A fun day in Africa

Today was a down day before the crazy schedule starts. It was a sort of restful day, even though I am still very tired. I did get a decent night’s sleep. We went to a game park that was a mix between a safari and zoo. The first part, we drove in close to lions who were about 4 feet from us. They were huge and sleeping. It was cool to be that close with the window down.

Next we went to the zoo part which had all sorts of animals. My absolute favorite was playing with a couple of lion cubs that were 6 months old and about 120 pounds or so. I got to hold one. The male tried to bite me and the female swiped at me…no wonder the sign read “enter at your own risk!”

What amazed me was how awesome yet terrifying it was to be so close to a lion. It made me think of the “Lion of Judah!” How amazing it will be when He returns for those of us who know Him and yet how terrifying it will be for others who have rejected.

Tonight we will have a meeting with Harare Theological Seminary to discuss some potential partnerships with Thomas.

Tomorrow we will be splitting up and preaching at a couple of churches in the morning. Then we will get together for lunch. After lunch, our mini conference will start and we will be speaking on several topics. I’ll be speaking on the nature of Sin and Salvation. Please pray for us.

Thinking of Zim

Above is a picture I took on a country road in Zimbabwe. I've been thinking about Zim often lately. It's been pretty busy so I haven't posted recently and I am preparing to preach in our main service this upcoming Sunday, on Psalm 2. As I think through that wonderful Millennial Kingdom Psalm (guess you know my eschatological persuasion), I am reminded of the national, economic and spiritual instability of so many nations. People really do plot in vain and rebel against the Messiah thinking that Biblical standards are shackles and ropes that tie the hands. They think they can plan a sucessful coup but the One who is enthroned in heaven laughs mockingly at their feeble attempts. Yet the scary thing is that the King of Kings will rule with a rod of iron and will shatter them like clay pottery. The same "rod of iron" that is described in Psalm 2:9 is described in Revelation 19:15 when Christ returns. If you are rightly related to Christ, i.e. saving faith, then you can take shelter in him (Ps 2:9). If you do not have a relationship with Christ, then it truly is a scary thing to fall into the hands of an Angry God (2:12). One day every king shall bow to the King of Kings. One day every nation will be ruled by the Righteous King. One day all peoples everywhere will confess that He is King. No more terrorism, no more economic woes, no more genocide, no more tyranny. I look forward to the "Return of the King" who will be King over Zim and every other nation.

The Dollar That Traveled Ten Thousand Miles and Back Again

The picture of the dollar bill is one that I got in Zimbabwe during my bartering time at a flea market. Zim’s economy is in shambles but has gotten slightly better since they switched from their own printed currency to that of the US Dollar. The high inflation rates eventually caused the Zim dollar to be worthless and everyone who had money in the bank or retirement funds lost everything in the switch. Yet I find it fascinating that another country can make the US dollar its own currency. Since it is obviously not printed there, people have to rely on others bringing in the dollar. When you go into a grocery store, you cannot get change in the form of coins. So if you buy a Coke and it costs $1.30, then you can give the exact price, find something else for 70 cents or pay $2. On one of my last days there, I bought a coke and a candy bar that totaled $1.90 and decided I didn’t want to look for something for 10 cents. Yet that 10 cents that I disregarded could buy a package of soup. I have seen people scour for things to add for 40 cents. This is even more humbling when you consider the average person in Zim makes $100 a month. So 10 cents is a lot. It was yet again another lesson for me, one that I have seen in other countries but it still hits hard.

I was reminded about this dollar a few days ago at the Burbank Airport on my way to San Jose for a few days. After clearing security for the 8th time in two weeks, I went to buy 2 Dr. Peppers. The guy at the register gave me a total for $6.56 and I laughed….but he was serious. Two sodas for that much, well I was at an airport and they are known for that. Well, I really wanted a DP so I pulled out my cash and there it was, starring at me….a dirty dollar bill that traveled 10,000 miles and back again.

Yesterday I read an article from a Zim online news site. It is called “Can I have a Dollar please?” If you want to read it, and I suggest that you do, you can find it at zimbabwejournalists.com. The gist of the story is that the writer looks at the hard times that everyone is feeling but especially in the rural areas. A cousin, who was only 37 years old dies. This brings a rare occasion for those in the city and those in the rural areas together. So the writer shares the story of how his uncle, who use to live in the village recognizes one of the grave diggers, a former classmate is elementary school. They catch up on old times and this man, aged and broken over the burdens of life in the rural areas asks for a dollar. The request makes him uncomfortable but he asks anyway. He only wanted one dollar. He had never even seen a dollar before. Why did he want a dollar? To process Maize-Meal so he could have Sadza, a thick doughy substance that is the staple food in Zim. Everyone eats Sadza. Yet he needed a dollar to process the maize meal so it could become Sadza. Since he couldn’t afford it, he and his family had been eating boiled maize meal. The only thing I can compare it to for us in the States is being used to eating mashed potatoes growing up and then having only the ability to eat raw potatoes because you lacked one thing to have it mashed. One dollar because his children want Sadza instead of boiled maize meal. Needless to say, that dollar that I looked at as I used other cash to pay for my DP’s makes me uncomfortable in my comfortable re-entry to the US.

The Long Journey Home

Well, after two plus days of travel, I am finally home. Last night was a challenge in sleeping. "Lag" is a mild term describing what the Jets did to me. It was a great trip. I was sad to leave so many wonderful Christians. Zimbabweans are such a sweet people. Yet it was good to be home. I left on Saturday afternoon and didn't arrive home until Sunday afternoon which was really Monday early morning in Zim time. Today I'll spend some time putting thoughts to pen and paper. I'll also try and highlight several aspects in the next couple of weeks too. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers. Continue to pray for Thomas, Dany and Sam.

A Brand New Day

Well, thanks for your prayers. It is definately being seen. Getting on the net can be a bit challenging. Sometimes pages will load, other times after I have written an email or blog, it doesn't go through. So I will try and post this, not knowing if it goes through. I didn't even know that last post went through until right now.

So, I am feeling much better. I had a great nights sleep and have not had any issues at all today. I have a last minute "youth group" preaching event tonight and I'll be preaching on Romans 12 challenging the youth to be completely committed and continually changed.

So my funny story will also be a transparent story. One of the encouragments that I got from Dr. Halstead's updates in India was how he was struggling and what he was learning about himself and God. The same is true for me here. Zimbabwe is worse than I thought it would be. It really is devastated here. Sometimes I felt like I was in the movie Black Hawk down without the guns. However, although the country is in such terrible conditions, the people are sweet and generous. I enjoy them very much.

So, when we arrived in Zimbabwe it was late at night, we were tired and for Zimbabweans, it takes a really long time to do anything. Much different for us "go...go...go" Westerners. So it took forever just to leave the airport. We dropped Dany off at a wonderful older couples house. Then on the way to my place, we got lost, were in the "high density" areas which is what we would call a combination of Ghetto and Slum. On the way there, Thomas states that he thought it would be neat for me to stay here. In my mind I thought, "neat for who?" Then, he and the other people in the car mention that the place I will stay at got robbed last night. So I asked, what does that mean, robbed when they were home or away. The answer...while they slept?!?! Then, my stomach starts churning from something I ate in South Africa. I thought I was going to have an accident. By the time we arrive at my place, which they decided to change since the other place got robbed, I was in serious pain. As we approach this very torn down place, they also said the electricy had been shut off and didn't know when it would be turned on. I mentioned to Thomas that I had to use the restroom and it was an emergency. So I get into the bathroom, with no lights and the toilet doesn't work unless you pour water into the tank. So I get them to show me, finally use it and try to flush......no flush. So, with a red face I go out and ask for help. I finally am shown to my room, no light, bad stomach issues, fearful of getting robbed and now alone...to think. I start to wonder if I caught Cholera already and what would I do if I had it. Needless to say, it was a struggle but God reminded me of His control and that even though this was an extremely uncomfortable situation, I was in His plan. It also gave me time to think about how comfortable I am. Even when I have gone to places were they have serious issues, I've always stayed in decent places. Yet how fortunate we are to have so much, even a working toilet and light. The people I stayed with the first night were so kind, made sure I was okay, cooked me breakfast and will be at the pastor's conference on Saturday which is 5 hours away from them. THey have nothing yet the husband took off work and they were so kind.

So, that is my story of a difficult night. No sleep but plenty of time to think, pray, confess and praise the Lord. Why does it take things like that to be thankful?

I hope that was an encouragement. I am thankful for all of your prayers. I called Steph last night and she was such an encouragement to me. I am blessed to have such a wife. I am blessed to have great friends who will read this and pray. I am blessed to be here among people who have so little but give so much. There is much to do here, much ministry to plan out and I am thankful our church will partner here.

The first few days

Well,
I am in Zimbabwe but am struggling a bit. Not sure how much I can write but I'll try to post quickly. We got in to Harare and the city is worse than I thought. There are some sweet Christians here though. Dany got to stay with a wonderful old couple in a really nice place. Thomas stayed with his mom. It was really cool to see their reunion after 7 years. I am having some stomach issues and will post more about my difficult evening later but boy are there some funny stories. I'm not feeling that well, missing my wife and am having trouble sleeping. Except for that, we have had some great meetings with people and today I was very encouraged as we met with a like minded national missionary who has been doing ministry in Harare for 20 years. Tonight are more meetings so please pray for us and I would especially like your prayers for me. It really does force you to remember how comfortable you are in the states when you are in challenging circumstances. It really is an honor to be here and I am excitied for what God has in store for Zimbabwe, Thomas and our church.

Sleeping in South Africa

Thanks for all of your prayers. I had a good night's sleep and am now awake at about 5:30 a.m. I am very thankful for the common bond that believers have throughout the world. Yesterday, a former Master's college student picked us up from the airport and a family that doesn't even know us took us in, fed us and we stayed in great rooms. It reminds me of the apostle John's admonitions to be hospitable in 1-3 John. The host family, Wendy and Dunkin are great and we hit it off right away, chatting for a long time. It was a great time of fellowship and I felt like I had known them for years. They are a great example to me. I feel very rested for now, but know that later today I'll be tired. Everyone else is sleeping so it makes for a good time to study. Today we will be meeting with someone who might be partnering with Thomas in the future. He oversees the church planting in Africa and will take us to meet some church planters here in South Africa. Then its back on airplanes to Harare tonight.

Adventures In Africa....we are in South Africa

Well,

I only have a few minutes to update but we arrived in Johannesburg and are waiting to fly to Durban. The trip was uneventful until we started to board in L.A. About 10 minutes before boarding, our flight was cancelled due to a door on the plane that wouldn't shut properly. They had to wait for a part to fix it and it would take 10 hours just for the part to arrive. All of the people were told that they would have to fly out the next day. Well, that was a problem for us since we are getting a connecting flight for a one day meeting in Durban. So, I spent about an hour to almost two hours trying to get us to South Africa and all the flights were booked. God was very good but He always is. We met up with a really helpful Ticket Agent that worked hard to get us on a different airline. So we had to fly to Boston, then London, then get on a different flight to South Africa. We had to recheck everything again and go through Security. When we arrrived in Boston, we had to go to another ticket counter and they didn't have us on the flight. Thankfully we got another great ticket counter person who worked hard to get us on the flight and made sure our bags got there too. Needless to say, it was a good experience to remind us that though we may plan our way, God directs our steps. Thank you for reading this and praying for us. Continue to pray for us, we have a busy schedule tomorrow morning, meeting with a potential ministry partner for Thomas.

I am thankful for my traveling buddies, Thomas and Dany. Both had great attitudes and were flexible. I do wish I had my best traveling companion...my wife, Love and miss you Steph. Right now I am sipping on a Rocky Mount Mocha??? I also had a shwarma for breakfast in the airport. How odd is that?