On Monday I left home around 5am to get to the airport and then head for Bangladesh. Things started out well and on one of my longer flights I even was given a free upgrade into the Business class section of the plane because economy was full. On my long flight from San Francisco to Tokyo, I had two empty seats next to me on the plane so that was great too. There was plenty of room to stretch out and sleep. Because things started out so good though, I was just wondering when they would turn for the worse. I got my answer yesterday.
After arriving safely in Dhaka I waited and waited for my luggage and it didn't arrive. So I began the long process of filing a missing luggage report. Memories of one of my travel companions from a trip earlier this year to Africa were floating around in my mind! On that trip, Gary never did get his luggage. After spending about 1 1/2 hours at the missing luggage office I was ready to leave the airport and try to find Phillip and his guys who no doubt had been waiting to pick me up for a long time already. Just as I was leaving the lost bag area, the woman in charge yelled at me and said that my bag had just been found! The only problem was that it had gone to Vietnam. Ooops. Anyway, She gave me the equivalent of $50 for my troubles and told me that my bag would be delivered the next day on the same flight.
Today I went back to the airport and after working my way through the security system to get back inside the baggage claim area, I arrived just as the luggage was being unloaded off the plane and my bag was there! Thank you Jesus! I can't wait to get out of these clothes which I've been wearing for almost 4 days now.
All of this is interesting to me since this is Thanksgiving day back home. Today I'm thankful that I have my clothes, amongst many other things. But I also would have been thankful if they had not come. When you spend any amount of time in a foreign country you quickly realize that we have so much to be thankful for. When I left home I was kind of sad that I would be missing Thanksgiving. To be honest, however, I think I'm going to appreciate Thanksgiving more this year than ever before.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Heading Home!
Well, Dave and I leave for the airport at 3:30 am for a 6am flight out of Kiev. It's the final leg of this journey and in less than 30 hours I'll be home. I'm going to miss the new friends I've made here in Ukraine and I'll always remember the fun we've had here. The past few days have been filled with laughing, telling stories, and lots of hanging out.
I'm going to miss the food too. I say that having previously come from India where your choices of food are spicy chicken and rice, hot spicy chicken and rice, or very hot spicy chicken and rice. (Ok, so it might not be as bad as I'm letting on but it's close. Just ask my friend Rich Yoder.)
The Ukrainians really enjoy there food though and take it seriously. For breakfast it's cereal, yogurt, bread, meat, cheese, and chocolate cheesecake bars. For lunch, it's some kind of soup, bread, salad and chocolate candies. For dinner, some form of potatoes, meat, bread, pasta, and yet another kind of chocolate cookie or candy. The common theme here is chocolate just in case you missed it. They love their chocolate and frankly so do I. It's the kind of cultural adjustment I think I could make without too many problems.
In case you doubt the value of chocolate here, let me tell you about my trip to the grocery store the other night. It wasn't unlike an American grocery store in it's size. It's content was much different though. Imagine if you will an aisle that is about 30 feet in length. Shelving units extend from the floor up to a 7 foot height down both sides of the aisle. Now imagine if you will that their are two complete aisles of this description that having nothing but various types of chocolate bars, chocolate cookies, and chocolate candies. You wouldn't be imagining it if you were in the same store that I was in two days ago. Oh, and as a side note, there was an equal portion of the store dedicated to alcohol.
As I leave chocolate land, I am heading for Oregon. I will be home for 4 days and then I'll be heading out for Bangladesh so you can keep checking back for more trip updates. The fun isn't stopping yet. In case you are wondering, I have uploaded my photos from Ukraine into the gallery so have fun checking them out!
I'm going to miss the food too. I say that having previously come from India where your choices of food are spicy chicken and rice, hot spicy chicken and rice, or very hot spicy chicken and rice. (Ok, so it might not be as bad as I'm letting on but it's close. Just ask my friend Rich Yoder.)
The Ukrainians really enjoy there food though and take it seriously. For breakfast it's cereal, yogurt, bread, meat, cheese, and chocolate cheesecake bars. For lunch, it's some kind of soup, bread, salad and chocolate candies. For dinner, some form of potatoes, meat, bread, pasta, and yet another kind of chocolate cookie or candy. The common theme here is chocolate just in case you missed it. They love their chocolate and frankly so do I. It's the kind of cultural adjustment I think I could make without too many problems.
In case you doubt the value of chocolate here, let me tell you about my trip to the grocery store the other night. It wasn't unlike an American grocery store in it's size. It's content was much different though. Imagine if you will an aisle that is about 30 feet in length. Shelving units extend from the floor up to a 7 foot height down both sides of the aisle. Now imagine if you will that their are two complete aisles of this description that having nothing but various types of chocolate bars, chocolate cookies, and chocolate candies. You wouldn't be imagining it if you were in the same store that I was in two days ago. Oh, and as a side note, there was an equal portion of the store dedicated to alcohol.
As I leave chocolate land, I am heading for Oregon. I will be home for 4 days and then I'll be heading out for Bangladesh so you can keep checking back for more trip updates. The fun isn't stopping yet. In case you are wondering, I have uploaded my photos from Ukraine into the gallery so have fun checking them out!
A Changed Life
One of the ECC workers from Kazakhstan spoke to Dave and me last night about a man he knew in Uzbekistan. This man had gotten drunk with two of his friends and had gotten into a fight at a bar. The man this group was fighting against had received a severe blow to the head and died. Because of this, the three men were wanted for the murder and they fled the country even though they had families they were leaving behind.
This one man, fled to Kazakhstan and lived there for quite a while without being found. While he was there, he met some Christians and accepted Christ himself. He became so enthused about his faith that he wanted to enroll in a Kazakh seminary to study how to be a pastor before returning home. During his application, though, the school found out about his past and told him they would not accept him as a student until he returned to Uzbekistan and faced the punishment for his crimes.
So this man returned to Uzbekistan and did just what the seminary had asked. He turned himself into a police station there and told the officials that he was the one they had been looking for in connection with the crime. The police couldn’t believe that he was turning himself in, so they asked him to write out his confession. In his confession, he gave complete account of the events that had happened and led to the fight. He didn’t stop there however. He continued on to explain how he became a Christian and how he realized the need to confess.
When the man in charge of the jail read his confession, he himself was deeply convicted of his own sins. He returned to the man and asked him to write his confession over again, this time using the Russian language so that other members of the jail staff could read it too. Because of his confession, many of the jailers came to Christ and favor was shown upon him.
Later, this man was transferred to another jail while he was awaiting the sentencing for his crime. He was placed in a cell with 31 other prisoners who were also waiting for their sentences but there were only 16 beds. They had to share the beds and take turns sleeping. Because of the favor that was shown upon him by the jailers, he was allowed to have a personal bible in the cell.
One day while he was sleeping he awoke to complete silence in the jail cell. At first he thought that the other prisoners must have been moved out, but as he climbed out of his bed he saw these 31 men sitting on the floor gathered around in a circle. They had found his bible and one man was reading it to the rest of them. They were reading the story of Joseph and how he had been thrown in prison. When the realized that this man had woken up, they asked him to pray for them for God to help them as they were awaiting their own prison sentences.
The man went on to serve a shortened prison sentence and when he was released he went home to his family and led his wife and children to Christ. He continues to serve Christ to this day and he has received his seminary degree.
This one man, fled to Kazakhstan and lived there for quite a while without being found. While he was there, he met some Christians and accepted Christ himself. He became so enthused about his faith that he wanted to enroll in a Kazakh seminary to study how to be a pastor before returning home. During his application, though, the school found out about his past and told him they would not accept him as a student until he returned to Uzbekistan and faced the punishment for his crimes.
So this man returned to Uzbekistan and did just what the seminary had asked. He turned himself into a police station there and told the officials that he was the one they had been looking for in connection with the crime. The police couldn’t believe that he was turning himself in, so they asked him to write out his confession. In his confession, he gave complete account of the events that had happened and led to the fight. He didn’t stop there however. He continued on to explain how he became a Christian and how he realized the need to confess.
When the man in charge of the jail read his confession, he himself was deeply convicted of his own sins. He returned to the man and asked him to write his confession over again, this time using the Russian language so that other members of the jail staff could read it too. Because of his confession, many of the jailers came to Christ and favor was shown upon him.
Later, this man was transferred to another jail while he was awaiting the sentencing for his crime. He was placed in a cell with 31 other prisoners who were also waiting for their sentences but there were only 16 beds. They had to share the beds and take turns sleeping. Because of the favor that was shown upon him by the jailers, he was allowed to have a personal bible in the cell.
One day while he was sleeping he awoke to complete silence in the jail cell. At first he thought that the other prisoners must have been moved out, but as he climbed out of his bed he saw these 31 men sitting on the floor gathered around in a circle. They had found his bible and one man was reading it to the rest of them. They were reading the story of Joseph and how he had been thrown in prison. When the realized that this man had woken up, they asked him to pray for them for God to help them as they were awaiting their own prison sentences.
The man went on to serve a shortened prison sentence and when he was released he went home to his family and led his wife and children to Christ. He continues to serve Christ to this day and he has received his seminary degree.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Ukraine Update 1
Members of the Baptist Church eat their own children. It sounds like the headline from some sort of April fools day newspaper edition, or the title to some horror movie but it isn’t. It is a statement that was made by the Russian propaganda machine during the days of communism. And while those days of the communist Russian government are gone (at least for now) the result of that propaganda still has an effect on church growth today. It’s just one of the obstacles that churches face in trying to win new members to Christ these days.
I’ve been in Kiev, Ukraine now for four days. Dave and I have been attending an ECC conference for the European and Asian leaders. There are 25 participants representing the countries of Spain, Hungary, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Estonia, and Kazakhstan. As always, I’ve been taking lots of photos and running the electronic equipment for the conference. Today I compiled all the presentations and handouts that have been given and put together a computer CD for all the guys to take home with these electronic documents on them.
I’ve also been video taping testimonies from the team members. I came in thinking that maybe the testimonies might be a little less dramatic here than they are in more impoverished countries like India, Burundi, Mozambique, etc… The perception being that God seems to work more in countries that have less. That’s not been the case, however, and I’ve been amazed to hear what God is doing in this region of the world. In my next post I will share a couple of those testimonies.
Yesterday our group of 25 people attended a local church in downtown Kiev. I think we were slightly overwhelming to the small congregation of 40 people. After church our group went to lunch and then wandered the streets of Kiev doing some shopping and sight seeing. As soon as we stepped out of church it started snowing. Having packed only a light weight jacket because of luggage restrictions, it seemed a bit cold to me. The snow was beautiful, but made picture taking kind of difficult. All in all though, it was a great day.
I’ve been in Kiev, Ukraine now for four days. Dave and I have been attending an ECC conference for the European and Asian leaders. There are 25 participants representing the countries of Spain, Hungary, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Estonia, and Kazakhstan. As always, I’ve been taking lots of photos and running the electronic equipment for the conference. Today I compiled all the presentations and handouts that have been given and put together a computer CD for all the guys to take home with these electronic documents on them.I’ve also been video taping testimonies from the team members. I came in thinking that maybe the testimonies might be a little less dramatic here than they are in more impoverished countries like India, Burundi, Mozambique, etc… The perception being that God seems to work more in countries that have less. That’s not been the case, however, and I’ve been amazed to hear what God is doing in this region of the world. In my next post I will share a couple of those testimonies.
Yesterday our group of 25 people attended a local church in downtown Kiev. I think we were slightly overwhelming to the small congregation of 40 people. After church our group went to lunch and then wandered the streets of Kiev doing some shopping and sight seeing. As soon as we stepped out of church it started snowing. Having packed only a light weight jacket because of luggage restrictions, it seemed a bit cold to me. The snow was beautiful, but made picture taking kind of difficult. All in all though, it was a great day.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
India Update #3
The Aftermath of Tragedy
At the end of last week our group toured some of the areas that were affected by the Tsunami of December, 2004 in and around Chennai. Last year I had the privilege to tour some of these same areas so it was encouraging for me to see the improvements that have happened in the past year. Many of the areas that had been set up for temporary shelters are now torn down and permanent housing structures are being built. People are moving on with their lives and healing is taking place.
In one village that we visited, the church has felt compelled to construct a small housing complex for a group of Christian widows who lost their husbands to the Tsunami. Funds have been raised and construction is almost complete on 10 houses for these women. A similar story is taking place in another village not too far down the road where literally hundreds of houses are being built; all for the survivors who lost everything. Yet it is not only material possessions that are being renewed here.
The church has taken advantage of the opportunity to share the gospel with these coastal people and to start churches. No fewer than 9 churches have been started in the past year in these coastal areas and several after school programs have been started for the children as well. Kids come to the churches from 5pm to 7:30pm every school day for tutoring on school work, snacks, and bible lessons. Together, the churches and after school programs are helping people heal and recover emotionally in addition to the physical healing they are getting from the relief efforts.
Moving on from Here
I have placed the photos from my time in India into the photo gallery now. Dave and I will be leaving Chennai in less than 6 hours and will make our way to Kiev, Ukraine. It’s snowing in Kiev today so it’s going to be a sudden climate change for the two of us.
At the end of last week our group toured some of the areas that were affected by the Tsunami of December, 2004 in and around Chennai. Last year I had the privilege to tour some of these same areas so it was encouraging for me to see the improvements that have happened in the past year. Many of the areas that had been set up for temporary shelters are now torn down and permanent housing structures are being built. People are moving on with their lives and healing is taking place.
In one village that we visited, the church has felt compelled to construct a small housing complex for a group of Christian widows who lost their husbands to the Tsunami. Funds have been raised and construction is almost complete on 10 houses for these women. A similar story is taking place in another village not too far down the road where literally hundreds of houses are being built; all for the survivors who lost everything. Yet it is not only material possessions that are being renewed here.The church has taken advantage of the opportunity to share the gospel with these coastal people and to start churches. No fewer than 9 churches have been started in the past year in these coastal areas and several after school programs have been started for the children as well. Kids come to the churches from 5pm to 7:30pm every school day for tutoring on school work, snacks, and bible lessons. Together, the churches and after school programs are helping people heal and recover emotionally in addition to the physical healing they are getting from the relief efforts.
Moving on from Here
I have placed the photos from my time in India into the photo gallery now. Dave and I will be leaving Chennai in less than 6 hours and will make our way to Kiev, Ukraine. It’s snowing in Kiev today so it’s going to be a sudden climate change for the two of us.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
India Testimony
One of the testimonies I heard this past week was from a family that I had been fortunate enough to visit last May when I was in India. At that time I had only gotten a partial account of their testimony because of the language difficulties and understanding the translation. At the conference this week, I was able to get the “Rest of the Story” as Paul Harvey likes to say. Here it is!
There is a family in New Delhi that is living in a small house sandwiched between many other houses on a narrow street, if you can call it a street. They were not believers and the wife became very depressed after having 6 miscarriages. One day a friend of hers invited her to a prayer meeting at a local ECC team house and it was there she heard God speak to her through his word, “commit your ways to God and He will set you free.” She decided to do so and soon after she had two girls and began to forget about God again. After her second child had been born, however, she desperately wanted a boy but the doctors told her she could not have any more children. Once again she returned to God and confessed her sins and she asked God to give her a son. God heard her prayers and she became pregnant again and gave birth to a son.
Meanwhile, her husband was causing pain for the family. He would rent a rickshaw every day and drive it all day and night. What little income he was making would be used to buy alcohol. He would beat his wife every time she would attend church or other prayer meetings. Despite this, however, she grew very strong in her faith and continually prayed for her husband.
One day God answered her prayers. As she put it, “The Lord heard my prayers and my husband met with an accident.” In the accident, both of his legs were broken and he was forced to spend time in the hospital. While in the hospital, his wife prayed for him and with him every day. Soon, his legs began to heal as did his heart. One day in the hospital he asked for forgiveness from his wife and he confessed his sins to the Lord and dedicated his life to Christ.
After his healing, the couple began to save their money. Now, instead of renting his rickshaw for daily driving he is the owner of 5 rickshaws which he rents out for others to drive for him. On the backs of all his rickshaws he has written bible versus and displays a cross as a Christian witness. This family hopes to buy a new house soon that will better accommodate their family.
There is a family in New Delhi that is living in a small house sandwiched between many other houses on a narrow street, if you can call it a street. They were not believers and the wife became very depressed after having 6 miscarriages. One day a friend of hers invited her to a prayer meeting at a local ECC team house and it was there she heard God speak to her through his word, “commit your ways to God and He will set you free.” She decided to do so and soon after she had two girls and began to forget about God again. After her second child had been born, however, she desperately wanted a boy but the doctors told her she could not have any more children. Once again she returned to God and confessed her sins and she asked God to give her a son. God heard her prayers and she became pregnant again and gave birth to a son.Meanwhile, her husband was causing pain for the family. He would rent a rickshaw every day and drive it all day and night. What little income he was making would be used to buy alcohol. He would beat his wife every time she would attend church or other prayer meetings. Despite this, however, she grew very strong in her faith and continually prayed for her husband.
One day God answered her prayers. As she put it, “The Lord heard my prayers and my husband met with an accident.” In the accident, both of his legs were broken and he was forced to spend time in the hospital. While in the hospital, his wife prayed for him and with him every day. Soon, his legs began to heal as did his heart. One day in the hospital he asked for forgiveness from his wife and he confessed his sins to the Lord and dedicated his life to Christ.
After his healing, the couple began to save their money. Now, instead of renting his rickshaw for daily driving he is the owner of 5 rickshaws which he rents out for others to drive for him. On the backs of all his rickshaws he has written bible versus and displays a cross as a Christian witness. This family hopes to buy a new house soon that will better accommodate their family.
India Update #2
We just returned from the camp yesterday afternoon and now we are back in Chennai for the remainder of the week. Tomorrow, a group of five people are coming from the United States to join Dave and I for a few days in India. Together, the seven of us will spend three days visiting ECC teams around this area of India. Once they leave, Dave and I will have two more days here before heading on to Ukraine.I don't have very many new pictures at this point, but I do have a couple hours of video footage. In the next few days I will try and share some of the testimonies that I received here on the blog. Stay tuned!
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