I get asked a lot if we are still leaving for Swaziland. I can only answer, "Yes, I still feel the Lord is leading us there." However I do understand, that after a year and little having appeared to change in our lives where the question come from.
So in order to elivate the wonder, I decided maybe I should start doing monthly newsletters. To a certain point, I worry about these month after month stating the same problem, "waiting on the house to sell." I still feel people would like this reminder.
On another note, I guess it is better to have MORE PEOPLE praying for the sell of the house. We are very anxious to transition into this work, but we must sell our house in order to do so. I do ask you to join us in praying toward that end.
Anyway, without further ado February 2009 Bowman Newsletter
Showing posts with label Swaziland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Swaziland. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
I Need Africa
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Do You Really Think It's God's Will For You...
If you had asked me back in April how my summer was supposed to go it was something like this. "The house will be on the market by mid June. We will close on the house by the middle of August. Then Friday the 15 will be my last day at work. We will then go to the wedding in Texas and drive back to Georgia for training. The support that is not quite raised by that point we'll get while we're down there."
Instead, it is now the August fourteenth and my painter has not finished painting the house so the "For Sale" sign is not even planted into the ground. I checked my support account and I have $0 in committed monthly support from 0 supporters. All this would be OK except for the fact that I have now spoken and handed out support cards at our home church where we attend, the church I served on staff at for 4 years, the church I grew up at, and a couple others where I had friends. After tapping my family, my friends, and my connections the result has been a goose egg.
This is not a pity party! Instead it is a definitive answer to the question I hear most these days, "Do you really think it's God's will for you to go to Swaziland?" The answer is an affirmative "YES! We are going!" Although the sale of my house is not in sync with my time line, I still say, "Yes, we are going." Although my friends have decided so far not to be our monthly support, I still say, "Yes, we are going." Even though all my personal connections have come up nil, I still say, "Yes, we are going."
When I hear the question, "Do you really think it's God's will for you to go to Swaziland?" it feels like my friends have become my foes. As they are asking it I am hearing, "Why can't you just be good Americans, with good jobs, and a good retirement?" As they are asking it and I have no house contract to show them, and no monthly support commitment to defend my radical calling to uproot my wife and children to the take care of third world orphans, I feel their condescending victory over my refusal to "just be normal."
I trust in God's provisional love for our family, and for the Swazi orphans. I rejoice in God's saving us from the commodity of trudging forward as merely good employees. I sing because I have been filled with a bounty of more purpose and vision than I dreamed to be worthy of. I rely on the faith that caused Abraham to say, "WE will come back to you," as he departed in solidarity to the task of sacrificing his son.
Abraham walked his path in fraternity with God alone. We unlike him, walk this in fellowship with our friends, our family, and our church connections. Abraham did not hear the repeated jeers of his nay sayers, "Do you really think God meant kill Isaac? Maybe God was speaking figuratively." We walk seeking the unity of partnership between us who will go, and those being called by God to send.
We move forward with the same faith that caused Abraham to have "reasoned that God could raise the dead" and caused David to sing for the Lord's goodness. It is God's will for us to be ministering to the orphans in Nsoko Swaziland. As Paul said, "We live by faith, not by sight." We proceed by the promises of God knowing that we will be moving in Swaziland in January.
Instead, it is now the August fourteenth and my painter has not finished painting the house so the "For Sale" sign is not even planted into the ground. I checked my support account and I have $0 in committed monthly support from 0 supporters. All this would be OK except for the fact that I have now spoken and handed out support cards at our home church where we attend, the church I served on staff at for 4 years, the church I grew up at, and a couple others where I had friends. After tapping my family, my friends, and my connections the result has been a goose egg.
This is not a pity party! Instead it is a definitive answer to the question I hear most these days, "Do you really think it's God's will for you to go to Swaziland?" The answer is an affirmative "YES! We are going!" Although the sale of my house is not in sync with my time line, I still say, "Yes, we are going." Although my friends have decided so far not to be our monthly support, I still say, "Yes, we are going." Even though all my personal connections have come up nil, I still say, "Yes, we are going."
When I hear the question, "Do you really think it's God's will for you to go to Swaziland?" it feels like my friends have become my foes. As they are asking it I am hearing, "Why can't you just be good Americans, with good jobs, and a good retirement?" As they are asking it and I have no house contract to show them, and no monthly support commitment to defend my radical calling to uproot my wife and children to the take care of third world orphans, I feel their condescending victory over my refusal to "just be normal."
Psalm 13The Lord gave me this passage today as an assurance to His calling. Although the nay-sayers are more numerous than the supporters. Although the people who want us to "just be normal" are pleased by our seeming to fail in the time line we both felt God led us to. Although it seems to those looking with only physical eyes that God hidden his face, forgetting his commission to us in this endeavor we look with different eyes, we listen with different ears, we touch with different hands, and we trust with a different faith.
How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I take counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
Consider and answer me, O LORD my God;
light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed over him,"
lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.
But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
I will sing to the LORD,
because he has dealt bountifully with me.
I trust in God's provisional love for our family, and for the Swazi orphans. I rejoice in God's saving us from the commodity of trudging forward as merely good employees. I sing because I have been filled with a bounty of more purpose and vision than I dreamed to be worthy of. I rely on the faith that caused Abraham to say, "WE will come back to you," as he departed in solidarity to the task of sacrificing his son.
Abraham walked his path in fraternity with God alone. We unlike him, walk this in fellowship with our friends, our family, and our church connections. Abraham did not hear the repeated jeers of his nay sayers, "Do you really think God meant kill Isaac? Maybe God was speaking figuratively." We walk seeking the unity of partnership between us who will go, and those being called by God to send.
We move forward with the same faith that caused Abraham to have "reasoned that God could raise the dead" and caused David to sing for the Lord's goodness. It is God's will for us to be ministering to the orphans in Nsoko Swaziland. As Paul said, "We live by faith, not by sight." We proceed by the promises of God knowing that we will be moving in Swaziland in January.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Why Nsoko, Swaziland? Why The Bowmans?
Swaziland is a small landlocked country in Southern Africa. In 2002 the country had a population of 1.2 million people, today it stands at 860 thousand. By 2012 the Swazi population will be hovering round 500 thousand. Of that over half...nearly 250 thousand will be orphans. In the remaining adult population the HIV/AIDS rate stands at 42% today and that rate is continuing to climb. The country itself is one of the poorest nations on earth. 70% of the population lives on less than $1 a day with no access to clean water and improved sanitation. 40% of the population is suffering from starvation. Most of these are orphans, being raised by older siblings in orphan led households.
Because the community knows these are orphan led household it is commonplace for these unprotected children to be forced into oppressive labor or worse but no more uncommon for the girls to be repeatedly sexually abused. 80% of Swazi girls have been raped by their fourteenth birthday.
Those children who escape the terrors of oppression and abuse must still face the daily task of walking from their family homes to a care point where they will receive one to two meals and clean water. This process which can be distances as much as six miles each way occupies the children's entire daily life leaving no time for education, agriculture, or economic opportunity.
We do not believe this is God's will for the children of Swaziland. We believe that God meant it when he claimed that he would be the Father to the fatherless. We believe that God takes his title of "defender of orphans" most seriously. We also believe that God has staked his reputation on the church, and we as a family feel therefore called to make good on his promises to the fatherless orphans.
So after establishing the problem, and God's desired response of his church to the problem comes the question of why our family. In January of this year my wife and I traveled to Swaziland on a one week vision trip. While there our hearts were captured by God for His purposes for our life intersecting with these children. This led to an amazing chain of events upon our return home through which we came to be partnered with our sponsoring organization Adventures In Missions and their sister ministry G42 whose plan was to plant a village designed to raise these children in a safe enviroment. God has shown myself and my wife that our pasts and our skills indvidually will be joined together for his unique glory in the roles we will fill within the Nsoko Orphan Village.
In the security of the village the children will recieve food, education, agricultural and economic training, and most importantly be discipled so that when they "age out" of our program they are equipped with the skills, and love neccessary to partner with the Kingdom of God in caring for more of this overwhelming orphan population. Our plan is live among these kids and to love them in a way that instills the love of God for orphans into these orphans so that our work is recreated in their lives as they mature into young adulthood.
This vision will bring the hope of New Creation to the hopless realities of the Swazi orphans. That is why some one must go, that is why we must go.
Because the community knows these are orphan led household it is commonplace for these unprotected children to be forced into oppressive labor or worse but no more uncommon for the girls to be repeatedly sexually abused. 80% of Swazi girls have been raped by their fourteenth birthday.
Those children who escape the terrors of oppression and abuse must still face the daily task of walking from their family homes to a care point where they will receive one to two meals and clean water. This process which can be distances as much as six miles each way occupies the children's entire daily life leaving no time for education, agriculture, or economic opportunity.
We do not believe this is God's will for the children of Swaziland. We believe that God meant it when he claimed that he would be the Father to the fatherless. We believe that God takes his title of "defender of orphans" most seriously. We also believe that God has staked his reputation on the church, and we as a family feel therefore called to make good on his promises to the fatherless orphans.
So after establishing the problem, and God's desired response of his church to the problem comes the question of why our family. In January of this year my wife and I traveled to Swaziland on a one week vision trip. While there our hearts were captured by God for His purposes for our life intersecting with these children. This led to an amazing chain of events upon our return home through which we came to be partnered with our sponsoring organization Adventures In Missions and their sister ministry G42 whose plan was to plant a village designed to raise these children in a safe enviroment. God has shown myself and my wife that our pasts and our skills indvidually will be joined together for his unique glory in the roles we will fill within the Nsoko Orphan Village.
In the security of the village the children will recieve food, education, agricultural and economic training, and most importantly be discipled so that when they "age out" of our program they are equipped with the skills, and love neccessary to partner with the Kingdom of God in caring for more of this overwhelming orphan population. Our plan is live among these kids and to love them in a way that instills the love of God for orphans into these orphans so that our work is recreated in their lives as they mature into young adulthood.
This vision will bring the hope of New Creation to the hopless realities of the Swazi orphans. That is why some one must go, that is why we must go.
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Water For Nsoko
Revelation 21 as it descibes the conclusion to this season of God's creation opens by saying, "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea." The evangelist, John, is not stating that the New Earth will be the recreation of Pangea, but instead is speaking allegorically about the end of division. John is reminding us, that in the New Creation there is no separation between God and man.
Water plays an important role in the Biblical narritive. On the ford of the Jabbok Jacob wrestles with God and becomes Israel in his crossing. On the western edge of the Red Sea God divides the sea to complete his rescue of the Israel clan from the Kingdom of Egypt. Forty years later the priests of God stepped into a flooded Jordan river and the Lord stopped the waters upstream so His people could cross into their promised Kingdom. Over and over waters and seas are seen as symbols of the division between man and God. Even Jesus himself crossed into the Jordan and upon his baptism by John was raised from the water confirmed by the proclamation of heaven as Christ the Lord. Peter teaches in his first epistle that we too, cross the epic divide through water, "Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you...through the resurrection of Jesus Christ."
Water is more than just an allegorical division. It is also a physical division. The United Nations and The World Bank define extreme poverty among other things as having no access to clean water. Water divides the classes of people in this world. From those of us who have an endless supply in our city taps, to those who must transport water from community wells, to those most impoversihed who must fend off sources such as dirty puddles, rivers, and rain collection for their water.
A person must first have water before any other need such as food, shelter, and rest. Yet, in a world with to much wealth for this to be a reality, nearly twenty percent of the world population, that is one billion people, do not have this access. Their constant need to find suitable water sources further deepens the divide of their impovrished reality by leaving little time for educational oppurtunity, agricultural oppurtunity and economic oppurtunity to improve their situation. Their lack of accessible clean water divides them from the remaining 80% of the world.
This reality is not suitable for our work in Nsoko, Swaziland. Through the diligent work of Gary Black, Gift Dlamini and Jumbo Gerber there is a well today at the future location of Nsoko orphan village. We celebrate that the orphans we will raise up as sons and daughters of God will not be burdened by this divide. The separation of their current situation will be replaced by oppurtunities to learn, grow, and develop. This well will serve like the a bridge between the despair of today and the hope of the Kingdom, not only for the orphan village, but for Nsoko, and for Swaziland. Praise God that the new creation has come, and there is water for Nsoko.
The verses quoted were Revelation 21:1 and 1 Peter 3:21
Water plays an important role in the Biblical narritive. On the ford of the Jabbok Jacob wrestles with God and becomes Israel in his crossing. On the western edge of the Red Sea God divides the sea to complete his rescue of the Israel clan from the Kingdom of Egypt. Forty years later the priests of God stepped into a flooded Jordan river and the Lord stopped the waters upstream so His people could cross into their promised Kingdom. Over and over waters and seas are seen as symbols of the division between man and God. Even Jesus himself crossed into the Jordan and upon his baptism by John was raised from the water confirmed by the proclamation of heaven as Christ the Lord. Peter teaches in his first epistle that we too, cross the epic divide through water, "Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you...through the resurrection of Jesus Christ."
Water is more than just an allegorical division. It is also a physical division. The United Nations and The World Bank define extreme poverty among other things as having no access to clean water. Water divides the classes of people in this world. From those of us who have an endless supply in our city taps, to those who must transport water from community wells, to those most impoversihed who must fend off sources such as dirty puddles, rivers, and rain collection for their water.
A person must first have water before any other need such as food, shelter, and rest. Yet, in a world with to much wealth for this to be a reality, nearly twenty percent of the world population, that is one billion people, do not have this access. Their constant need to find suitable water sources further deepens the divide of their impovrished reality by leaving little time for educational oppurtunity, agricultural oppurtunity and economic oppurtunity to improve their situation. Their lack of accessible clean water divides them from the remaining 80% of the world.
This reality is not suitable for our work in Nsoko, Swaziland. Through the diligent work of Gary Black, Gift Dlamini and Jumbo Gerber there is a well today at the future location of Nsoko orphan village. We celebrate that the orphans we will raise up as sons and daughters of God will not be burdened by this divide. The separation of their current situation will be replaced by oppurtunities to learn, grow, and develop. This well will serve like the a bridge between the despair of today and the hope of the Kingdom, not only for the orphan village, but for Nsoko, and for Swaziland. Praise God that the new creation has come, and there is water for Nsoko.The verses quoted were Revelation 21:1 and 1 Peter 3:21
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Is The King To Blame?
Fear and Blame have been a part of the human experience from the first moments after the fall. Adam and Eve upon hearing the steps of God in the garden hide, then when asked the reason for their fear, Adam levies blame against his wife Eve. The first two recorded sentences in a fallen world are filled with fear and blame. Little has changed in the many millenia since that example. The disaster of chaos caused by a fallen world leaves people crippled by fear, and the willful blindness to personal responsibility leaves people looking for an external party to blame.
I am not surprised as I research the situation in Swaziland, that there are plenty of people faced with the terror of poverty and disease that is rampant in Swaziland who look to the king as the person to blame for the nation's situation.
In this video the king travels the world with a 17 year old girl who once pregnant will become his tenth wife. One begs the question looking at this girl who has transformed from destitute poverty to lavish couture in a mere five months, is his abundant polygamy to blame for the serial sexuality that has resulted in the world's highest AIDS rate? Today the King has 16 wives.
The King spent 45 million dollars on a private jet, while 66% of his citizen's are dying of malnutrition and preventable disease. Could these dollars have been put to programs capable of alleviating this suffering?
These are difficult questions which I am in no way qualified to answer. Yet there are people looking to find the answer to the question. Is the poverty and disease of Swaziland the result of an irresponsible king, or the personal decisions of his subjects? One media source looking to find the truth that would answer this question is Swazi Media. Edited by an Englishman, Richard Rooney, it reports the stories censored by a state controlled press which shed light to these answers.
No matter who is to blame, the situation in Swaziland is drastic. The volume of AIDS orphans is crippling to an already hopeless situation. The spiritual poverty and despair that results from the looming danger of starvation and AIDS in most Swazi lives leaves the kingdom helpless. It is hardly profitable to seek answers to question of responsibility. Instead, it is most urgent that those here in America use the great wealth we are blessed by God with to join him in his promises to the fatherless orphan. Only the manifest presence of the Kingdom of God can bring hope, healing, and rescue into the poverty, disease, and chaos that is the daily reality for Swazi's orphans.
The people of Swazi may ask is the king to blame? I am compelled to ask, are we?
If you would like to join with our family in our plans to work among the Swazi orphans please consider contributing to our support fund at http://www.kevinjbowman.com/aim.
I am not surprised as I research the situation in Swaziland, that there are plenty of people faced with the terror of poverty and disease that is rampant in Swaziland who look to the king as the person to blame for the nation's situation.
In this video the king travels the world with a 17 year old girl who once pregnant will become his tenth wife. One begs the question looking at this girl who has transformed from destitute poverty to lavish couture in a mere five months, is his abundant polygamy to blame for the serial sexuality that has resulted in the world's highest AIDS rate? Today the King has 16 wives.
The King spent 45 million dollars on a private jet, while 66% of his citizen's are dying of malnutrition and preventable disease. Could these dollars have been put to programs capable of alleviating this suffering?
These are difficult questions which I am in no way qualified to answer. Yet there are people looking to find the answer to the question. Is the poverty and disease of Swaziland the result of an irresponsible king, or the personal decisions of his subjects? One media source looking to find the truth that would answer this question is Swazi Media. Edited by an Englishman, Richard Rooney, it reports the stories censored by a state controlled press which shed light to these answers.
No matter who is to blame, the situation in Swaziland is drastic. The volume of AIDS orphans is crippling to an already hopeless situation. The spiritual poverty and despair that results from the looming danger of starvation and AIDS in most Swazi lives leaves the kingdom helpless. It is hardly profitable to seek answers to question of responsibility. Instead, it is most urgent that those here in America use the great wealth we are blessed by God with to join him in his promises to the fatherless orphan. Only the manifest presence of the Kingdom of God can bring hope, healing, and rescue into the poverty, disease, and chaos that is the daily reality for Swazi's orphans.
The people of Swazi may ask is the king to blame? I am compelled to ask, are we?
If you would like to join with our family in our plans to work among the Swazi orphans please consider contributing to our support fund at http://www.kevinjbowman.com/aim.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Nsoko G42 Village Art
I hopefully very soon will be building a website dedicated to the Nsoko orphan village. The site concept is to have an interactive "map" of the project with buttons that teach the visitor about the needs and goals of the village. I wanted to however put up 3 of the pictures we have done to whet your appetite, and also to invite you to check out Gary Black's blog post where he talks about the fiscal ways you can be involved in Nsoko today.
TOP:Each Orphan Pod will support 8 double orphans and a young Christian woman from the Swazi culture who will raise the children as their mother. BOTTOM: Each child will be responsible for a portion of the community life. One portion is the garden which will produce fresh produce for consumption and sale. Drip irrigation will be an important part of the success of these gardens.
TOP:Each Orphan Pod will support 8 double orphans and a young Christian woman from the Swazi culture who will raise the children as their mother. BOTTOM: Each child will be responsible for a portion of the community life. One portion is the garden which will produce fresh produce for consumption and sale. Drip irrigation will be an important part of the success of these gardens.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
I'll Cover You
A few weeks ago my wife and I went to go see one of our camp kids perform in Rent. This is no chore for me, since Rent is one of my absolute favorite productions. It is amazing the places where God will speak to you.
God's promise to cover us as a devoted husband frees us from the cycle of work based religion. I rub lotion onto my wife's feet not to gain her love, but because I am deeply loved by her, and love her deeply in return. This is the same with God. My wife willing follows me on this journey out of the American dream, because she knows I am her lover and will cover her despite the challenges of third world ministries. I follow God off the cliff of logic and reason, because I am deeply loved by him and deeply love him in return. I know he too will cover me.
As a husband and father covering is such a beautiful tender illustration. I have walked the house many evenings to insure everyone is covered before I goto sleep myself. I have reasoned with my wife who has fallen asleep on the couch to get up an walk into the bedroom so that she can sleep on the comfortable bed and be warm and covered. It is my job as "dad" to pour out love for my family like this. One of my most special moments is recovering one of my daughters who I find without a blanket when I check on her.
A few days ago, Lisa Black wrote about this covering idea on her blog:
When we understand the depth of our lover's passion for us, we are motivated to be changed at our core. We are changed to care about whether a nameless orphan in a unknown village in an obscure country has a blanket to cover up with for the winter. We brown bag our lunch, we skip the new movie at the theater, we don't buy that new outfit; in a week we have saved $80 and by our hands 10 of the orphans are covered by a blanket that is God's covering for them. We invite a friend, we challenge our spouse to join us; soon 10 orphans becomes 30.
I invite you to look at how God has blessed you with resources and change how you value them. I encourage you to indulge him in partnering with him to care for these children. I know you did not read this post to be guilted into giving money, and guilt is a pretty weak emotion anyway. Instead, if you have been motivated by God's love poured into you to participate with him, please listen to him. Here are two places you can give to support the work in Swaziland: Nsoko Project" anf 5For50
Live In My HouseIt was the I'll Cover you quote. That just got deep down inside me. This speaks so deeply to the relationship God wants us to understand we have in him. God offers us a home and assures us that our love returned to our Him our lover is enough. I can not offer anything to God. Paul reminds us, "Who has given to God, that He should repay."
I'll Be Your Shelter
Just Pay Me Back With One Thousand Kisses
Be My Lover
And I'll Cover You
God's promise to cover us as a devoted husband frees us from the cycle of work based religion. I rub lotion onto my wife's feet not to gain her love, but because I am deeply loved by her, and love her deeply in return. This is the same with God. My wife willing follows me on this journey out of the American dream, because she knows I am her lover and will cover her despite the challenges of third world ministries. I follow God off the cliff of logic and reason, because I am deeply loved by him and deeply love him in return. I know he too will cover me.
As a husband and father covering is such a beautiful tender illustration. I have walked the house many evenings to insure everyone is covered before I goto sleep myself. I have reasoned with my wife who has fallen asleep on the couch to get up an walk into the bedroom so that she can sleep on the comfortable bed and be warm and covered. It is my job as "dad" to pour out love for my family like this. One of my most special moments is recovering one of my daughters who I find without a blanket when I check on her.
A few days ago, Lisa Black wrote about this covering idea on her blog:
I wonder if Pastor Gift feels alone and overwhelmed. I wonder if Jumbo is beside himself with work, all of us knowing he will never give up, because he truly loves the kids. I wonder if the children are getting cold at night now that it is nearing winter in Africa. I wonder if anyone will check to see if they even have covers to kick off.How I hurt with her heart over the instinct to see blankets, and more importantly to BE God's covering over these orphans. How deeply I am touched remembering that God himself desires to be the Father who checks each of these children, and provides the shelter and security. So here is our lover, we are His body. Will we respond to be fathers to his children? Will we be mothers? Will we be so overwhelmed by the gratitude of our love from Him, that we will enact his will in the world, and cover these orphans?
When we understand the depth of our lover's passion for us, we are motivated to be changed at our core. We are changed to care about whether a nameless orphan in a unknown village in an obscure country has a blanket to cover up with for the winter. We brown bag our lunch, we skip the new movie at the theater, we don't buy that new outfit; in a week we have saved $80 and by our hands 10 of the orphans are covered by a blanket that is God's covering for them. We invite a friend, we challenge our spouse to join us; soon 10 orphans becomes 30.
I invite you to look at how God has blessed you with resources and change how you value them. I encourage you to indulge him in partnering with him to care for these children. I know you did not read this post to be guilted into giving money, and guilt is a pretty weak emotion anyway. Instead, if you have been motivated by God's love poured into you to participate with him, please listen to him. Here are two places you can give to support the work in Swaziland: Nsoko Project" anf 5For50
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Redemption - Joining With God
Here is a sermon I preached last week at a church in West Chicago. I invite you to watch the first 11 minutes of the sermon, and to download the entire file as an MP3.
Redemption Intro from Kevin J Bowman on Vimeo.
Download Audio File Here
Redemption Intro from Kevin J Bowman on Vimeo.
Download Audio File Here
Monday, May 05, 2008
Come Alongside Me!!!
- I say this prayer, "God, get us to Swazi so I can come alongside you in your work with the fatherless." God replies, "Come alongside me here!"
- I say this prayer, "God, the house needs to be sold, the support needs to be raised; so I can come alongside your love for these orphans." God replies, "Come alongside me now!"
- I say this prayer, "God, download your wisdom into my mind so I am qualified to be a teacher alongside you in raising these forgotten babies." God replies, "Come alongside me today!"
- I say this prayer, "God, make me a boundless wellspring of love and service so I can come alongside you to these abandoned." God replies, "Come alongside me! Come alongside me! Come alongside me!"
I really must tell you the truth, I'd like to already be in Swaziland, working at the orphan village, pastoring and discipling these precious fatherless children. Since God has confirmed this calling in our lives, the path from here to there can seem discouraging and irrelevant.
Yet I know that is NOT God's way. To God no step along the path is irrelevant. I feel more than ever before I need to curl up close in the Father's side, and use my hands to join his work Here, Now, Today!
A Prayer: Holy God, I am so thankful for my precious second child and her love to work alongside me in our kitchen. I need to get my step stool out and join my daddy in his work. Thank you Lord for showing me that if I am alongside you, I am right where I need to be. Your Kingdom Come - On Earth As It Is In Heaven - In My Hands as they are guided by you!
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
A 100 Person Family
- How do you take a band of 100 orphans or more and turn them into a family?
- How do you teach a motley crew of ragamuffins to be a house of God?
- How do you redeem the ignored causalities of a plague into an incarnational tribe of healers?
Here is a blog post by Gary Black, about the Nsoko orphan village, where our family will be moving to serve. This place is a haven of food, education, safety, and family for a group of the fatherless we will partner alongside the Swazi moms to knit into a family.
Dreaming big dreams are great to inspire us and set a goal even if their results are never practically realized. I see these orphan villages as being the redemption point of the disease of AIDS.
AIDS is a blood born disease. AIDS is DEATH in the blood. In the word of God BLOOD is always a symbol of life, "there is life in the blood." (Leviticus 17:14) So this epidemic of death is an attack on God's symbolic life. This attack is devastating. One needs not slide far down the slippery slope facing Swaziland and the rest of the southern African continent to see that a nation of orphans will be a people raised with no authority, no moral structure, and no hope. This disease decimates the people of Swaziland physically and also spiritually and emotionally. The very fabric of faith, the future of hope, and the participation in love ceases to exist as there is no example of these truths modeled and instilled into the kingdom's children.
DEATH and AIDS must be REDEEMED in Swaziland. Satan has used this plague to advance his kingdom. Yet, the Blood of Christ waits to make good what Satan has intended for harm. These orphan villages are redemption. Not in a macro way, not now at least, but in the lives of those who can be touched and can be trained, and can be taught to experience REAL ABUNDANT LIFE in Christ: the end of faith, the end of hope, the end of love that Satan intended through this pandemic of death can be reversed. The redemption of the plague of AIDS is when the causalities of it's consequences become the FAMILY of GOD knit together into a new tribe that will be EMPOWERED to take God to the nations.
That is the vision we hold onto, that is the future we claim, that is the truth we believe, though now it may be only hoped for, and in our lives it may remain unseen, we believe it in faith. God will REDEEM this pandemic of AIDS through fostering in these children a new future, a new family, and a new love!
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Follow Me and Fear Not
God has been very clear to us in our prayers through the Amazing revelation of his presence that He is calling our family to orphan work in Swaziland, on the southern tip of the African continent. I have obeyed God to in his command to "Follow Me" and we have been busily working to align ourselves with an organization to work with in that calling. Although, there is a lot to learn about each other from the organization we want to go with, we know that God is making roads and in a short while we will be ministering to the orphans of Swaziland.
I have not learned to trust God enough yet. "Fear Not" has eluded me for weeks. I have struggled, and fought with the looming fate of revealing this season of life to my boss. I have feared his reaction, since he is one of my best friends, and I did not want to disappoint him by moving on from serving as an employee in his companies, and yet we have known God's will revealed.
I told him today, fearing the worst, and God has prevailed and shown himself faithful once again. Where I feared anger and hurt, God has placed excitement and blessing. I wish I would have trusted God to "Fear Not" weeks ago and shared this amazing journey with my friend sooner.
I am so excited, and can not wait to see the many more movements of God as he leads us into this ministry! I can't wait till the day I make the post, "Swaziland Is Official" God has revealed his will, so pray for us as we wait for the cogs of humanity to catch up!
God Be Praised!!! The amazing power of resurrection!!!!
I have not learned to trust God enough yet. "Fear Not" has eluded me for weeks. I have struggled, and fought with the looming fate of revealing this season of life to my boss. I have feared his reaction, since he is one of my best friends, and I did not want to disappoint him by moving on from serving as an employee in his companies, and yet we have known God's will revealed.
I told him today, fearing the worst, and God has prevailed and shown himself faithful once again. Where I feared anger and hurt, God has placed excitement and blessing. I wish I would have trusted God to "Fear Not" weeks ago and shared this amazing journey with my friend sooner.
I am so excited, and can not wait to see the many more movements of God as he leads us into this ministry! I can't wait till the day I make the post, "Swaziland Is Official" God has revealed his will, so pray for us as we wait for the cogs of humanity to catch up!
God Be Praised!!! The amazing power of resurrection!!!!
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Meeting Seth Barnes
As with most Sundays, our plan was to go to church as normal. Then yesterday we were excited to read on Seth Barnes blog that he was speaking in Chicago. So we zipped off a quick email, to find out what church and rearranged our plans to join him for worship. This meant getting up a little earlier than normal since this church started earlier than ours.
I got out of bed at 7:00 AM to grab a shower and be ready to walk out the door at 8:30. My oldest awoke with me, and asked if I could log her on to my computer to play Webkinz since she was up an hour early. Unfortunately, neither my wife nor I had remembered to reset the clocks for the time jump. As I booted the computer, which automatically adjusts clock, the reality of the time change came crashing in. I awoke the entire house in a tizzy, began throwing clothes on children, and rushing around to get a family of 5 dressed for a church where we are foreigners and out the door in now what was 20 minutes.
We made the departure, and arrived at the church, who did not start till 15 minutes late, on time. Children were settled and we were ready for the message. It was a great sermon, with 3 great points. Truly it seemed as if it was message God had spent a week preparing us to hear. . Seth first spoke of dreaming Big for God. That is not a problem around our house right now, we are talking quite often about the calling we both feel, we are talking a lot with the kids about the differences between US life and African life. We have been dreaming big since we God back from Swaziland. Seth's final point was to RISK for God's dream.
It was as if he was talking to me, and to my heart. This is where we are at. The dream is solid, the calling is concrete, and the risk is looming. Risk seems a four letter word. Dreams without risk are easy, since with no liability there is no loss. I was cut to the quick teetering between my passion for reckless abandon and my duty of responsible adulthood. I don't know what that means to my life and our family, but I know it is a balance that will teach me to be more dependent on God than I have ever known in the past.
After the service we got to spend some time with Seth. As we were talking Seth asked if I and the family would come to the teen class and let him "interview" us about the process we are going through. It was a VERY neat experience. No prep, no outlines, no points. Just Q&A about our trip, and how that has changed us, and changed our direction. I did most the talking, but even Christi shared about how holding a orphan with malnutrition, sickness, and most likely AIDS wrecked her world.
It was a great Lord's Day!!!! It was an honor to hear a message that seemed so directed to our hearts. It was an honor to meet this "newest" faith hero of mine. It was an honor to speak to these kids about exactly HOW BIG our God is. It was an honor, just to be a little player in God's great kingdom!
UPDATE: Sermon Audio from Western Springs Baptist Church
UPDATE 2: Who Is Seth Barnes - Seth Barnes is the director of Adventure in Missions and the World Race. His work is responsible for over 65,000 people finding a place in Short Term and Long term Missions. His Bio and Blog are both very informative.
I got out of bed at 7:00 AM to grab a shower and be ready to walk out the door at 8:30. My oldest awoke with me, and asked if I could log her on to my computer to play Webkinz since she was up an hour early. Unfortunately, neither my wife nor I had remembered to reset the clocks for the time jump. As I booted the computer, which automatically adjusts clock, the reality of the time change came crashing in. I awoke the entire house in a tizzy, began throwing clothes on children, and rushing around to get a family of 5 dressed for a church where we are foreigners and out the door in now what was 20 minutes.
We made the departure, and arrived at the church, who did not start till 15 minutes late, on time. Children were settled and we were ready for the message. It was a great sermon, with 3 great points. Truly it seemed as if it was message God had spent a week preparing us to hear. . Seth first spoke of dreaming Big for God. That is not a problem around our house right now, we are talking quite often about the calling we both feel, we are talking a lot with the kids about the differences between US life and African life. We have been dreaming big since we God back from Swaziland. Seth's final point was to RISK for God's dream.
It was as if he was talking to me, and to my heart. This is where we are at. The dream is solid, the calling is concrete, and the risk is looming. Risk seems a four letter word. Dreams without risk are easy, since with no liability there is no loss. I was cut to the quick teetering between my passion for reckless abandon and my duty of responsible adulthood. I don't know what that means to my life and our family, but I know it is a balance that will teach me to be more dependent on God than I have ever known in the past.
After the service we got to spend some time with Seth. As we were talking Seth asked if I and the family would come to the teen class and let him "interview" us about the process we are going through. It was a VERY neat experience. No prep, no outlines, no points. Just Q&A about our trip, and how that has changed us, and changed our direction. I did most the talking, but even Christi shared about how holding a orphan with malnutrition, sickness, and most likely AIDS wrecked her world.
It was a great Lord's Day!!!! It was an honor to hear a message that seemed so directed to our hearts. It was an honor to meet this "newest" faith hero of mine. It was an honor to speak to these kids about exactly HOW BIG our God is. It was an honor, just to be a little player in God's great kingdom!
UPDATE: Sermon Audio from Western Springs Baptist Church
UPDATE 2: Who Is Seth Barnes - Seth Barnes is the director of Adventure in Missions and the World Race. His work is responsible for over 65,000 people finding a place in Short Term and Long term Missions. His Bio and Blog are both very informative.
Friday, February 22, 2008
This Will Post Wreck Your Day
Seth Barnes director of Adventures in Missions had this unbelievable post on his blog yesterday. The team he is talking about, is one of the very teams that who work feeding, educating, and discipling the Swazi orphans Five for 50 supports.
Support 5 for 50! If you are on Facebook add your monetary gift to my little fund raiser for 5 for 50. If you are not their work can be supported directly from their site.
We have a team in Swaziland, that nation in Africa where nearly half the adult population has the AIDS virus. I received this email from Gary Black in Swaziland today and it wrecked me:Bono's famous "this is not about charity, this is about justice" quote could not be more true, and could not be more pointed than to US the people of God. We live in a dark world, but we are called to be light!"The team found a four week-old laying on its dead mother yesterday, they kept it - we are getting it to the abandoned baby hospital Friday."
What do we do with this? That's my son's team down there. I don't know about you, but I'm outraged by a world that produces situations like this.
And while that may seem like a world away to many, for my son, it's as immediate as it is heart-wrenching.The only thing that appalls me more is that so many of us Americans who can do something about this are more interested in stuff that will only ultimately burn up in the big fire.
God help us. God, help us to wake up. Help us to see how much you love the widow and the orphan. God help us to break as you are broken up over this four week-old.
God, help me to lose this tortoise shell religion that sheds these kinds of tragic situations like water. Forgive me God for not praying more. Forgive me for not emptying my bank account for your little ones. God, we have lost true religion. We have sought finer sanctuaries and better parking lots.
We have tried to fill our church pews with seekers, but we have not sought your children dying on their mother's chests. We need to see a way out of this mess that we've got ourselves in. God, help us in this 21st century mindset that we've acquired. I don't even know what else to pray.
Support 5 for 50! If you are on Facebook add your monetary gift to my little fund raiser for 5 for 50. If you are not their work can be supported directly from their site.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Swaziland - Thank you Winterfest Teens!!!
We raised $150 on Saturday night at the Chicagoland group devotional after Winterfest. I am SO thankful to everyone who bought necklaces, and those who straight up just threw money in the box! Your response to the pandemic problem of AIDS and Poverty in the country of Swaziland was Awesome!
It's time we do more!!!! If you are on Facebook, please Join 5 for 50 as a start. Next goto Hopechest.org and find out more about the awesome work.
Also, watch this video:
Finally, Donate! Donate! Donate! I set a cheezy $316 goal for the next month. Please help me MEET THAT GOAL!!! Use this DONATE link to help now!!! If only my current Facebook friends help out, and at only $5 each that means we could raise $1300. It seems $316 to affirm our belief in God's Love is a simple task. Please Support the work of the Kingdom.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Swaziland - Erin Wilson
Erin was one of the amazing people we spent a week with while in Swaziland. She had an article shared about her trip in her local newspaper.
The Children of Swaziland
The Children of Swaziland
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Swaziland - Moriah Center
The highlight of our trip for me was our time at the Moriah Center. Moriah Center is run by a South African woman named Diane and her staff of four Swazi women who serve as the teachers. Diane and her small staff have amazing dreams for the future of Swaziland, and those dreams start in Big Bend.
Big Bend is a sugar colony in eastern Swaziland, lying on the Lusutfu River. The only enterprise in the area is the sugar. The plantations stretch as far as the eyes can see. In this area the sugar company controls everything. The electricity, water, and roads are used as the sugar company sees fit. Every skilled worker for miles around is on the payroll, and does only the work the sugar company orders be done. The sugar fields are plush green and yet only feet away from these seemingly endless acres of lush green is the harsh dusty reality that most of the sugar companies workers are oppressed into.
Moriah center, though an Oasis of hope in that depression, is so much than just another care point. Diane sees Moriah Center as the foundry of a new Swaziland. The UN population estimates for 2050 do not include a future for Swaziland. At a 46% AIDS rate the nation is dying. So Moriah Center is a place where orphans and the vulnerable children are being provided the future of God's Kingdom. Like the Biblical Mount Moriah this is a summit of God's presence.
As I wrote last night about the ABC of ministering in Swaziland, Moriah center's beauty is how they are already participating in all three steps of this plan. Even more exciting is their dreams to multiply into a more grand temple of the living God.
Appetites - Most of the care points we visited while in Swaziland were feeding a community of children who came and spent the day at that care point. During school holidays that number increased since those kids who were able to attend would no longer come once enrolled. Moriah center is not content to feed only those children who can not attend school. Each morning as the children able to attend school are walking past the Moriah Center, the staff is outside with a high vitamin nutrition drink that the children can drink as they walk. There as sandwiches available for those who would have no means for lunch to pick up and take with them as well. After the school age children are past an in their schools, Moriah Center then recieves the preschool age children who will be given the nutrition drink and sandwich in the morning, as well as a hot meal like the other care points in the afternoon. Diane's dream is to have the resources to provide a second hot meal after school hours where the her students and the school age children could receive a meal as they travel home.
Basic Education - Currently Moriah Center provides a preschool to begin the learning the process with her students. There are 3 teachers and they take local children and give them a basic education that will prepare those with the available resources to attend school once old enough. That basic education is not enough for Moriah Center. Big dreams for the future include and elementary school that would be able to continue the education of those who do not have the resources to goto school otherwise. Even bigger plans for the future include a sewing school, a carpentry school, and an electrical school to teach the children a trade they can use to break free from the cycle of poverty.
Christ - Kid's Church, Girls Purity Training, Bible Club, and a local Christian church are all part of the ministry at Moriah Center. Moriah Center is providing a backbone of Christian education that will be vital to the future of the Big Bend community. These young children and teens will be raised up hearing a message of God's plan for community rather than the plans they see modeled in the broken homes around them. Young girls are being taught about God's plan for sexuality, and His desire for purity in the marriage bed. Moriah Center realizes that a generation of Godly girls will need to be met with a generation of Godly young men, so it is therefore desiring to add Marriage, Family, and Purity training for the young men as well.
The beauty of Moriah Center is the ability to dream beyond a simple ABC plan, and instead be challenged to grow into a body that will be able to meet the needs for a new future in Swaziland.
Big Bend is a sugar colony in eastern Swaziland, lying on the Lusutfu River. The only enterprise in the area is the sugar. The plantations stretch as far as the eyes can see. In this area the sugar company controls everything. The electricity, water, and roads are used as the sugar company sees fit. Every skilled worker for miles around is on the payroll, and does only the work the sugar company orders be done. The sugar fields are plush green and yet only feet away from these seemingly endless acres of lush green is the harsh dusty reality that most of the sugar companies workers are oppressed into.
Moriah center, though an Oasis of hope in that depression, is so much than just another care point. Diane sees Moriah Center as the foundry of a new Swaziland. The UN population estimates for 2050 do not include a future for Swaziland. At a 46% AIDS rate the nation is dying. So Moriah Center is a place where orphans and the vulnerable children are being provided the future of God's Kingdom. Like the Biblical Mount Moriah this is a summit of God's presence.
As I wrote last night about the ABC of ministering in Swaziland, Moriah center's beauty is how they are already participating in all three steps of this plan. Even more exciting is their dreams to multiply into a more grand temple of the living God.
Appetites - Most of the care points we visited while in Swaziland were feeding a community of children who came and spent the day at that care point. During school holidays that number increased since those kids who were able to attend would no longer come once enrolled. Moriah center is not content to feed only those children who can not attend school. Each morning as the children able to attend school are walking past the Moriah Center, the staff is outside with a high vitamin nutrition drink that the children can drink as they walk. There as sandwiches available for those who would have no means for lunch to pick up and take with them as well. After the school age children are past an in their schools, Moriah Center then recieves the preschool age children who will be given the nutrition drink and sandwich in the morning, as well as a hot meal like the other care points in the afternoon. Diane's dream is to have the resources to provide a second hot meal after school hours where the her students and the school age children could receive a meal as they travel home.
Basic Education - Currently Moriah Center provides a preschool to begin the learning the process with her students. There are 3 teachers and they take local children and give them a basic education that will prepare those with the available resources to attend school once old enough. That basic education is not enough for Moriah Center. Big dreams for the future include and elementary school that would be able to continue the education of those who do not have the resources to goto school otherwise. Even bigger plans for the future include a sewing school, a carpentry school, and an electrical school to teach the children a trade they can use to break free from the cycle of poverty.
Christ - Kid's Church, Girls Purity Training, Bible Club, and a local Christian church are all part of the ministry at Moriah Center. Moriah Center is providing a backbone of Christian education that will be vital to the future of the Big Bend community. These young children and teens will be raised up hearing a message of God's plan for community rather than the plans they see modeled in the broken homes around them. Young girls are being taught about God's plan for sexuality, and His desire for purity in the marriage bed. Moriah Center realizes that a generation of Godly girls will need to be met with a generation of Godly young men, so it is therefore desiring to add Marriage, Family, and Purity training for the young men as well.
The beauty of Moriah Center is the ability to dream beyond a simple ABC plan, and instead be challenged to grow into a body that will be able to meet the needs for a new future in Swaziland.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Swaziland - ABC Kingdom Building
After a week of visiting many great care points and listening to the local ministry staff share their needs, and the dreams I desired to compile a simple mnemonic that would help my mind grasp the issues faced by the people ministering to the orphans and vulnerable children in these places. As I continue to process the memories of the sights and words from the trip I realize that a simple ABC solution well sums up the immediate needs faced by those working on the ground in Swaziland.
Appetites - Clean water and basic food should be considered a minimum human right in a world our resources. Yet the reality is this is not a human right, and were it not for the work of organizations like Children's Hope Chest and the tireless daily effort of the missions staff of AIM 1000 of orphans and vulnerable children in this country would goto bed without a meal every single day. One can not claim to have the Love of Christ in him and turn a blind eye to the starvation of fatherless children.
Basic Education - The future of Swaziland will look like the history of Swaziland if nothing changes. A starving child needing to be fed and cared for will grow into a starving adult if the future of life has no prospect. Survival is only an education for survival. The future of these fatherless children lies in eqipping them with the skills to transition into successful adults. Aid that stops at the full stomach is incomplete and merely procrastinates the need for long term solutions.
Christ - Kingdom building to starving children that wants to start here is doomed to fail. The presentation of God's redeeming power must come sequentially after food and education. These orphans must be redeemed from their destiny of physical starvation before they can shown the redemption of Christ. Swaziland has no future except for the hope of Christ being instilled into the young people at the Care Points. The heart change that calls these orphans to live differently than their culture will cause them to be a remnant in a dying people. Christ must be first demonstrated through programs that meet the physical and mental needs of these fatherless children, then ultimately preached as the fulfillment for the spiritual starvation around them.
This is the ABCs, the first building blocks of a future I learned Children's Hope Chest is working to provide in Swaziland. CHC needs partners, to join them in the construction of this future. But, we'll talk about those partnerships in another post.
Appetites - Clean water and basic food should be considered a minimum human right in a world our resources. Yet the reality is this is not a human right, and were it not for the work of organizations like Children's Hope Chest and the tireless daily effort of the missions staff of AIM 1000 of orphans and vulnerable children in this country would goto bed without a meal every single day. One can not claim to have the Love of Christ in him and turn a blind eye to the starvation of fatherless children.
Basic Education - The future of Swaziland will look like the history of Swaziland if nothing changes. A starving child needing to be fed and cared for will grow into a starving adult if the future of life has no prospect. Survival is only an education for survival. The future of these fatherless children lies in eqipping them with the skills to transition into successful adults. Aid that stops at the full stomach is incomplete and merely procrastinates the need for long term solutions.
Christ - Kingdom building to starving children that wants to start here is doomed to fail. The presentation of God's redeeming power must come sequentially after food and education. These orphans must be redeemed from their destiny of physical starvation before they can shown the redemption of Christ. Swaziland has no future except for the hope of Christ being instilled into the young people at the Care Points. The heart change that calls these orphans to live differently than their culture will cause them to be a remnant in a dying people. Christ must be first demonstrated through programs that meet the physical and mental needs of these fatherless children, then ultimately preached as the fulfillment for the spiritual starvation around them.
This is the ABCs, the first building blocks of a future I learned Children's Hope Chest is working to provide in Swaziland. CHC needs partners, to join them in the construction of this future. But, we'll talk about those partnerships in another post.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Swaziland: Processing The Trip
So here I sit at 8:00 PM CST in my home, my kids are cuddled in bed and Christi is already asleep. It is 4:00 AM tomorrow in Manzini. We arrived back in the US at 6:00 AM Eastern time and then transferred to Chicago for a 10:00 AM CST arrival, almost 24 hours exactly since we began our flight home from Johannesburg.
Extreme Poverty is an unexplainable reality. Meeting not 1 but hundreds of children that are orphaned and without any means for food can not be summed up in a simple paragraph. Watching a six year old start the trek back to her home, likely at least a mile away and possibly 3+ miles a way, with her 2 year old brother riding along her back is a deeply emotional experience not soon to be clawed from the forefront of my memory.
There is so much processing to do, and to much jet lag for it to be done now. Thank you for all the prayers! God Bless!
Extreme Poverty is an unexplainable reality. Meeting not 1 but hundreds of children that are orphaned and without any means for food can not be summed up in a simple paragraph. Watching a six year old start the trek back to her home, likely at least a mile away and possibly 3+ miles a way, with her 2 year old brother riding along her back is a deeply emotional experience not soon to be clawed from the forefront of my memory.
There is so much processing to do, and to much jet lag for it to be done now. Thank you for all the prayers! God Bless!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Swaziland - Tuesday Update
Yesterday we went to a place called the Moriah Center. I have Soooo much to say it avout it when I get home and can process things. It was wonderful, it is a feeding center, church, preschool, and orphanage all in 1. I will say more about it. I felt such peace when I was there, and I want to tell all you how we can be invloved in serving it's ministry.
At our decond stop yesterday Christi held a little girl for over an hour, who buy the cough, and sores on her body was VERY SICK and probably HIV posisitve. It was very hard for Christi to leave after she had, held, loved and mothered her. The Mageas (village mothers) said her mom had already died of the infection.
Heartbreaking! - I wish I could write more, please continue to read. Today had great visits also, and we are so excited to talk about all this upon our return.
At our decond stop yesterday Christi held a little girl for over an hour, who buy the cough, and sores on her body was VERY SICK and probably HIV posisitve. It was very hard for Christi to leave after she had, held, loved and mothered her. The Mageas (village mothers) said her mom had already died of the infection.
Heartbreaking! - I wish I could write more, please continue to read. Today had great visits also, and we are so excited to talk about all this upon our return.
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