Tuesday, April 24, 2012
T4G just got real personal
I have read David Platt's book Radical and highly recommend it. Tonight I finished WATCHING him via video deliver a message intended for pastors, but I promise you, THAT if you take the hour necessary to watch this, you will be PROFOUNDLY MOVED. What implications are there for us, the sheep in the pews? Well, as he suggests, we can all pray.
Yes, I know that almost sounds like a cliche. It almost sounds like another one to say we can go on short time trips. And yet what I am suggesting is hardly easy! If we really grasp the seriousness of the topic, if we do see the Lamb that was slain in a deeper way than our almost yawn brought on by the familiarity, if we take the time to listen to this message and then meditate on its implications for our own lives, then I truly believe that we will know God and be known by Him in a more intimate way.
I think my good night prayer tonight is about to change. Tonight there is Jacques, Tanya, Bishop Augustine, Bruce and Barbara, Charissa and William, Eleazar, Musa, Franklyn, Thomas and Hauwah to name a few that I will pray for differently than I have in recent days.
Friday, April 20, 2012
An Incredible Illustration; please read
SPEAK of Growing Through Africa, NOW HERE is an incredible example of what it means to me to do just that.
BACKGROUND: Innocent Magambi is from Burundi. He's lived in at least 4 refugee camps. But in the providence of God, he was "discovered" when a pastor (who is now on the EAFC board) was working in one of those refugee camps in Malawi. Through Pastor Joseph's knowledge of EAFC, Innocent became ONE OF OURS. This pastor married Innocent to Florisa and a year later, Mwiza was born to them.
The genetic problems this precious daughter had I don't begin to understand, but I do know that through EXCELLENT updates from Florisa, we've kept on praying. What I have copied into this post is the announcement I just received, describing Mwiza's home going. I have never read a more beautiful description of that process.
"Innocent Magambi and I feel so incredibly wrapped in love from so many people, in a way that is special and rare in one's lifetime. Mwiza is the one who has brought us closer, what a bringer of blessings she has been. To all the families out there who are still caring for kids with HPE, I send you much love. One day all the senseless suffering, exhaustion, questions, anger - all of it will acquire a different value. I salute you sisters, don't give up. Like a butterfly, our daughter has shed her cocoon and left it behind, and is flying high in a swirling around in glory!"
I close now whispering a prayer not only for this precious family (who by the way are expecting another baby) but praying for me, you and all of us touched in this process of Growing Through Africa. May that process never stop.
BACKGROUND: Innocent Magambi is from Burundi. He's lived in at least 4 refugee camps. But in the providence of God, he was "discovered" when a pastor (who is now on the EAFC board) was working in one of those refugee camps in Malawi. Through Pastor Joseph's knowledge of EAFC, Innocent became ONE OF OURS. This pastor married Innocent to Florisa and a year later, Mwiza was born to them.
The genetic problems this precious daughter had I don't begin to understand, but I do know that through EXCELLENT updates from Florisa, we've kept on praying. What I have copied into this post is the announcement I just received, describing Mwiza's home going. I have never read a more beautiful description of that process.
"Innocent Magambi and I feel so incredibly wrapped in love from so many people, in a way that is special and rare in one's lifetime. Mwiza is the one who has brought us closer, what a bringer of blessings she has been. To all the families out there who are still caring for kids with HPE, I send you much love. One day all the senseless suffering, exhaustion, questions, anger - all of it will acquire a different value. I salute you sisters, don't give up. Like a butterfly, our daughter has shed her cocoon and left it behind, and is flying high in a swirling around in glory!"
I close now whispering a prayer not only for this precious family (who by the way are expecting another baby) but praying for me, you and all of us touched in this process of Growing Through Africa. May that process never stop.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
INSIGHT INTO America
quote from someone living within our borders as a visitor!
"Well I worked hard and bought a used van (Chrysler, town & Country) from a car dealer but he sold me a bad car. It heats and breaks all the time. So, I decided to take back to him and the agreement I signed was "as is basis". I have told him if he does not give me another one. He should consider it a donation to his company. I have never been embarrassed with the car before and I never want to associate my family with poverty. This is what I have grown fighting."
I responded to him that just as I needed trusted friends in his country, so will he while living here. But it does make us pause and look at ourselves, doesn't it?
"Well I worked hard and bought a used van (Chrysler, town & Country) from a car dealer but he sold me a bad car. It heats and breaks all the time. So, I decided to take back to him and the agreement I signed was "as is basis". I have told him if he does not give me another one. He should consider it a donation to his company. I have never been embarrassed with the car before and I never want to associate my family with poverty. This is what I have grown fighting."
I responded to him that just as I needed trusted friends in his country, so will he while living here. But it does make us pause and look at ourselves, doesn't it?
What Communicates Better?
I have a Growing Through Africa Friends (group) on Facebook. I started it so I could get people to comment on ideas I bring up on this blog. Is it working? It's hard to say. I DO get a few comments and indications that people are reading them. But does that mean they are reading THIS? Am I deluding myself that anyone has time or cares to read anything I have to pontificate about?
WELLLLL, a few of you seem to be reading this since I get a "number count" from week to week. So, I guess when it goes to 0 I'll stop. ha! But maybe I do this JUST FOR ME/ therapy, you know?
TOMORROW is the LAST DAY I get to be with "MY STUDENTS" at JSU. I've truly come to love these kids. Boy, I can't tell you how much I will miss them, but then, that's how it goes. ONE SEMESTER WITH ONE GROUP of YOUNG PEOPLE who need instruction in a course called Speech Arts. They finish Persuasive Speeches tomorrow and "some" will take an optional vocabulary test, which I MUST admit have stretched their teacher as well.
I gave my students 6 options of topics to research in their attempt to persuade. Several chose the option of KONY 2012. April 20 is supposed to be the night that volunteers put up Joseph Kony posters all over America to try to inform people who he is. BUT Video Part 1 and 2 have probably done as much as any pictures of Kony could do. Invisible Children have really HELPED! And my friend James Oonyu from Uganda agrees with me!!!!!
In fact, James took time to write several of my students back who asked him specific questions about what he thought of this effort AND Invisible Children in particular. On the FACEBOOK group, I copied and posted a lot of what he said.
Later I'll give ya'll an update on the speeches I hear tomorrow. I have HIGH hopes that they've learned a lot. Now, whether or not they can communicate what they've learned. well?????
We'll see how good a teacher they've had!
WELLLLL, a few of you seem to be reading this since I get a "number count" from week to week. So, I guess when it goes to 0 I'll stop. ha! But maybe I do this JUST FOR ME/ therapy, you know?
TOMORROW is the LAST DAY I get to be with "MY STUDENTS" at JSU. I've truly come to love these kids. Boy, I can't tell you how much I will miss them, but then, that's how it goes. ONE SEMESTER WITH ONE GROUP of YOUNG PEOPLE who need instruction in a course called Speech Arts. They finish Persuasive Speeches tomorrow and "some" will take an optional vocabulary test, which I MUST admit have stretched their teacher as well.
I gave my students 6 options of topics to research in their attempt to persuade. Several chose the option of KONY 2012. April 20 is supposed to be the night that volunteers put up Joseph Kony posters all over America to try to inform people who he is. BUT Video Part 1 and 2 have probably done as much as any pictures of Kony could do. Invisible Children have really HELPED! And my friend James Oonyu from Uganda agrees with me!!!!!
In fact, James took time to write several of my students back who asked him specific questions about what he thought of this effort AND Invisible Children in particular. On the FACEBOOK group, I copied and posted a lot of what he said.
Later I'll give ya'll an update on the speeches I hear tomorrow. I have HIGH hopes that they've learned a lot. Now, whether or not they can communicate what they've learned. well?????
We'll see how good a teacher they've had!
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Remember Kisses from Katie; Well, Here's ANOTHER ONE to FOLLOW
MEET WHITNEY!
This picture was taken in Hattiesburg in August, 2009 at EAFC's Jubilante Africa event.
(We were trying to help Christians in Hattiesburg to "GET ON BOARD the AFRICA EXPRESS" and learn how EAFC operates in more than one country in Africa.)
But when this picture was taken, it was SECOND time I'd met Whitney. And here she was manning a table for us at our event!
I'd first met Whitney on a chance encounter in Nakuru, Kenya. We both were staying at the same guesthouse which is an easy setting for making new friends. First a young lady from some state far like "Michigan" greeted our team. When we told her where we were from, she told us one of their team members was from Mississippi.
It was WHITNEY, who we THEN discovered knew our nephew, Pate. Small world, right?
When we got home, Whitney wanted to help us with our special event, and now 2 years later, having finished her first year at William Carey University, she wrote me,
"I am beyond excited to be writing you to inform you of what the Lord has been doing within this past year...... God has been stirring my heart for international missions again. After going to Kenya two years ago, I have had a longing to go back to Africa to be a part of what God is doing there.......God has called me to be a good steward of my time, and I have a summer that could easily be wasted away. But God has called me to make the most of my summer......... I've been led to an orphanage in Uganda...... I have been accepted as a volunteer at EKTSA orphanage for special needs children in Uganda. I will be going to be the hands and feet of Christ this summer for 2 months."
THINK I "might" find some coins to send Whitney? I think so!
And while communicating with her, I'm telling her about Kisses from Katie, about another young woman who has been willing to forsake the "normal" American life to impact children, yes, ALSO in Uganda!
It'll be fun to follow what God does in Whitney's life this summer, won't it?
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
With so much to consider
I keep writing AGAIN, BUT WHY?
Gaining traction, moving hearts from "that's nice" beyond is something that I doubt I will ever master.
I went by the EAFC office today to work on student renewals and whether or not to encourage everyone who has expressed an interest in EAFC in applying.
What I found though, was that Deidra is joyfully the keeper of information about the progress of our students. While there she showed me lots of pictures that current students have sent in. One was even a picture of his entire church congregation. There were updates, challenges, victories that any one of us could identify with
I would love to figure out what pulls heart strings. Invisible Children seems to. A country getting a Christian radio station is another motivator. People seem to get connected with ONE FRIEND, be his/her name is
Joyce, James, or Japhet. But what about all those we will never get to MEET PERSONALLY. Can we VICARIOUSLY IDENTIFY WITH THEM TOO?
I want us to love those whether we ever get to to meetthem or not! Am I alone in that?
Gaining traction, moving hearts from "that's nice" beyond is something that I doubt I will ever master.
I went by the EAFC office today to work on student renewals and whether or not to encourage everyone who has expressed an interest in EAFC in applying.
What I found though, was that Deidra is joyfully the keeper of information about the progress of our students. While there she showed me lots of pictures that current students have sent in. One was even a picture of his entire church congregation. There were updates, challenges, victories that any one of us could identify with
I would love to figure out what pulls heart strings. Invisible Children seems to. A country getting a Christian radio station is another motivator. People seem to get connected with ONE FRIEND, be his/her name is
Joyce, James, or Japhet. But what about all those we will never get to MEET PERSONALLY. Can we VICARIOUSLY IDENTIFY WITH THEM TOO?
I want us to love those whether we ever get to to meetthem or not! Am I alone in that?
Saturday, April 7, 2012
EVERYBODY WANTS TO HELP WHERE THEY CAN, right?
(THIS MORNING some of you, MY FRIENDS, got an email (from me) forwarded to me from someone I trust. If you liked it, you have now sent it on. WHAT was the email forward about?
It regarded something WE ORDINARY PEOPLE COULD DO ABOUT GAS PRICES. The email listed those companies that buy gas from Saudi Arabia and those who don't. ( Yes, you guessed it; I have a tiny bit of stock in one of those BAD companies!) At least I now know and can make a choice as to whether or not looking for gas stations in the "good" camp is something I want to do. right?
Now, WHAT in the world do those two paragraphs have to do with my desire (and I hope yours) to grow through Africa?
Here's the connection!!!! IF you LIKE, REALLY LIKE a ministry that is unique because it focuses on RESPECTFUL RESPONSIBLE, RELATIONSHIP building WHILE trying to train LEADERS in LOTS of countries in Africa, THEN I want you to copy and paste this post to TEN of your friends!
On MAY 21 our SCHOLARSHIP SELECTION Committee of Educating Africans for Christ will meet to select recipients for 2013 scholarships. We try to combine FAITH with OUR BANK ACCOUNT in deciding how many we can take. The "formula" isn't perfected. That's why I am asking you to forward this email to TEN friends that you think "might" just "might" want to help us take one more student that we'd have to turn down ONLY because of the bank account/ faith formula we use.
YOU CAN SEND MONEY THROUGH Paypal. Go to www.eafc.net It's REAL easy! ALSO you could mail a check to
EAFC
PO BOX 5303
Jackson, Ms 39296
(or email admin@eafc.net for more information)
Now, I think I'm going to try to copy and paste this myself, and email it to TEN.
If it doesn't work, I'll let you know! Otherwise, WILL YOU JOIN a CAMPAIGN with ETERNAL SIGNIFICANCE?
Thank you so much for your help!
It regarded something WE ORDINARY PEOPLE COULD DO ABOUT GAS PRICES. The email listed those companies that buy gas from Saudi Arabia and those who don't. ( Yes, you guessed it; I have a tiny bit of stock in one of those BAD companies!) At least I now know and can make a choice as to whether or not looking for gas stations in the "good" camp is something I want to do. right?
Now, WHAT in the world do those two paragraphs have to do with my desire (and I hope yours) to grow through Africa?
Here's the connection!!!! IF you LIKE, REALLY LIKE a ministry that is unique because it focuses on RESPECTFUL RESPONSIBLE, RELATIONSHIP building WHILE trying to train LEADERS in LOTS of countries in Africa, THEN I want you to copy and paste this post to TEN of your friends!
On MAY 21 our SCHOLARSHIP SELECTION Committee of Educating Africans for Christ will meet to select recipients for 2013 scholarships. We try to combine FAITH with OUR BANK ACCOUNT in deciding how many we can take. The "formula" isn't perfected. That's why I am asking you to forward this email to TEN friends that you think "might" just "might" want to help us take one more student that we'd have to turn down ONLY because of the bank account/ faith formula we use.
YOU CAN SEND MONEY THROUGH Paypal. Go to www.eafc.net It's REAL easy! ALSO you could mail a check to
EAFC
PO BOX 5303
Jackson, Ms 39296
(or email admin@eafc.net for more information)
Now, I think I'm going to try to copy and paste this myself, and email it to TEN.
If it doesn't work, I'll let you know! Otherwise, WILL YOU JOIN a CAMPAIGN with ETERNAL SIGNIFICANCE?
Thank you so much for your help!
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