours away; his father was killed when robbers stole his cattle 8 years ago. He and his brother live alone in a house Peter built. Its frame is made of sticks, it's insulation constructed from trash. Peter is a painter, and so we prayed for work to become available to him.

Moses has a vision to bring church to this community. In respect to these families, who live in huts made of trash, erecting a church in this place would not be in good taste. He wants to see a tent put up in this slum, serving as a church building, and says he has people that will go worship with these people. He is, however, without tent. We found out a tent to cover 70-100 people costs over $1,500! So we are praying that a tent would be made available for this use, free of charge. Prayers for this would be really appreciated.

The 21 days we spent in Kitale have made a huge impact in each of our lives. The work Moses is doing in wonderful, and the opportunities to partner with him our immense. I have a feeling I will be coming back to Kitale, Kenya.

You've Only Got 12 Hours to Save the World

Sat, 19 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

God is GOOD! In the first 24 hours of fund-raising, our "48 Hours to Raise the Roof" fund is at $1,162! That's amazing. There's 12 hours left before our deadline, and we are still $1,400 short. Please, if you can help, join us in putting a roof over 700 African church members in Kenya. May ALL the glory be to our Father who provides everything.

The fund has to be closed after the 19th; If you can help, please click the Donate button in the blog below this. PayPal is free, safe and verified, and super easy to use.

48 Hours to Raise The Roof

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Yesterday, Team S.E.E.D.S. showed up for duty at the construction site. Immediately we were put to work painting the trusses (metal bars that hold the roof up). While getting thoroughly covered in red paint, we learned the back story on the church we were helping to construct. Bishop Moses (our incredible ministry host) had started preaching there 14 years ago. Since then, the church has grown to over 700 members! However the current building they are using cannot hold that many people. Several members dispersed to different smaller churches; all the while, hoping to get back to their church family at New Life Mission Kwanza. Once this large enough building is constructed, it will become the central hub for all the New Life Mission churches in the Kitale area.

In Africa, they build as they have the money to do so. Several church members have volunteered to complete the work as they are provided with the needed supplies. We had the opportunity to interact with several of them who were painting and installing trusses. They broke ground about 3 years ago and have made minimal progress thus far due to lack of funding. The walls are standing and the freshly painted trusses were put up yesterday. The most expensive and invaluable part of the project is the tin roof. It will cost approximately $2500 to purchase the tin sheets for the roof.

We would love to be able to bless this church by getting them the funds to finally finish this important church building. This month has touched all of our teams hearts in a special way. Bishop Moses and his family have become like our family and we really want to be able to help them in this very tangible way. Not only will this bless their family but will make a huge impact on reaching the city of Kitale for Christ. We truly believe in their vision for this church and how it is going to help further the Kingdom.

We will be collecting funds for just 48 hours on Feb. 18 & 19. If you could help us put a roof over these church members' heads, it would mean the world to each of us.

To donate, please click the PayPal link.

A Mother's Joy

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

As I walked up to the small mud house, I couldn't help but notice the long mound of dirt lying beside the home. The piece of tattered wood fixed at the top of the pile had been hand painted, marking the date of death as October 26, 2010. I learned, just before walking through the door frame, that this grave belonged to the mother of the household, whom had died just 4 months ago of stomach cancer.

We were greeted with the usual, "Karibu," and we shook hands with a young girl. Her name is Lydia. She is 22 years old. Her father had remarried and relocated to Nairobi some time before, and upon her mother's passing, Lydia has been left in charge of raising her 6 younger sisters. It was hard for her to look us in the eye. She was filled with sadness, oppressed by such a challenge.

A local pastor, two women from his church, and I had spent the last hour going into homes and greeting the people there, encouraging and praying for them however was needed. I hadn't expected to encounter a situation like this one, though. I asked her if she knew the story of Jesus. She said, "yes." I then asked if she believed he was the son of God. She very quietly replied, "yes." When I asked her if she had a relationship with Jesus, she said since her mother had passed, she felt completely hopeless, and no longer felt joyful.

From a 21-year old spoiled American kid with barely any responsibilities, to a 22-year old involuntary mother of 6, there is only ONE thing I knew I could possibly offer as encouragement. I exclaimed, "I know that you have been placed in a situation that is incredibly difficult. It is not fair, and it certainly is not what you would have picked for yourself. However, all joy is not lost, and hope is waiting for you to grab it, but that hope is only found in Jesus, and HE is eagerly waiting for you to take it."

At this, the pastor said something in the mother tongue, and the young woman got on her knees and bowed her head. She prayed for Christ to take over her burdens, to come give her joy, again. After we had all said amen, she got up, with a smile on her face, waved us goodbye with the typical "asante sana" and we left.

John 16:22 - "So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy."

From Kigali to Kitale

Mon, 7 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Sorry to have kept you out of the loop for a week. We safely arrived in Kitale, Kenya for February's ministry. We've been blessed with another month of nice accommodations. Another month in a complete house with beds, western toilets, and the first hot shower in 5 months. We are staying with Moses and his family. Moses is a bishop, overseeing 7 local churches. He and his wife are wonderful!

This month's ministry promises to be varied with possibilities in: hospitals, prison, teaching school children, preaching in open-air meetings, worship leading, visiting orphanages, and getting to speak at a university.

I got to preach at church Sunday which was a blessing! The first part of this week we are at a private school teaching grades 6-8.

Also a first on the Race... I see my breath at night AND have to sleep under TWO blankets to keep warm; a fact I love! Bring on the cold weather.

Next Monday will mark the halfway point of the race... WOW. To think the Race is halfway over is nuts. It is hard to explain the time warp that is the WR, but it is a crazy thing!

Hope all is well back in the good ole' U.S. of A. Much love from Africa. Tomorrow (2/8) is Maral's birthday. Be sure to wish her a happy birthday and let her feel the love!