A Week at Camp

I just returned from a week at Camp Daniel and thought I would share my impressions of the week. I would like to start by thanking everyone on the Camp Daniel staff. A tremendous amount of hard work goes into camp and it wouldn't be possible without the staff. A special hats off to Chrissy Kelly. Chrissy prepares three meals a day for over 120 people for four weeks with nothing more than two ovens and a volunteer kitchen staff. The food is always fresh, hot and delicious. I can barely get through one week of helping in the kitchen – I would never survive four weeks of being in charge of the kitchen.

It was a great week. Shelley and I had a lot of fun and appreciated the opportunity to take part in camp this year. We both commented on the enthusiasm and freedom of the campers. There were a couple of campers, Tom and Craig, which really stood out to me. Both Craig and Tom are in wheel chairs. Neither one of them can communicate in the same way most of us can. They need help with all the everyday things that we take for granted. Getting out of bed, dressing, eating, they need help with all of it.

I can’t pretend to understand what their lives are like but I have never seen two happier, loving and thankful men. Tom was always smiling and his eyes always seemed to shine with happiness. Craig has got to be the most thankful person I have ever met. The enthusiasm and kindness of both these men truly impressed me. It also made me stop to think. How can two men who need help with everything, struggling with things I take for granted be so happy all the time?

I really don’t know the answer but I believe it has something to do with knowing that they were made by God to be exactly who they are. They are part of God’s plan and they are carrying out their part. Tom’s happiness is infectious. Every time I saw him I would always smile and my mood would always brighten. Craig’s thankfulness made me feel appreciated and welcomed. Their enthusiasm encouraged me every day of camp.

Tom and Craig also challenged me. If two men who seem to have so little going for them can be kind, thankful and loving to everyone around them why can’t I? Most people would call Tom and Craig disabled. There is certainly a long list of things that they do not have the ability to accomplish. But, if they understand the story God is telling about their lives and joyously except their role in his plan while I, who have been blessed with so much grumble, complain and grudgingly go along, are they really the disabled? All through camp I saw people that the world would say have very little or no value sharing themselves, their joy and their happiness with everyone around them. Everything they did was done without reservation, restraint or fear. Over and over again I kept thinking these people are really enabled. Enabled by God to be exactly who He made them to be. I pray that I can be enabled the same way.

Summertime

Summer is in full swing. It is hard to believe it is late July already. The first two weeks of Camp Daniel have come and gone. From all I have heard Camp has been amazing so far. Things haven’t all gone to plan but maybe that is God’s plan – a little disruption to remind us how much we need Him and how we need to be involved in what He is doing rather than expecting Him to get involved in what we are doing. It was good to see our friends and partners; Dan and Nancy Germo, Jason and Rebekah Witt. Dan and Nancy are planning their return to the mission field starting next week. Jason and Rebekah will be returning later this fall.


I have been reading an interesting book this past week. I don’t agree with all the points the author is making but a couple of things have really stood out for me. Our relationship with God is dependent on how we respond to Jesus. Through Jesus, God wants to retell the stories of our lives. We just have to believe. There are many times when I think I don’t have anything to offer or I have messed up so many times God will never be able to use me. God’s story is we are all loved, worthy and valued. We all have something to offer. We can all do something to make the world a better place, more like the place God intended, every day. So, the real question is “Will I believe the story God is telling about my life?” And if I do believe that story, “Will I live according to the story God is telling?” I have written a lot about getting involved in Camp Daniel, missions, going on a short-term missions trips and many other ways we can be involved in what God is doing. These are all great things to be involved in and I encourage everyone to jump in wherever you can. But, we can also live the story God is telling in our everyday lives, in our workplaces, in our schools, even at Wal-Mart while shopping. Anytime we put the people around us and their needs before ourselves and our needs, we are making the world a better place. It could be as simple as holding the door open for someone, saying Hello, or asking someone how their day is going and being genuinely interested in the answer.

As summer continues on please remember to pray for the Germos, the Witts, Camp Daniel, our pastors, our church and the people we interact with day in and day out. If you get a chance spend a day or week helping out at Camp Daniel. Get involved in Family Camp. Above all else ask God what story He would tell about your life and then try to live that story. It won’t all be easy but it will be interesting and we can all make the world a little more of what God intended every day.

Blessed Part Two

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."

The poor in spirit, those who know God and understand how far they are from His standard of holiness, will inherit the kingdom of heaven. The word inheritance implies that the poor in spirit are heirs, children of the most high God. The first step in being a child of God is to understand who God is and who we are and how far we are from Him on our own. The second step is mourning our separation from the Father. If we understand who God is, who we are and grieve the distance between us the Father will comfort us. We are comforted by the family of fellow believers, the Holy Spirit, a relationship with the Father and His firstborn, Jesus Christ.
Our morning over the separation between us and God should lead to meekness. The dictionary definition of meek is humbly patient, docile, submissive, compliant, gentle or kind. I think we only need to look to our Savior, Jesus, to see an example of meekness. I think many times we equate meekness with not standing up and avoiding confrontation but the example of meekness that Jesus set is somewhat different from this idea. Jesus was at times confrontational (interacting with the Pharisees, throwing the money changers out of the temple) and other times gentle and kind. Jesus was God made man. He had the ability to call down armies of angels and had all the power of the Father but throughout his time on earth he lived a life of sacrifice to others and submission to the Father’s will. He always acted in accordance with God’s will in whatever way was best for everyone involved. I think a better definition of biblical meekness is great power under control. The opposite of meek is stubborn, obstinate and regenerate. If we truly understand who we are and who God is how could we not submit to His will, how could we not be meek? It is also interesting that Jesus said the meek shall inherit the earth. This is so different from the message from the view of the world, particularly in America. The world tells us we have to fight for everything, stubbornly insist on getting what we want and the ends justify the means. As long as I get what I want anything goes, the very opposite of meek.

The next verse tells us “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” So…understanding who we are in light of who God us, mourning the separation, submitting to the will of the Father should lead us to hunger and thirst for righteousness – to close the separation between us and God. The language of this verse is interesting, the verse does not say those who would like to be righteous or those who want to be righteous but those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Hunger and thirst go beyond wanting; these are needs that must be filled for life to continue. The verse also says those who hunger and thirst will be filled. We can have a seat at the Father’s table. “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
True contentment, being blessed, begins with knowing the Father. Our very life and the life of those around us depend on it. Christ set an example for all us. He came to us, became flesh, and all the temptations and trials that go along with it, and sins. He made the ultimate sacrifice that we might know the Father. I pray that all of us can, in some way, follow this example.

Blessed

I recently taught a Sunday school class based on the Sermon on the Mount. As I prepared for the class each week I was reminded that Jesus commands us to be engaged in relationships. Everything we do should be focused on Him and behaving more like Him every day and we can only do this through relationships. First we need a relationship with the Father which is made possible through Jesus. Next we need to be in relationship with the people all around us.

The Sermon on the Mount starts with the beatitudes. The beatitudes describe the process of building a relationship with God and the characteristics of a person who is in a relationship with God. The beatitudes begin with –

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
Matthew 5:3-4

In this context the word blessed means content or satisfied, Just as Paul said to the people of Philippi in Philippians 4:11 “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” So…being content in all circumstances starts with being poor in spirit but what does it mean to be poor in spirit? I think Isaiah gave us a great description of what it means to be poor in spirit, “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” (Isaiah 6:5) Isaiah had a vision of God and when he came face to face with the Father he also came face to face with who he was and the separation between himself as a man and the awesome holiness of God. So, Matthew 5:3 tells us we will begin to find commitment when we understand who we are in light of a holy, perfect, righteous, infinite God who created all things and holds all things.
The second beatitude “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” builds on the first. When we realize who we are in light of who God we should mourn just as Isaiah did. When Isaiah got a glimpse of himself from God’s perspective he responded by crying out “Woe to me! I am ruined!” The distance that Isaiah saw between himself and God caused Isaiah to grieve for himself and his people. Based on Matthew 5:3-4 the foundation for real contentment starts with understanding who we are, who God is and the separation between His holiness and our lives. This distance between our lives and the holiness of God should cause us to grieve for ourselves and those around us.

I think everyone is searching for contentment but for those who don’t know God and never get a glimpse of His perspective the search just goes on and on. This is one reason we are called into relationship with people. We should be reaching out to people in our community and across the world and giving them a glimpse of God. If we have found the contentment of knowing who our God is and who we are, if we are mourning for ourselves and those around us, shouldn’t we be about evangelism and missions – reaching out to those who may never find what contentment truly is? Someone, somewhere reached out to us, let us follow their example and the example of Jesus by reaching out.

Spring Again

It is almost spring. I suppose it technically is spring already but since we received 9 inches of snow the other night it doesn’t feel like it yet. I guess everyone is making plans for the summer and I thought I would mention some of the plans for Living Hope Missions.

A group of youth and adults are heading over to Minneapolis the weekend of June 25th. They will be working with Michael Neterer and SALT to learn more about the Somali culture and how to reach out to this growing segment of our community in Green Bay. If you want to read more about SALT check out their website http://www.worldreliefmn.org/get-involved/somali-outreach-ministries/salt/.

On June 30th we will host another mission’s dinner at LHC. Jason Witt, one of the missionaries we worked with in Kenya, will be with us and it will be a great meal. Come out and support the missions program and spend an evening fellowshipping with friends and family.

Camp Daniel has work days scheduled for April 30th, May 14th and May 21st. Camp sessions will be held from July 10th through August 13th. For more details on the schedule at Camp Daniel check the website http://www.campdaniel.org/. You can take an afternoon, a day or a whole week to lend a hand and who knows – you might even have some fun at the same time. If you’ve never been to Camp Daniel you don’t know what you are missing. This is one of those places where you can be loved and appreciated just for being you.

As spring turns into summer remember to take time to be involved in what God is doing all around us. To have an opportunity to be part of His work is an awesome and humbling experience at the same time.

Pouring concrete in Africa!

Below is a blog entry written by Missionary Jason Witt. Jason Hosted the LHC Missions Team this past summer in Garrissa, Kenya. Jason is overseeing the school building project that the LHC Team worked on and LHC has helped to fund. This building will be home to a school for girls as well as the local Agape Church. LHC has been part of the Agape Churches in Kenya for some years through funding, prayer, and physical labor on trips. The pouring of concrete as Jason describes in this entry is exciting to the many, many people involved in this mission. God is working in a powerful way through this project and prayer is needed for those like Jason and his family who have given their lives to God in this place. If you would like to further fund this project we would encourage it also!

As written by Missionary Jason Witt:

This is a beautiful sight to me it is a symbol the Father's faithfulness. Honestly there were days when I never thought I would see this stage complete many times when I asked the Father why did you tell me to manage this project its stressing me out! Pouring a second floor slab is really no joke. In America we order our concrete by the cubic yard and if you were to pour a second floor slab you would use a wonderful invention called a pump truck that pumps the concrete through a 4inch hose and you pour it very nicely and with minimal waste, labor, people etc.

In Kenya you would gather your materials sand, ballast, and bags of cement then you will rent a concrete mixer, a crane, and a vibrating machine to compact the concrete properly. Well I attempted these things I gathered the materials I found a mixer and a vibrating machine. The crane well we live in the bush so keep dreaming. That is what the giant staircase or the ladder takes the place of. Its a very large manual powered crane so to speak. So last Thursday we were all ready everything was in place. We hoped to pour the slab in two days maximum.

Day 1 the laborers showed up and we took two hours to negotiate for the labor contract but we finally manged to agree. We start the concrete mixer and the belt snapped off immediately. So I went around town to 20 (no exaggeration her really 20)different store until I found the right size belt. I rushed back and put the belt on and then we were back in business! Then after about two hours the mixer started getting a mind of its own and idling very high and the all the bolts began to back out. I called a mechanic and he told me it would need spare parts from Nairobi. So we decided we would clean up and try again tomorrow.

Day 2 We didn't get the mixer fixed and we were unable to find another to rent. There are only about 4 in our town 3 were broken and the other belonged to someone who was not interested in helping us at all for spiritual reasons. But the show must go on so we mixed it by hand and worked hard. We were moving at a good pace and then the water stopped running around 3 in the afternoon. Obviously we can't mix concrete without water. So we cleaned up and decided to come back again tomorrow.

Day 3 The laborers were tired and renegotiated the terms of the agreement but it took us 2 hours. We cleared it up and continued working until dark. This was Saturday so we would break until Monday and come back and do it again.

Day 4 Sunday

Day 5 We were able to work the whole day it was the first day we worked with no complications but we were still unable to finish.

Day 6 Finally we finished by 2 in the afternoon and that my friends is a beautiful sight. It is a sign of the Father's faithfulness He who starts a good work will complete it.

I made so many good friendships with these guys over the course of these 5 days I hope I was able to smash the stereotype that white people don't know how to work. Honestly there is no way I could keep up with some of them but I can still hold my own at least.( even at 30) I really enjoyed getting to know these guys and joke with them we worked hard but we had a lot of fun too. The Father has amazing ways of encouraging you when you need it. He used this situation to build my faith He usually does things that way for me. I can't wait to see what He does next!

Here are a few fun facts for ya- We were 25 guys working.

We mixed over 200 bags of cement by hand

Moved over 80 tons of ballast or gravel (several times actually) with wheel barrows

Moved over 40 tons o sand( several times)with wheel barrows

MEGA Car Show For Kids

LHC Missions hosted MEGA's 2nd Annual Car Show For Kids on Saturday October 2nd.

Impact

We all have an opportunity to make an impact every day. As Christians we are all called to make an impact on the world around us. We are called to impact the people we work with, play with, fellowship with, serve.... The evangelistic outreaches and mission trips through the church are special opportunities to engage with God and make an impact in places and situations that are outside our normal every day experience. Whether working at Camp Daniel, going to Kenya for a couple of weeks or supporting the many brothers and sisters throughout the world we can use these opportunities to impact the world for Christ but how do we make an impact every day? If we pay attention God gives us opportunities to engage with him and make an impact all the time. The Bible exhorts us to be prepared to do the good works God has prepared for us. This tells me that God has a plan and we are all part of the plan. The choice is ours. Will we step up and fulfill our part in the plan or will we let someone else take our part in the plan?

I also think there are many times when we act on faith without realizing the impact we are having. Think of a beautiful tapestry. The tapestry is made of many threads. Some of the threads are long and others are short. Some are brightly colored and others are dark. Now imagine the threads are our lives. We can only see the threads that are closest to us. We can’t see the beginning of the tapestry or the end. We can’t see the pattern or how we fit into the pattern. If we are blessed we can sometimes glimpse how our lives interact with the lives of those around us but we never see the whole picture.

I’m sure we all have heard stories of Christians who acted on their faith and never saw the results of their part in the plan and years later their action changed the world. The Gideons International is a great example. The Gideons were founded by Samuel Hill and John Nicholson after a chance encounter at a Wisconsin hotel in 1899. Today the Gideons are active in 190 countries and you will find a Gideons Bible in almost every hotel on the planet. These two men acted in faith to fulfill their part in His plan. I don’t know but I doubt either of them dreamed that from their initial meeting in 1899 the Gideons International would be born. Whether you know it or not we have had an impact around the world as well. Through our church China, Turkey, Africa and many other countries have been impacted. Pastors, Music Pastors, Missionaries and church leaders of all types have been developed, nurtured and supported through our church. Members of our church have taken a love of Christ and the joy of having a relationship with the living God to Japan, Algeria, Columbia, Ecuador and Paraguay. We are making an impact here in our own little corner of the world and around the world.

One of the people from our church who is making an impact is teaching in Paraguay right now. If you would like to keep up on what Kristen is up to her blog is http://kbsadventuresabroad.blogspot.com/.

Little Tony's Entry August 11th, 2010

"'Not called!' did you say?

'Not heard the call,' I think you should say.

Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear Him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father's house and bid their brothers and sisters and servants and masters not to come there. Then look Christ in the face — whose mercy you have professed to obey — and tell Him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish His mercy to the world." - William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army

After a long summer of being out in the fields of mission, away from home and its comforts, those words of William Booth have never felt so close to my heart. I feel the weight of a world that does not know Jesus, a world that is hurting, suffering, and dying without hope. I will come back this fall the LHC with a heart that is broken and wanting to engage everyone in the process of sending and going.

I struggle, as I believe that so many people in the kingdom have been mislead. I believe with all my heart that we are all called. Becoming a Christian is the call. William Booth was right on target as his passion for the unsaved was spoken in the quote above. God is relying on the church to send out life rafts to those sinking in the despair of the world. I understand like never before that no program, initiative, class, or sermon can do the job we are all called to as Gods people. It is our relationships with people in which God works. As Booth said, "Pulling others from the fire, listening to cries for help, walking right up to the gates of hell if need be, marching in unity to shout the truth; these are all accomplished in closeness to to others, in relationship with our brothers.

God has given us the Church as a gift that can save the world. Church is the relationship we have with each other. It is not the building, the programs, the pastor, or the organization, it is just a few, or many, gathered in the love of Jesus... in relationship. It is in relationship with each other that God's love is shown to the world. It is in relationship with each other that we are sharpened, discipled, stretched, and grown into people more like Jesus, It is in relationship that God comes and speaks to us, it is in relationship that we learn to stand against Satan, get beyond our flesh and grow towards Jesus. We must have relationship, first with Jesus to save us , then with his people to grow us and then with those in the world to see them saved.

I am in the 14th week of this summers mission trip. I am exhausted in every way... physically, spiritually, mentally, and even relationally. Yet I know with more clarity than ever that missions is simply living out what God expects from us a Christians, to build relationship to see other saved, grown and sent. In my exhaustion much of what clouds my vision most of the year, is clear, and all I see is simply a giant group of people living out relationships.

I ask for your prayer. Pray for God to help us to move into a new relationship. Maybe with someone you met for the first time on Sunday, maybe with some you sat next to at church last week but do not know well. Maybe with someone that may walk into LHC for the first time this Sunday. Pray that God would help you rebuild broken relationships, that He would give you grace and love enough to move beyond hurts. Pray that God would help you live out His call for missions, which is simply to love each other in repetitive fashion, which is otherwise known as relationship!

Little Tony

Home at last...

I was just looking over the posts on the blog and I was struck by how much the team accomplished in such a short period of time. There is no way we could have gotten so much done without God being in the middle of it all and the prayers and support you provided. I am always amazed by what God can do through the lives of those who are willing. I was also thinking about being home for a week, returning to work and when things might return to “normal”. The reality is that our lives will never go back to the old “normal”. The trip has given all of us new experiences in our relationship with God and each other and I don’t think we will ever be the same. Hopefully, we will move forward from here and build on this experience and the milestone it has created in our lives. I am excited to see what new opportunities will come to continue the relationship we have with Agape Fellowship in Kenya and the relationships we started with the people of Northern Kenya. We serve a big God who will let us be part of His big plans if we let we are only willing. It is good to be home again but we are always where we are supposed to be when we are doing His will.

Our Way Home...

We are halfway home waiting in Brussells for our connecting flight to Chicago. Everyone seems a little tired from flying all night but otherwise healthy and happy to be returning to freinds and family. This entire trip has been an incredible journey. No one has had any serious health issues, we haven't run into any complications travelling, to Kenya, around Kenya or home. I don't think anyone has even gotten a stink eye(a glare from Tim indicating you just did or said something incredibly stupid). God is good! We know you have been praying with us and for us throughout the trip because things have gone so well. Without your prayers there is no way we could have taken a group of 21 people to Kenya, joined three other teams on the second day creating a total group of over 70, worked for two weeks and made it this far without any problems. Thank you again for all your support, prayers and love throughout the trip. When we arrive home we will all be a little jet lagged and suffering from some degree of culture shock so please continue to be patient with us. Anytime we have a close encounter with God we are changed and it may take some time for all of us to process all we have experienced on this tip. God Bless and we'll see you soon.

The Trip - Day 13

The last two days have been busy. We travelled to Masai Mara for a safari. The drive takes about four hours and the roads are a little less comfortable than those at home. There were points where we drove beside the road rather than on the road because it was smoother. It was great to be able to spend a day decompressing from everything we have experienced to this point and to be able to enjoy the diversity and grandeur of God’ creation in a way that we never could at home.

We saw many examples of God’s design in the creation and learned a little about the Masai culture. The Masai are one of the many tribes of people who live in Kenya. When we returned to Nairobi we attended a farewell dinner with some of the pastors from Agape Fellowship. It was a great time of fellowshipping and sharing our experiences of what God has done through us, with us and to us while we have been here ministering in Kenya.

Tonight we had a farewell dinner at the Bishop Kabachia’s home. It was a time of great fellowship and blessings. Tracy and I had a chance to speak to Pastor Jonathon from Agape Church and upon reflection, it appears clear to us that the conversation was of Devine Appointment. At the present time Tracy and I are both experiencing a similar sense of confusion as a result of being at a crossroad in each of our lives. Both of us are unsure where God is calling us to take our next steps in life. As it so happens, Pastor Jonathon is undergoing a similar experience. In speaking with us, He revealed the story of Elijah, a story that has encouraged him to be at peace with the unknown himself. In 1 Kings, Elijah would go to the brook to receive food and direction from the Lord. One day when Elijah returned to the brook to seek further nourishment from God, the brook had dried up completely. However, Elijah was not deterred and he waited patiently for a period of time until he received direction from the Lord. He did not move until he received word from the Lord. Jonathan found comfort in knowing that even when the brook is dry, the Lord is faithful in giving direction. Sometimes it just takes a period of time waiting upon the Lord. The faith of Elijah in this story is the kind of faith Jonathan, Tracy, and I need to be reminded of. To have faith that God will give each of us direction. Sometimes God is just asking us to be obedient and wait beside the brook that seems dry, because God is never early and He is never late. Rather, He is ALWAYS on time, He is faithful and He is able. Your prayers have helped us in ways that can never be described. Thank you so much for being faithful and obedient to the Lord. May he bless you for blessing this team. Tracy and Jenny.

The Trip - Day 11

Yesterday was a hectic day travelling back to Nairobi and settling in at Cross Currents guest house. It was a blessing to be back in the cooler weather but we are already missing the people we connected with up-country. We are all getting homesick and wondering how our experience here will impact us as we return home at the same time. Today we did some shopping which was a new experience for many on the team. We went to a Masai market to purchase gifts and mementos to help us remember our trip. The market is an open air shopping market with many vendors and stalls. The prices for everything are negotiable and negotiating is an art unto itself. Haggling over the price of a wooden carving while trying to form a relationship with someone and act as an extension of Living Hope and our Savior is a little challenging but it is also a lot of fun. After we completed our shopping some of us went to an Ethiopian restaurant for dinner. Ethiopia and Kenya share a common border but couldn’t be more different. Ethiopian food is very different from Kenyan food. It is spicy and eaten with bread. The only utensils used are your hands. In some ways today was like a snapshot of the entire trip; new experiences culturally, relationally and in ministering to the people around us. We actually found out that goat can not only be edible but taste good. We had our first debriefing meeting tonight. From the thoughts and experiences people shared it is obvious that you have been with us every step of the way on this trip through the prayers and support you have provided. We have established relationships with people who did not want to know us. We have made an impact on a building project that will impact the lives of many people for years to come. We have made and impact on the health of people who do not have access to even the most basic of health care and we have done it all together. We love you all and want to express our appreciation for the support you have provided and for being with us all along the way.

The Trip - Day 9

Today is our last day in Northern Kenya. We will return to Nairobi tomorrow. We attended the church service at the local Agape Fellowship. The service included a Bible focus hour, praise and worship and the main service. Tim M. led the Bible Focus. He did a great study on the transforming power of God’s love and how this love led us to this place and the work that is going on here. The youth performed the drama “The Redeemer” before the main service. Tony P. preached at the main service and spoke on John chapter 9. Tony used all our experiences here as examples of the word and encouraged the people here to continue in the work that is being done. After the church service we returned to the guest house for a few hours to rest and prepare to move back to Nairobi. I would never have thought a plastic tote would make a good washing machine but as it turns out it works pretty well. We spent the evening at the Witt’s house. Jason made dinner for the team. He is a great man of God and he can cook! What a combination. We spent the rest of the time fellowshipping with each other, the Bethany interns and the Witt family. Please pray for the Witt family. They are serving in an area that is difficult in so many ways and they do it with joy and love. They were great hosts for the team and provided an example to the team of the practical application of the love of Christ all week. They are an awesome family serving an awesome God.

So much has happened here it is hard to believe it has only been here a week. We have made relationships that will last the rest of our lives and memories that will be the next set of spiritual markers in our journey with Jesus. Everyone seems a little excited to be heading back to Nairobi and cooler weather. I don’t think anyone will miss the heat and dust but some part of all of us will remain here.

The Trip - Day 8

Another day in paradise; anytime we are where God is we are in paradise no matter where we are physically. Today was our last day of formal ministry here. The men wound things up at the construction site. The youth and men moved 70 tons of rock, 40 tons of dirt and 30 tons of hard pack fill into the foundation of the school over the last week. We made over 1000 shims for leveling the form for the second floor slab and cut the timber (in Kenya wood is timber not wood) for the form. We also cut hundreds of mathange poles to support the second floor slab. We said goodbye to Dr. John who had to return to the states today. The medical clinics saw over 500 patients in three days. The clinics will help the local church continue building a relationship with their Somali neighbors along with helping the patients with their health. The youth attended revival meetings every night, conducted sports clinics, conducted services at local schools and services at local colleges. The services conducted by the youth provided encouragement to the local church and started relationships with the young Somalis in the area. As a team we have been very, very busy and the work has been hard but satisfying. We will attend church at the local Agape Fellowship tomorrow and return to Nairobi on Monday. Our time here has provided us with memories and friendships that will last a life time but I think we will all be happy to leave the heat behind (remember I told you how it was hot here, I wasn’t kidding). Please continue to pray for us as we move back to Nairobi and the remainder of our trip. We love you all and pray that God is blessing all those at we have waiting for us at home.

A few words from Jon Jarosinski:

Sooooo…where do I start? What an amazing experience this has been thus far! You know you are doing things right when you can feel God next to you every step of the way. I have enjoyed every single day in Northern Kenya thus far. I have been leading the teens in doing ministry in the afternoon and doing construction in the mornings. Ohhh the construction is brutal, but awesome! Hauling wheel barrow after wheel barrow, up and down wooden ramps, across layers of rock, and don’t forget to avoid the sledge hammer swinging guys on the way over. It’s almost like a trip to grandma’s house in the winter. Now do that 50 times over, and another 50 times, and guess what you get to do tomorrow? Wheel barrows! But all in all, it is good hard work that we have all enjoyed. Though it is hot and the work is difficult, the guys here, including the teenagers, have stepped up and surpassed any expectation we had for them. I cannot be prouder, I’ve never seen a group of people work this hard and not speak a single complaint. And don’t forget that it’s HOT. It’s funny, the last few trips I have been on have been teaching me how not to complain about cold showers and to not take hot showers for granted, I believe God is teaching me here to be thankful for cold water too! Cold showers have never been a bigger blessing. And the ministry we have been doing is just as amazing. We have been able to connect with so many people and share our stories. At first we were told that we have to be careful who we share Christ with, but God has allowed us to go to places where we didn’t have those restrictions. Mike LeClaire has been preaching and bringing the awesome word that he always does, and the teens have been performing the dramas spot on. This being my third trip, I’ve never worked with such a willing and powerful group of teenagers as this group. They have ministered to me so much; I am so blessed to have been part of the leadership of that group. This morning we had the chance to play soccer (or football, here) with a club which consists of muslims and Christians. I got dominated, but had a blast! The Kenyans are all super athletic and have natural abilities to play soccer. There was a child who must have been only ten years old who was already professional in my eyes. It was awesome. There is so much to talk about and share about this trip, God has been all over every single step we have taken. What an incredible journey and plan God has for all of us and the people of Kenya. I hope to continue to be a part of this changing country, and I thank every single person who has been praying for us and especially to those who donated generously to send us here. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Know that God has been blessing us and our ministry here. I am looking forward though to a good slice of pepperoni pizza and a cup of ice J. God Bless. – Jon Jarosinski

The Trip - Day 6

Today was similar to yesterday for the youth team. We started off this morning helping the construction team again. It’s very rewarding to do this kind of service work. I love seeing how the young guys work until their faces turn red, and without complaint. It blesses me every day. After that, we went to another school to perform dramas and share testimonies; you know, the typical mission thing. This was another place we were able to share a gospel message. There is only one disappointing thing about this ministry. We go places and share with the people, but we have to leave to go to the next place while in the middle of making connections with them. It can be frustrating at times, but you learn to give it to God because He’s ultimately in control. And for tonight, revival service again. Tonight, some of the medical team came to the service. It was nice to be able to do things with them. When you prepare as a team and split when you enter your line of service, you learn to treasure the times when you can serve together. They end up being the most memorable. - Andy

Yesterday, the medical clinic was set up in the middle of a small village, a 20 minute drive from town, and we saw a group of 200 people change from being afraid of us to, at the end of the day, being open and playing and laughing with us. Today was a different. The medical clinic was at the fairgrounds in town, and the people had to walk farther to reach us. We didn’t have lines of mothers and their children waiting to receive care, which had given us a chance to spend time with them. Today I had what I felt was a less important job than yesterday, and I didn’t get much of a chance to converse with any of the patients. However, God still taught me a lot today. My favorite moment was when our first patient after lunch showed up—a Muslim woman with 4 children. She spoke very little English, and I speak very little Swahili, but in a half hour, I felt as if we had become close friends. She even honored me with letting me take her picture with two of her sons, something almost unheard of in their culture. God showed me today that although we think of miracles being things like healing the sick and feeding five thousand people, they can also be as small as the connection between a Somali mother and a young American girl. - Hannah

Today was similar to yesterday for the youth team. We started off this morning helping the construction team again. It’s very rewarding to do this kind of service work. I love seeing how the young guys work until their faces turn red, and without complaint. It blesses me every day. After that, we went to another school to perform dramas and share testimonies; you know, the typical mission thing. This was another place we were able to share a gospel message. There is only one disappointing thing about this ministry. We go places and share with the people, but we have to leave to go to the next place while in the middle of making connections with them. It can be frustrating at times, but you learn to give it to God because He’s ultimately in control. And for tonight, revival service again. Tonight, some of the medical team came to the service. It was nice to be able to do things with them. When you prepare as a team and split when you enter your line of service, you learn to treasure the times when you can serve together. They end up being the most memorable. Andy Deckert

Yesterday, the medical clinic was set up in the middle of a small village, a 20 minute drive from town, and we saw a group of 200 people change from being afraid of us to, at the end of the day, being open and playing and laughing with us. Today was a different. The medical clinic was at the fairgrounds in town, and the people had to walk farther to reach us. We didn’t have lines of mothers and their children waiting to receive care, which had given us a chance to spend time with them. Today I had what I felt was a less important job than yesterday, and I didn’t get much of a chance to converse with any of the patients. However, God still taught me a lot today. My favorite moment was when our first patient after lunch showed up—a Muslim woman with 4 children. She spoke very little English, and I speak very little Swahili, but in a half hour, I felt as if we had become close friends. She even honored me with letting me take her picture with two of her sons, something almost unheard of in their culture. God showed me today that although we think of miracles being things like healing the sick and feeding five thousand people, they can also be as small as the connection between a Somali mother and a young American girl. Hannah Smith

The Trip - Day 5

Today was the second day of business for the Living Hope Garissa Dirt and Stone Company. You dig it we’ll move it – or we’ll dig it and move it – or we’ll dig it, crush it and then move it – or whatever. The youth came and worked on the construction site for the morning. The big jobs today were backfilling the foundation with dirt and hard core. Hard core is a weird type of rock. It looks like really hard mud. When you backfill with hard core it has to be compacted. That is a fancy word for broken with a sledge hammer so the smaller pieces will pack together. The male teens came and moved dirt and broke hard core all morning. Those guys worked as hard as anyone on the site and made me feel every one of my years. All the parents should be proud because those guys really know how to get it done. Guys, my hat’s off to you. God has certainly blessed us by putting you with us on this trip.

The team conducted the first medical clinic today. They saw over 200 people today at a small village outside of Garissa. The chief of the village had been asking for medical for some time and was very happy to have a doctor come see his people.

The youth ministry group was very active today. They started off helping out the construction team in the morning, doing all the hard manual labor that was too much for the old guys (just kidding, but not really J). After being out in the hot sun and sweating so much you felt like you were swimming, the team traveled to do a sports clinic in a town just outside of Garissa. This sports ministry was very rewarding for us all. We were able to play soccer (football) and volleyball with the students there. We also had a great time socializing with some of the Muslim students. Coming to their level and doing things they enjoy doing really seemed to minister to them and to us in incredible ways. After spending a couple hours there, we still had more to accomplish for the day. We attended a revival service at a local church here in Garissa. It was amazing to be a part of this service. This church is located across the street from a mosque in a town where Muslim is the main religion and they frown upon Christians. These people have a boldness that I think we can all learn from. - Andy

I just read Tony’s post and realized that we are on different days; pretty weird considering we are on the same trip. I am not counting the travel days so my day four really is day six. As I read Tony’s post I was smiling and holding back tears at the same time. It really was an amazing service and the Pastor, Peter Kaunda, is an awesome, humble man of God. When you meet Peter you are automatically drawn to him by the spirit pouring out through him.

And the bridge, it really was that bad. Tony, Mike L., Joel and I all rode over in a van. When Tony and I walked across it I felt it sag under my weight. Tony and I both could only laugh and thank God that the driver didn’t try driving across it again.

We spent our first day working in Garissa today. Part of the team was preparing for the medical clinics, the youth went to a school and ministered along with the youth from AFC

Madaraka and AFC Garissa. The rest of the men went to work on the school. We cut muthangi posts to use as supports for the roof. We built wooden forms for the concrete ring beam, and we moved dirt. Now don’t get me wrong, the Kenyans moved a lot more dirt than we did but we moved our fair share one wheelbarrow load at a time. Tony and I decided to shovel for a while to take a break from driving the wheelbarrows. Peter, a mzhee(elder man) from AFC Madaraka, came over so we could fill his wheelbarrow. Tony and I shoveled until we were both out of breath. We stopped and mzhee Peter frowned at us and waved his hand saying “more.” It is pretty humbling to be outworked by someone who is probably 15 – 20 years older than you and quite a bit smaller.

God continues to bless us. We made real progress on the construction project, have everything set for the first medical clinic tomorrow and the youth were able to share at a local school. When the youth were preparing to perform a drama at the school several Somali children left. A few minutes later they came back and were peeking into the room. Eventually several of the children came back in and watched the remaining dramas. This is what this trip is all about. We are here to make relationships with the people who live in this area and the youth were able to take the first step in making a new relationship today. When we were planning for the trip Dan told Tim and I that sometimes we harvest and sometimes we must till the soil. This trip is definitely about tilling the soil – and not just the dirt we moved on the building site today. Someday a great harvest will come in Northeastern Kenya from the soil we are preparing to plant now. I am thankful to the Father that we can come be part of what he is doing to further his kingdom.

Please continue to pray for us. It is hot here but we are doing well. God has blessed us in so many ways. We need to continue to receive the blessing and guidance of our Father. We love and miss you but we are also proud to be here serving as your hands and feet.

Tonys Entry Africa Day 6

We are here in Africa, I am in a room filled with people from all over the world. There are 70 who have come together for this trip.
The joyfull love that I am so attracted to in those we serve is every bit as strong with the people of Nairobi. I had the privilege to go to church on Sunday with Mike Waldropp in a poor area. The ride to the church was an incredible adventure. We drove in a van where I wouldn't drive my 4 wheel drive truck. We crossed a bridge not fit to walk across. In fact the local driver would not come back and get us unless we hiked out to the main road as he was afraid of the bridge a second time. We jumped across a stream of sewage and garbage and entered a church so humble, in the US we would not enter for fear it would colapse. It was a wooden frame pieced together from 3 foot pieces of old, old lumber. It was covered in rusty pieces of steel filled with holes. The floor was dirt, rocks and gravel, with a pit in the corner where you could see out side.
As we entered the service worship was going on and I was pulled back to the first time entering a worship service at a camp for people with disabilities. It was such a genuine out pouring of joy and thanks to God, I was moved to tears. They allowed each visitor to come to the pulpit to greet the church, introduce themselves, tell of their family and what God is doing in their lives. The sound system crackled and popped but could not have sounded more beautiful. I was asked to greet the church and shared about how we minister to people with disabilities. Mike preached an amazing sermon about unity and how we aqre bothers and sisters in Christ. It ended with a Pastor Peter sharing a "coke and biscuits" with Mike and I and a dozen kids that he lovingly hugged and introduced to us to. We then walked back the half mile or so to the main road through the town. It was a gain amazing as kids ran up to us to see the "fat white guys"!
I will never be the same after attending that service. I have learned so much about being doorkeepers and worshippers of our king in a just few hours on a Sunday morning here. I can
end only by simply saying I am thouroughly humbled and ask for your continued prayer as God lights our path each moment here. Also I ask for your prayer for Tim as he leads us, there much pressure and responsility on him and he has been up to the task at every turn. Leadership is hard, but the rewards are great so pray for him please
Tony

The Trip - Day 3

We travelled to NE Kenya today. The trip took about six hours. We arrived at the guest house around 7:00 PM. We had to unload all our luggage and tools, get everyone setup for dinner and greet the Bethany interns who will be working with us, or maybe we will be working with them, while we are here. There are eight interns five months into a sixteen month internship here. The interns will be with us the enitre time we are here. This brings the total size of the team to ariund 70. This includes the Living Hope team, AFC Madaraka's team, AFC Garissa's team and Bethany's team. We are hoping to hit the ground running tomorrow, especially on the construction project. God has been good to us throughout this trip and continued to bless us on our journey today. Everyone is here, safe and sound. We will try to write more tomorrow. God bless.

I know I promised more pictures but we have been very busy and didn't have time today. We will post some new pictures as soon as we can.

The Trip - Day 2

We had another awesome day today. The team split into three groups and each group attended service at a different church. Mike L. and Joel went to church at Githurai. The Agape Fellowship Center Githurai church was the first church AFC planted outside the main church at Madaraka. The team from Living Hope that travelled to Kenya in 1999 helped plant the church and participated in the first service at Githurai. Mike W. and Tony went to AFC Kasarani to attend services. The Living Hope team that came to Kenya in 2005 helped plant the church at Kasarani. It was good to go back to the places we helped get off the ground to visit with our other families and renew our relationships. Attending services at Githurai and Kasarani also allowed us to see how the churches are doing and what we might be able to do on future trips to help our children along. I referred to the churches at Githurai and Kasarani as our children because when a church in Kenya plants another church they refer to the new church as their child. We helped with planting the churches so they are our children too. You probably didn’t know we had children in Kenya but now you do. The remainder of the team attended services at the main AFC church in Madaraka. A group from AFC Madaraka will be travelling with us for the remainder of the trip. Bishop Kabachia conducted a commissioning service for the combined team from Living Hope and AFC Madaraka. Everyone is excited to be travelling and working together. The Bible tells us we are called to be one body just as there is one God, one Spirit, on hope and one salvation. Working alongside Kenyans to build relationships and reach out to the unreached people of Kenya is an awesome example of how the unity in Christ can impact the world and our community at home. We are all excited for the remainder of the trip.

Following church services we all met at the guest house for lunch and some relaxation. Church services here in Kenya are three hours or more. The teams were very involved in the services in all three locations. We spoke, held Bible studies, met with the youth, men’s and women’s groups and performed the sermons at the main service. It felt good to rest in the presence of the Lord after such a busy morning. The team, our team and the Madaraka , had dinner and a time of fellowship at AFC Madaraka this evening. From the number and volume of conversations and laughing during and after the meal I would say the dinner was a great experience for everyone. This is a great opportunity to begin to form the friendships that will grow over the next week as we serve together.

Everyone here is happy and healthy. We, along with the churches here, are praying for all of you. Please continue to pray for us. God has already done so much to bless us but there is still much work to do. With your prayers and God’s blessing I know we can accomplish what would seem impossible to us. We love you and pray that God will keep you and bless you until we are together again.

The Trip - Day 1

We arrived in Kenya at 9:50 PM on Friday, that is 1:50 PM in Green Bay. Everyone made it safe and sound and so did all the luggage, a miracle in itself. Everyone made it through immigration, got their visa, collected all the luggage and made it through customs without incident. After loading the gear and the people on the vehicles we were off for the guest house. The staff at the guest housegreeted us and served us a meal. What a great way to start the trip! We made it to bed around 1:30 AM.

Tim and Mike got an early start by meeting with Dan and taking care of some last minute preparations for the rest of our time here in Kenya. Mike went with Major Maina to get the medical supplies we need for the clinics. The rest of the team got some much needed rest after the long trip and spent the morning at the guest house. Dan and Tim did a Kenya orientation for the team right before lunch and we all learned what some common cultural mistakes to avoid. For instance, in Kenya trousers are pants and pants are undergarments. Complimenting someone on the dress pants has a slightly different meaning in this culture.

We spent the afternoon doing some shopping here in Nairobi. After supper we had a brief team meeting to discuss the following days plans and then called it a night. Tomorrow we will be splitting up and attending church at three differenct locations – Githurai, Kasarani and Madaraka. Keep praying for us because the work really starts tomorrow and moves up from there as we travel up-country on Monday. God has blesses us in many ways already and with continued prayer we are sure He will continue to smile on us.

Gone!

Zzzzz......

Seriously though, we have arrived at Brussels, the half-way point on our journey to Nairobi. God has blessed us with smooth travelling so far. The flights have been on time and there have been no issues with getting through the airports. Some of the team got a chance to experience an up-close and personal security check but otherwise pretty uneventful. When they say no liquids beyond this point they may mean no liquids and water is a liquid.

All the team members were able to raise the funds they needed for the trip and we received the funds needed for the construction project. Funds were coming in right up to the last minute but God has provided what we were hoping for to allow us to proceed with the trip and the project. Our God is a God of miracles.

Thank you for your prayers. We greatly appreciate it. We definitely need your prayers as we embark on this mission. Pray for us as we not only adjust to a new environment, a new culture, but also as our bodies also adjust to a new climate, and the effects of jet lag go into kick in. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to fill us and lead us. Pray that we will be sensitive to His leading and to be cross cultural servants that serve and interact with humility and go in to this not with our own agendas and ideas of how things ought to be but going in with the willingness to be taught, to learn and to be true servants at heart.

Thank you to all our parents and family and church body for their sacrifices to make this trip happen for us! We love you and appreciate you!

Well, time to sign off for now. We'll be in touch! God Bless!