The day we were dreading, the last day at the orphanage. We stayed up late last night after the movie, talking and preparing ourselves for the inevitable. How can with language barriers, cultural differences, age differences, and in such a short time frame go from strangers to family. The closeness we found with these kids can only be described as God's love. There is no other way to explain it. We each have our special friend(s), who we have a special bond with, but all 10 of us leave with 39 new little brothers and sisters in Christ.
We left the hotel and got to the orphanage to find, as usual, all the kids lined up waiting for us, ready to cheer our arrival (what did we do to deserve this). In all of the trees are intricately folded construction paper, oragomied (word?) into animals and flowers with notes in English for us. They had stayed up into the wee hours of the night doing that for us. They read "I Love You", "I Will Miss You", "God Bless You", and "Come Back Soon". We walked through this paradise and into the classroom building. When we got there, we had a surprise for them. We had practiced, kind of, a couple songs for them, since they had blessed us so much with their worship. The first song was a joyful noise, and man was it noisy. We hesitated for a millisecond, then went on to sing "Mighty to Save" for them, and the presence of the Lord was there. The song may not have sounded good, but the kids liked it, and got into it, and finished to great applause. They then, of course, began to sing for us. There is something about the loud and beautiful voices of these children that puts us in a place where our hearts fill with love for these kids and God. They sing as loud as they possibly can with no hesitation of the sound of their voice, who is watching, who is listening, they just lift of their voices to the Risen Lord. Amazing. They finish with a song called "Goodbye My Friends". Needless to say, this took all of our emotions to a new high. After cleaning the tears away, we had a great chance to thank and pray for the Ophanage and New Life Orphanage as a ministry.
If things had ended there today at the orphanage, I don't think any of us would have been recovered yet. Luckily, we had time to play more. We did another rousing game of steal the bacon, which we will post video of upon our arrival home, and then just played with the Weeble Wobbles and balls, made more oragomy, and just loved on the kids. They are such a giving and wonderful group of kids, they just kept filling our bags with more and more and more of what they made for us. The evidence of our impact was cemented by the stack of letters they gave me to take back to team members from past teams.
Then I had my low for the trip. I had to start the process of saying final good byes. Through many tears, hugs, words or love, tears, high fives, fist bumps, final oragomy hand offs, and tears, we were in the van, not ready to leave, but having to leave. As we drove off, the kids stood at the fence and waved, just the final icing on the cake of a beautiful week. We spent the ride home consoling each other, praying for the kids, the leadership of the orphanage and church, and Cambodia, and talking ourselves out of going back right then. The impact these children made in our lives will be permanent.
After a not so quick lunch, we packed up and headed for Siem Reap. The details of that seem insignificant in comparison, so I will just say we had a safe trip, checking into our hotel, which is very nice, and went to a nice dinner at the Blue Pumpkin.
Our debrief tonight was very touching. I will go back to how I started this blog. How can 10 people who have only met 6 or 7 times come to a country on the other side of the world, coming from different backgrounds and leave as family, willing to do anything for each other? Again, only by the divine intervention of God. We talked everything out and just talked about how much moments other people had with the kids affected us. We too have a bond that will be permanent. I am so proud of the job each of them have done, and know God was working through me when I got all the trip applications to put this group together.
Tomorrow will be a day of fun and excitement as we see the sites of Siem Reap and take a little down time. Please pray for health, rest, and rejuvination of our spirits, as we miss the children already. Thanks for following, we love and miss you all.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
And the winner is......
Today was the culmination of our lessons, crafts and sports, and it proved to be an amazing day. We taught about trusting God by telling the stories of Esther and David and Goliath. The kids participated in a trust exercise, falling backwards off a picnic table into the waiting arms of missionaries and friends (embarassing side note - one child was dropped, but thank God neither her body nor faith were damaged!). The kids also learned that real faith may wobble but doesn't fall down: to drive the point home, each child was given a large Weeble-Wobble-esque "stress relief doll." The kids got to draw faces, clothing, and anything else they wanted on them, and they had a blast knocking them around.
The final sports and rec event was tug-o-war, where we intended to teach the kids about strength by showing them how just a few men could overpower greater numbers than their own. All five of our team's men lined up on one side (author included), and many (15? 20? Some say 30?) of the boys lined up on the other. After the first round, five dusty missionaries were demanding a rematch. One was granted, and although we fared much better the second time around, the kids taught us a well-deserved lesson about trusting in our own strength! We should have prayed for reinforcements!
We surprised the kids by presenting three of them with awards for their performance during the games - one each for Strongest Competitor, Strongest Encourager, and Strongest Sportsmanship. The kids sat in hushed anticipation as Jon pulled out a ribbon with a shiny gold medallion and explained the categories. One of the younger girls, Soben, was struck with awe as soon as Jon revealed the medal, and beamed like the sun when she was annouced as the first winner! The second award went to one of the older boys, Mansoros, who is an exemplary servant-leader.
Lastly, the award for Strongest Sportsmanship went to a young boy named Kea. Kea's story can only be described as bittersweet - he suffers moderate mental and physical disabillities due to harsh physical abuse by his father. But he carries these burdens with a constant, bright smile and tireless enthusiasm. And to be present as his name was called and he walked forward to receive his medal was to see Christ's love on earth in the flesh - living in the 30+ orphans who cheered more loudly in that moment than for any other thing all week, as Kea humbly took his medal and immediately turned to walk back to his seat, wearing a face-stretching smile. I have truly never seen a happier person on Earth than that little boy as he was loved so openly and mightily by his new family of Christ's children.
As if all that weren't enough for one day, we went back tonight to hang out with the kids and cut loose a little. All the kids ran excitedly from one team member to the next, taking pictures in huge groups or pairs and every possible combination in between. We performed a dance for the kids, paying tribute to one they did for us on Sunday at church which you will all see video of soon (of the kids, NOT us! Ok..... probably us too.). Mike W. worked double-super-overtime (including at dinner tonight) to put together a slideshow of our pictures and video from the week, which everyone loved. Then, we popped popcorn, drank Cokes and watched the movie "Bolt," which the kids couldn't understand but greatly enjoyed anyway. They piled on top of us and just hung out until it was time for bed.
Tomorrow, we will go back for our last few hours with the kids. I don't need to explain how emotionally rocky tomorrow will be, so please be in prayer for us and the kids. Although it is tough to say goodbye, we hope to glorify God and leave them with His love, which is far greater than our own love that we are pouring out on them. We all miss our friends and families too, and everyone is grateful for the support and encouragement!
The final sports and rec event was tug-o-war, where we intended to teach the kids about strength by showing them how just a few men could overpower greater numbers than their own. All five of our team's men lined up on one side (author included), and many (15? 20? Some say 30?) of the boys lined up on the other. After the first round, five dusty missionaries were demanding a rematch. One was granted, and although we fared much better the second time around, the kids taught us a well-deserved lesson about trusting in our own strength! We should have prayed for reinforcements!
We surprised the kids by presenting three of them with awards for their performance during the games - one each for Strongest Competitor, Strongest Encourager, and Strongest Sportsmanship. The kids sat in hushed anticipation as Jon pulled out a ribbon with a shiny gold medallion and explained the categories. One of the younger girls, Soben, was struck with awe as soon as Jon revealed the medal, and beamed like the sun when she was annouced as the first winner! The second award went to one of the older boys, Mansoros, who is an exemplary servant-leader.
Lastly, the award for Strongest Sportsmanship went to a young boy named Kea. Kea's story can only be described as bittersweet - he suffers moderate mental and physical disabillities due to harsh physical abuse by his father. But he carries these burdens with a constant, bright smile and tireless enthusiasm. And to be present as his name was called and he walked forward to receive his medal was to see Christ's love on earth in the flesh - living in the 30+ orphans who cheered more loudly in that moment than for any other thing all week, as Kea humbly took his medal and immediately turned to walk back to his seat, wearing a face-stretching smile. I have truly never seen a happier person on Earth than that little boy as he was loved so openly and mightily by his new family of Christ's children.
As if all that weren't enough for one day, we went back tonight to hang out with the kids and cut loose a little. All the kids ran excitedly from one team member to the next, taking pictures in huge groups or pairs and every possible combination in between. We performed a dance for the kids, paying tribute to one they did for us on Sunday at church which you will all see video of soon (of the kids, NOT us! Ok..... probably us too.). Mike W. worked double-super-overtime (including at dinner tonight) to put together a slideshow of our pictures and video from the week, which everyone loved. Then, we popped popcorn, drank Cokes and watched the movie "Bolt," which the kids couldn't understand but greatly enjoyed anyway. They piled on top of us and just hung out until it was time for bed.
Tomorrow, we will go back for our last few hours with the kids. I don't need to explain how emotionally rocky tomorrow will be, so please be in prayer for us and the kids. Although it is tough to say goodbye, we hope to glorify God and leave them with His love, which is far greater than our own love that we are pouring out on them. We all miss our friends and families too, and everyone is grateful for the support and encouragement!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Bus, Beach balls, & Baptisms!
Waking up on Tuesday morning was a little tough. The bus was leaving at 5am sharp, so we had to be in the lobby at 4:45am. We knew the kids were anxiously waiting, and they were definitely NOT going to be late. We later found out that they had stayed up all night from the excitement.
We all loaded up and headed to orphanage to pick up the children. When we arrived they were waving like crazy; you could sense the excitement. They all piled in for the 8-hour bus ride that was ahead. I guess time really flies when you’re having fun, because the ride was over in a flash. Singing, sleeping, playing clapping games (which mixed in a little rock, paper, scissors), and listening to music did the trick. We were ready to hit the beach!
The kids stripped down to their undies or just kept on what they were wearing and rushed the water. I joined them as if it were like I’d seen the ocean for the first time. We all swam and played with the kids and then something awesome happened - we broke out the beach balls! The kids went CRAZY! After we recouped from our light-headedness (from blowing up all the balls), it was back to the water for more fun in the sun. Some of the kids used the balls for soccer, others for volleying, and the most popular (at least for the littler ones) was to hold on to the ball, put their feet out behind them, and let us push them through the water as fast as we could. (Kind of like a wheelbarrow race, but in the water holding on to a beach ball.) What a blast!
The food at the beach was - you guessed it - seafood! There was crab, squid, giant shrimp, and the usual; rice. It was some of the freshest seafood imaginable. You could honestly watch fishing boats come to shore with their catch and give it to the cooks to prepare. Oh, and Ants were also on the menu. We all took turns passing around the tray of ants spritzed with lemon. They were actually pretty good.
The hotel was pretty accommodating, although Mistye and Candace might tell you differently – haha. From the outside looking in, you would think our team has known each other for years. As we sat in Mike & Jon’s hotel room (long after our devotional for the evening was over) we joked and laughed together. It’s so amazing how God works – even when picking out our mission team.
Today we woke up early again so the kids would have a few hours at the beach again before we head back to Battambang. But, before we left, pastor Vek (the creator of New Life Church and the reason why our mission team is in Cambodia) showed up with one of the teams serving at the orphanage in Phnom Penh. Everyone was excited to see him and his wife, but little did we know, the excitement was yet to come.
One of the team members from the Phnom Penh group (Alex) wanted to be baptized and pastor Vek was going to be the one doing it. One of our members expressed interest in being baptized as well, and sure enough it happened. As Candace stepped out in to the water, wear pastor Vek was waiting, we were all standing on the shore holding back tears. “I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time, and I can’t think of a better time than right now,” Candace had said earlier. All the kids surrounded us in song while she was washed by the water. God’s presence couldn’t have felt any stronger. It was a perfect day.
We said our goodbyes to pastor Vek and the others and got on the bus (which is where I’m writing this blog) for the 8-hour journey back to Battembang.
We all loaded up and headed to orphanage to pick up the children. When we arrived they were waving like crazy; you could sense the excitement. They all piled in for the 8-hour bus ride that was ahead. I guess time really flies when you’re having fun, because the ride was over in a flash. Singing, sleeping, playing clapping games (which mixed in a little rock, paper, scissors), and listening to music did the trick. We were ready to hit the beach!
The kids stripped down to their undies or just kept on what they were wearing and rushed the water. I joined them as if it were like I’d seen the ocean for the first time. We all swam and played with the kids and then something awesome happened - we broke out the beach balls! The kids went CRAZY! After we recouped from our light-headedness (from blowing up all the balls), it was back to the water for more fun in the sun. Some of the kids used the balls for soccer, others for volleying, and the most popular (at least for the littler ones) was to hold on to the ball, put their feet out behind them, and let us push them through the water as fast as we could. (Kind of like a wheelbarrow race, but in the water holding on to a beach ball.) What a blast!
The food at the beach was - you guessed it - seafood! There was crab, squid, giant shrimp, and the usual; rice. It was some of the freshest seafood imaginable. You could honestly watch fishing boats come to shore with their catch and give it to the cooks to prepare. Oh, and Ants were also on the menu. We all took turns passing around the tray of ants spritzed with lemon. They were actually pretty good.
The hotel was pretty accommodating, although Mistye and Candace might tell you differently – haha. From the outside looking in, you would think our team has known each other for years. As we sat in Mike & Jon’s hotel room (long after our devotional for the evening was over) we joked and laughed together. It’s so amazing how God works – even when picking out our mission team.
Today we woke up early again so the kids would have a few hours at the beach again before we head back to Battambang. But, before we left, pastor Vek (the creator of New Life Church and the reason why our mission team is in Cambodia) showed up with one of the teams serving at the orphanage in Phnom Penh. Everyone was excited to see him and his wife, but little did we know, the excitement was yet to come.
One of the team members from the Phnom Penh group (Alex) wanted to be baptized and pastor Vek was going to be the one doing it. One of our members expressed interest in being baptized as well, and sure enough it happened. As Candace stepped out in to the water, wear pastor Vek was waiting, we were all standing on the shore holding back tears. “I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time, and I can’t think of a better time than right now,” Candace had said earlier. All the kids surrounded us in song while she was washed by the water. God’s presence couldn’t have felt any stronger. It was a perfect day.
We said our goodbyes to pastor Vek and the others and got on the bus (which is where I’m writing this blog) for the 8-hour journey back to Battembang.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
The Faith of a Child
We talked for a while tonight about how amazing our time with the kids was today.
We began the day by reading a story with the kids and getting them to act out the roles (which was hilarious...they are quite the little actors). Afterwards we gathered them together with us to decorate some little tote bags and hats that we bought for them. They could have colored on those things for hours. We were so blown away at how much they love each other, and how well they look out for their other brothers and sisters. They shared markers, older kids drew outlines for the smaller kids, and others helped with spelling and writing words in English. What's so amazing about these kids is that they have such a genuine faith, and it even shows up in their creativity. They were able to draw or write anything they wanted on their hats and totes, and so many wrote things like "I love Jesus" and they seemed to beam with joy over those words. They not only openly talk about their love for Christ, but they so visibly show that love to the neighborhood children. They let the kids from the surrounding area participate in their games, share in their gifts, and accept them as if they were family. It was an outward expression of what they know in their hearts about Jesus' words to his disciples in Matt 18. "...Whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me."
Mark, who was here last year on a construction trip, was telling us about how much of an impact teams such as ours have had on these kids. As he stood there with the children looking at photos on their wall, they could name specifically past team members' names as they pointed to them. It made us all feel very special to know that the small part we are playing in their life stories will hopefully have a positive impact for years to come. One of our goals on this trip is to make memories. We want to create "wow" moments so that even if they can't remember who we are, they will hopefully remember an experience, trip, embrace, or conversation that will bring a smile to their face and become a lasting memory. I know each of us has a unique “wow” moment already.
I can honestly say that we are blessed to be a part of this experience, and I know that our lives will never be the same.
Our hearts swell with joy when we look into their little faces, and we just want to thank all again for providing the prayer and financial support that has allowed us to be a part of this amazing experience.
We began the day by reading a story with the kids and getting them to act out the roles (which was hilarious...they are quite the little actors). Afterwards we gathered them together with us to decorate some little tote bags and hats that we bought for them. They could have colored on those things for hours. We were so blown away at how much they love each other, and how well they look out for their other brothers and sisters. They shared markers, older kids drew outlines for the smaller kids, and others helped with spelling and writing words in English. What's so amazing about these kids is that they have such a genuine faith, and it even shows up in their creativity. They were able to draw or write anything they wanted on their hats and totes, and so many wrote things like "I love Jesus" and they seemed to beam with joy over those words. They not only openly talk about their love for Christ, but they so visibly show that love to the neighborhood children. They let the kids from the surrounding area participate in their games, share in their gifts, and accept them as if they were family. It was an outward expression of what they know in their hearts about Jesus' words to his disciples in Matt 18. "...Whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me."
Mark, who was here last year on a construction trip, was telling us about how much of an impact teams such as ours have had on these kids. As he stood there with the children looking at photos on their wall, they could name specifically past team members' names as they pointed to them. It made us all feel very special to know that the small part we are playing in their life stories will hopefully have a positive impact for years to come. One of our goals on this trip is to make memories. We want to create "wow" moments so that even if they can't remember who we are, they will hopefully remember an experience, trip, embrace, or conversation that will bring a smile to their face and become a lasting memory. I know each of us has a unique “wow” moment already.
I can honestly say that we are blessed to be a part of this experience, and I know that our lives will never be the same.
Our hearts swell with joy when we look into their little faces, and we just want to thank all again for providing the prayer and financial support that has allowed us to be a part of this amazing experience.
A Little Piece of Heaven
We met the kids TODAY! What an amazing event. My words will not do it justice....just try to imagine over 30 smiling faces greating you as you pile off of a bus. I watched as some of our team got off the bus and walked right into the arms of the most precious little children ever. I stood there on the bus, watching as they hugged last years vets. They all remembered Jon, Mark and Mike WELL and it showed. The children just clung to them and called out their names. As I stepped off the bus, I could only hope to learn a name or maybe get a small hug from a child or two but that was not in the plans for these children...they greated me with open arms as well. We hugged like we'd known each other all of our lives. As we stood there hugging I thought, ïf Heaven is anything like this when I enter the gates, then I have a LOT to look forward to". It was a little piece of heaven that God gave me here on earth. I held back tears long enough to enter the church where we would have our service. And then the tears came. I was so overwhelmed with what God had already done for us in just the first meeting....AND WE HAVEN'T EVEN BEGUN!
The children sang songs before and during the service that was such beautiful music. We couldn't understand much but we knew that God was there with us. The sermon was given today from John 12. As the pastor spoke (in Khmer) I decided to read on my own from John 12. This scripture tells about the last 6 days of Jesus' life. The scripture that stood out to me was John 12:26 "Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me." It has been an honor just to be here and serve. It is quite an honor to be the hands and feet of such an amazing God.
We taught the children the Easter story, they made journals in art that they LOVED (glitter and Cambodians....crazy combination) and we played games to teach them that leaning on one another is very important.
It was a great day. We're tired. My bed is calling my name.
The children sang songs before and during the service that was such beautiful music. We couldn't understand much but we knew that God was there with us. The sermon was given today from John 12. As the pastor spoke (in Khmer) I decided to read on my own from John 12. This scripture tells about the last 6 days of Jesus' life. The scripture that stood out to me was John 12:26 "Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me." It has been an honor just to be here and serve. It is quite an honor to be the hands and feet of such an amazing God.
We taught the children the Easter story, they made journals in art that they LOVED (glitter and Cambodians....crazy combination) and we played games to teach them that leaning on one another is very important.
It was a great day. We're tired. My bed is calling my name.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Battambang!
~Finally, we have arrived in Battambang! Let me recap the path that lead us here....
From Seoul, we took another 6 hour flight to Phnom Penh. Although we all slept a bit on the long flight, we've been relying pretty heavily on adrenaline to keep us moving forward. Pastor Vek and his wife met us at the airport and escorted us to the Goldiana hotel, where we stayed the night. They are very gracious hosts, and they welcomed three teams and 28 missionaries with open arms. We were all exhausted from the travel but pumped up with adrenaline, so those of us who could sleep did so, and those who could not.... will be sleeping soundly tonight!
This morning, Pastor Vek gave us a tour of the new church building in Phnom Penh - it is incredible! They have a large sanctuary with a balcony and giant stage. They are still raising funds to finish the interior, so there are several floors that are under construction. Once completed they will have classrooms and dorm rooms for visiting groups. From the roof you can see all across Phnom Penh, including construction on what will be a 42-story building just a few blocks away. We were all blown away by how much God has blessed them, especially with such rapid church growth causing the need for the wonderful new building!
We also visited the Genocide Museum, also known as the Killing Fields. This is where prisoners from concentration camps like Tuol Sleung (S.R. 21) were brought to be killed. Huge holes in the ground are all that are left where mass graves holding up to several hundred corpses were. A large monument contains hundreds of recovered skulls of the Khmer Rouge victims, making the reality of what happened there hit hard. Young children and even babies were not spared in the holocaust, and many were brutally murdered there because they feared future uprisings or revenge. The Khmer Rouge's paraphrased belief was that they needed to "kill the grass" permanantly by removing even the roots.
Of note was an exhibit about one of the four main leaders of the movement who is currently facing trial for his crimes (the trial began in March 2009). He has admitted all his wrongdoing and apologized for the atrocities he ordered, even going so far as to say that his underlings should not be held responsible for doing what he directed them to do. From his statements, it seems that once he faced the horrible crimes committed against the children he was no longer able to justify what he had done.
After we arrived in Battambang (a little 6-hour jaunt from Phnom Penh), we checked into our hotel and headed out to dinner. We ate with several members of the church who accompanied us on our bus ride, and were also joined by the local pastor. Over dinner, one of the church members stunned several of us by revealing that many of the Khmer youth deny that the genocide occurred in the way it is recorded. They apparently have a difficult time believing that anyone could do something so violent on so large a scale without any reason behind it. I imagine it's hard for anyone to believe that such terrible evil exists in the world, but the country is only beginning to recover from the damage done by the Khmer Rouge and the legacy of those who survived is already at risk.
Tomorrow, we'll go to the church service where we will (finally!) get to see the kids! All the effort getting here will be rewarded handsomely then. Thank you all for your prayers, and please pray that God will be glorified this week as we serve Him and enjoy the blessings He has given us through the orphanage!
-Mark
From Seoul, we took another 6 hour flight to Phnom Penh. Although we all slept a bit on the long flight, we've been relying pretty heavily on adrenaline to keep us moving forward. Pastor Vek and his wife met us at the airport and escorted us to the Goldiana hotel, where we stayed the night. They are very gracious hosts, and they welcomed three teams and 28 missionaries with open arms. We were all exhausted from the travel but pumped up with adrenaline, so those of us who could sleep did so, and those who could not.... will be sleeping soundly tonight!
This morning, Pastor Vek gave us a tour of the new church building in Phnom Penh - it is incredible! They have a large sanctuary with a balcony and giant stage. They are still raising funds to finish the interior, so there are several floors that are under construction. Once completed they will have classrooms and dorm rooms for visiting groups. From the roof you can see all across Phnom Penh, including construction on what will be a 42-story building just a few blocks away. We were all blown away by how much God has blessed them, especially with such rapid church growth causing the need for the wonderful new building!
We also visited the Genocide Museum, also known as the Killing Fields. This is where prisoners from concentration camps like Tuol Sleung (S.R. 21) were brought to be killed. Huge holes in the ground are all that are left where mass graves holding up to several hundred corpses were. A large monument contains hundreds of recovered skulls of the Khmer Rouge victims, making the reality of what happened there hit hard. Young children and even babies were not spared in the holocaust, and many were brutally murdered there because they feared future uprisings or revenge. The Khmer Rouge's paraphrased belief was that they needed to "kill the grass" permanantly by removing even the roots.
Of note was an exhibit about one of the four main leaders of the movement who is currently facing trial for his crimes (the trial began in March 2009). He has admitted all his wrongdoing and apologized for the atrocities he ordered, even going so far as to say that his underlings should not be held responsible for doing what he directed them to do. From his statements, it seems that once he faced the horrible crimes committed against the children he was no longer able to justify what he had done.
After we arrived in Battambang (a little 6-hour jaunt from Phnom Penh), we checked into our hotel and headed out to dinner. We ate with several members of the church who accompanied us on our bus ride, and were also joined by the local pastor. Over dinner, one of the church members stunned several of us by revealing that many of the Khmer youth deny that the genocide occurred in the way it is recorded. They apparently have a difficult time believing that anyone could do something so violent on so large a scale without any reason behind it. I imagine it's hard for anyone to believe that such terrible evil exists in the world, but the country is only beginning to recover from the damage done by the Khmer Rouge and the legacy of those who survived is already at risk.
Tomorrow, we'll go to the church service where we will (finally!) get to see the kids! All the effort getting here will be rewarded handsomely then. Thank you all for your prayers, and please pray that God will be glorified this week as we serve Him and enjoy the blessings He has given us through the orphanage!
-Mark
Friday, July 24, 2009
Sitting in Seoul
So here we are, sitting in the South Korea airport, enjoying all the local fare, a nice Subway Sandwich for everyone.
The flight from Atlanta was uneventful, which is a good thing. Lots of movies watched, books read, and a little sleep.
So, we haven't posted our itinerary yet, so to all our faithful followers, where is our schedule:
Thursday, July 23rd
10:00 am EST – Meet at Korean Airline Desk at Hartsfield Jackson Airport for Departure
1:00 pm EST – Flight Departs Atlanta on Korean Airlines Flight 36
Friday, July 24th
4:30 pm Local Time – Land in Seoul, South Korea (Flight Duration 14 hr 30 min)
6:30 pm Local Time – Flight Departs Seoul on Korean Airlines Flight 689
10:00 pm Local Time – Land in Phnom Penh, Cambodia (Flight Duration 5 hr 30 min)
From there, we will go check into our hotel and get some sleep
Saturday, July 25th
Visit Khmer Rouge SR 21 – high school turned into concentration camp
Lunch in the city, see Pastor Vek’s church
Drive to Battambang – Check into hotel (Hotel Teo)
Dinner and get materials ready for Sunday
Sunday, July 26th (LEADERS OF THE DAY: ERIN AND MIKE W.)
Church with children
Lunch at hotel
1st Session with the kids (Curriculum, Arts and Crafts, and Games)
Monday, July 27th (LEADERS OF THE DAY: MISTYE AND ANDY)
2nd Session with the kids (Curriculum, Arts and Crafts, and Games)
Lunch back at the hotel
3rd Session with the kids (Curriculum, Arts and Crafts, and Games)
Dinner
Tuesday, July 28th (LEADERS OF THE DAY: CANDACE AND MIKE G.)
Wake up EARLY, go to the beach with the kids
Spend all day with the kids at the beach, lunch and dinner there
Spend the night at the beach
Wednesday, July 29th (LEADERS OF THE DAY: LAURA AND MARK)
Spend more time at the beach with the kids
Drive back to Battambang
Thursday, July 30th (LEADERS OF THE DAY: ELIZABETH AND JON)
4nd Session with the kids (Curriculum, Arts and Crafts, and Games)
Lunch back at the hotel
5th Session with the kids (Curriculum, Arts and Crafts, and Games)
Movie Night with Kids
Friday, July 31st
Half day with the kids – Say our goodbyes
Drive to Siem Reap
Check into hotel
Dinner
Saturday, August 1st
Wake up early and go to Ankor Wat for sunrise
Spend afternoon at market, massages, relax
Dinner at the Blue Pumpkin
Sunday, August 2nd
Sleep in
Have Church together
Go back to market for final nick nack purchasing
Lunch and Dinner in town
Go to Airport
11:30 pm Local Time – Flight Departs Siem Reap on Korean Airlines Flight 688
Monday, August 3rd
6:40 am Local Time – Land in Seoul, South Korea (Flight Duration 5 hr 10 min)
10:20 am Local Time – Flight Departs Seoul, South Korea on Korean Airlines Flight 35
11:00 am EST – Land in Atlanta, GA (Flight Duration 13 hr 40 min)
More to be posted later.
The flight from Atlanta was uneventful, which is a good thing. Lots of movies watched, books read, and a little sleep.
So, we haven't posted our itinerary yet, so to all our faithful followers, where is our schedule:
Thursday, July 23rd
10:00 am EST – Meet at Korean Airline Desk at Hartsfield Jackson Airport for Departure
1:00 pm EST – Flight Departs Atlanta on Korean Airlines Flight 36
Friday, July 24th
4:30 pm Local Time – Land in Seoul, South Korea (Flight Duration 14 hr 30 min)
6:30 pm Local Time – Flight Departs Seoul on Korean Airlines Flight 689
10:00 pm Local Time – Land in Phnom Penh, Cambodia (Flight Duration 5 hr 30 min)
From there, we will go check into our hotel and get some sleep
Saturday, July 25th
Visit Khmer Rouge SR 21 – high school turned into concentration camp
Lunch in the city, see Pastor Vek’s church
Drive to Battambang – Check into hotel (Hotel Teo)
Dinner and get materials ready for Sunday
Sunday, July 26th (LEADERS OF THE DAY: ERIN AND MIKE W.)
Church with children
Lunch at hotel
1st Session with the kids (Curriculum, Arts and Crafts, and Games)
Monday, July 27th (LEADERS OF THE DAY: MISTYE AND ANDY)
2nd Session with the kids (Curriculum, Arts and Crafts, and Games)
Lunch back at the hotel
3rd Session with the kids (Curriculum, Arts and Crafts, and Games)
Dinner
Tuesday, July 28th (LEADERS OF THE DAY: CANDACE AND MIKE G.)
Wake up EARLY, go to the beach with the kids
Spend all day with the kids at the beach, lunch and dinner there
Spend the night at the beach
Wednesday, July 29th (LEADERS OF THE DAY: LAURA AND MARK)
Spend more time at the beach with the kids
Drive back to Battambang
Thursday, July 30th (LEADERS OF THE DAY: ELIZABETH AND JON)
4nd Session with the kids (Curriculum, Arts and Crafts, and Games)
Lunch back at the hotel
5th Session with the kids (Curriculum, Arts and Crafts, and Games)
Movie Night with Kids
Friday, July 31st
Half day with the kids – Say our goodbyes
Drive to Siem Reap
Check into hotel
Dinner
Saturday, August 1st
Wake up early and go to Ankor Wat for sunrise
Spend afternoon at market, massages, relax
Dinner at the Blue Pumpkin
Sunday, August 2nd
Sleep in
Have Church together
Go back to market for final nick nack purchasing
Lunch and Dinner in town
Go to Airport
11:30 pm Local Time – Flight Departs Siem Reap on Korean Airlines Flight 688
Monday, August 3rd
6:40 am Local Time – Land in Seoul, South Korea (Flight Duration 5 hr 10 min)
10:20 am Local Time – Flight Departs Seoul, South Korea on Korean Airlines Flight 35
11:00 am EST – Land in Atlanta, GA (Flight Duration 13 hr 40 min)
More to be posted later.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Uncertainty at its finest and God at His throughout it all!
One of the ways that I have been getting prepared for this great opportunity in Cambodia is by reading the book Ordeal in Cambodia – One Family’s Survival – Escape from the Khmer Rouge. This is a story by Vek Huong Taing as told by Sharon Fischer. You can read this book online at the following website: http://www.cambodianewlife.org/ordeal/foreword. I have read through it a couple of times because it is such an amazing story!
As I read the story of Rev. Vek Huong and Samoeum Taing’s journey through Cambodia with their son, Wephousana, I was left in complete awe of their faith. This young family committed to staying in Cambodia during the time that it was occupied by the Khmer Rouge in order to further spread God’s love to those that had not heard of it before. No matter the level of unpredictability, they remained calm and sure that God was in control. They knew he was guiding their path and He NEVER let them down! Although their story took place 30+ years ago, I wanted to share a few stories from the book that continue to stay with me.
To begin, this family was living in Cambodia when the Khmer Rouge first took over Phnom Phen. They were told to leave everything they knew and were not told where to go. Immediately they witnessed traumatic circumstances all around them. Samoeum had given birth just 2 months prior. I truly can’t imagine being told one day that I just had to take what I could and start walking! Fortunately they were able to take their car for the first leg of the trip. What amazed me was that through the two weeks of going to an unknown location, they spent their time praying instead of asking why and worrying. They relied on God to show them when they should stop. He made it clear when they arrived at their first village they stayed at for a little while. It was here that they remained committed to being honest and shared that they were related to someone that had worked for the former government. This usually meant death. They thought about Romans 14:8 (“If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord”)and were ok with the fact that death may be around the corner for them. God had different plans. They lived to continue his work.
During their time at their first village, they were tested, not allowed to share their faith, and pushed close to starvation. God provided the encouragement to keep going as well as extra food so Samoeum and Wephousana could stay well nourished. When they felt it was time to move on, they prayed that God would show them a way to Battambang because that was near the border of Thailand. They felt that if they could move there, they could escape captivity and commited to continue to serve God. Then was a time of waiting. Four months went by before there was any answer to this prayer! I can’t imagine how long that felt when faced with such daily hardships! After 4 months, someone came to tell them that the people from their village were being moved three different cities and one was Battambang. The family felt this was an answer to prayer. They continued to pray that if God wanted them to serve Him freely, that He would lead them out of this to Battambang. On the way a Khmer Rouge soldier told them they shouldn’t go because they weren’t really going to Battambang. The family felt that they were supposed to go and continued. I have to believe that they must been so close to God daily in order to truly decipher what His will for them was at this critical decision making point. Although they said it was a tough decision, they were sure that continuing is God’s will.
They were dropped in the middle of the jungle during the monsoon season on their way to Battambang. Again they were living in very trying circumstances. They didn’t know where they would live or how they would get enough nourishment. God showed up in a BIG way! Vek Huong knew that his family couldn’t survive on the sporadic small amounts of rice. He prayed that God would provide nourishment specifically for his wife and son. For two months, God allowed him to find one fish per day that was 8-10 inches long in the rice patties he was working in. This was unheard of! Fish that size don’t normally live in rice patties. Again…God reminded them that he was in complete control of their every need!
The finaly “wow” moment for me was when they escaped from this jungle village. Someone had come to their home (that they didn’t know) and said the specific words that they prayed to hear, “Do you want to go with me?” They went with him and walked through monsoon rains to a train station. They waited three days before they could get on the train they were relying on because of the monsoons. This was when God’s perfect timing became evident among the uncertainty. They realized the monsoons had kept the soldiers from looking for them. That had kept them alive and safe. When the rain subsided, they met a soldier who asked them if they had permission to board the train. If not, they would die. Samoeum was honest and said they would if that soldier gave it to them. At that very moment, the danger increased because a train full of Khmer Rouge soldiers pulled up. They could have been killed once again! But…God had a different idea. All that waiting for just the right train that God had arranged. The soldier they had met before (that warned them not to go to Battambang) was on that train. He called them sister and brother and allowed them on the train. They were safe!!! Amazing timing!!!!!!!!!!!!
Throughout all of their experiences, they were able to maintain their faith through prayer. Others noticed their peaceful nature as well as their love for others that truly had to come from God. They helped others when no one could imagine doing any other work. They were showing God’s love to people without words. At times, they were able to share the story of Jesus dying for us and how that could change a person’s life. Over the course of their journey, many around became Christians.
Once the first Cambodian towns were freed by the Vietnamese, Vek Huong found out that his name was on a list of people to soon be killed. If the country had not started to be freed at that time, he could have very well been killed. Again…God’s timing taking care of him! Finally this family was able to make their way through the jungle to freedom. It was a very tough last leg of their fight to freedom! They prayed for water, physical strength and safety for the group and were granted it. When they arrived at the refugee camp, the people there were amazed that all 26 of them had made it out alive. This was unheard of at this time!
What I take away most from this book is simply that God provides hope, encouragement and guidance in the face of uncertainty no matter how big! Fortunately I have not been in similar circumstances to this family. It really makes me appreciate my freedom that just seems normal because it has been my life. I know that as we get ready for this trip to Cambodia, there are going to be many instances of uncertainty and times when our plans don’t go how we thought they would. The great part is the promise that is in Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding: in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” As long as we keep our focus on God, we can be assured that His will and His plans will be done on this trip. It is exciting to know that this group will be able to be the hands, feet, and voices of God’s love during our time in Cambodia. I truly can’t wait to see what He has in store for us!!
As I read the story of Rev. Vek Huong and Samoeum Taing’s journey through Cambodia with their son, Wephousana, I was left in complete awe of their faith. This young family committed to staying in Cambodia during the time that it was occupied by the Khmer Rouge in order to further spread God’s love to those that had not heard of it before. No matter the level of unpredictability, they remained calm and sure that God was in control. They knew he was guiding their path and He NEVER let them down! Although their story took place 30+ years ago, I wanted to share a few stories from the book that continue to stay with me.
To begin, this family was living in Cambodia when the Khmer Rouge first took over Phnom Phen. They were told to leave everything they knew and were not told where to go. Immediately they witnessed traumatic circumstances all around them. Samoeum had given birth just 2 months prior. I truly can’t imagine being told one day that I just had to take what I could and start walking! Fortunately they were able to take their car for the first leg of the trip. What amazed me was that through the two weeks of going to an unknown location, they spent their time praying instead of asking why and worrying. They relied on God to show them when they should stop. He made it clear when they arrived at their first village they stayed at for a little while. It was here that they remained committed to being honest and shared that they were related to someone that had worked for the former government. This usually meant death. They thought about Romans 14:8 (“If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord”)and were ok with the fact that death may be around the corner for them. God had different plans. They lived to continue his work.
During their time at their first village, they were tested, not allowed to share their faith, and pushed close to starvation. God provided the encouragement to keep going as well as extra food so Samoeum and Wephousana could stay well nourished. When they felt it was time to move on, they prayed that God would show them a way to Battambang because that was near the border of Thailand. They felt that if they could move there, they could escape captivity and commited to continue to serve God. Then was a time of waiting. Four months went by before there was any answer to this prayer! I can’t imagine how long that felt when faced with such daily hardships! After 4 months, someone came to tell them that the people from their village were being moved three different cities and one was Battambang. The family felt this was an answer to prayer. They continued to pray that if God wanted them to serve Him freely, that He would lead them out of this to Battambang. On the way a Khmer Rouge soldier told them they shouldn’t go because they weren’t really going to Battambang. The family felt that they were supposed to go and continued. I have to believe that they must been so close to God daily in order to truly decipher what His will for them was at this critical decision making point. Although they said it was a tough decision, they were sure that continuing is God’s will.
They were dropped in the middle of the jungle during the monsoon season on their way to Battambang. Again they were living in very trying circumstances. They didn’t know where they would live or how they would get enough nourishment. God showed up in a BIG way! Vek Huong knew that his family couldn’t survive on the sporadic small amounts of rice. He prayed that God would provide nourishment specifically for his wife and son. For two months, God allowed him to find one fish per day that was 8-10 inches long in the rice patties he was working in. This was unheard of! Fish that size don’t normally live in rice patties. Again…God reminded them that he was in complete control of their every need!
The finaly “wow” moment for me was when they escaped from this jungle village. Someone had come to their home (that they didn’t know) and said the specific words that they prayed to hear, “Do you want to go with me?” They went with him and walked through monsoon rains to a train station. They waited three days before they could get on the train they were relying on because of the monsoons. This was when God’s perfect timing became evident among the uncertainty. They realized the monsoons had kept the soldiers from looking for them. That had kept them alive and safe. When the rain subsided, they met a soldier who asked them if they had permission to board the train. If not, they would die. Samoeum was honest and said they would if that soldier gave it to them. At that very moment, the danger increased because a train full of Khmer Rouge soldiers pulled up. They could have been killed once again! But…God had a different idea. All that waiting for just the right train that God had arranged. The soldier they had met before (that warned them not to go to Battambang) was on that train. He called them sister and brother and allowed them on the train. They were safe!!! Amazing timing!!!!!!!!!!!!
Throughout all of their experiences, they were able to maintain their faith through prayer. Others noticed their peaceful nature as well as their love for others that truly had to come from God. They helped others when no one could imagine doing any other work. They were showing God’s love to people without words. At times, they were able to share the story of Jesus dying for us and how that could change a person’s life. Over the course of their journey, many around became Christians.
Once the first Cambodian towns were freed by the Vietnamese, Vek Huong found out that his name was on a list of people to soon be killed. If the country had not started to be freed at that time, he could have very well been killed. Again…God’s timing taking care of him! Finally this family was able to make their way through the jungle to freedom. It was a very tough last leg of their fight to freedom! They prayed for water, physical strength and safety for the group and were granted it. When they arrived at the refugee camp, the people there were amazed that all 26 of them had made it out alive. This was unheard of at this time!
What I take away most from this book is simply that God provides hope, encouragement and guidance in the face of uncertainty no matter how big! Fortunately I have not been in similar circumstances to this family. It really makes me appreciate my freedom that just seems normal because it has been my life. I know that as we get ready for this trip to Cambodia, there are going to be many instances of uncertainty and times when our plans don’t go how we thought they would. The great part is the promise that is in Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding: in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” As long as we keep our focus on God, we can be assured that His will and His plans will be done on this trip. It is exciting to know that this group will be able to be the hands, feet, and voices of God’s love during our time in Cambodia. I truly can’t wait to see what He has in store for us!!
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Less than two weeks! what, what!!!!!!
So, I just typed up a thank you letter to send out to all my friends and family for their prayers and generous donations. As I was writing, I just became so overwhelmed with emotion. It is amazing what God is and will do for this trip, the children, and all of us going.
I have to admit that I've cried a couple of times during my nightly prayers. I can't help but get a little nervous about leaving my sweet family here. I know, deep down, they will be fine and enjoy these two weeks but my mind drifts to some pretty daunting things at times. I'll gladly take a few more prayers for my heart while I'm on this trip.
Laura, Erin and I got together for an extra night to work on our lessons. I think the kids are going to have a blast! (at least I hope) I'm excited to get started. Laura and Erin, you gals are amazing. I've really enjoyed working with both of you.
Okay, to the group. I can't wait to get this trip started. I feel like God hand picked each one of us to work together. We've got a really great group of people. I'm very interested to see how God uses us while we are there.
so that's it for now. I had a little time to write while my kids are napping (glory be! haaha). Look forward to seeing all of you on Sunday.
Mistye
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
Fast Breaking
So 21 days, no cheating, all the strength I had before, and a closeness to God I haven't had in a while. I love it. The kids have been on my mind constantly, you guys have been on my mind constantly, and on top of everything, I lost 14 pounds in 21 days. Amazing, makes me think about what I was eating before.
So I woke up this morning and was about to make my daily strawberry, banana, soy yogurt, soy milk, and OJ smoothie, when I realize, wait, I can have bread and meat. Right them my wife walks downstairs and lets me know that my brother in law and sister in law are on the way over to make me breakfast, and they are great cooks. I end up eating turkey sausage and blueberry cheesecake pancakes, yummmers. Then my stomach felt achy and then I hit the biggest sugar high I have had in years. 2 hours later.......CRASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am sure to take a lot from this fast going forward, and I love how Mark just put it, I need to take these lengths to get right in so many other areas of my life. You guys are awesome and inspirational, and I can't wait to go to Cambodia and see the work God does through us for these kids.
Sorry if this post made you crave food you can't have, but I am praying for you guys and know you can make it 7 more days. God Bless you guys, talk to you later.
So I woke up this morning and was about to make my daily strawberry, banana, soy yogurt, soy milk, and OJ smoothie, when I realize, wait, I can have bread and meat. Right them my wife walks downstairs and lets me know that my brother in law and sister in law are on the way over to make me breakfast, and they are great cooks. I end up eating turkey sausage and blueberry cheesecake pancakes, yummmers. Then my stomach felt achy and then I hit the biggest sugar high I have had in years. 2 hours later.......CRASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am sure to take a lot from this fast going forward, and I love how Mark just put it, I need to take these lengths to get right in so many other areas of my life. You guys are awesome and inspirational, and I can't wait to go to Cambodia and see the work God does through us for these kids.
Sorry if this post made you crave food you can't have, but I am praying for you guys and know you can make it 7 more days. God Bless you guys, talk to you later.
Batter Up!
Like the rest of you I have been overjoyed throughout the fast, but yesterday it took an ugly turn. All this time I thought I was making progress, but the fast took it all from me in one short, revealing moment. Let me explain.
I went to Kroger on Saturday night to do some shopping - in the sense that most people mean shopping, not my usual dash through the store for a cart-full of sinner food. Since I started the Daniel fast, I have been spending more and more time in the grocery store. I walk up and down every aisle, run my eyes over each and every food item, and pick up a select few. Those lucky ones are then studied and scrutinized, each ingredient tested against my now database-like knowledge of Daniel-fast-approved foods. Tempted to cheat? Not on your life. If anything, I have undertaken a McCarthy-esque hunt for preservatives, sugars, yeast, and communists. Well, not so much the communists, but if I find any I'll out them as well.
I have even begun to cook. I take that back; since Laura will be reading this, I won't overstate it - I have begun adding a small variety of spices and seasonings to things that can be heated readily in the microwave. And I have been adding two or more foods together that I would not previously have mixed based on my pre-fast cooking, I mean, mixing knowledge. The results have been.... I'm not starving to death, and that's what's important. I have found foods to eat for breakfast, foods for lunch, foods for dinner, and even some snacky foods in between. I spend time preparing those foods so I can take them with me to work and plan to be home to eat between other activities. I avoid being anywhere without reasonably ready access to approved foods so that I will not be forced to choose between death or cheating. Being a pretty determined person, you'd probably find me with an untasted cupcake clutched in my lifeless hand.
So here's where the fast turned on me: after I posted all the stuff before about God giving us what we need and all, I really felt like I was growing spiritually and learning to truly rely on God. Then it hit me. When we go to battle against sin in our lives, God gives us what we lack which allows us to win. I thought I was at least facing Satan's shock-and-awe military campaign with my trusty whiffle-ball bat, delivering stinging swats between God's thunderous cannon-fire. But now I realize it has more closely resembled a three-year-old hiding behind his Father's leg while shaking an angry and trembling fist in the air.
I've had to face many personal challenges as God has called me closer to Him, but I have not put as much effort into overcoming any of those as I have put into succeeding at the Daniel fast. Don't get me wrong, I have won some battles and pushed many sins out of my daily life. But even when I desperately want to rid my life of something I don't go to such exhaustive lengths to reduce the chances for failure and maximize my chances for victory.
I'll use an example to which anyone can relate: getting angry at people who do stupid, stupid, STUPID things in traffic (sorry, still struggling!). I really want to stop and there are times when I do better. But in my efforts to curtail this sin I would never consider leaving for work a few hours early so I can just drive slowly and lower my chances for failure. I would never consider riding MARTA to make it a complete non-issue. After all, those things would be so inconvenient for me! But so is spending two hours in Kroger reading the ingredients off dozens of foods ("Wait, what are rolled oats? Is organic cane sugar really sugar? It's organic, after all..."), but I do it because I'm committed to the fast. I know the Bible tells us that in order to do His will we are called to choose inconvenience, even to choose suffering and death (Psalm 44:22) for His sake, but I never noticed how far I am from actually doing it when it matters.
In Ecclesiastes 5:4-5, it says, "When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools, fulfill your vow. It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it." I've made many vows to God in the wake of sin, surrendering my old ways to Him, only to return to them a day, week, or month later. And, as the fast tells me, it probably has a bit to do with my failure to go the necessary lengths to keep myself from willful sin, as David prayed in Psalm 19:13. It's almost embarrassing that my steadfast commitment to a symbolic fast shamed my commitment to obeying God, but then I realize that's actually the whole point of the fast and I am encouraged.
Now, where's my whiffle-ball bat?
I went to Kroger on Saturday night to do some shopping - in the sense that most people mean shopping, not my usual dash through the store for a cart-full of sinner food. Since I started the Daniel fast, I have been spending more and more time in the grocery store. I walk up and down every aisle, run my eyes over each and every food item, and pick up a select few. Those lucky ones are then studied and scrutinized, each ingredient tested against my now database-like knowledge of Daniel-fast-approved foods. Tempted to cheat? Not on your life. If anything, I have undertaken a McCarthy-esque hunt for preservatives, sugars, yeast, and communists. Well, not so much the communists, but if I find any I'll out them as well.
I have even begun to cook. I take that back; since Laura will be reading this, I won't overstate it - I have begun adding a small variety of spices and seasonings to things that can be heated readily in the microwave. And I have been adding two or more foods together that I would not previously have mixed based on my pre-fast cooking, I mean, mixing knowledge. The results have been.... I'm not starving to death, and that's what's important. I have found foods to eat for breakfast, foods for lunch, foods for dinner, and even some snacky foods in between. I spend time preparing those foods so I can take them with me to work and plan to be home to eat between other activities. I avoid being anywhere without reasonably ready access to approved foods so that I will not be forced to choose between death or cheating. Being a pretty determined person, you'd probably find me with an untasted cupcake clutched in my lifeless hand.
So here's where the fast turned on me: after I posted all the stuff before about God giving us what we need and all, I really felt like I was growing spiritually and learning to truly rely on God. Then it hit me. When we go to battle against sin in our lives, God gives us what we lack which allows us to win. I thought I was at least facing Satan's shock-and-awe military campaign with my trusty whiffle-ball bat, delivering stinging swats between God's thunderous cannon-fire. But now I realize it has more closely resembled a three-year-old hiding behind his Father's leg while shaking an angry and trembling fist in the air.
I've had to face many personal challenges as God has called me closer to Him, but I have not put as much effort into overcoming any of those as I have put into succeeding at the Daniel fast. Don't get me wrong, I have won some battles and pushed many sins out of my daily life. But even when I desperately want to rid my life of something I don't go to such exhaustive lengths to reduce the chances for failure and maximize my chances for victory.
I'll use an example to which anyone can relate: getting angry at people who do stupid, stupid, STUPID things in traffic (sorry, still struggling!). I really want to stop and there are times when I do better. But in my efforts to curtail this sin I would never consider leaving for work a few hours early so I can just drive slowly and lower my chances for failure. I would never consider riding MARTA to make it a complete non-issue. After all, those things would be so inconvenient for me! But so is spending two hours in Kroger reading the ingredients off dozens of foods ("Wait, what are rolled oats? Is organic cane sugar really sugar? It's organic, after all..."), but I do it because I'm committed to the fast. I know the Bible tells us that in order to do His will we are called to choose inconvenience, even to choose suffering and death (Psalm 44:22) for His sake, but I never noticed how far I am from actually doing it when it matters.
In Ecclesiastes 5:4-5, it says, "When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools, fulfill your vow. It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it." I've made many vows to God in the wake of sin, surrendering my old ways to Him, only to return to them a day, week, or month later. And, as the fast tells me, it probably has a bit to do with my failure to go the necessary lengths to keep myself from willful sin, as David prayed in Psalm 19:13. It's almost embarrassing that my steadfast commitment to a symbolic fast shamed my commitment to obeying God, but then I realize that's actually the whole point of the fast and I am encouraged.
Now, where's my whiffle-ball bat?
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Oh and..
Tonight I locked my keys in the car. I mean really they are much better off in the cup holder don't you think? Who needs to drive their car! After calling AAA I have decided as a team you guys need to get together and drop 'rice cake crumbs' that will lead me back home. Perhaps that was one of the best highlights. Would this have happened if I had meat and bread in my tummy? Not really sure but I do know that it made me laugh!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Life is more than cookie dough ice cream
I struggled writing this blog. Being out of words is very rare for me. However, I really cannot even begin to explain in words how much God has shown me his amazing love through this process. But, with a little prayer and some fingers that are running on rice cakes I will try to put in words what an amazing journey I have been on for the past 15 days. I am in awe to say the least on how much I rely on food instead of going straight to him. When times get stressful I will admit I run to the fridge instead of running straight to God’s arms for comfort. Right around day 8ish eating everyday meals became a pleasure instead of a task. My relationship with God has grown by pulling out the bible during meal time where I normally would be stuffing my face with a Chick-Fil-A sandwich. Some highlights of my experience have to be going down the aisle in the grocery store looking at all the wonderful flavors this past Saturday. The people around me carting their bread and meat could not help but stare at me when I sat in front of the freezer eyeing all the delicious flavors especially cookie dough for at minimum of 8-10 minutes. I then realized perhaps the Devil was taunting me to cheat because I was so tempted to give in so I made a dash for the produce section.
I too dream of my Grande Vanilla Latte. Although, I have come to realize the things such as ice cream and Starbucks that normally make my day wonderful have subsided. I do not need ‘extra things’ to make my day great I just need to pray a tad bit more for him to top my day off. This has been the most eye opening experience. I have shared my faith by telling the Daniel and the Lion story 30+ times which I believe is what the fast is 50% about. I am so proud to be part of such an AMAZING group. Thank you for all of your inspirational blogs. CAMBODIA HERE WE COME!
I too dream of my Grande Vanilla Latte. Although, I have come to realize the things such as ice cream and Starbucks that normally make my day wonderful have subsided. I do not need ‘extra things’ to make my day great I just need to pray a tad bit more for him to top my day off. This has been the most eye opening experience. I have shared my faith by telling the Daniel and the Lion story 30+ times which I believe is what the fast is 50% about. I am so proud to be part of such an AMAZING group. Thank you for all of your inspirational blogs. CAMBODIA HERE WE COME!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
10 Days and Counting...
I started the fast on May 10th so today is day 10 for me. My biggest concern when starting was how I was going to go without caffeine for 21 days. I know it sounds a little bit ridiculous, but I don't think I have gone without a morning cup of coffee for more than a few days here or there over the past 6 years. I took some time the week before to gradually not drink any more caffeine in order to avoid getting a headache. I think that was in the best interest of both my students and myself :). Sadly I even have to admit that on day 3 I had a dream where I was happily drinking some coffee in the morning...think it was on my mind??? Anyway, this time of year is very busy for me with all of the end of the year activities, grading, and just a lot to finish up. I usually would rely on chewing a lot of gum and drinking a lot of caffeine to stay awake and get it all done. Not being able to have either one, I have had to change that.
Throughout the fast, I have learned that my body needs much more sleep than I was getting! I have also learned that God can provide the strength and energy I need and it isn't about me trying to do so much myself. I have reflected on how much of what I have been keeping myself busy with is really His will for my life and how much is simply that...busyness. Each time I eat a meal, I am reminded why I am doing this and what it is really all about...strengthening my relationship with the One that created me. Each time my stomach growls, I am reminded again. This constant reminder of why I am here has really focused my days in a different direction. There is really so much that I feel like God has been sharing with me during the past 10 days. I don't think I have fully sorted through all of it yet.
The food part hasn't been as challenging as I thought it would (I know I am not even half way through yet though!). I haven't felt too much of a pull to eat any of the foods we are not supposed to. The limited food items has challenged me to try new recipes (which I always enjoy doing) and caused me to really notice what is in different things I eat. I made a few recipes that I sent out. The only one I have really enjoyed was the vegan sauce recipe. This is with mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, green peppers, basil and onion all cooked together for about 20 minutes and then over whole wheat pasta. I have tried the stuffed peppers recipes and the "Mrs. Jones' Brown Rice Dinner" recipe from the original e-mail Jon sent out. Both were very good. I took the brown rice dinner and made some simple guacamole with an avocado, garlic salt, and lime juice. I put the rice mixture and guacamole in a wheat tortilla which was pretty good. I also have found hummus to be a nice snack. Today my sister said that she noticed Triscuit crackers only have whole wheat, soybean oil, and salt in them...so they might be ok too??...not sure about the soybean oil.
Reading everyone else's posts has been very helpful and encouraging for me! Thanks for sharing your stories! I am up for breaking our fast together once we are all finished.
Throughout the fast, I have learned that my body needs much more sleep than I was getting! I have also learned that God can provide the strength and energy I need and it isn't about me trying to do so much myself. I have reflected on how much of what I have been keeping myself busy with is really His will for my life and how much is simply that...busyness. Each time I eat a meal, I am reminded why I am doing this and what it is really all about...strengthening my relationship with the One that created me. Each time my stomach growls, I am reminded again. This constant reminder of why I am here has really focused my days in a different direction. There is really so much that I feel like God has been sharing with me during the past 10 days. I don't think I have fully sorted through all of it yet.
The food part hasn't been as challenging as I thought it would (I know I am not even half way through yet though!). I haven't felt too much of a pull to eat any of the foods we are not supposed to. The limited food items has challenged me to try new recipes (which I always enjoy doing) and caused me to really notice what is in different things I eat. I made a few recipes that I sent out. The only one I have really enjoyed was the vegan sauce recipe. This is with mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, green peppers, basil and onion all cooked together for about 20 minutes and then over whole wheat pasta. I have tried the stuffed peppers recipes and the "Mrs. Jones' Brown Rice Dinner" recipe from the original e-mail Jon sent out. Both were very good. I took the brown rice dinner and made some simple guacamole with an avocado, garlic salt, and lime juice. I put the rice mixture and guacamole in a wheat tortilla which was pretty good. I also have found hummus to be a nice snack. Today my sister said that she noticed Triscuit crackers only have whole wheat, soybean oil, and salt in them...so they might be ok too??...not sure about the soybean oil.
Reading everyone else's posts has been very helpful and encouraging for me! Thanks for sharing your stories! I am up for breaking our fast together once we are all finished.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Not just fast, Daniel fast....
Seven days complete, and God has really been propping me up! I stocked up on groceries at the beginning of the week, or so I thought, but I've definitely been eating about 1/3 of my usual caloric intake. Although I've been hungry most of the time I really haven't been tempted to cheat. Of course, work has been unusually busy so I averaged 12+ hours/day. Because the fast wasn't hard enough already!
I ran a charity 5k on Saturday morning after getting about 2 hours of sleep, and still finished under 30 minutes (a good time for me!) and felt alright. The whole time, I was reminded of the fact that Daniel and the others were actually stronger than the ones who ate the king's food. That shut down all the negative thoughts, like "You can walk a little, you only slept two hours and ate almost nothing." Small thing, but it was encouraging to know God doesn't need food or sleep to do His will, and He gives us as much of them we need.
I managed to get home and take a couple-hour nap before working an extra job that evening. I was exhausted but everything went well until about 10:30 pm, when I answered a prowler call and caught a guy in the back yard of someone's house. He ran from me so I chased after him, praying, "Ok, Lord, you've got to make me Daniel! I really don't feel up to running a wind sprint over fences right now!" I caught the guy, physical altercation #501 ensued, but everything turned out fine (for me anyway). Point being, if you'd asked me if I could do the Daniel fast (eating as little as I have been) for four days, then run a 5k on two hours sleep, then work a long shift on an extra job ending in a foot chase with a crackhead (very fast considering THEIR dietary habits), I wouldn't have thought it would end well. But I have been granted exceptional endurance all week. All the glory goes to God for showing off on the little things as well as the big, and I'm really happy to be doing the fast!
Please pass along any easy, good foods you've tried. I got some Texas Barbeque Veggie Burgers that are an embarrassment to Texas, barbeque, veggies, and burgers. I also went to Smoothie King with a friend and quizzed the poor employee about all the ingredients in the smoothies. She finally told me I could have anything with blueberries or bananas in it, and suggested a "Blueberry Heaven," which also had honey and other additives, so I finally ordered a "Blueberry Heaven, hold the Heaven." She didn't think it was nearly as funny as I did.
Second only-funny-to-me story: as I went past the last road guard during the 5k, the woman posted there cheered me on, saying, "Great job, you're almost there!" I was well behind the pack (I finished 50th), but I figured she was bored and could use a laugh, so I asked, "Is there anyone ahead of me?" She looked kind of sad and said, "Oh.... man, yeah, a bunch of people..." like she was really trying to break it to me gently. Sailed right over her head... oh well, I tried!
I ran a charity 5k on Saturday morning after getting about 2 hours of sleep, and still finished under 30 minutes (a good time for me!) and felt alright. The whole time, I was reminded of the fact that Daniel and the others were actually stronger than the ones who ate the king's food. That shut down all the negative thoughts, like "You can walk a little, you only slept two hours and ate almost nothing." Small thing, but it was encouraging to know God doesn't need food or sleep to do His will, and He gives us as much of them we need.
I managed to get home and take a couple-hour nap before working an extra job that evening. I was exhausted but everything went well until about 10:30 pm, when I answered a prowler call and caught a guy in the back yard of someone's house. He ran from me so I chased after him, praying, "Ok, Lord, you've got to make me Daniel! I really don't feel up to running a wind sprint over fences right now!" I caught the guy, physical altercation #501 ensued, but everything turned out fine (for me anyway). Point being, if you'd asked me if I could do the Daniel fast (eating as little as I have been) for four days, then run a 5k on two hours sleep, then work a long shift on an extra job ending in a foot chase with a crackhead (very fast considering THEIR dietary habits), I wouldn't have thought it would end well. But I have been granted exceptional endurance all week. All the glory goes to God for showing off on the little things as well as the big, and I'm really happy to be doing the fast!
Please pass along any easy, good foods you've tried. I got some Texas Barbeque Veggie Burgers that are an embarrassment to Texas, barbeque, veggies, and burgers. I also went to Smoothie King with a friend and quizzed the poor employee about all the ingredients in the smoothies. She finally told me I could have anything with blueberries or bananas in it, and suggested a "Blueberry Heaven," which also had honey and other additives, so I finally ordered a "Blueberry Heaven, hold the Heaven." She didn't think it was nearly as funny as I did.
Second only-funny-to-me story: as I went past the last road guard during the 5k, the woman posted there cheered me on, saying, "Great job, you're almost there!" I was well behind the pack (I finished 50th), but I figured she was bored and could use a laugh, so I asked, "Is there anyone ahead of me?" She looked kind of sad and said, "Oh.... man, yeah, a bunch of people..." like she was really trying to break it to me gently. Sailed right over her head... oh well, I tried!
2 Weeks of The Daniel Fast Completed
I signed in this morning to post, and thanks Mike for posting how you are doing. I have been through 14 days of the Daniel Fast, and it is incredible. I have talked to God more in the last two weeks than I did in the previous 2 months. That is why I love this and am glad we have a good group doing it. I hope this is right, and let me know if I am off, but I started Monday, May 4th, I believe Elizabeth re-started (haha) Wednesday, May 6th, Mike started Friday, May 8th, and Laura, Mikey G, and Mark started Monday, May 11th. So we are all over the board, but have a big group doing it, nonetheless. Hopefully Candace, Mistye, Erin, and Andy are prayer warrioring for us.
So I know I probably mentioned this in an e-mail earlier, but our theme verse for our week has resonated in my head the last two weeks. I am an eater, I love food. That is why I work out, so I can eat what I like. I am a meat eater, and love cheese and bread. So, this week, as I am craving those things and my body is screaming for them, I know it is just a selfish, flesh craving. I want "my portion" of these things. That is when I recite "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever." God is good, he will make us stronger through this. I have been reading Daniel, and if we have faith like Daniel, imagine the things we can do on our trip and beyond.
I hope you guys are doing well, you are an awesome group of people, and I can't wait to go on this trip with everyone. I can't believe it is only 2 months away. Our next meeting is two weeks from yesterday, Sunday, May 31st. That will be the last day of some of you guys' fast, so if everyone is interested, we can do a night meeting and break it together with dinner. Just a thought. E-mail me and let me know your thoughts.
God bless you guys, and let us know how you are doing.
So I know I probably mentioned this in an e-mail earlier, but our theme verse for our week has resonated in my head the last two weeks. I am an eater, I love food. That is why I work out, so I can eat what I like. I am a meat eater, and love cheese and bread. So, this week, as I am craving those things and my body is screaming for them, I know it is just a selfish, flesh craving. I want "my portion" of these things. That is when I recite "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever." God is good, he will make us stronger through this. I have been reading Daniel, and if we have faith like Daniel, imagine the things we can do on our trip and beyond.
I hope you guys are doing well, you are an awesome group of people, and I can't wait to go on this trip with everyone. I can't believe it is only 2 months away. Our next meeting is two weeks from yesterday, Sunday, May 31st. That will be the last day of some of you guys' fast, so if everyone is interested, we can do a night meeting and break it together with dinner. Just a thought. E-mail me and let me know your thoughts.
God bless you guys, and let us know how you are doing.
Daniel Fasting
Ok, so this has to be one of the hardest things EVER! This might sound bad, but I've never really been the type to worry about what I'm eating becuase I've always been the skinny guy. My metabolism just works fast and I can't help it. What I'm trying to say is that drive-thru's, sports bars, and any other places where you eat like crap just come naturally to me. It's easy, and I like that. I sometimes try to grocery shop, but that routine usually gets broken pretty quickly.
This Daniel Fast has really tested my patience and will. Keeping myself accountable has been the hardest part. I'm not going to lie, I have slipped up a little bit through this process, but not too bad. (Some of the things I've eaten have had some cheese on them...no dairy, i forgot). Most of the time I just find myself eating fruit or veges of some kind and usually finish still feeling pretty hungry. I try to tell myself that I'm doing for the group, but I keep wondering how you guys are doing. So?
I hope you guys are as hungry as me :) haha. Seriously, hibachi anyone? (After we're done w/ the fast of course).
.
This Daniel Fast has really tested my patience and will. Keeping myself accountable has been the hardest part. I'm not going to lie, I have slipped up a little bit through this process, but not too bad. (Some of the things I've eaten have had some cheese on them...no dairy, i forgot). Most of the time I just find myself eating fruit or veges of some kind and usually finish still feeling pretty hungry. I try to tell myself that I'm doing for the group, but I keep wondering how you guys are doing. So?
I hope you guys are as hungry as me :) haha. Seriously, hibachi anyone? (After we're done w/ the fast of course).
.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Prayer Requests for Cambodia
As I researched the current problems and conditions in Cambodia, I felt a strong desire to take immediate action in the form of prayer. I know that God hears our prayers and that the Holy Spirit guides our words and thoughts, and interecedes on our behalf. I also know that God answers prayers that are in accordance with His will, and therefore I pray that these requests are in alignment with His will. Please join me in praying for the following issues:
1. Pray for protection and safety for the Children and Orphans in Cambodia.
It is estimated that there are roughly 5.1 million children under the age of 15 in Cambodia at this time. Due to the large number of orphans and impoverished families in cambodia, it is estimated that a full 38% of the country's population will enter in their adulthood as unskilled and undereducated laborers. This is disheartening.
This prayer is a bit presumptuous though because these children and orphans must first avoid the dangers of forced child prostitution, domestic violence, dangerous child labor practices, and child trafficking. All of which are running rampant in Cambodia.
2. Pray for a solution to the AIDS/HIV epidemic in Cambodia.
The number of AIDS and HIV related deaths in Cambodia is continuing to rise year after year. Lack of foresight in the country's Government has limited the use of and availability to AIDS and HIV treatments, and the future does not bring much hope for change. The rise in AIDS and HIV in Cambodia is a large contributor to the huge number of orphans. Education about the dangers and spread of such diseases is a necessity if this cycle is to be broken.
3. Pray for the life-changing spread of the gospel and growth of the Church in Cambodia. Christianity (more specifically Roman Catholicism) makes up only 1% of the various religions in Cambodia. Theravada Buddhism is the primary religion in Cambodia, and the government has gone to great efforts to tighten control over the Church and to reduce the spread of the gospel. Satan has a strong foothold on Cambodia, and I pray that the Body of Christ will grow stronger and the message of Christ will spread like wildfire across that whole nation.
1. Pray for protection and safety for the Children and Orphans in Cambodia.
It is estimated that there are roughly 5.1 million children under the age of 15 in Cambodia at this time. Due to the large number of orphans and impoverished families in cambodia, it is estimated that a full 38% of the country's population will enter in their adulthood as unskilled and undereducated laborers. This is disheartening.
This prayer is a bit presumptuous though because these children and orphans must first avoid the dangers of forced child prostitution, domestic violence, dangerous child labor practices, and child trafficking. All of which are running rampant in Cambodia.
2. Pray for a solution to the AIDS/HIV epidemic in Cambodia.
The number of AIDS and HIV related deaths in Cambodia is continuing to rise year after year. Lack of foresight in the country's Government has limited the use of and availability to AIDS and HIV treatments, and the future does not bring much hope for change. The rise in AIDS and HIV in Cambodia is a large contributor to the huge number of orphans. Education about the dangers and spread of such diseases is a necessity if this cycle is to be broken.
3. Pray for the life-changing spread of the gospel and growth of the Church in Cambodia. Christianity (more specifically Roman Catholicism) makes up only 1% of the various religions in Cambodia. Theravada Buddhism is the primary religion in Cambodia, and the government has gone to great efforts to tighten control over the Church and to reduce the spread of the gospel. Satan has a strong foothold on Cambodia, and I pray that the Body of Christ will grow stronger and the message of Christ will spread like wildfire across that whole nation.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Sing to the Lord!
After the trip last year, I hung up a couple of pictures of me with the orphans over my desk at work (and to think, I chose my job because I didn't think I'd ever have a desk!). A few weeks ago, a newly assigned member of my team asked me about the pictures. I told him the short version of the trip, and then he said, "It's gotta be so sad, right?" Without even thinking, I just said, "You know, it kinda isn't!"
I explained to him that I thought the same thing before I got there. But once I met the orphans, I understood how God's love provides what we truly need. Yes, there are material needs that are not fully met all the time, but I know that God covers those kids and they are filled with joy in a way I may never really understand.
I found a couple verses in the Bible that pretty much sum it up:
Jeremiah 20:13 says, "Sing to the Lord! Give praise to the Lord! He rescues the life of the needy from the hands of the wicked."
Psalm 9:18 promises, "But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish."
I'm so excited that not only do we get to teach the kids more about their Savior, but also that we get to pour out God's love on them and be His hands, caring for the needy and afflicted!
I explained to him that I thought the same thing before I got there. But once I met the orphans, I understood how God's love provides what we truly need. Yes, there are material needs that are not fully met all the time, but I know that God covers those kids and they are filled with joy in a way I may never really understand.
I found a couple verses in the Bible that pretty much sum it up:
Jeremiah 20:13 says, "Sing to the Lord! Give praise to the Lord! He rescues the life of the needy from the hands of the wicked."
Psalm 9:18 promises, "But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish."
I'm so excited that not only do we get to teach the kids more about their Savior, but also that we get to pour out God's love on them and be His hands, caring for the needy and afflicted!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Mayercraft Service
Some of you may know that I just got hired by a company called Sixthman. Right now we are in the business of producing music festivals on cruise ships, but hope to expand to other events that bring communities of like-minded people together. That's just the brief description. Moving on...
On one of the cruises this year, call Mayercraft Carrier, we traveled from LA to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Every port ends up being the same thing: Fun in the sun, have a few drinks, lay out, swim, maybe do a shore excursion, get back on the boat. This all happens within a 6 hour time span so you really don't have that much time. This port was different for me...
A company called Reverb works with us while on board to help with "going green" and bring awareness to the guests of what we do to give back to the environment becuase of the impact cruises have on the environment. They are super cool company and they organized a service project to do in Cabo while we were at port. It just so happened to be working at an orphanage for the day...
When I first heard they were doing this I was pumped. I couldn't wait to be a part of this project. I didn't really know exactly what we were going to be doing, but I was in. I found out later that the band Guster would be coming with us and had instuments donated to them so that they could in turn give them to the kids. We brought all the instuments to the orphanage and WOW...it was soo much fun. Guster sang familiar songs and the kids played bongos, harmonica, guitar, tamborines, shakers, and anything they could get their hands on to make noise. They LOVED it! I couldn't help but think of the kids we will be able to impact in such a positive way when we're in Cambodia. I CAN'T WAIT!
P.S. While I was at the orphanage, I got to talking to some of the other volunteers that were already there helping and he asked me to share my testimony. It was kind of on the spot, but I felt confindent enough to share. It reminded me that sharing your testimony can happen anywhere and at anytime, so be ready. I think I still have some work to do on my delivery. Keep it in mind :)
-Mike
On one of the cruises this year, call Mayercraft Carrier, we traveled from LA to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Every port ends up being the same thing: Fun in the sun, have a few drinks, lay out, swim, maybe do a shore excursion, get back on the boat. This all happens within a 6 hour time span so you really don't have that much time. This port was different for me...
A company called Reverb works with us while on board to help with "going green" and bring awareness to the guests of what we do to give back to the environment becuase of the impact cruises have on the environment. They are super cool company and they organized a service project to do in Cabo while we were at port. It just so happened to be working at an orphanage for the day...
When I first heard they were doing this I was pumped. I couldn't wait to be a part of this project. I didn't really know exactly what we were going to be doing, but I was in. I found out later that the band Guster would be coming with us and had instuments donated to them so that they could in turn give them to the kids. We brought all the instuments to the orphanage and WOW...it was soo much fun. Guster sang familiar songs and the kids played bongos, harmonica, guitar, tamborines, shakers, and anything they could get their hands on to make noise. They LOVED it! I couldn't help but think of the kids we will be able to impact in such a positive way when we're in Cambodia. I CAN'T WAIT!
P.S. While I was at the orphanage, I got to talking to some of the other volunteers that were already there helping and he asked me to share my testimony. It was kind of on the spot, but I felt confindent enough to share. It reminded me that sharing your testimony can happen anywhere and at anytime, so be ready. I think I still have some work to do on my delivery. Keep it in mind :)
-Mike
Monday, April 6, 2009
Garage Sale Success!!!
After lots of hard work and some great cooperation from the weather, Saturday was a big success. My house was filled with years of stuff me, my wife, my parents, my in laws, and some other gracious donaters had brought over. We had posted our start at 8 am, but as soon as we opened the garage at 7:30 to start setting up, the professional garage salers were out in force. Throughout the day there were tons of people that came by, haggling ensued (kind of felt like the market in Siem Reap), and money was made. The last scavengers finally left at about 5 pm, for a 9 1/2 hour garage sale marathon. All told, for the trip, we raised about $500, and on top of that had a woman in my neighborhood give $300 when she found out what we were doing it for. So, $800 for stuff we would have probably given to Goodwill ain't too shabby.
The highlight of the day was when we sold a treadmill donated by Laura's sister for $100. They were very nice people and asked if we could take it to their house in my truck. No problem, I thought. As me and my brother in law were driving it to their house 10 minutes away, it flips over the back tailgate. As we pull into the turn lane, I see that it is holding on. We get back there to find that it was barely holding on to the tailgate and ratchet strap I had around it, about 8 inches off the ground. God was looking out for us, and the driver behind us. We got it flipped back up and positioned better so it wouldn't fall again, and believe it or not, all it had was a little dent that was fixed in no time. We got to the people's house and it worked fine, and there were very happy, and still have us the full price, dispite the dent. God is good.
Look forward to seeing everyone in two weeks. God Bless.
The highlight of the day was when we sold a treadmill donated by Laura's sister for $100. They were very nice people and asked if we could take it to their house in my truck. No problem, I thought. As me and my brother in law were driving it to their house 10 minutes away, it flips over the back tailgate. As we pull into the turn lane, I see that it is holding on. We get back there to find that it was barely holding on to the tailgate and ratchet strap I had around it, about 8 inches off the ground. God was looking out for us, and the driver behind us. We got it flipped back up and positioned better so it wouldn't fall again, and believe it or not, all it had was a little dent that was fixed in no time. We got to the people's house and it worked fine, and there were very happy, and still have us the full price, dispite the dent. God is good.
Look forward to seeing everyone in two weeks. God Bless.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
March 7th...
Last week I ordered a bible online that would be small enough for me to travel with to Cambodia and just when I travel in general. I purchased it off of Amazon, but it wasn't going to be delivered until after I got back from a business trip. I was soo bummed because that's exactly why I bought it. Oh well.
I just got home tonight after being gone for 10 days, and I was anxious to get my hands on the new bible and check it out. I decided to open it up and do the random "what date is it" game to find a passage to read. I opened to Proverbs and found 3/7. I actually ended up reading 1-7, but this just so happens to be the passage we taught the kids at the orphanage last year :)
This really put the kids at the front of my mind tonight and so I thought I'd share with the team. Looking forward to getting to know all of you better!
-Mike
I just got home tonight after being gone for 10 days, and I was anxious to get my hands on the new bible and check it out. I decided to open it up and do the random "what date is it" game to find a passage to read. I opened to Proverbs and found 3/7. I actually ended up reading 1-7, but this just so happens to be the passage we taught the kids at the orphanage last year :)
This really put the kids at the front of my mind tonight and so I thought I'd share with the team. Looking forward to getting to know all of you better!
-Mike
Sunday, March 1, 2009
So Excited!
I just can't believe how BIG God is! I went on this trip last year and it totally changed my life! I'm so excited to return this year with my girlfriend Candace by my side. Please be praying for the kids; be praying for us as we prepare to embark on this journey to explore our faith. Lord, please give us the strength, the wisdom, and the courage to carry out this mission. :) Can't wait to see what's in store...
-Mike
-Mike
Monday, February 23, 2009
Newby
Okay, Jon. I'm on this thing and I don't know what I'm doing yet. It was so great to meet everyone yesterday. I went home and marked my calendar right away and sent out my info. for my passport first thing this morning. And for a mom who has been having a tough time finding time to have some devotional time....I sure found the time today. Coincidence? I think not...
Sunday, February 22, 2009
And So It Starts
Fully inspired by my awesome experience last year, and the great unity this built, here is the first entry of the 2009 globalX team going to Battambang, Cambodia, July of this year. The group has its first meeting in about 10 minutes, and this should be the kick off of a great journey. Look forward to many posts to come. Thanks for your hearts for the Lord and for these amazing kids.
Jon
Jon
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