Between Two Worlds

Ugandan Village Visit

2009-03-26T14:06:00.000-07:00

Bobby drove us out to a village about 1 1/2 hours from Jinja today - one of the poorest areas of the Basoga people. It was a village that is partnering with Kibo Group through the Water Source, Mvule Project and the Women's Empowerment Program. Ronald, Abraham and Ida - directors for each respective project joined us.

We first visited the water well that was provided to the community last year. There was obvious joy and thankfulness from the people around for the access to clean water. Hundreds of families are able to get clean water that was unavailable to them before. We pumped some water into cans for some women. Brett and I then carried over 40 pounds of clean water for Justine, a woman at the well, to her house. I was afraid she may live up to 2 miles away but fortunately her house was only about 1/4 mile away so we managed. We greeted her family and visited with them for a few minutes. They shared their appreciation and described how the clean water has improved their lives and the health of all of their family members. That alone made my trip and reminded me of why Kibo Group's work is worth our while.

Next we joined the meeting for the Mvule Project that was meeting under a church member's mango tree. For over two hours we listened to them discuss in Lusoga (translated for us) the value of planting mvule trees and working together as a community to improve their lives. On this visit, the Mvule Project provided 1/2 kilo of sugar for each tree planted by various community members. They were very appreciative and ensured that no drop of sugar was wasted as they separated the 1/2 kilo bags weighed in front of the group meeting. They prayed for the drought to end and the rains to begin to aid their tree planting and crops of food. When the project concludes their plan is to have a piggery project that will multiply and in the future benefit children through providing meals for them at school.

Ida was given a chance to speak to the group and as usual had everyone on the edge of their seats. She wove Bible stories into the discussion of serving each other in their every day lives. Ida is expecting a baby in the next two weeks.

Tonight we had dinner at the local chinese restaurant, the Ling Ling, which is interestingly joined to the Shell gas station. The Ling Ling has been around for years and it was fun to see the owner we have known for a long time now.

After dinner we joined Ben and Kym Langford for coffee and dessert at their house. They just returned from the States and are refreshed and ready to get back to their work here. It was good to catch up with them and hear their excitement for continuing their service in this place. They encourage me.

It has been a full and a very good day!

Safari, Back to Jinja

2009-03-24T06:43:00.000-07:00

We stopped over at Queen Elizabeth National Game Park on our way back to Jinja. It was a good break and always fun to see lions, elephants, warthogs, hippos, crocs and more birds than you can even imagine. Hadley and Brett especially enjoyed it.

Reading during down times has been Same Kind of Different as Me, a story of how a homeless man and a wealthy man come to understand each other through a meaningful relationship. It reminded me quite a bit of how Africans have taught me through their own way of life and how I've been privileged to interact in their lives over the years.

I also picked up From Poverty to Power by Duncan Green, a new book published by Oxfam International. Here's a quote that I like from the introduction...

"The reverse of 'multi-dimensional' poverty is not simply wealth (although income is important), but a wider notion of well-being, springing from health, physical safety, meaningful work, connection to community, and other non-monetary factors. That is why good development practices build on the skills, strengths, and ideas of people living in poverty - on their assets - rather than treating them as empty receptacles of charity."

We'll continue to work on that very thing the rest of this week in Jinja. Two more hours of a crazy drive and we'll be there. Our group is a little travel weary and ready to settle in for a few days.

Rwanda leading in African development

2009-03-21T13:20:00.000-07:00

Rwanda is considered by many to be leading the way for African development. After the last 2 days I can see why. Every time I come to this place I meet amazing people. And for every person I meet and learn from there is another person I hear about that I also want to learn from. NGOs and development organizations are coming from far and wide to make Rwanda their home base in East Africa. The government is open and transparent and welcomes those who want to work hard in empowering the Rwandan people.

Yesterday we met with a few leading business development folks and then toured the Millenium Village. We ate some great Rwandan food for lunch - matooke (plantains), rice and beans, cassava, sweet bananas and pineapple. We learned a lot and I am still processing everything I saw.

Today we met with a leading micro-finance bank, Urwego Opportunity Bank, who is intentional about not just providing loans but also transforming whole lives of their customers.

Tonight I met a Rwandan who is providing mentorship to genocide orphans. Helping them understand that entering adulthood is hard work and when they work hard they open up educational and vocational opportunities.

I know we'll be able to take some of these things we've learned and implement them in our own Kibo projects. There are many folks asking when Kibo will be coming to Rwanda. We'll continue to watch and pray for the right opportunities.

Evening times are great for sitting at meals and getting to know others. Last night we sat at a restaurant for about 2 hours just visiting. Eating is an experience not just a time to grab fast food and go to the next activity. We realized how small of a world it is when we found a big screen tv in the restaurant bar that was airing international ESPN which means March Madness. We watched Oklahoma State squeak by Tennessee.

Briley got on a plane tonight for her long journey back home. She will sleep in Uganda tonight, London tomorrow night before she arrives home Monday evening. Please pray for her safe travels. We absolutely loved being in Africa together again.

I have one more week to show a good friend, Brett Biggs and his daughter, Hadley, more development projects in life in Uganda. We travel back to Uganda first thing in the morning. Please pray for our safe travels.

Kigali

2009-03-19T14:33:00.000-07:00

We made it to Kigali, Rwanda this afternoon. We should be in bed but have spent the last hour laughing with David and Lori Kimbrow remembering fun times from Fayetteville and Jinja. We are glad to be able to stay with and catch up with them.

The drive from Uganda took longer than ever due to increasingly worse road conditions. We stayed in Mbarara, Uganda last night with the Scott and Emily Glisson family. We enjoyed spending some time with them and Theron and Sarah Hutton as well. The best part of the trip was just talking with Bobby and Candice. We are more impressed with them each day we spend with them.

Sam Shewmaker, a fellow Kibo climber in 1998, welcomed us into Kigali today. A good friend Brett Biggs and his daughter flew into Kigali tonight. We have a full day scheduled for tomorrow meeting various business development contacts here in Rwanda and touring the Millenium Village.

We have been reminded of the sensory overload of Africa which tends to wear anyone out by the end of the day. Long drives on terrible roads dodging pedestrians, bikes, cows, and a whole lot more.

Just talked with the kids who are doing great. We are proud of them and their Papa for having such a great time during our long trip.

Impressive Ugandans, Great coffee

2009-03-17T14:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had a chance to meet with the project managers for the Mvule Project, Water Source project, The Source Cafe, and the Basoga Women's empowerment project. Each gave a report of their respective projects and I reported on the State side activities of the Kibo Group. It was a valuable meeting of sharing information, calling on each other to work hard, honestly, and with transparency for the greater good of the Basoga communities and Jinja. These Ugandan men and women continue to inspire me to work even harder for development efforts in this place. They are faithful, passionate, serving people.

I have also been reminded of just how difficult effective development can be here in Uganda. American and Ugandan world views are drastically different. We sorted through many issues in a productive way. We live in an increasing interconnected world and I believe Kibo Group is on the cusp to lead the way in small but highly effective development strategies.

The Source Cafe is one prime example. They continue to provide valuable services to the Jinja community. They operate profitably while enabling multiple development and church ministries to operate without the burden of major overhead expenses like rent, utilities, property taxes, etc. I believe they will be able to continue on this successful path (being profitable while enabling ministry) for many years to come.

In the evening Briley and I had a chance to visit one of our favorite spots on the Nile River. We enjoyed a bottled Coke, the best kind of Coke you can get anywhere in the world, and watched the sun set over the Nile River and exotic trees and plants.

Later we ate pizza at Mark and Lori Manry's house and talked until late, sharing Jinja stories from past years and hearing their current stories. After dark in Jinja (7ish) there is not much to do except sit around and talk with good friends and family or read a good book. We miss that kind of down time in the evenings.

Today we hung out at The Source Cafe visiting more with Ugandan friends and drinking more than my fair share of great Ugandan coffee. We also drove around Jinja taking lots of pictures.

This afternoon Nyanga Grace took us to his home in the village, Lwanda, where we visited the graves of his wife, Gorreti, and 3 year old son, Emmanuel. They passed away in a traffic accident about six weeks ago. Goretti was a good friend and I hurt for Grace who is mourning his loss.

We are tired. We miss our kids terribly. But we are so thankful to be here.

Tomorrow we are off to Rwanda. We will stay with friends in Mbarara Wed. night and drive into Kigali on Thursday.

Bittersweet reunion

2009-03-15T14:34:00.000-07:00

Briley and I have experienced a lot of mixed emotions since we safely arrived Jinja Friday afternoon. We went to tour the Source Cafe and Opportunity Center first. A lot of great things continue to take place there. We saw the reorganized library that Candice Garner and several others have done a great job on. We saw the new Kibo Group / Mvule Project office. The Source Cafe and coffee shop continues to do well. Lazarus Wagoli and Ronald Mugulisi are providing great leadership and wise management for the facility and its operations. Numerous ministries and positive programs take place at this facility thanks to the profits of this missional business.

At the same time there was a noticeable missing piece in this experience for us. The late Moses Kimeze was not there. We met Irene, Moses' widow, face to face for the first time since Moses and Adam Langford were tragically killed in a vehicle accident. The Kimeze's 3 year old son, Zach, became instant buddies with me as we toured the facility. He insisted I share his cheerios and snacks with him so I did just that. He is energetic and has a great little personality, much like his father he will never know. Briley and I grieved at the thought of Zach and his siblings not having the ability to enjoy Moses as a loving father.

I also gave a long hug to my friend Nyanga Grace, who tragically lost his wife, Goretti, and his young son, Emmanuel very recently in another vehicle accident. I had the privilege of marrying Grace and Goretti during our time here and am deeply saddened by this loss.

Hazardous roads continue to take the lives of gifted people living in Uganda. Everyone here is a little weary of it yet remain faithful that God is present and that He is working through these difficult situations.

In these first few days we have also.....

Had joyful reunions and laughs with many other Ugandan friends.
Visited our former home and remembered some great times our family had living here.
Enjoyed time with Bobby and Candice, the Bogles and the Manrys.
Had a wonderful dinner with Richard and Ida Bazonoona and their family. We had great conversation and prayer and then slept in their house Saturday night but didn't get much sleep due to some powerful thunderstorms all night. Ida is expecting a baby very soon and despite being uncomfortable was a joyful and wonderful host for us.
Had a great reunion and worship time with the Jinja Church Sunday morning. I had a chance to preach Christ to them once again.
Visited the home of Irene and her children and wept at the grave of the late Moses Kimeze this evening.
Eaten lots of great fruit like sweet bananas and pineapple and I have enjoyed several cups of fresh Ugandan coffee.

Tomorrow we will continue to reunite with more Ugandan friends and attend meetings where we will learn the latest about how the various Kibo Group projects are offering development opportunities and creating better lives for Ugandans.

We hope to see the Ben and Kym Langford family briefly as they fly in Tuesday.

The Garners and us will begin our journey to Rwanda on Wednesday.

Thanks for all your prayers.

Back to Africa

2009-03-08T20:52:00.000-07:00

Briley and I are busy packing up for another trip to Africa. This will be my first in over two years and it will be Briley's first return trip since we moved home six years ago. We can't wait to get there.

We hope to accomplish several things while we're there for about 2 weeks.

Reconnect and renew relationships with Ugandan friends / Christians / churches in Uganda and Rwanda.
Reconnect and renew relationships with missionary friends in Uganda and Rwanda.
Enjoy and see first hand the great work Bobby and Candice Garner are doing for Kibo Group.
Observe the various Kibo Group projects and encourage the Africans who are working hard to serve others.
Observe and learn from other successful development initiatives like the Millenium Villages in Uganda and Rwanda.
Explore potential future development projects in Uganda and Rwanda.

We'll have to hit the ground running to accomplish all we want to. Please pray for easy travel, safety, and good health. Please pray for our children and Briley's Dad who will be spending some good Papa - grandchildren time while we're away. A huge thanks to him for allowing Briley and I to make this trip together!

Ida Bazonoona

2007-05-09T14:32:00.000-07:00

You know it's been too long when you can't remember your own blogger account password.

Just wanted to let you know that Ida has finished her U.S. tour and is back home safe and sound. She was like a rock star during her time here. She really connected with Americans as she tried hard to understand our crazy culture. As she put it, we live at a "terrible speed." And Americans loved her as they learned and heard first hand of what life is like in Africa. She has lived through many good and bad events in her life and her faith shines brighter than ever.

If you didn't get a chance to meet her, you can hear my interview of her at Memorial Drive Church here and click on the April 15 sermon link. It went way too fast and I realized later that we didn't even get a chance to share basic information about her life like the unfortunate fact that she has had six brothers die of AIDS and one die to Idi Amin's men.

One big disclaimer about my movie recommendation from that morning, The Last King of Scotland. I learned from some shocked church members later that it does have some inappropriate scenes. So if you watch it make sure you have your fast forward button handy! The big lesson for me - don't recommend a movie to a church based on anyone else's recommendation and before watching it yourself! I still haven't had time to go rent and watch it. (But I did watch Blood Diamond the other night and would recommend it if you're able to handle some graphic violence although it's not as graphically violent as other movies I've seen.)

I've said it many times before. It is close relationships with people like Ida and the late Moses Kimeze and many other African friends that inspire my continued involvement over there and with the Kibo Group. We Americans have a lot of money. Africans have a lot of poverty and they live in graphically violent situations all the time. In the midst of all the problems, there are so many gifted individuals / communities in Africa that just need some opportunities. We can give them more life opportunities through the Kibo Group.

The Ida U.S. Tour

2007-04-13T03:31:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the U.S., Ida.

My two worlds will collide again this weekend as my good friend, Ida Bazanoona, arrives in Tulsa. Ida was the first employee at what was then called Jemimah's Cafe in Jinja, Uganda in 1997 and together we worked and developed the place now known as The Source Cafe. She was instrumental in the growth of not only that ministry but also continues to inspire the growth of a community of believers around her. She and I will share some thoughts with the Memorial Drive Church of Christ this Sunday morning. Ida's life tells a great story!

Ida has already inspired many in her first trip to the U.S. She has been to Washington DC and Michigan and will be on her way to Oregon next. Ida has the great smile on the far right of this picture.

Blog Sabbatical

2007-03-28T04:12:00.000-07:00

I looked up and over a month has gone since my last post. I guess there is a good reason for that.

Do you ever go through a season of life that just wears you out and you have the need to be quiet and just be? That's where I've been at and still am there. Unfortunately the pace of life is rebelling against that thought!

So far 2007 has brought plenty of events and circumstances that I hadn't planned for. My heart tells me I'm better off spending as much of my time as I can just being still, reading, and allowing God's Spirit to teach and lead me. So that's what I'll try to do for now.

Sorry, I know that doesn't really fit the "good blogger" criteria. Hopefully it will get better soon.

For those of you interested in the ongoing Jinja work, Spencer and Emily Bogle have recently posted powerful and heart felt writings upon returning to Jinja post-accident.

Fielden Wisdom

2007-02-20T06:38:00.000-08:00

I just received an e-mail update from one of my heroes of faith, Fielden Allison. Fielden and Janet have served in Africa for over 35 years, most of that time in very remote places. They're still there serving. Shawn Mayes, Kathy Thompson, Jill Traylor (names at the time), and I lived with them the summer of 1991 on the Kenyan slopes of Mt. Elgon. Our lives were forever changed.

Here is Fielden's wisdom for the day.....

In order to know the problems of people you have to live with them. In order to solve the problems of people you have to live with God.

Touch a Life Ministries

2007-02-05T13:08:00.000-08:00

Briley and I had the pleasure of knowing Randy and Pam Cope and their family during our Fayetteville days where we were members of the North Street Church of Christ together. After we moved to Uganda and were still supported by North Street, we remember being saddened hearing of their 15 year old son's sudden and tragic death.

I just followed the link from Mike Cope's blog to this NY Times article about Pam and Randy and their recent rescue of some Ghanaian children slaves. I love how the article describes how their lives changed after Jantsen's death and how they now serve needy children in Africa and other suffering parts of the world in honor of Jantsen. What an encouragement to us all.

Not surprisingly, I am already hearing many stories of how God is powerfully touching lives and effecting positive change through Adam and Moses's deaths. One friend referred to the beginning of the "Adam movement", representing several who have already come forward to say "we want to serve as Adam served." In Uganda, God is also moving through the "Moses movement" where I know many Ugandans are saying the same things.

Remembering Adam

2007-01-25T21:09:00.000-08:00

Adam's inspiring funeral service yesterday was so fitting for Adam's inspiring life. That is the most I have ever seen at a funeral. I heard one person saying, "If you didn't know Adam before the service, you know him now." Another friend who attended but hadn't really met Adam before said, "I am a changed person." Brent Abney, Vincent Mudd, Ben Ries and Adam's brother, Ben Langford, led an incredible service. Adam would have been proud of each one of his friends / brothers.

They asked other close friends of Adam to speak into the microphone one word that described Adam's life. Here are some of their words:

True. Adam was a true friend and teammate.
Mukisa. The Lusoga name given to him in Uganda which means "blessed"
"the real deal"
Advantageous - not in any negative way but rather advantageous in forming friendships and seizing kingdom opportunities to serve his life.
Devotion
Infectious - not of the African illness kind, but of spreading a joyous spirit around him
"Dude!" - one of his favorite greetings and sayings to friends.
Dedication
Passion - about life, about serving God, about loving others
Brother - a great brother to his two brothers and a great brother in Christ.

There were more and it could have gone on much longer. Read many more comments on his life here in the form of comments to his last written report. Words help but cannot fully express what a great person Adam was. Similar to my experiences with Moses, it is hard to find a more selfless and sold out person for living Christ to others than Adam Langford.

I have my own personal memories with Adam that I'll always consider a great gift in my life. I'm so glad he came to Jinja as an intern. He was a shining light that summer of 2000, afro and all. I always hoped he would go back to Jinja to serve and he did that so well. I was privileged to spend about ten days with Adam and my brother, Mark, in late November. I'll always remember.....

drinking coffee with him in his little duplex.
being encouraged by him after preaching at Jinja Church.
watching him love and be loved by so many Ugandans.
watching him serve so well with the Jinja Church youth group.
hearing of his admiration for his teammates and his love of serving with his teammates.
him giving praise to God for the incredible mountains and God's creation in Africa.
around midnight one night watching the play by play account on the computer screen of the last 5 minutes of OU's Big 12 South championship clinching football game. We celebrated rather loudly together in the lobby of Gisenyi, Rwanda's Kivu Sun Hotel when they won the game.
hearing his anger when a few individuals spoke of another person inappropriately.
hearing him speak so highly of Moses Kimeze, Lazarus, Godfrey and other Source employees.
watching him light up the place, make people laugh so easily, and gain instant admiration from those we came to know at the events around Roz Carr's memorial service.
At Thanksgiving dinner around a table of new acquaintances being asked what he was thankful for. He said "Table - and the relationships formed around table." He described how he was thankful for the times of sitting around the table with his family growing up and enjoying great relationship with them. He was thankful for Roz' table where we sat and of meeting new friends.
hearing his dreams for growing The Source and expanding the coffee and craft business.
hearing his excitement for starting up the Mvule Project.
discussing with him the complexities of dealing with African poverty and hearing him apply his personal experiences with such wisdom.
hearing him laugh at the funny things of life in Uganda.
hearing him deal with the pain and suffering of living in Uganda - but still living with great joy and hope.
watching him live and be Christ to the world.

Adam, thanks for making my life better. Thanks for giving so much, yes even your life, for God in Uganda. Your legacy will live into eternity.

Adam / Moses Memorial Fund

2007-01-21T21:29:00.000-08:00

Kibo Group has set up a fund in memory of Adam Langford and Moses Kimeze that will benefit Moses' children as well as other orphaned children related to The Source Cafe. Donations can be mailed to:

Kibo Group
Langford / Kimeze Memorial Fund
604 S Redwood Ave
Broken Arrow, OK 74012

____________________________________________________________

Adam Langford's funeral is scheduled for Wednesday, 10 a.m. at Memorial Road Church of Christ in Edmond, OK.

Condolences can be sent to his parents:

Terry and Kathy Langford
2001 Stepping Stone Trail
Edmond, OK 73034

_____________________________________________________________

Here is a picture of The Source Cafe closed front doors the day after their accident. I have heard that the memorial is growing and that candles are lit at night for them.

In Memory of Moses Kimeze

2007-01-18T19:24:00.000-08:00

We received word today from Mark Moore via his wife Marnie that Moses was buried and there was an amazing service for him earlier today. This makes sense (that they buried him so quickly) as there is probably only one location in all of Uganda capable of preserving bodies. Burials usually take place the day following the death. I'm so glad that my teammates Mark and John Barton were able to make it to Uganda in time.

You can tell so much about a person by what is said at their funeral and how others respond to their funeral. Mark said that he's never seen so many people at a Ugandan burial before and unfortunately, we've all seen several Ugandan burials as death is a far too often occurrence in Uganda from accidents, AIDS, malaria, etc. It is hard to get a good count at a service like that but he estimated close to 500 people attended the service. Many Ugandans would have come long distances on their bikes. There were as many as 50 vehicles lined up close to his home. Many bazungu (white people) were there that Mark had never seen before which just confirms that Moses' had an incredible impact on not only Ugandans but people from all over the world.

I loved watching Mark Moore and Moses Kimeze team up to serve and care for people in need. They were an amazing team (much like Moses and Adam became in the past year). An example is a teenage boy by the name of Dombodo that Mark met one day deep in the village. Dombodo had a severe cleft pallet and many complications because of it. He could not speak to where I could understand him. Mark brought him home one day and Moses instantly adopted him (Moses and Irene were immediate neighbors to Mark and Marnie). Mark worked his connections until he got Dombodo's cleft pallet fixed. This process took quite a bit of time. Mark provided Dombodo the opportunity to a better life. Moses provided the constant care and nurturing for him to grow up to be a man. Today the report came that Dombodo, feeling like he has just lost his adopted father, went to Irene and pledged his full support to her and their children just as Moses cared for him. Moses' story is going to continue to be told over and over like this for generations to come as Dombodo was just one example of so many Moses served.

My dear friends Nyanga Grace, James Okumu, Richard Bazanoona and Mark all spoke at the service. Mark pointed out that many people might believe that Moses became the person he was because of his close ties to American missionaries. This is far from the truth though. Moses taught all of us (Americans and Africans) so much more and there is no doubt that we are all better people because of Moses Kimeze.

If anyone reading this ever had the opportunity to meet or to be blessed by Moses' in one way or another, please feel free to share that by commenting. I want to share some thoughts from others I've already heard as well as some of my own, although it would be impossible to share everything I've learned from him in one writing.

From Marnie's phone conversation with Irene, Moses' widow, just a few hours ago.....

Irene sounded alright, very teary. She said she is missing
Moses. She also said to me that she didn't know how she had
been blessed with such a good man. He wasn't like most men in Africa. Their daughter Rachel (4 yrs in December) still doesn't understand that they had buried Daddy. She still thinks he's in town and will be coming home.

From Marnie herself.....

Through the years I honestly never saw the man do anything
selfish. Nothing, period. He was always helpful to me when Mark
wasn't around, loaned money to others often, and continually
worked as a peacekeeper amongst others. He was strong, constant,
loving, encouraging and full of grace. He was patient and kind to our kids, and was especially patient and kind to me. He advised me and helped protect me. Mark and I have often spoken through the years, especially since leaving Uganda, that we have so much admiration for him.

Some of my own favorite memories of / with Moses Kimeze......

His unforgettable and contagious laugh. I never heard him laugh without others joining him in his laughter.
The fact that while living in one of the most remote and poverty stricken villages in Africa, he seized an opportunity of a goat from his uncle when he was just a young boy and turned that into many goats, putting himself mostly through school and was the essence of a rags to riches story that kept getting better every day. He is my main inspiration for developing the Kibo Group and expanding development ministry in Africa.
His constant conviction to live with the utmost integrity. When he managed the building renovation project (about a $100,000 project), he gave me a full accounting of every shilling he spent and that I had given him. He lived a trustworthy life and in return gained full trust from me and everyone else. Honestly, this is extremely rare in Uganda as they live in a culture that often celebrates trickery and corruption.
His humility and refusal to be in the spotlight. As I was helping to organize Jinja Church activities, I always wanted Moses present in the leadership meetings as I discerned he was full of wisdom. I wanted him to be an up front leader. He, on the other hand, never really wanted to be in the meetings or be up front. Not because of his lack of committment or because of any laziness, but he preferred to live his life serving rather than sitting in meetings or taking credit for anything. I came to fully respect him for that. And this very quality is why he became all of our top choice for leading The Source Cafe and business ministries in Jinja. He was the full essence of a servant leader and so many benefited from that.
Seeing his heart break on a Jinja Church mission trip eight of us took to Rwanda. We heard firsthand of the great suffering during the genocide and I observed Moses' heart hurt for them.
Eating lunch after Sunday church with Adam and Moses and his family just eight weeks ago. His children were well behaved and it was a pure joy to spend that hour in their company. Adam and Moses talked of additional projects they wanted to start at The Source that would help the poor in the villages.
Watching and admiring him mechanically repair practically anything and everything that was put in front of him.
Working at The Source with him one day when Briley called me to tell me our house was on fire. I first looked for Moses, grabbed him and we rushed to our house. It was an electrical fire and he knew immediately where to look and find the main wire into the house and disconnect it. He kept our entire house from burning down that day when I didn't have a clue what to do.
Briley and I wearing Ugandan traditional clothes (Briley wore a dress with pointy things on the shoulders and I basically wore a white dress over my suit called a kanzu) and attending Moses introduction ceremony and wedding with Irene. Read a good account of it here written by another good friend of mine Nyanga Grace.
Celebrating with him and Irene over the birth of their firstborn, Rachel.
Watching him laugh and play with his children.
Watching him laugh and play with my boys.
Watching him treat Irene with great love and respect like no other husband.
Watching him work with excellence in EVERYTHING he did.
Knowing that he turned down opportunity after opportunity for a better paying job with less hours. He chose to sacrifice worldly wealth for spiritual wealth.
Receiving an e-mail from a woman at International Justice Mission in Kampala the day before he died praising Moses for his efforts in exposing a thief who stole Sarah (read down to my March 2, 2005 post) and her orphan siblings' fund for their education / future.
Spending a day going to Kapchorwa / Mt. Elgon with him in March of 2005 to meet with coffee farmers and discuss a future purchase of coffee. He drove very cautiously (I wished he'd go faster) on the same road he died on this week.
Witnessing his baptism with his sister in the Nile River.
Mourning alongside him at a burial of one of his own family members in his home village.
Watching Adam and Moses work together at The Source (March 22, 2005 post) on my most recent trip. Adam joked that Moses had fired him eight times now, Moses just laughed hysterically. They were quite a pair.

Maybe more than anyone I have ever known, Moses lived a Christ like life. I am blessed to have known him. Words can't express how much I already miss him.

__________________________________________________________

An update on the Langford family..... I just spoke with Dusty Davis, a good friend of the Langfords and a former Jinja intern, and he and about 100 others were at the OKC airport getting ready to welcome Ben, Kym, and Eli. They expect Adam' s body and the Bogles and Manrys, their teammates, to board a BA flight tomorrow morning and hopefully arrive Sunday. If all goes well, Adam's funeral will likely be on Wednesday at the Memorial Road Church of Christ in Edmond.

___________________________________________________________

An update on my own family...... Briley fell on the ice yesterday and fractured a bone in her elbow. Please pray for healing and less pain in her arm. School is out again tomorrow and another big storm coming in this weekend. Where are we, Michigan?

Moses and Adam

2007-01-18T07:31:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures of these two great men.

We affectionally called him Moses the Carpenter. I've never seen a more skilled carpenter than Moses. Our family eats every day off of one of his tables he made. Someone commented yesterday that now he is God's carpenter.

Moses was a great Daddy to little Tyler and his three other children. He was a great husband to his wife, Irene. This was not a real natural thing - Ugandan men showing such caring love for his wife and children, but he defied those cultural pressures to be a great Daddy and husband.

You can read Adam's bio here as well as his recent reports from Uganda he's written on this website.

They were Serving the Poor......

2007-01-17T16:54:00.000-08:00

In Jesus name, Moses and Adam were serving the poor. They were serving Christ as they were serving others.

In the midst of a brutal Oklahoma winter stretch (African Children's Choir canceled last week / kids out of school all this week and another approaching major snow storm this weekend) , yesterday I received a brutal phone call from Uganda. The worst kind of news I wanted to hear. From what we understand, while returning from buying coffee on Mt. Elgon the truck went out of control and over a cliff. Moses Kimeze, 36, and Adam Langford, 28, are gone. Moses leaves behind a wonderful wife, Irene, and four young children (one is an adopted AIDS orphan). Adam leaves behind a wonderful and faithful set of parents and 2 close brothers and many more family and friends.

Right now I am shocked, sad, mad, frustrated, confused, and much more. So many questions for God right now. Why? Why would you take two of the most talented, creative, energetic, hard-working, humble, faithful men that I have ever known? Why would you do that especially in a land that desperately needs people with the skills, talent, faith, and servant leadership as they had? They were serving the poor! Don't you want people to live out Matthew 25? These two men were just hitting their prime in serving others and caring for the needy. They had just bought coffee at a fair price keeping the coffee farmers' interests first in mind. They were going to sell it and use the profits to help care for Ugandans suffering with AIDS (and many other good ministries). This is the amazing 1-2 leadership punch at The Source and so many other good Kingdom-building projects! They were doing so much good. Why take them now?

And then I settle down and focus on God. God is so much bigger. My questions are so small and so human. God is faithful. We can't always comprehend it but God is faithful. God is everywhere. He is with all the Ugandans who benefited from Moses' life and who are mourning him now. He is with Irene and their young children. God is here. God is moving in amazing ways right now through Adam's life. I can't understand it all. I just believe that God IS amazing and He IS working despite the pain we all feel. God is good. God is not just good, God is great and awesome!

May Moses and Adam's lives inspire us all to serve Christ more by caring for the needy and serving others.

More on the incredible lives of Moses and Adam to come in the following days. For now, we plan to bury their bodies. Moses' burial will likely be Friday or Saturday deep in his home village in Uganda. Adam's funeral will likely be next week sometime after his body arrives here in Oklahoma (hopefully by Sunday).

If anyone can help, there are a lot of emergency expenses being incurred right now. Adam's family (brother Ben and family) returning from Uganda, the Jinja teammates travel, Adam's burial and funeral in Oklahoma, Moses' burial and funeral in Uganda, former teammates flying over to Uganda right now to mourn with and encourage the Ugandan Christians, etc. Here's how you can help....

Funds can be sent to:

Rochester Church of Christ
250 W. Avon Road
Rochester Hills, MI 48307
attn: Jinja Emergency Fund

This fund will cover missionaries' travel expenses back home, those traveling to Uganda and Moses' burial / funeral expenses in Uganda.

For the Langford family and funeral expenses, donations can be sent to:

East County Church of Christ
24375 SE Stark
Gresham, OR 97030
attn. Langford Family Fund

More information to come regarding a memorial fund to benefit Moses' children and their future.

Amazing Ugandan Children

2007-01-08T21:25:00.000-08:00

This Friday everyone in the Tulsa area has a chance to see and hear from some amazing children. The African Children's Choir is made up of many Ugandan orphaned children ages 7-11 years old. They tour world wide and have been on some big stages. I watched them (on tv) perform at Live8. I saw them perform on the Jay Leno show a couple of weeks ago. You can also hear some of their music in the recently released movie Blood Diamond.

They can dance and they can sing so don't miss them. It's a free concert this Friday night at 8 p.m. held at Garnett Church of Christ. Kibo Group is sponsoring the concert and I'll have Uganda coffee there to enjoy.

Baby prayers

2007-01-07T18:55:00.000-08:00

I'll veer a little off course of this blog topic to ask prayer warriors out there for your help. Some tiny babies and their parents need your prayers.

John Carter York is the 6 month old boy of one of my co-workers. His heart had a hole in it and it was beginning to fail so he had surgery around the middle of December. The surgery did not go well and he's been in NICU ever since fighting infections and multiple challenges. Briley and I have been up to visit his parents a few times now and we're amazed at their strength and faith in God. Carter is being moved now to Oklahoma City to have another pediatric cardiac surgeon make an attempt to repair his heart. If that fails they'll be looking at going on a waiting list for a heart transplant and they will be moved to St. Louis. Pray for Carter and his Mom and Dad, Lesley and John, as they walk their family in faith (they have three other children).

Please also pray for little Benjamin Gatewood. Benjamin with his incredible parents, Whit and Adrienne, was to make his first appearance at our small group tonight but our living room had a few empty chairs and a missing newborn. Benjamin was born a week ago with a birth defect in his windpipe and esophagus area. He is living off a ventilator now and trying to get strong for an impending surgery. Whit and Adrienne's faith through this is simply incredible. Read for yourself at their new site here and please say a prayer for them.

Thanks!

Last Minute Christmas Shopping? - Try the Mvule Project

2006-12-13T15:14:00.000-08:00

Going back and forth from Africa to America has opened my eyes to a lot of things but especially to social injustice issues. It is very much a moral issue to me. I can't help but read Amos and think we live in a very similar time as his time. I get amazed, saddened, overwhelmed at the extreme poverty my African friends live in while I'm simultaneously amazed at our American consumerism and pressure to buy and buy more things - things we often don't really need.

For more on these thoughts, check out this video made by my Kibo partner, Mark Moore, just after they returned from living almost 10 years in Africa. And then if you are still looking (as I am) for some last minute Christmas gifts, buy a mvule tree in Uganda! It will be a gift that just keeps on giving and will help many of my Ugandan friends.

Click the link below to read all about it!

Imbabazi Pictures

2006-12-12T20:25:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures from our time at Imbabazi and Roz' memorial service....

It was extremely difficult to do tile work in the steady rain but several people worked admirably to get it completed for the memorial service. We're sure Roz' would have preferred something a little simpler but for the Rwandans she deserved a fitting grave marker so they worked hard for that. Her grave is located in one of her flower gardens near her farm house.

Mark, Terri and I grabbed the very left back corner spot under the tent for the memorial service. It was very close quarters in order to allow as many people as possible to get out from under the rain. We took turns sitting and I often held my digital camera above the crowd to get pictures. Then I could share the view through the camera with Mark and Terri sitting and who for much of the time they had completely blocked views of the service. Come to think of it, we traveled a long way to get only partial views of the service! It was great just being there though. Hope you've recovered, Terri, from those stepped on toes!

Here are a few shots of the traditional dancing after the service. The rain finally let up enough to allow them room to move. Roz often hosted times of traditional Rwandan dancing throughout her life on the Mugongo farm.

A view of her house from the gate by the road. And then a view from her house looking towards her gate with some of the children waiting for the memorial service. Off in the distance is Lake Kivu. Rising behind her house are two of the towering Virunga volcanoes.

Here is the flower drying house from the days of the pyrethrum farm. When Roz returned immediately after the genocide it was the only building she had to keep the many orphans she began taking in. Due to safety concerns it is not used any more but the building holds a special place in many childrens' hearts as the initial place of rest, hope and prospects for peace after the war.

I didn't have a wide enough angle to get the whole of the new orphanage buildings but here is a partial view with the clouds covering Mt. Karisimbi in the background.

We shot a few baskets with some of the kids and Adam and Mark struck a pose by the Imbabazi truck.

Trip Pictures - Uganda

2006-12-09T15:15:00.000-08:00

Am finally getting around to posting some pictures of our trip. We were a short 2 days or so in Uganda. Will post Rwanda pictures later.

Here is Idah, Kaweri and the Source cafe kitchen staff celebrating the arrival of a new industrial strength frying pan. Briley and I took them a similar one about 5 years ago they were still using - and using 6 days a week since then. It was a moment of joy for all involved. Thanks Danna for shopping for them!

Here are some shots of The Source Cafe. Internet cafe, craft shop, coffee shop, and then church meeting area behind the Source. It looks great and as you can tell, it is a place that serves many bazungu (white folks) and the profits are used to serve the church and many church ministries.

Finally, Mark is showing off some Uganda coffee in our village visit to Kyabirwa and spending time with Manda, Sarah and their family.

This is NOT Africa

2006-12-01T05:53:00.000-08:00

I had a bad feeling when the flight from Brussels to Chicago showed Planes, Trains, and Autombiles as their featured movie. What are they thinking? Fortunately I escaped O'Hare just in time.

I made it home 2 hours before the ice storm hit followed by the first blizzard in Oklahoma in who knows how long. Mark's scheduled flight into Denver was cancelled but he made it on another flight a few hours later. I just read that Chicago O'Hare has cancelled 265 flights.

I'm sitting in my warm home with my beautiful family amazed at the snow. This picture is looking out our front door.

Rwanda moving in the right direction

2006-11-27T13:29:00.000-08:00

Rwanda is an amazing place. Just over twelve years ago it was hell on earth. Unimaginable evil taking place. With security in place, it is now developing at an incredible pace. Kigali now is probably the nicest East African city I've seen. It is clean, has nice roads, business is booming, new buildings are going up, crime is low, and people obviously enjoy the development. This past Saturday, and every last Saturday morning of each month, businesses shut down and the whole country is encouraged to clean their neighborhoods. The police and government officials lead the way in the monthly clean up time. Plastic sacks (like Wal-Mart sacks) are not allowed in the country as they tend to trash up the city. I know because I carried one into the airport. I wondered what I had done wrong when they immediately ushered me into a room and handed me a blue Mickey Mouse bag to carry my belongings so they could confiscate my plastic sack. The Mickey bag cost me $4 but after I heard the reason I was fine with paying it. Those are just small examples of how Rwanda is treating their development seriously.

The Imbabazi Orphanage is also moving in the right direction. The term "orphanage" will soon be phased out and it will be run as the "Imbabazi Center". The majority of the children are now teenagers and so focused efforts will begin on preparing them for adult life. The Rwanda government has good policies towards children in need and the Imbabazi Center will align itself with those policies. The Imbabazi Foundation Board met for nearly 30 hours last week and some great strides were made to building on the strong foundation Roz had started. I'm weary of meetings but I'm very happy with the future of the Imbabazi children.

Tomorrow night Mark and I will be on a plane heading for home. I can't wait to be there. Two weeks is about all I can stand being away from my family.

Roz' rainy memorial service

2006-11-24T12:41:00.000-08:00

We went up to Mugongo (Roz' farm) early today as we thought that her grave marker / garden area still needed a lot of work before the 2 p.m. service. We found that her Rwandan friends had worked through the night and it was in pretty good shape. Mark, Adam and I were able to stroll around her farm, have tea in her house and play and visit with the children.

About the time the service began it started to pour down rain. There were two tents set up and I'm guessing nearly 300 people crowded in to stay dry. We were happy to see Terri Taylor who made it just in time. For nearly the whole two hour service it rained heavily. While the rain made it a little difficult, it was still powerfully evident just how big of an impact Roz had on so many people. I met many Americans, Congolese, Rwandans, Europeans and more today that had in one way or another been inspired by the sacrificial love Roz gave throughout her life. The 120 or so children that sang, danced and told stories of how she rescued them from a homeless life was the biggest example of her love. (She started the Imbabazi Orphanage at the age of 82 and has been the director the last 12 years.) She loved children just as Christ told us to. She also loved those in the community around her by providing them secure jobs, treating their sicknesses and giving them an example of working hard.

Diplomats (US ambassador was in attendance today), family, friends, business people, philanthropists, missionaries, conservationists, strangers and many beautiful children said goodbye today to Roz' and thanked her for her inspiration. I believe her legacy will live for eternity.

A Thanksgiving to Remember

2006-11-23T12:13:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

While I prefer to enjoy Thanksgiving with my family, this Thanksgiving is certainly one to remember. Most of the day was spent at our Gisenyi hotel getting acquainted with the other Imbabazi board members and other friends of Roz. At 6 p.m. Mark, Adam and I sat at Roz' table and enjoyed a great turkey dinner with dressing, rice, green beans, cranberry sauce, and then pumpkin pie and chocolate cake. There were 14 of us around the table and the conversation was filled with fascinating stories from Roz' life. We were a unique group all brought to the table by Roz. Everyone had a chance to say their thanks and I told them about how thankful I am for Briley, Easton, Tyler and McKensey, family and new friends. There was a lot of laughter mixed in with some tears in the three and a half hours we were there.

We leave at 8 a.m. tomorrow for Roz' farm where we will make final preparations of her grave marker and the memorial service. We will be there by 9 a.m. and the service begins at 2 p.m.

Random Thoughts from Uganda

2006-11-19T19:26:00.000-08:00

I’ve been on the ground in Uganda for 48 hours and going full steam from the get go. Unfortunately my brother, Mark, has only been on the ground for 24 hours as mechanical problems made him miss our Brussels flight by 15 minutes. More mechanical problems nearly made him miss the next flight too.

He’s here now and it’s great to have Mark with me on this trip. He and Adam Langford have hit it off well and we’re really enjoying hanging out together. Adam is obviously doing great work here.

Some random thoughts from my first 48 hours in Uganda….

I don’t miss jet lag. My body pretty much stopped functioning around 8 p.m. last night Uganda time. It’s now 3:30 a.m. and I’m rarin to go.

Uganda is not rarin to go as it is dark, quiet and peaceful. I miss the quiet peaceful moments that come much more naturally in Uganda than America.

It’s definitely rainy season in Uganda. The green tropical surroundings are amazing.

My African allergies are alive and well. I wonder if Ugandans think my eyes are always red and puffy.

I miss Briley, Easton, Tyler and McKensey.

Jinja Church asked me to preach. Preaching without much preparation but with jet lag and a bad case of allergies is always an interesting combination. It’s those times I give up trying to preach a great sermon on my own and let God. I believe He did. I was surprised when my emotions got the best of me and I teared up in front of the 50 or so people.

I preached from Ephesians 4 on community, the importance of relationships, and “making every effort” to encourage and keep the bond of peace with each other. For me and this trip, I’m convinced that taking time to just show up in Jinja is the effort I needed to make to reconnect with such important relationships I have here. My Ugandan friends encourage me so much and their smiles, hugs, and handshakes have let me know they’re also encouraged.

I looked around Jinja Church and was pleased at the strong faith and community I have with several of my closest friends. Richard & Idah, Moses and Irene, Alice, Ronald and Lazarus (and more) are all producing great fruit through their ministries / lives. I don’t believe it’s any coincidence that most of these are the people that for about five years we spent nearly every day of our lives together working at The Source. It reinforces in me the value of relational ministry. It also reinforces in me that serving the community through a Christ-centered business is a great way to deepen Christian relationships and develop whole people. The spiritual, physical, emotional and educational aspects of life are all important and I’m glad that The Source and Jinja town ministry provides for all of those.

Mark, Adam and I had lunch with Moses and Irene and their four children. I was laughing with them that five years ago they were childless and now they have four! The oldest, Jared, is about 10 and is an AIDS orphan. He is Moses and Irene’s nephew.

AIDS continues its march to wipe out a generation here in Uganda. The good news is that there is now free ARV treatment for those suffering the worst. Unfortunately it’s too late for so many Ugandans. I have heard account after account of church members and their family members who have died from AIDS the past few years or are dying from AIDS right now. Moses and Irene have a brother-in-law on his death bed right now.

We spent Sunday afternoon in the village of Kyabirwa visiting my good friend Manda Wilson and his family. They are also great leaders in this church movement leading by service and a seemingly unshakable faith in God. They moved to Kyabirwa to help oversee the property owned by the church and which the land is designed to produce coffee and livestock (pigs, goats and more) to provide for the sustainability of Basoga Bible School. Manda is the Assistant Director of BBS. The former caretaker of the land, Charles, died of AIDS a couple of years ago and the property has largely been unattended and uncared for since he became sick. Manda’s wife, Sarah, generously provided us a good meal of sweet potatoes and beef.

We ended the day by seeing God’s incredible power at Bujagali Falls on the Nile River. There continues to be a lot of economic development in this area because of the Nile River. It is known for its world class rafting and kayaking. South African firms are building up an impressive tourism base here. That only helps the success of The Source. We sat by the river to wind down and reflect on a good and full day.

The on the ground Jinja team continues to impress me. The Langford, Bogles and Manry’s are incredibly talented while serving so humbly. They were appreciative of our small groups at Memorial Drive buying their lunch Saturday.

Today, Monday, will be another busy day. We’ll spend as much time as we can at The Source. I want to reconnect with as many Ugandan friends as possible. Mark is excited to drink freshly picked and roasted coffee at The Source and to meet people. Adam and I will make our third trip in four days to the airport in Entebbe (on average a 3 hour one way trip) and the three of us will end the day sleeping in Kigali, Rwanda.

More from there….

Back to Africa

2006-11-16T00:26:00.000-08:00

Soon I'll be off to Africa again. A short three day stay in Uganda seeing friends and then a week in Rwanda for Roz' memorial service and Imbabazi Orphanage board meeting. This blog started on my last trip to Africa in February 2005. I'll try to post short notes every now and then on this trip as well. Hopefully my brother, Mark, can also give his first time in Africa reflections.

Plane reading material will be Left To Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza, an amazing woman who found her faith while surviving the genocide. Sam Shewmaker told me about it and Briley just read it as well. Both were amazed and inspired by her faith story.

You've Been Lost!

2006-11-08T20:10:00.000-08:00

In Uganda, when you go for too long without seeing someone they will inevitably say, "But, you've been lost!" I realize that in the blogger world I often get lost. Lately it's been too much going on and too little time to write about it. I wish I could write in much more detail but short blurbs will have to work for now. (Btw, I did finally add links over there but still have goofed up pictures. I'll fix it someday)

The U4U event went great. There were about 70 in attendance. Not a huge number but each one was passionate about Uganda and ministry. When you get 70 people like that in one room great things happen. As Mike Schrage put it so well in the final talk Saturday afternoon, "This is not Sunday, but as far as I'm concerned this is where the rubber really hits the road regarding church happening." There was great prayer, praise and partnership going on as we celebrated what God has done in Uganda and we dreamed about what God is going to do in Uganda.

Probably the best part of the weekend was sharing our home with former Jinja teammates Bret and Johnna, Ben and Kym, Erika, McKensey, Rebecca, Terri, and Greg and Jill. We had a houseful but it was great. I'm not sure that I've ever experienced "community" with a group as I have with our Jinja team. Our small groups here in Tulsa get close to that but the shared cross-cultural experiences and the down time in Uganda we had together allowed those relationships to really deepen. Terry Rush asked Ben Langford Sunday morning if our whole crew was Ben's family. Ben looked at us and then just said, "yes." And he is right.

__________________________________________

From the mouths of little ones....

As we were cleaning up Saturday afternoon, a few of us noticed my 2 1/2 year old daughter (who was in her own little world), McKensey, walk up to the glass podium, stand behind it and started saying very loudly, "Jesus, all over the world!" while waving her arms around. She said it over and over until she realized we were all having too much fun watching her. You don't think she notices what's going on?

On Sunday morning after church, my five year old Tyler began showing off his clothes pin donkey he made in Bible hour. My friend Doug Townsdin asked him what the donkey's name was and Tyler said, "Jack."

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On my upcoming trip to Africa next week.....

After Roz passed away about six weeks ago, my heart wanted to make plans to attend her memorial service and the scheduled Imbabazi Orphanage Foundation Board meetings on Thanksgiving weekend. But I thought "no way" as I didn't want to be away from my family over Thanksgiving and didn't think I could afford to be away from work for that long. Then one morning my incredible wife, Briley, woke up and said, "you really need to go and be a part of this opportunity God has given you." After praying on it for a few days I brought it up with my supportive Christian boss who said, "No question, this is something you should do." So, I am scrambling to prepare for another trip to Africa. I leave next week.

Then last Friday my oldest brother, Mark, called me and asked, "What would it take for a guy to plan a trip to Africa in less than two weeks." Evidently he and his wife, Kathleen, had talked about my trip and she said, "You just need to go with Clint." I've been trying to get Mark over there for about 10 years now so I immediately went to work in getting things lined up for him. He is very excited about seeing new ministry opportunities and being an ambassador for poverty-stricken Africans. We are both excited to share this experience together and we are both extremely thankful for our supportive wives and family.

__________________________________________

More coffee!

I received 200 more bags of excellent Arabica coffee called Kiira Kawa last week. I need to get rid of them. Can you help? They make great holiday gifts as you can tell others that this coffee keeps giving (remind anyone of George of Seinfeld?) . This coffee is bought by the Jinja Church members directly from the farmers. They pay the farmers above market price for their best coffee therefore benifitting those farmers economically (same idea as fair trade). Then the coffee is processed and roasted in Uganda and then packaged at The Source Cafe in Jinja. I bought this last shipment from them at their normal wholesale price enabling them to use those profits to pay for the expenses of the church building. The church, not having to pay for the building expenses due to this business, sends out their own missionaries by buying them bikes and providing monthly support as well as develop their children through exciting youth ministries. And this is not just buying coffee for a purpose. I believe that if you are a serious coffee drinker that you will really like it. So much so that you may end up like Doug and Danna Townsdin, who can't drink anything but Kiira Kawa dark roast coffee.

Let me know (clintatkibogroup.org) if you want some of this coffee for your home, small group, Bible class, office, church fellowships, Christmas parties, etc. It is great coffee with a mission.

United For Uganda - Nov. 3-4

2006-10-25T04:15:00.000-07:00

Greg Taylor, Ben Langford and I met yesterday preparing for the upcoming United For Uganda Meeting Nov. 3rd and 4th. It's going to be a great occasion held at Garnett Church of Christ here in Tulsa. It will bring together many people with big hearts for Uganda and Africa. It kicks off with an African themed dinner at 7 p.m. Friday night. If you live in the Tulsa area I especially encourage you to come (bring $10)to this dinner and see all the different types of Ugandan ministries. It will be cool, tight, or whatever word you use to describe great events like this. By the way, is tight still in?

Let me know if you plan to attend Friday night.

You can also read more about United For Uganda on Greg's blog. Hope to see you there!

Microloan inventor Yunus wins Nobel Peace Prize

2006-10-15T19:29:00.000-07:00

The Nobel Institute went out of the box Friday as they announced this year's Peace Prize winner to Muhammad Yunus, a Bangladeshi economist, and Grameen Bank. In Saturday's Wall Street Journal the Norwegian Nobel Committee was quoted as saying "Every single individual on earth has both the potential and the right to live a decent life. Across cultures and civilizations, Yunus and Grameen Bank have shown that even the poorest of the poor can work to bring about their own development." They get it that the world needs more economic justice which leads to peace. Ideas like microcredit are exactly the types of ideas the world needs to come up with more.

While in Uganda we just dabbled in giving out microloans to those in the villages where we worked. In 2000 my teammate, Mark Moore, worked with the largest cell phone network provider to put a phone in the home of one our village church leaders. James Okumu, an incredible church planter and evangelist, had fellow villagers come to his house in one of the most remote locations I've seen in Uganda and they would communicate with the world. They could call into the nearest town and get market prices for crops ready to be harvested and sold. This would allow them to sell their crops at the right price rather than losing money to a middleman. If there was a sickness or death they could call for help. They could make district and national level government agencies aware that they were there and communicate the issues they faced. James would charge them just over cost and they would be provided a much needed service while James had a means to help care for all (last count was around 15) his deceased siblings' orphaned children. The program was much like Grameen's Village Phone project. In hindsight, I wish we would have had more manpower and resources to do more of this. Combining information technology and innovation with the poor creates great opportunities for better living.

So here's to the inventor of this seemingly simple but very powerful idea improving the lives of hundreds of millions of the poorest people of the world.

Roz Remembered by the World

2006-10-06T19:01:00.000-07:00

The word of Roz passing away has now spread around the world. She is receiving her due press for living an incredible life of servanthood. Articles have now been published all over Africa and the world like the Rwanda Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Washington Post, Newark Star Ledger, and this coming weekend I hear a story will appear in the NY Times. The following is a great article that appeared in the U.K.'s Telegraph.

Rosamund Carr, who died on September 29 aged 94, abandoned her life as a Manhattan socialite and moved to Central Africa with her adventurer husband; she remained there for more than 50 years and chronicled her experiences of the beauties and tragedies of the region in Land of a Thousand Hills — My Life in Rwanda (1999).

The eldest of three children of a New York bond trader, she was born Rosamund Halsey at South Orange, New Jersey, in 1912. Her early life was one of "boarding schools, country clubs and debutante balls", but when her father lost most of his money in the stock market crash of 1929, Rosamund had to look for work.

After two years at the Traphagen School of Fashion Design in New York, she was apprenticed at an artists' studio which specialised in fashion illustration and shop window displays. Eventually she set up on her own, providing fashion illustrations for New York department stores from an apartment on Madison Avenue.

One evening in 1941 she was invited to a showing of films on Africa by the British-born big game hunter and filmmaker Kenneth Carr. Before coming to America, Carr had lived in Africa for some 28 years and had worked variously as a tattoo artist, a coffee planter and a miner of silver and tungsten.

Though he was 24 years her senior, Rosamund was instantly captivated by this dashing, exotic figure and was thrilled when he asked her out and presented her with a pin made from a lion's claw laminated in gold. They married in 1942.

It was only after the marriage that she discovered that she had made a mistake. For despite his glamorous image, Carr was painfully inhibited, protective of his privacy and did not want children. He was also penniless. When America entered the war, he got a job in Washington advising the American government on the Central African region. But when it became clear that the war would not reach Central Africa, he found his services were no longer required. Later he found a job as a field engineer for a mica mine in North Carolina. But their marriage continued to deteriorate.

By 1949 they had decided that the only solution was to move to Africa, and on July 9 that year Rosamund packed four cotton dresses and a "lifetime's supply of cold cream" and set sail with her husband from Brooklyn Harbour in a cargo ship bound for West Africa. They sailed up the Congo river to what was then Stanleyville (now Kisingani), then drove a second-hand Ford pickup truck 620 miles to the Congo-Rwanda border, where they eventually turned to managing a farm. "It was so beautiful," Rosamund Carr recalled. "You could hear monkeys at night. There was a 50-foot waterfall on the property. Sometimes elephants would roam by."

But their marriage foundered, and in 1955 Rosamund bought a 270-acre flower plantation called Mugongo in the foothills of the Virunga volcanoes in Rwanda; she moved into an ivy-clad stone cottage where she planted a formal English garden. Meanwhile, after dabbling in various reckless business ventures, her former husband lost everything when Belgium's colonial rule of the Congo ended in 1960. He eventually left the country.

For the next 40-odd years, Rosamund Carr eked out a precarious living by growing flowers which she sold to hotels, businesses and embassies in Kigali. She also began raising money to send young Rwandans to school and university.

In 1967 she met another American woman living in Rwanda, the zoologist Dian Fossey, who lived and worked among the gorillas on the slopes of a nearby mountain. The two women became best friends. Dian Fossey was murdered in 1985, probably at the hands of poachers, and in a subsequent film about her life, Gorillas in the Mist, Rosamund Carr was played by the actress Julie Harris.

On April 6 1994 a plane carrying the Rwandan president Juvenal Habyarimana, a Hutu, was shot down, precipitating the slaughter of at least 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus by militant Hutus. On the evening of the assassination, two of Rosamund Carr's Tutsi shepherds asked her if they could stay in her house. By the next morning she had taken in 14 terrified refugees and found her home besieged by a club-wielding Hutu mob.

When the Interahamwe militia turned up, her Tutsis attempted to flee. There was nothing she could do to save them: "They were all killed," she recalled, "my shepherds, their mothers, their children. Eight were killed in my garden." Rosamund Carr was eventually evacuated, wearing just her nightgown and carrying a few possessions, by staff from the American embassy.

She returned to America, but the thought of what she had left behind in Africa made her feel "like a traitor", and she felt that she had to do something to help the children she saw suffering every time she turned on the television news. In August 1994 she returned to her looted home in Rwanda and established her old pyrethrum-drying plant as an orphanage for children who had lost their parents in the genocide.

When fighting broke out again in 1998 she and her orphanage moved to Gisenyi, though they returned to the Mugongo plantation in November last year. About 120 children, both Hutu and Tutsi, now live at the orphanage in a complex that includes dormitories and a school.

Despite the hardships of her life, Rosamund Carr never abandoned her sense of Manhattan style and remained immaculately coiffed and dressed even in the most distressing circumstances. She was buried in the garden of her home at Mugongo last Sunday in a ceremony attended by a crowd of admirers and local people.

Remembering Roz

2006-10-01T21:18:00.000-07:00

I am saddened today as I have just heard the news of Roz Carr passing away in Gisenyi, Rwanda. She passed away peacefully in her sleep Friday. She was to be buried on her farm in Mugongo, Rwanda today.

I have always been fascinated by Roz' persistence in life to help others, especially in Rwanda. I first met her when her orphanage was about four years old. She was thrilled to finally get "her children" in life. And after the terrible events of the genocide, she took responsibility for over 100 orphans who had nowhere else to go. She was 82 at the time. She named the orphanage "Imbabazi" which translated in Kinyarwanda language means "As a mother cares for a child". Her heart truly loved those children as if she were their real mother.

Over the course of seven years, I believe I visited Roz and the children six different times. She was always so welcoming and hospitable. I always had at least a truck load of visitors with me as I wanted others to see and be inspired by her love and service to those children. Offering hope was her mode of operation.

She was also loyal and persistent. She encountered many difficulties in her life in Rwanda, the worst being the genocide of 1994 where many of her friends were killed or maimed, but she never really considered leaving Rwanda. She loved the people and the land too much.

If you haven't ever read the fascinating life story of Rosamond Carr, please order her book and read it now. If you have read it, or if you are one of the lucky few who have actually met Roz, please share your favorite stories or memories you have of Roz.

Please pray for wisdom for those of us on the Imbabazi Board as well as those making decisions in Rwanda now regarding the future of the children of Imbabazi.

Vote for Roz

2006-09-19T05:16:00.000-07:00

Roz Carr, an extraordinary 94 year old woman and founder of Kibo's Rwandan partner project, the Imbabazi Orphanage, is a finalist for the 2007 Volvo For Life Award. This award honors modern day heroes. The winners will receive worldwide recognition and a cash award of $50,000.

You can vote on line once a day between now and February 4th. Just click on Roz' name above to get to Volvo's website, click on Vote, New Jersey, Roz' name and submit your vote.

Tell your friends and vote every day. The awards ceremony will take place in New York in April 2007.

Green Revolution in Africa

2006-09-13T16:04:00.000-07:00

There was a global green revolution (basically efforts towards improving crop yields) starting in the 1940s and following decades that was amazingly successful in helping lift numerous countries out of extreme poverty. The green revolution in China is seen as playing a primary role in the direction they are heading now. The green revolution was actually attempted for some time in Africa, but extreme challenges and problems prevented it from taking root. People gave up and left Africa to be, for the most part, and now Sub-Sahara Africa is the only widespread global region where its people are just getting hungrier and hungrier.

It looks like Africa is going to get its chance again. The Gates Foundation made a grand announcement yesterday. As their article title suggests, they are giving hope for African farmers again.

It was also featured on NPR this morning talking about the Gates Foundation partnering with an amazing Ugandan woman. You can listen to it here.

Medical blessings / needs

2006-08-26T14:02:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning I took my five year old, Tyler, into a brand new medical clinic so that he could have tubes put in his ears. As we sat there together just after 6 a.m. and waiting for the nurse to call us back, I could tell he was a little scared so I had him cuddle up real close to me as I assured him that he would be ok. It was a quiet moment and I was so glad to be able to give Tyler that comfort. I reminded him how our family had put our hands on Tyler the night before and we had prayed for him. We knew we had an excellent doctor and we were at an excellent facility. It all gave me flashbacks to over five years ago when Tyler and I had a similar but much more overwhelming moment.

On the morning of December 20th of 2000, Tyler entered this world through an emergency c-section procedure in Kampala, Uganda. It was a scary moment for all involved but he and Briley came through it and the first 24 hours of his life was spent in celebration, joy and recovery. Late on Dec. 21st, Tyler began having trouble breathing. We called the Ugandan nurses and they immediately scrambled to get assistance from the doctors. It was evident he had some type of infection, his fever was high and chest was heaving as he struggled to breathe. I was thankful for the new technology of cell phones as I went to the highest point of the hospital grounds and began consulting doctor friends we had here in the States. Our pediatrician teammate, Dr. Mark Hall, was on furlough in Lubbock so he was first on my list to call as he knew best the environment we were in. After getting that advice, we decided to rush Tyler to the best facilities and doctors in East Africa located in Nairobi, Kenya. Mark Moore and Jill and Greg Taylor packed our things from home in Jinja, brought our passports to Kampala, and made arrangements for an emergency flight to Nairobi early on the 22nd. Greg and my other cousin, Terri Taylor, would bring our 2 year old, Easton, by truck in a few days.

As day was breaking and a thunderstorm with a strong downpour rolled through at Uganda's international airport, we tried our best to load up Briley, still recovering from major surgery. They took two seats out of the six seater plane so Briley could lay on her back for the flight. Tyler was accompanied by a Ugandan female doctor, who we were very impressed with, in the backseat. I sat right behind the European pilot and Briley laid on the floor with her head just a few feet from the pilot's feet. It took less than an hour and a half to reach one of Nairobi's airports where we were met by an ambulance and our nurse friend, Carolyn Schrage. We wove through the heavy morning Nairobi traffic and first arrived at the Children's hospital. We were assured that some of the best pediatricians in all of Africa would be seeing us. Briley went on to stay at Aga Khan hospital for three days (they discharged her on Christmas Day when she got the best Christmas gift of her life, being reunited with her newborn son) where she learned that she lost so much blood she should have had a transfusion. We were glad she didn't! Tyler stayed in his hospital for over a week recovering from his staph infection.

It was at that check-in moment at the children's hospital, though, that was so surreal to me. I was operating on about 3 hours sleep over the previous 72 hours, sitting in a quiet room, holding my newborn son Tyler, and praying over him and giving him my love and hope that he would turn out to be just fine. He did, and I've become so thankful for the medical opportunities that God has provided us in our lives.

That's why every night as the kids and us pray our bedtime prayers we thank God for clean water to drink, doctors to see when we're sick, a comfortable house and bed to sleep in, schools to attend with great teachers and on and on our prayers go. I remind them that there are many boys and girls in this world, like this seven year old girl I just read about from Kym Langford's great report from Jinja, that simply don't have those medical and other life opportunities that we are so blessed with.

While my heart is so thankful for the way God has provided for my family and I, my heart continues to ache for all of those children that have so few opportunities and therefore often die from simple illnesses.

New Wineskins article

2006-08-14T18:47:00.000-07:00

Thanks to New Wineskins, who has published photos and a new version of The Source Cafe story in Jinja, Uganda and are helping to promote the Business As Mission idea.

Business As Mission gaining momentum

2006-07-26T19:18:00.000-07:00

I had an opportunity to speak at the Stewards of the Mission conference in Richland Hills, Texas last weekend. The organizer heard our story of The Source Cafe, told at this year's Tulsa Workshop, and how God used business to aid our mission effort in Uganda. He asked me to share it again at this conference but in much more detail this time. He also invited Tom Sudyk, a founder of the BAM movement and the EC Group. Tom spoke for 3 1/2 hours in the morning and I had the same amount of time in the afternoon. It was an intense 7 hours but those that attended were extremely receptive to the ideas.

And these meetings are just the beginning. If you are interested in business and missions here are just a few more opportunities and resources for learning more. The DFW area seems to be the area for BAM conferences!

The International Conference on Business and Mission Integration - Dallas, Oct. 12-14, 2006

YWAM's Business as Mission Resource Center

C12 Group's Leader Conference - Arlington, TX Sept. 28-30, 2006

World on Fire

2006-07-20T16:57:00.000-07:00

This is one of the best music videos I've ever seen.

Continent of Opportunities

2006-07-18T17:33:00.000-07:00

I like what I read in the following CNN article from today...

ABUJA, Nigeria (CNN) -- World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz Tuesday called Africa a "continent of opportunities" and said he would make it his priority in the coming years.

Wolfowitz's comments came on the second day of the Leon H. Sullivan Summit, which brings together Africans, African-Americans and business leaders to open up African countries for business opportunities.

The World Bank president said he was very impressed by the fact that 15 African countries had recorded a 4 percent growth each year for the past decade.

In particular he cited Rwanda and Mozambique, saying those two countries had surmounted some terrible obstacles -- namely the genocide in Rwanda and a famine and prolonged civil war in Mozambique -- to bring their economies back up, and said other African countries could learn from them.

The summit is now in its seventh year. The meeting is named for the Rev. Leon Sullivan, who created a code of conduct called the Global Sullivan Principles "to improve human rights, social justice and economic fairness in every country, throughout the world," according to the summit's Web site.

World Cup - Football for a Better World Part 2

2006-07-08T13:50:00.000-07:00

I just found on-line these similar thoughts as my last post - straight from the United Nations....

On Eve of World Cup Final, Annan Extols Football's 'Universal Language'

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in Berlin to attend the World Cup final, today compared the state of world football with the state of the world at large, and the most popular sport on Earth came out on top, with its equality, level playing field and transparency affording a shining example.

Giving just some of the reasons why the World Cup "makes us in the UN green with envy," he cited the sport's "universal language," its multifaceted role in bridging ethnic, social, cultural and religious divides, promoting teamwork and fair play and empowering girls.

"As the pinnacle of the only truly global game, played in every country by every race and every religion, it is one of the few phenomena as universal as the United Nations," he said at a ceremony at the unveiling of the emblem of the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) for the 2010 World Cup, to be held in South Africa.

"You could even say it's more universal. FIFA has 207 members; we have a mere 192. The World Cup is an event in which everybody knows where their team stands, and what it did to get there. Everybody loves talking about what their team did right, and what it could have done differently.

"I wish we had more of that sort of competition and conversation in the family of nations. Countries openly vying for the best standing in the table of respect for human rights, and trying to outdo one another in reducing the number of new HIV infections. States parading their performance for all the world to see. Governments being held accountable for what actions led them to that result. Citizens consumed by the topic of how their country could do better," he added.

"With that kind of public scrutiny, good governance would not be an option; it would be a necessity. And with that sense of public ownership, countries would better ensure that their own resources are used in a way that benefits their own daughters and sons."

Citing more reasons to be envious, he noted that the World Cup takes place on a level playing field, where every country has a chance to participate on equal terms and only two commodities matter: talent and team work.

"I wish we had more levellers like that in the global arena. Free and fair exchanges without the interference of subsidies, barriers or tariffs. Every country getting a real chance to field its strengths on the world stage," Mr. Annan declared.

The World Cup illustrates the benefits of "cross-pollination" between peoples and countries, with more and more national teams welcoming coaches from other countries and more and more players represent clubs away from home between the Cups.

"They all bring new ways of thinking and playing. Everybody wins by that cross-pollination," he said. "I wish it were equally plain for all to see that human migration in general can create triple wins - for migrants, for their countries of origin, and for the societies that receive them."

He, for one, would be migrating briefly to South Africa in July 2010 to see the next Cup, he concluded.

Source: United Nations

World Cup Fever - Football for a Better World

2006-06-23T20:55:00.000-07:00

I didn't grow up a huge soccer fan. I played a few years while really young but then the American dominated sports of American football, baseball and basketball took over my time, energy and interest. I get caught up in college football, Super Bowl fever, the World Series and March Madness. They are must see tv for me. Then I moved to Africa.

Yes, I admit, I woke up in the middle of a few nights, found a friendly ex-pat's satellite tv in town, and watched Super Bowls, national championship games, World Series games, etc. but it just wasn't that convenient and there weren't too many people to share the excitement with.

That's when I came to appreciate the World Cup. I lived in Uganda for the 1998 and 2002 World Cups and even though Uganda was not even close to being in the World Cup picture, it became a national month long hyped event even more so than the Super Bowl is here. World Cup games would shut down the nation, especially when an African country was playing, as everyone tuned in either by tv or radio. It was nearly impossible to not get caught up in the hype. And so I came to appreciate more the world's version of football and the hype of the World Cup. I became a big fan and really enjoyed connecting more with all of my African friends.

Yesterday, as I cheered on and became frustrated by the USA's effort in Germany, I couldn't help but think of the simultaneous ecstatic elation being felt in Ghana and really all over the African continent. Ghana's government declared a 1/2 day holiday for the big game. It was reported that they asked their gold mines to temporarily shut down to allow enough electricity to power all the tvs across the country. That's how big football is in the world.

And in light of the things I've been writing about on this blog, I'm amazed at how a single game can represent so much. The world's football, as it turns out, is a great equalizer. How else could a country of 22 million defeat a country of 299 million? How else could a country that doesn't have enough electricity to power their country topple the world's greatest economic superpower? So, while I'm down that the USA is out and we can't generate a little more soccer interest in this country, I'm elated for hundreds of millions of Africans who look to the joy of a single game for a brief respite from their daily life struggles for survival.

On a related note, you can imagine American football, baseball, and basketball are not primary interests of Africans. Football and baseball especially require too much money to play the game and it's a no-brainer that millions of Africans would not get into games that require so much when clean drinking water is such a chore to obtain. Soccer, or "football" in the rest of the world except the U.S., however can be played anywhere. Wrap some banana leaves up tightly to form a ball, plant some sticks in the ground for goals and voilah, you have a football match. It's one of the few team sports that Africans can afford.

So, as we move through the 2006 World Cup the world will soon begin to look towards the 2010 World Cup. Where? For the first time in history the World Cup will be played on African soil in South Africa. They will be promoting it not only as a South African event but as an African continental event. And what a great opportunity it presents for Africa. The theme that will be unveiled July 7th in Berlin will be "Africa's calling" and there will be a concert called "Football for a Better World." So here's to Africa in getting the world's sports spotlight for the next four years. From FIFA's current president, "We can all applaud Africa. The victor is football. The victor is Africa."

Who knows, maybe my family and I will have to celebrate it by cheering on the USA and all African participating countries in person! One thing is for sure, I'll be cheering on the world's sport of football and the opportunities the 2010 World Cup presents to Africa.

For now, Go Ghana Black Stars!

Watch Roz on TV

2006-06-17T20:57:00.000-07:00

2 p.m. tomorrow on Discovery's Animal Planet channel, 93 year old Roz Carr is interviewed on the show titled: Gorillas Revisited with Sigourney Weaver.

Hopefully someday there will be an entire film devoted to the incredible life of Rosamond Carr. Here's her book.

Transformational Travel

2006-06-14T16:03:00.000-07:00

What do we do once we're aware of our tendencies towards a superiority complex and we travel the world to do good works? Personally, I love the concept of "transformational travel". Transformational travel has everything to do with being aware of our tendencies towards the superiority complex and engaging in activities while traveling overseas that reflect humility, respect and true concern and love for the people we encounter. I'm not going to go into it any more because there is already some great resources on this concept.

Greg Taylor's blog is focused on this concept right now. Greg's new book How to Get Ready for Short-Term Missions is a must read for those going to new places to share God's love. Tony Campolo's Beyond Borders is a ministry founded on this concept.

As far as individuals go, Sam Shewmaker, has been my personal hero in this regard. I had the privilege of climbing Kilimanjaro with Sam in 1998 and then working with him on several other occasions. Most recently, I heard him give a short speech to Rwanda's President Kagame at Oklahoma Christian University. It was a speech filled with love, respect, and honor. I'm copying the text of his speech below. (I love the "they are not a pitiable people" comment and have already stolen the phrase from him.) That's how you minister to people across the world!

So, if you are traveling to new places or involved in working with the poor, read up on these materials and consider how you can be transformed in your travels as you take the love of Christ with you.

Sam Shewmaker Speech to President Kagame on Behalf of Churches of Christ

Your Excellency, President Kagame and Madame Kagame
Ambassador Nsenga
President and Mrs. Oneal
Distinguished guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
Students

Mwaramutse nyose
Karibuni sana mu Amerika

Your Excellency, we wish to express thanks to you and your people for honoring us by a visit to this campus today. Murakoze!

As a son of Africa myself, it is a special pleasure for me personally to witness the beginnings of a relationship between this Christian University and the Nation of Rwanda.

Your Excellency, as a citizen of the United States of America, I would like to express, on behalf of many of my fellow-Americans, and indeed on my own behalf, a belated, though deeply felt apology – that the government of the United States did not come to the aid of the people of Rwanda in their darkest hour. This fact is a stain on our national honor for which we are deeply sorry.

Some of us have visited your beautiful country and have met some of your beautiful people. While we have been moved to deep grief for the tragedy of Rwanda,
We do not pity the people of Rwanda, because they are not a pitiable people.
We see them as a resilient people who are growing in their hope every day.

Your Excellency, we believe that this is in large part due to your effective leadership. We believe that God has put you and your government in this position of leadership in Rwanda “for such a time as this.”

Many of us present here today represent a fellowship of Christian congregations known as Churches of Christ. As followers of Jesus Christ both in belief and in action, it is our desire to partner with Rwandans in the planting of churches that, in a holistic way, will become communities of healing that meet the spiritual, emotional and physical needs of the people.

It is our desire to work in solidarity along side your people to achieve the goals of your national Vision 2020 – in whatever fields, be they in the field of spiritual development and the planting of churches, the fields of education, of training in business, information technology, in primary health care training, or in strategies to assist families to break out of the cycle of poverty.

We look forward to a harmonious working relationship with Rwanda that expresses Christ’s spirit of compassion and service.

In closing, let me say on behalf of churches of Christ, that we wish you, the government and the people of Rwanda great success and the bountiful blessings of God on your path to national unity, prosperity and well-being.

May God always abide in Rwanda. Imana Ikurinde.

A Superiority Complex

2006-06-08T20:16:00.000-07:00

Jeff Sachs, in his book The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities of Our Time, writes of a faulty social theory. Here's a quote....

"When a society is economically dominant, it is easy for its members to assume that such dominance reflects a deeper superiority - whether religious, racial, genetic, cultural, or institutional - rather than an accident of timing or geography."

As I read my history books and about various empires and slavery and colonialism, etc. I find this to be without a doubt true. This bad social theory has repeated itself over and over. Here's something else I see as a truth.

"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone." Hebrews 2:9

Not just a few, but for everyone!

When we lived in Uganda we were fortunate to host many visitors from the U.S. We felt like we were running an active bed and breakfast and we loved it. Of course, many different types of visitors came through. Most we loved and they really helped us to minister and serve our Ugandan friends. Others were a testimony to Sachs quote above - they felt dominant due to their economically powerful culture which made it hard for them to minister. Several college interns would talk about how"lazy" Ugandans were. They would complain, "Why do Ugandans sit around all day long? If they just worked harder they would be better off." It wasn't just a youth thing either. Other older American visitors would use their short visits to expound on all of their solutions to overcome the multiple problems Ugandans faced every day.

Ugandans see the superiority complex of Americans so often that they often just tune them out. (Which says so much about Ugandans - other societies build resentment up to the point of terrorism) But friendships deepened and understanding became much clearer, when we all stopped offering our solutions and began listening more, adapting to their many positive cultural values and behaviors, and in general becoming more humble believing that God created each one of us in His image despite our cultural upbringing. The unemployed 35 year old Ugandan man deep in the village that is suffering right now from AIDS and malaria was made with just as much importance and value in God's eyes as this 35 year old American man sitting in his large home on a fast Internet connection, just finished with my third meal of the day, after having taken medicine to overcome the infection I had last week. I don't know why God gave me all of these things, that I'm so thankful for, but I know that I have these things NOT because I'm any better than my 35 year old Ugandan friends.

The longer we lived in Uganda the more we came to appreciate the value of listening, learning, understanding and humility while interacting with our Ugandan friends. After all, Jesus did those same things for us.

Money to Africa - Good Intentions Needed

2006-05-31T17:44:00.000-07:00

I wrote in my last post..... "Let's find honest and transparent local organizations to give to. Let's make sure this money doesn't create more corruption." That is addressing the environment needed on the receiving side. Just as important are the intentions behind rich countries giving money and development aid to Africa.

I recently read a very interesting NY Times best selling book called Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins. While I didn't really buy into his sensational approach and strongly slanted political views while he shared of his career experience in developing countries, I was struck by his illumination of how big American companies have manipulated the poor through World Bank loans and other forms of aid. His job as an economist was to go into developing countries and inflate his projections so that loans could be so large that everyone knew the developing countries would not be able to pay them back. Often this loan money, for instance to build a hydroelectric dam, would come from the World Bank in the U.S. and go directly to the large U.S. companies constructing the dams. The developing countries never saw the money and big American companies reaped great profits while the developing country was saddled with huge debt in which the "project" did not perform as projected. This practice, in his view, was an intentional strategy by our government to expand the U.S. global empire by using that credit relationship to exert power over U.N. votes, gain land access for military bases, control developing country leaders, etc.

I don't doubt that there is some truth to all of that, capitalism too often tends to breed greed and corruption and make the rich richer while the poor get poorer, but what especially strikes me was his experience of how callous so many of his colleagues were towards the lives of the poor. There was not much effort to understanding the cultures they were working in, how the debt would saddle those countries preventing crucial education and healthcare needs, etc. And so I do agree with his suggested line of tough questions at the end of the book that we all need to ask ourselves.

Have I allowed myself to be sucked into a system that I know is unbalanced?
What will I do to make sure our children, and all children everywhere, are able to fulfill the dream of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?
What course will I take to end the needless starvation of the world?
How can I help our children understand that people who live gluttonous, unbalanced lives should be pitied but never, ever emulated, even if those people present themselves as cultural icons and try to convince us that penthouses and yachts bring happiness?
What changes will I make in my attitudes and perceptions?
What forums will I use to teach others and to learn more on my own?

He provides us some good questions for us to ask ourselves but I didn't see any mention of the love of God and Christ in his book. So, I would add the following questions.

As a rich Christian in a highly developed country living in a shrinking global society, do you read the WHOLE Bible? The one where there are over 2,000 Bible verses that exhorts you to show love and compassion for the poor?
How can you practically show Christian love and compassion for the poor today?
Are your attitudes and perceptions to the poor around the world and in your own city really pleasing to Christ?

1 John 3:17: "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."

Money to Africa - Caution Needed

2006-05-25T19:17:00.000-07:00

Bono has helped created a huge wave of interest in alleviating poverty in Africa. In his own words, "we are close to a tipping point". I'm thankful that so many people are finally showing compassion to millions in dire need. Some of them are my personal friends. Remember, many more Africans die each day due to preventable sicknesses than the number who died in the 9/11 attacks. 9/11 changed our world. It's about time that Africans get their world changed for the better.

At the same time, we must show extreme caution as we hit this tipping point. Huge amounts of money are flowing to Africa and much of it will be wasted if we're all not careful. We should be generous, but let's use good stewardship principles as well. Let's find honest and transparent local organizations to give to. Let's make sure this money doesn't create more corruption. It's complex and it is our responsibility to make sure the money is "invested" well. Bono gave some great advice in this article, "listening to activists living in Africa will be important."

More from Adam Langford

2006-05-10T19:08:00.000-07:00

Read Adam's latest update from Jinja, Uganda for a great perspective on an American's life, business and ministry in the developing world.

Sickness, frustration, loneliness, humility, joy, purpose and a deep down fulfillment are typically all wrapped up in a cross-cultural experience like that.

Global Night Commute Tulsa

2006-04-30T21:56:00.000-07:00

As you can see it was a damp night at Tulsa's Global Night Commute. Fortunately, the rain held off after the initial dousing. Here are a few random reflections on a memorable night.

As I lay down to a very uncomfortable bed I couldn't help but imagine how the northern Ugandan children feel when they lay down to sleep every night. For them it must be a relief knowing they should be safe from the kidnapping rebels for the night. They must also be worn out from their long commute to their bed. I can only imagine how they don't even know and understand what a good night sleep is and to have their own bed in their own home.

I was happy to see how many Christians were part of this event. It was great praising and worshiping God with complete strangers. We sang, reflected from God's word and lifted the children of northern Uganda up to God in prayer until about 2 a.m.

I didn't care for the driveby honkings that jarred me awake several times. Somebody here in Tulsa has a serious fog horn or something on their car! It's hard to sleep when you're cold and your outside in the middle of hundreds of people. I wonder how often the Ugandan kids actually reach the deep stages of sleep.

I was also mindful and thankful that we didn't have to deal with malaria carrying mosquitoes like the invisible children do. As they sleep crammed in buildings together I know the feast those mosquitoes are having and the unfortunate and often deadly sickness that follows for those children.

If they only had Waffle House in Gulu, Uganda. Greg Taylor and I went across the street for a Waffle House outing at 5:15. Not sure if that was against the rules or not but it was obvious a large contingent of GNCers had just been there. We met an extremely joyful waitress named Kristmas who without asking us seated us with another GNCer who had just gotten there. I don't believe it was just coincidence that Kristmas seated us with Alan, a sophomore at ORU, who just happens to be majoring in Bible and interested in going to Uganda for missions some day. Greg and I were able to share a lot of our experiences and insights. I'm still trying to figure out if Kristmas was an angel or not.

As usual, these experiences are often most powerful done together in community. A group from Garnett Church of Christ and the Contact Church of Christ working in inner city Tulsa reserved us a space on their tarp. Above is a picture of Shannon Russell, who worked hard to coordinate the Tulsa event, Greg Taylor and myself as we were packing up this morning.

I pray this is just the beginning of greater awareness for not only the children of northern Uganda but children all over Africa who suffer from war, poverty and lack of opportunity.

Anyone else go to GNC? I'd love to hear what you took away from the event.

Invisible Children

2006-04-27T05:19:00.000-07:00

Are you going to Invisible Children's Global Commute Night this Saturday night? I can't think of a better cause to get behind.

Jason, Laren and Bobby are getting great press this week leading up to it. Oprah, National papers, etc. It's amazing what God can do through just a few with a passionate heart for Him and His people.

If you're here in Tulsa, Shannon Russell from Garnett Church of Christ is coordinating the event to be held at Mardels on 71st Street.

Hotel Church?

2006-04-20T15:13:00.000-07:00

I've never seen those two words go together before. My good friend and Jinja teammate, Brent Abney, just shared this great article about the Portland Eastside Foursquare Church. They're a church body that purchased a hotel and are attacking prostitution and drugs head on while reaching out daily to others around them. Hotel profits go directly to help the needy in their community. Business as mission can play out in so many different ways and places. It may look strange but it often leads us to the same people that Jesus hung out with.

It reminds me of the strange feeling I had when our team first purchased the church and Source Cafe's building at Plot 20 Main Street in Jinja. Our "church building" housed 3 bars for a time until they had time to transition and we replaced them with a more positive community environment.

Even then we still had bars on both sides of us. One night someone set a bomb off in the bar not 10 feet from our building. The son of the owner sustained terrible leg injuries and we were there to help and pray over them in the days afterwards. For several weeks he couldn't go far with his leg injuries but the good thing was he didn't have to go far to attend church. I always loved it when I'd see him and his mom slowly make their way in to worship with us.

Top Reasons for Business As Mission

2006-04-04T20:29:00.000-07:00

Presenting these ideas at the Tulsa Workshop was great. I'm thankful I had the opportunity. I hope this is just the beginning of a growing and exciting movement called Business As Mission (BAM), or using business people and business in general as a tool to expand God's Kingdom. It makes so much sense in today's world.

Here's a few of the reasons why....

BAM provides a model for sustainable missions, overcoming chronic problems of dependency in developing countries and encouraging greater stewardship of money worldwide.
BAM takes much needed and sought after business expertise, technology and capital from the developed world to developing countries creating greater economic justice.
BAM creates jobs! And with it empowers and gives dignity to many lives.
BAM grows the local economy and blesses the nation.
BAM provides access to many locations and relationships, especially the increasing number of nations now considered closed to missionaries.
BAM presents the gospel by word through meaningful relationships.
BAM presents the gospel by deed.
BAM enables local funding of the church.
BAM taps into a highly underutilized yet highly capable resource in the church - businesspeople. They get a chance to give more than just their money but their lives as well.
BAM is a valuable partner for more traditional mission efforts lending towards desired holistic ministry efforts.
There's a great opportunity in our world today. Business is going global, mission shouldn't be left behind.
BAM helps economically blessed Christians fulfill the commands of Jesus - see Matthew 25:40 and surrounding verses as well as 1 John 3:17.

For those of you who heard my story of The Source business mission project in Jinja, Uganda, you'll be able to apply each of the above points easily to that effort. If you would like to hear the story yourself you can order the cd here. I also hope to write the Source story up more formally in the coming months to be published. I'll let you know when it will be available.

May God conceive new mission efforts and move in more businesspeople to serve where He is already working in this world. May BAM help to fulfill the Great Commission given to us by Jesus. May BAM bless the lives of needy people throughout this world.

Business As Mission Reading List

2006-03-23T10:58:00.000-08:00

Below is a reading list (most with a short review) I've compiled over the last few years surrounding the topic of using business as mission. I hope you will find it useful if you are interested in this topic. Have you read any of these books? If so, which one did you like best and what did you like or dislike about it?

God is At Work: Transforming People and Nations Through Business by Ken Eldred

This book is the most recent (2005) encouraging the movement of Business as Mission. It lays out a good biblical basis and history for this movement and discusses the prime opportunities for using business as mission in the world today.

Business As Mission: Occasional Paper No. 59 (2005)

This extensive paper was produced by an Issue Group for this topic at the 2004 Forum for global evangelization hosted by the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization. This group identified Business As Mission as one of the primary issues / topics to discuss and emphasize in evangelizing today’s world.

On Kingdom Business: Transforming Missions Through Entrepreneurial Strategies Tetsunao Yamamori (Editor)

This book is what inspired me to write up a case study of the work my team and I did in Jinja, Uganda (that I shared at the workshop) The book proposes a new model for using business in missions: kingdom entrepreneurship. Kingdom entrepreneurs are "job-makers," starting for-profit businesses of all sizes--real businesses that meet real needs. This book provides a conceptual foundation for kingdom entrepreneurship and explores its contemporary development using case studies of kingdom businesses and reflecting on the lessons kingdom entrepreneurs have already learned. Yamamori has other good books on this topic as well.

Kingdom Business: The Ministry of Promoting Economic Activity by David Befus

Befus has a lot of Latin American economic development ministry experience and shares it well in this book

Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger by Ron Sider

This book gives a great Biblical basis for why Christians should be concerned for the poor in the world. He provides lots of great stats to emphasize the disparity and lack of justice throughout the world. Sider has been highly criticized as an economist though.

Development as Freedom by Amartya Sen

Won Nobel Prize for this material. Approaches development from the perspective that we should strive to give access to appropriate “freedoms” to the poor of the world. Political freedom, freedom from hunger, lack of healthcare, etc.

Walking With the Poor: Principles and Practices of Transformational Development by Bryant L. Myers

Freedom of Simplicity by Richard Foster

Great book that encourages Christians to strive for the spiritual discipline of simplicity and to ensure our comfort is based on God and not material things. This is important both in the developed and developing worlds.

The Lexus and the Olive Tree by Thomas Friedman

Friedman contrasts the world as it existed in the days of the Cold War to that of the phenomenon of today’s globalization.

When Corporations Rule the World by David Korten

The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid: Eradicating Poverty Through Profits by C.K. Prahalad

Great book! For those interested in more of the “how to do business in the developing world” aspect of this topic, this is a great start to that field. It discusses the vast opportunities available but how businesses will have to completely rethink business models to be successful in the developing world. And by doing so, it not only benefits the business but those in poverty as well.

Economic Development: Theory and Practice for a Divided World by Stuart R. Lynn, 2003. Introductory textbook for multicultural economic development field that I've used teaching Harding on-line MBA classes.

The Mystery of Capital: Why Capitalism Triumphs in the West and Fails Everywhere Else by Hernando DeSoto

DeSoto raises the idea that one of the key differences between the developed and developing capitalistic countries is that the developed countries have access to capital through a formal legal property system and developing countries do not.

The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time by Jeffrey Sachs

Sachs is world renowned for his global work advising world leaders and economies in crisis. After 25 years in the field he has put together this vision for the keys to economic success and his steps necessary to achieve that success.

Additional Websites / Organizations

www.data.org Bono of U2’s organization. Bono spent a couple of months at an orphanage in Ethiopia that inspired his work of today.

http://home.developmentgateway.org/

www.debtchannel.org Specific info on debt in developing countries

www.jubileeusa.org More on debt relief

http://www.mca.gov/ Recent U.S. Government enactment for responsible international development

http://www.worldbank.org/

http://www.wider.unu.edu/wider.htm

www.jinjamissions.org This is my former mission team’s website that has been reconstructed recently with lots of good new information. It has a few articles I wrote from my involvement in Christian economic development initiatives there. Missions’ websites and newsletters from developing countries are generally a great resource to learn more about the daily struggles of those in developing countries – a more micro level look at poverty. You can find several good Missions links at www.harding.edu/cwm

http://www.teamexpansion.org/

Team Expansion is a Christian Church based missions organization focusing on unevangelized countries and not afraid to use business as part of their missions approach.

http://www.cmfi.org/

Christian Missionary Fellowship, International is also a Christian Church based missions organization with a great and successful history. It encourages and looks for opportunities for business, medical, or any lay Christians to do what they are good at on the mission field.

Tulsa Workshop

2006-03-15T22:39:00.000-08:00

Next week is Tulsa Workshop. It is an amazing event with a 3 decade plus history now. I attended the 2nd Tulsa Workshop as a 6 year old. I hung out at my Dad's booth and had a blast running around the massive Expo Building at the Tulsa Fairgrounds. Those first few years I enjoyed being the son of the lead singer of the Lighthouse Quartet. I still have their 8 track stashed away somewhere. When I was 12 I heard Ronnie White preach on Friday night at the Pavilion and I decided that I wanted the same God that was on David's side against Goliath on my side for the rest of my life. I confessed Jesus and was baptized that night. Over the following years through high school and college I was always inspired by individuals who would dream big in their serving God throughout the world. Tulsa Workshop was a big influence in me going to Africa. What's so amazing to me about the workshop is how so many people from different backgrounds come together focused on Christ and absorbing the fellowship as best they can. Not everyone agrees with each other on everything but I'm convinced that the Spirit of God has been present and will be present again this year. Whenever people meet in God's presence good things are going to happen. I'm excited to be with thousands of people again this year "for the good of the world and to the glory of God."

This year also marks a first for me at the workshop. I' ve been given an opportunity to speak about these things I've been talking about here on this blog. My title is "God is at Work: Business People on the Mission Field." I intend to share about recent non-traditional business missionaries that have made and are making a difference in the world. We need to be more intentional about getting Spirit led people good at business, engineering, IT, even lawyers to go and preach Christ through their actions. What a great way to complement those that are so good at preaching Christ through sermons and traditional church work.

Over this next week I'll be posting on this site several resources I have found that speak to this idea. If this interests you, please check back in.

For now, I'd love to hear who is coming to the Workshop this year and where you're from or if you can't come, maybe you can share a Tulsa Workshop memory you have from the past.

Adam Langford

2006-03-13T19:52:00.000-08:00

Adam Langford, a Kibo fellow, has now been in Uganda for over 2 months. Below are Adam's insights to adjusting to daily life in Uganda.

Greetings from Jinja, Uganda

I am beginning to feel settled. Life and ministry are starting to slow down a bit and I am beginning to find my rhythm. I have been blessed in the month of February with no major events. I have had numerous days that I think I can now call normal. I want to thank you all for your prayers and words of encouragement as I have been hurrying to get life to slow down to a normal pace.

While my life has been relatively uneventful, Uganda as a country as been very eventful. Uganda has been experiencing a serious drought for the past several months. This has lead to receding water levels in Lake Victoria, which has lead to a decrease in power produced by the two hydroelectric dams here in Jinja, which in return has lead to a lot of very dark and boring nights for all of East Africa. Since February 1st the electricity at my brother Ben’s house (where I have been living) comes and goes every 24 hours. Every other night we have been scrambling to cook dinner before the power goes off (which happens anywhere from 5:30-9:00pm). We have had several nights where we have to throw away half browned meat or almost
baked chicken. I did the same load of laundry four different times because I keep getting caught in the middle of the spin cycle. We find ourselves sitting around candle light, wondering if we can justify going to sleep at 8:05pm. It has been horribly frustrating and incredibly boring.

However, my view on the power situation was changed a couple of weeks ago when my teammate Mark Manry and I were talking to two Ugandan friends of ours. They were asking us what we were going to do that night and Mark said that it depends on when the power goes out. Both the Ugandans instantly burst into laughter. Confused, Mark and I inquired into what was so funny. Tom, one of the Ugandans, stopping laughing long enough to ask, “You let the power dictate your program for the evening?”

Suddenly the contrast between Tom and I’s perceptions of the basics in life hit me like a load of bricks. Americans are blessed to the point of being cursed. The luxuries that I experience as everyday norms have lured me into utter dependence upon them. Dependence to the point that when they are taken from me I don’t know what to do. TV, computers, cars, planes, healthcare, retirement accounts, education, money, and even electricity are all luxuries that I depend on where as most of the world goes without. The lack of power still irritates me, but every time it goes out I am now reminded that there are only a few things we really need to survive on earth, and there is only One that we need to truly live.

Uganda held there Presidential elections last month. This was a very exciting and anxious time for the entire country. In America, during Presidential elections we live under the assumption that the worst thing that can happen is a scandal that will lead to angry protests that could get violent and media overexposure that might make Larry King tired of talking (see Bush vs Gore, Florida 2000). In Uganda, it appears that America’s worst case scenario is the norm when it comes to choosing a President. Which means the worst case scenario here goes something like this; coup d’etat, civil war, and ending with a tyrant dictatorship for almost a decade (see Idi Amin, 1971-79). While most of the hype around this election was in fact hype, our team laid low during election day and a couple of days after. God blessed this ountry with a peaceful election. Was it fair? I don’t know. Did the right person win? I don’t know. I do know this though, before the elections I asked a friend of mine, who is a very intelligent man, who he was going to vote for. He told me he was voting for useveni, the incumbent. I asked why. He said, “because Museveni doesn’t kill eople.” To which I replied, “Well, that’s an interesting political platform.”

I hurt daily for this country. How can they ever pull themselves out of there current impoverished state when they base there reasoning for electing there most important leader on rather they think he will or will not kill people. May God bless his country as it struggles forward. May God continue to protect it with a blanket of peace. During the month of March, my teammate Mark Manry and I are taking over the responsibility of managing The Source of Life Café & Resource Center. The Source is a redemptive business that was started by our former teammates to be an outreach to the community and to create resources for the churches in Busoga. It includes an eatery, internet café, library, computer training center, craft store, and coffee business. Moses Kimeze, our current manager is taking a well deserved holiday (vacation). This will give me the opportunity to really learn the ins and outs of the business. I will then be more capable of working with Moses and other Ugandans to continue to improve the Source not only as a business, but as an outreach to the community and a resource to the entire movement in Busoga. I was very excited two weeks ago when Moses asked me and Mark if we could take over his responsibilities during March. My excitement quickly subsided after I followed Moses around for a couple of days so he could show me the enormous amount of responsibility he carries. However, I still welcomed the challenge. That is until Mark reminded me that he would be out of town for the first 10 days in March, at which time my excitement turned into nervous panic.

On March 1st, my first day of work, I woke up early. Not to make sure I was there in time or because I couldn’t sleep. I woke up early because I was sick, really sick. My nervousness left me and panic remained. As usually happens, it worked out fine. The Source didn’t burn down, I got better, and things are going on as normal. I am now seven days into the job and I am still overwhelmed. Not with the work itself, but with figuring out what the work is. I find myself having entire conversations of nothing but questions. I am learning a lot though and forming great relationships with the employees. I can already see that this experience will greatly improve my ability to help the Source push forward towards its goals as a business and more importantly, as a ministry. Deep down though, I still hope I don’t accidentally burn the place down.

Things to pray for:

The Source of Life Café & Resource Center.
That God will bless new relationships that I am forming.
That I will learn Lusoga quickly.
Rain.
Health.

God Bless,

Adam

Creativity and Hard Work

2006-03-10T04:58:00.000-08:00

You've probably heard that power is a big problem in most of Africa. You've also probably heard that many Africans don't work hard, are unskilled and that they lack creativity.

That is not my experience, as this Kenyan man demonstrates.

From my perspective, most Africans just lack opportunity.

One Year of Blogging, Still Between Two Worlds

2006-02-27T19:08:00.000-08:00

I just realized that I started this blogging thing one year ago today. It started more out of convenience than anything else. I had just begun my trip to Uganda and Rwanda and figured it was the best way to keep several people updated on my trip events. It's turned out to be something I really enjoy and helps me probably more than anyone else. It keeps me focused on the problems and opportunities of Africa. And if you are reading and want to join the discussion I always love to hear from you.

I plan to go back and read all the posts from my 2 week trip as a fun reminder of what I was doing this time last year. Feel free to read them through the oldest archive links.

Here is my very first posting. By the way, I talked to Mading just a couple of weeks ago. He is a year closer to his nursing degree, still lives in Nashville and is doing well.

Between Two Worlds - Feb. 27, 2005

One of the many prayers covering me on my current Uganda - Rwanda trip is that God would work in every moment, including who I sat by on the long flights. I'm now thankful that He answered this prayer over my selfish desire to enlarge my plane territory by having an empty seat next to me.

As far as I could tell, he was the only African on the Chicago to Brussels flight and he happened to have seat 31J just to my right. As he settled we greeted each other and I asked him where he was going.

"Africa" he replied.

I followed with the obvious next question. "Where in Africa?"

"Uganda" he said and my interest perked as out of the many African countries we would be flying to the same.

I asked, "Where in Uganda?"

"Jinja" he said and my jaw dropped. His wife and mother live less than three miles from the Jinja Church of Christ.

Mading is my newest friend from southern Sudan and he is one of the Lost Boys of Sudan. I sat in amazement of his faith and of his survival story. At age five, in 1987, Mading was separated from his parents when the Arabs killed many and forced everyone else out of their homes. Mading was in a group of children that fled to Ethiopia. A few years later the fighting in Ethiopia forced them back into Sudan, many of them drowning while crossing the river. A few years later more insecurity in southern Sudan forced them into northern Kenya where they were rescued. That is the short story of it but you can read more here.

I'm thankful that Christian missionaries and the U.S. government stepped in and saved these boys. Mading was granted refugee status in 2001 and moved to Nashville, Tennessee. He has great opportunities before him as he learns to be a nurse and he has a job at a local grocery store. I'm also thankful for the Christian man who bought his plane ticket to see his wife and mother here in Jinja. Please pray that Mading will get clearance for his wife to move to Nashville with him. May God use a poor Sudanese boy who had to walk for days on end just to survive to now do great things in His Kingdom.

Seated across the aisle on my left in 31F and 31G was quite the different story. A beautiful woman with a man who couldn't keep his hands off of her. Long neck massages came with very loud conversation where I learned way too much! They discussed the most expensive perfumes from Europe, how he was important enough to be invited to some famous person's wedding, staying in five star hotels in Rome as well as which smile was her best smile in her Playboy shoot. They both agreed that her cover shot was by far her best smile and that her teeth were perfect. Headphones went on after that.

It couldn't become more clear to me that I live between two worlds. One where most of the population fights oppressive poverty and insecurity and thousands of people die every day because of it. The other where a few people have so much money they don't know what to do with it and it's driven them far away from God.

May the Church acknowledge this vast economic chasm and stand up for the poor, as over 3,000 verses in our Bible tells us to do. May God save our country from a continual push towards self-centeredness and the deceit of wealth.

Cheek Gushing for Africa

2006-02-17T05:49:00.000-08:00

Our family is into the Olympics big time. Last night we even found ourselves high-fiving each other while watching the USA women's curling match. It makes the Olympics even more fun to watch when you have athletes like Joey Cheek.

Immediately after winning his speed skating gold medal the usual scramble of cameras, interviews, etc. began to take place. But rather than soaking in his own glory of a gold medal, Cheek immediately turned his attention to helpless children in Sudan. In his own words, "I can take the time to gush about how wonderful I feel," he said, "or I can use it for something productive."

Cheek announced that the $25,000 he just won, along with any other Olympic Committee winnings he might earn, would go to help the children suffering in the war in Sudan. He then challenged Olympic sponsors to match him. So far I've heard that Nike and Gap, Inc. have done so.

Now that's the spirit of the Olympics that too often gets missed!

Smelling Coffee

2006-02-13T15:40:00.000-08:00

Driving around town in my little Ford has been a little more enjoyable this week. I've been carrying several bags of fresh Ugandan coffee everywhere I go and it smells so good it makes me smile.

Last week Adam Langford, a Kibo fellow, shipped and his brother delivered to me a shipment of Kiira Kawa from Uganda. Kiira Kawa is a product packaged in love at The Source Cafe in Jinja and its profits go to provide the church facilities where so many people are ministered to.

The coffee is grown by some of my Ugandan coffee farmer friends that live on the slopes of Mt. Elgon. Another good friend Moses Kimeze, who is an incredibly gifted Ugandan church servant, asks them to grow the best quality arabica coffee in Uganda and he in turn pays about 10% over market price for it. Moses then takes the green coffee to a processing plant where it is hulled, sorted and roasted. The roasted coffee returns to the Source Cafe where my church friends package the final product in love. (The great packaging design was provided by a small American Christian owned business who wanted to support this small African Christian owned business). The product is then sold in high end craft shops throughout Uganda as well as the international airport and various hotels. While many avid coffee drinkers get a great product, many Ugandans receive dignity through jobs and are empowered as they work hard to provide such a great product. And as I mentioned above, the church can have a place to meet, AIDS victims get counseling, preachers get Bible training, and so many more God filled things take place at Plot 20 Main Street in Jinja, Uganda.

So while the smell of this coffee is very appealing, knowing so many lives are improved through it makes me smile even more.

If you'd like to have a bag from my new shipment, I'll gladly share. Just let me know if you're interested.

Congrats to the Moores!

2006-02-10T19:51:00.000-08:00

Congratulations are in order to my Kibo sidekick, Mark Moore and his wife Marnie. They welcomed a little girl, Rylee Louise, to the world today! She will be well protected by her 3 older brothers Benjamin, Grady and Cooper.

Rylee already has her own webpage.

Check out her favorite links!

Every Tribe Entertainment

2006-01-20T04:16:00.000-08:00

If you're looking for last minute weekend plans go see the new film release End of the Spear. I was fortunate enough to see a pre-screening of this movie a couple of months ago and I highly recommend it. It is a great true story of sacrifice, forgiveness and reconciliation from events that started 50 years ago but the rippling effects continue today.

What I'm even more excited about is the long-term vision of Every Tribe Entertainment. They are experienced Christian producers filming redemptive stories with excellent quality. I can only hope that our country will value what they are doing to support them and encourage them to continue giving us quality options at the movie theaters. Their next film, Chandra's Mirror, will be about a young urban African woman facing real life challenges that will help communicate to our American world what millions of young African women face each day.

Check out Every Tribe Entertainment http://www.everytribe.com

And go see End of the Spear at the theaters. It opens today!

Think Small

2006-01-15T20:07:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been awhile since I've been on. Class and the holidays are over and I hope to be more frequent going forward.

My former teammate who I'm partnering with on Kibo Group, Mark Moore, sent me the link to this article this past week from Worldmag.com

http://www.worldmag.com/displayArticle.cfm?ID=11430

Kibo Group will certainly be about thinking small while doing our small part to tackle the huge problem of African poverty. We plan to be involved in relationship and community based development projects. We believe that is the best way, to improve and help give hope to one small community at a time.

Here is the text in case the link goes bad...

Think small: When confronting massive problems like African poverty, forget theme parks and golf courses by Joel Belz

If, whenever you ponder the immense problems of the African continent, you don't think about the role of microenterprise and microfinance, it could be that you're just not thinking small enough.

The very enormity of Africa's challenges might tempt you to reason that only enormous programs with equally enormous budgets can faze them. AIDS and poverty and tribalism and famine and endemic corruption in government are not likely to be brushed aside with lightweight efforts.

But then you should pick up the Dec. 19 issue of The Wall Street Journal and read the sad front-page story of evangelical author and leader Bruce Wilkinson. True to his quirky Prayer of Jabez philosophy of always thinking bigger, Mr. Wilkinson went to Africa over the last couple of years with a program of breathtaking scope. His plan, as reported by the Journal, included building 50,000 cottages for a million orphans of AIDS in Swaziland, and a scheme for charging Americans $500 a week to stay in those homes while getting to know and helping the children. There was a theme park and golf course for tourists, and a program for the kids to put on rodeos and serve as guides in the wild game reserves. Just the first phase of the dream was pegged at $50 million, which was going to take a lot of Jabez-type praying. Now it has all collapsed, and Mr. Wilkinson has come back to the United States disappointed and disillusioned.

I couldn't help thinking about all that as I sat on New Year's night talking with my friend Peter Brinkerhoff, who had also just returned from a year in Africa—chastened by realism, for sure, but by no means disillusioned. Peter had gone to the Democratic Republic of the Congo with a Pennsylvania-based organization called Hope International. Hope has a simple strategy of feeding a modest stream of capital into the local economy, from the grassroots up, and then watching it have its effect.

For Peter, that meant heading last spring to Kisangani, a heart-of-Africa city that in colonial days was known as Stanleyville. Because of that colonial past, French is still the more-or-less official language for Kisangani's million people, but Swahili is what really gets you around. Peter is conversant but not fluent in French, and he speaks no Swahili. His assignment was to recruit half a dozen young men and women whom he would train over several weeks as his loan officers. Those young people would then hit the streets of Kisangani looking for folks eligible to sign up for tiny, short-term loans that would enhance their personal financial situations.

For example, a $40 loan was extended to a woman who sold pastries off a tray on Kisangani's streets. The $40, accompanied with a little business counsel and encouragement, let her expand the variety of her offerings and buy her product more prudently and at lower cost. Over the next few weeks, during which the loan officer touched base with her every few days both for continued counsel and to collect regular payments on the loan, her bottom line improved. At the end of the 16-week cycle, her loan was totally repaid—with 16 percent interest—and she was ready for a new and slightly larger loan to propel her to a new level in her little business.

Tiny and insignificant in the global scheme of things? Of course. Except that during his nine months in Kisangani, Peter Brinkerhoff and his little team of newly trained loan officers oversaw the closing of more than 800 such loans, with a total face value of about $50,000. Strict guidelines are in place to monitor repayment procedures, and the 95 percent rate of timely return would make many U.S. banks envious. Best of all, the original $50,000 is not used up, but is constantly available in its entirety for new rounds of equally prudent lending.

No, not even that is "best of all." What is really best of all is that Peter will return to Kisangani with a new vision not just for enhancing the lending program, but incorporating an ever more explicit sense of accompanying those loans with the truth of the gospel and nuggets of biblically based business wisdom. Peter (who is only 23 and just out of the Chalmers Center program at Covenant College) prays daily with and counsels his team of loan officers and wants to extend that into a more thorough education program.

It's hard to think of an effort better calculated to reach into the warp and woof of a needy society. And all because someone had the vision to think so very small.

Kibo Group

2005-11-22T19:20:00.000-08:00

Obviously helping people out of poverty in Africa is a primary concern of mine. I don't want it to be just talk, I want to see some action.

Kibo Group was formed during the latter part of my days in Africa and I believe it has a great future. Kibo has been a slowly evolving non-profit that we are soaking in prayer.

I'll write much more about it in the coming days but for now you can check out our new website.

www.kibogroup.org

Global Education

2005-11-01T18:36:00.000-08:00

I started teaching a Harding on-line MBA level class this week. Multicultural Economic Development class explores economic development in the developing world. My students will be applying their learned text and will be writing papers on Ethiopia, Rwanda and Tanzania.

The diversity in class is amazing. A Zimbabwean living in Arkansas, a Chinese lady living in Arkansas, a Polish man living in Phoenix, an American lady living in Chile, a Mexican man living in Guadelajara and another Mexican living in Dallas. Students from Detroit and Florida too. On line education can go everywhere now which presents amazing opportunities.

I also see amazing opportunities for Christian universities to tap into the desire of so many college age men and women that just want to serve and explore the world as they explore God's Kingdom. They don't care about making the big bucks like most of us did when I was in college. They want to have meaningful lives. We're giving them a great education and I know we can do a better job of empowering them to explore and serve the world.

I'm waiting to see which Christian university taps into all of this energy, I mean really tap into the energy, of these young people so that they can go and make a difference for God in the developing world. I'm talking about sending entrepreneurs to Africa to help create jobs while living a Christ like life and serving alongside African churches. I'm talking about tapping into the incredible God-given creativity of these young people and really serving the poor.

Some school really needs to step up now and do it well.

Who's it going to be?

I Have 3 Pairs of Shoes!

2005-09-29T05:05:00.000-07:00

Kaba is not bragging, he is amazed at the love of Christ. As I drove him home last night from church he said with great excitement, "This is the first time I've had three pairs of shoes since the war started!" The light of God was shining brightly in his face.

I wrote in early July about Samuel, my new Liberian friend who just moved to Tulsa from a Ghana refugee camp. Three more of his family members arrived three weeks ago. Samuel, his father Kaba and Samuel's siblings Abraham (11) and Isatta (8) have been living in refugee camps for most of the past decade. Their home country of Liberia has been mired in a civil war for that time and their lives have been completely unsettled since then. During this process of being unsettled they turned to God who provides eternal settledness (I'm making up words now). Today the other four siblings and Kaba's wife are still unsettled in various places across West Africa but they have great hope of all reuniting someday. I am amazed at their faith.

I've also been amazed at the outpouring of love from our church, the Memorial Drive Church of Christ. I introduced Samuel, who by the way is now working 2 jobs and has moved his family into a 1 bedroom apartment, and his family to our church and they have welcomed them "home". One family went to their storage unit and gave a bed and a couch. Another family gave a nice set of dishes and took Kaba garage saling for a dinner table. Another family who are doctors took them to Wal-Mart on a shopping spree, gave them all clothes, and rides across town. Another family helped Kaba type up his resume as he is now starting to look for a job. Another man is using his connections with Accounting placement firms to look for employment opportunities. The same man gave Kaba a Bible since he didn't have one. The list goes on and on. I feel like I'm living in the middle of Acts where the church was "one" and they all shared as they had needs. What a great experience!

All of this has caused me to think of the many more African refugees living in and moving to the States. I know many of us at church have more things in storage. I know many of the former refugees have empty apartments.

Hmmm, I sense a ministry opportunity!

What's the Difference?

2005-09-16T04:59:00.000-07:00

I've seen the horrible and dramatic news stories from the areas and people affected by Hurricane Katrina. I've listened to several NPR news accounts of what's happening to so many lives affected and how polls suggest that Americans are "depressed" by these events. Last night I watched President Bush give a great and needed speech about the government's role to those affected. This is truly one of the worst national disasters we've experienced and I am proud of how we are now responding. Yet, through all of this coverage and now a big effort to rebuild there are questions that keep haunting me.

What's the difference between those affected by Katrina and the 2.8 billion people (those in the world that live on less than $2 a day) that struggle in poverty every day?

Are we saying that Americans are more important than Africans?

To me, most Africans are living like those New Orleans residents stranded on their roofs with no water or food and no one to come help them. But instead of just a couple of days, they stay there for years, decades, even centuries. What's the difference here? Can anyone tell me?

I love the fact that we as a country are responding so well to Katrina victims. I hate the fact that we just ignore Africans who are needlessly dying every day just because of their poverty, who they are and where they live. I hate the fact that for some reason we believe Americans are created better than Africans and so many poor in the developing world.

Below is an article by the president of World Vision who is taking the words right out of my mouth.

Katrina and the uncomfortable truth
by Richard E. Stearns

Perhaps the most disturbing comment I have heard over the pastfew weeks, as I have been glued to the 24/7 Katrina mediacoverage, came from a man who lost his home in New Orleans and was living in a shelter.

It came in response to the controversial use of the word "refugee" to describe the thousands of people displaced by Hurricane Katrina. He said:"'Refugee?' I'm not some poor African with flies on his face -we are not refugees, we're American citizens!"There is a profound and uncomfortable truth captured in this man's angry statement. The truth that all men are not created equal; that the 2.8 billion poor who live on less than $2 a dayare not valued with equal importance; that their suffering is less important; that their pain can be tolerated; that their lives are somehow less significant; and that they don't have a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in the same way the rest of us do.

Hurricane Katrina exposed this uncomfortable double standard to us. It is a double standard that suggests that we don't have a moral responsibility to respond to human suffering if it occurs in a different hemisphere and it is a double standard that showed us that the poor - even in America - are the most vulnerable of our citizens. Now our hearts have gone out to our fellow citizens these past two weeks. Their pain and suffering are real and as a nation we have come together in countless ways to respond to our neighbors in need. World Vision is responding to those needs just as we did after9/11.

I am here today in New York to urge the world leaders meeting at the United Nations this week to not forget the world's 2.8 billion poor people. They are asking us to look upon them with the same concern and sense of moral responsibility that we have demonstrated toward our own citizens. While in the past two weeks we have been critical of the slow response to aid all the victims of Hurricane Katrina, for the poorest of the poor, there is often no response. While we have pointed to the failure of FEMA - for the poorest of the poor,there is no FEMA to fail them. And while $62 billion has been set aside for relief and rebuilding along the Gulf Coast - the money needed to help the poorest of the poor cannot be found.

Dear friends, let us pray this week that 2005 will be the year when the world opened its eyes to the poor; that 2005 will be the year of their emancipation proclamation - because the world finally decided to eliminate extreme poverty in this generation. And let us pray that God will continue to bless our great nation because we have chosen to be a blessing to the word's poor.

Richard E. Stearns is the president of World Vision UnitedStates. This article is adapted from a speech made as part of an interfaith delegation of nearly 20 American religious leaders calling on the Bush Administration to join other nations in committing to end global poverty and fully embrace theMillennium Development Goals (MDGs). Organized in part by Sojourners, a memorial service, press conference, and afternoon of prophetic preaching on the MDGs marked the first day of athree-day vigil of prayer and fasting in Dag Hammarskjöld Plazain New York City this week.+ Read more about the vigil at the World Summit:http://go.sojo.net/ct/h1AY2u91iXBL/

UN and Millenium Development Goals

2005-09-14T05:17:00.000-07:00

Today leaders from all over the world will convene at a meeting in New York at the World Summit which coincides with the opening of the 60th UN General Assembly. They will hopefully build on the commitments that the G8 leaders made earlier this summer. It marks the continued drive to unprecedented commitments at alleviating global poverty. Specific goals have been set for the next 10 years. As a Christian community, we need to be in prayer this week for these meetings. We then need to find ways to participate in meeting these goals as we spread the love of God alongside development efforts.

Here is a great statement from General Kofi Annan.....

"We will have time to reach the Millennium Development Goals –
worldwide and in most, or even all, individual countries – but only if we break with business as usual. We cannot win overnight. Success will require sustained action across the entire decade between now and the deadline. It takes time to train the teachers, nurses and engineers; to build the roads, schools and hospitals; to grow the small and large businesses able to create the jobs and income needed. So we must start now. And we must more than double global development assistance over the next few years. Nothing less will help to achieve the Goals."

Below is more info on the Millenium Development Goals - a statement directly from the UN website. http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are the world's time-bound and quantified targets for addressing extreme poverty in its many dimensions-income poverty, hunger, disease, lack of adequate shelter, and exclusion-while promoting gender equality, education, and environmental sustainability. They are also basic human rights-the rights of each person on the planet to health, education, shelter, and security.
Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education
Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
Goal 4: Reduce child mortality
Goal 5: Improve maternal health
Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development

Katrina thoughts

2005-09-12T04:54:00.000-07:00

I hate the pain and suffering that has occurred in the Gulf Coast since Hurricane Katrina dealt her blow. But I'm thankful that it has awakened our country to better understand and know that there is a lost society out there. There is a mass of people struggling in poverty in our inner cities and poorest regions of our own country that we are now much more aware of and I hope our actions will change towards.

What will it take now for us to wake up to global poverty? Another Rwanda? No, that doesn't affect our own pocketbooks like Katrina did. (Did you know that there were approximately 800,000 more deaths in Rwanda than from Katrina? Can we even get our minds around that number?) By the way, I'm noticing similar complaints about how the government failed to respond to New Orleans as how the government failed to respond to Rwanda's genocide. Let's stop blaming specific people and acknowledge that our big government doesn't lend itself to quick response to major crises. Let's instead ask our leaders to get creative in how we can overcome the big government effect when we need rapid response.

Back to my point, I think it is going to continue to take a stronger will and more intentional actions to wake up to and deal with global poverty. What we have seen in New Orleans happens hundreds of times worse EACH DAY in AFRICA through HUNGER and PREVENTABLE DISEASES. As Bono has said many times, we in the developed countries have the capacity and the resources to do something about that, but do we have the will? We got excited during Live 8 this past summer. Have we already forgotten and lost that excitement?

I'm thrilled that we have the will to respond to Katrina victims like we now are responding. We should continue on serving those affected in a passionate way. Let's also carry that passion and help through to the rest of God's creation - and not rest until there is much more justice in this world.

Cool stuff!

2005-08-18T05:21:00.000-07:00

Great news from Jinja this week! Ben Langford, current missionary to the Basoga people and living in Jinja, wrote and announced that his brother, Adam Langford, will be moving to Jinja soon to work with various development projects. Adam is a super sharp dude and I know he will do great development work there.

Also, Steven Curtis Chapman came through Jinja two weeks ago and had an impromptu concert with his boys at The Source. Here he is there with his family and Ben, Kym and Eli Langford.

Forgotten

2005-08-17T15:43:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've even thought about blogging. Changes at work, family vacation and now two of my three kids are in school. It's so easy to get caught up in the hectic American pace of life. But I never want to forget what I already know about the poor in Africa. Too many do forget. The following is a powerful excerpt from an AP article today.

Amid international donors' preoccupation with the Asian tsunami disaster, pleas for help for West Africa were mostly ignored. Only in recent weeks when media beamed images of starving children in Niger around the globe did aid start to arrive in that country.

"As you can see from Niger, you have a long period with nothing, then the camera crews arrive and it becomes a political issue. Then aid arrives," says Smerdon.
Still, across Africa, "the vast majority of people are forgotten," he says. One in three of Africa's 900 million people lack enough food each day, the United Nations' says. African hunger is "a chronic problem, particularly in chronically impoverished places. It takes only something small to push people into the position where they need food aid," says Smerdon. "The long-term solution is more development."

Missed (and Costly) Opportunities

2005-07-20T05:35:00.000-07:00

From a CNN article today......

"In common with many other crises in Africa, U.N. officials say the late response in Niger shows how the rich world often misses chances to avoid worse disasters by reacting only when situations reach critical, headline-grabbing proportions.
Jan Egeland, head of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said on Tuesday it would have cost $1 a day to prevent malnutrition among children if the world had responded immediately. Now it costs some $80 to save a malnourished child's life, he said."

In relief and development work, we can't afford to wait on "headline-grabbing" crises.

Something I'm proud of

2005-07-05T19:30:00.000-07:00

At first glance this small building might not be too impressive. For me, it generates a lot of pride in God and in my Ugandan friends.

This building is the new home of the Bukhana Church of Christ in Eastern Uganda. The reason I'm so proud is that The Source, the church's redemptive small business in Jinja, decided on their own to share their profits to fund the new construction of this remote and very poor village's church building. Their building had earlier been blown down by a storm.

Through jobs created and opportunities provided at The Source, about 15 Ugandans continue to work hard every day to provide good things for other Ugandans. Through their daily service, they encourage others that living for God is the greatest choice they can make. This small building is just one display of fruit provided through the loving Ugandans at The Source.

Life Lessons

2005-07-03T12:55:00.000-07:00

This weekend is a time where I'm enjoying family as well as thinking and praying about Africa - a whole lot! Easton, my curious six year old, has been thinking Africa too. We are experiencing a weekend where real African needs are intersecting with all of the attention to African needs.

Saturday morning I went out to do yard work and Easton took the opportunity to ask if he could work for money. He said he'd like to earn two dollars. So, I gladly had him rake the grass clippings and bag it for me and gave him his two dollars.

Saturday afternoon we were cooling off inside watching Live8 when TT, Easton's pre-school teacher in Uganda (and my cousin) called on the phone from Uganda reporting of her time at the orphanage in Rwanda. Her big heart has an idea of raising about $3,000 to buy all the orphans new mattresses this fall when they move to a new location. Easton and I then talked about TT in Africa, the orphanage, Live8 and Rwanda and I wondered how it was all soaking into his six year old mind.

Earlier in the week, a Liberian who has been displaced in a Ghanaian refugee camp, moved to Tulsa under the UN's refugee relocation program. He drove by our church, opened the phone book and called to see if he could get a ride to church today. The secretary couldn't understand his African English so at her request I called him, found out where he was staying, and told him I'd pick him up. When I told Easton to get in the car and told him what we were doing, he grabbed his two dollars and knew exactly what to do with it. After some searching in Southwest Tulsa we found Samuel, our new Liberian friend, and Easton promptly gave him his two dollars and asked him questions about Africa all the way to church.

I love how God works in that way - weaving together many lives, small and big, to make a big difference in His Kingdom.

May Easton continue to learn life lessons about God and love. May we all continue to seek God as He prompts us to seek Him through service to others. And may God use the publicity of African poverty this week to prompt many rich Christians to love and serve the poor around the world.

By the way, did you see Roz on the Volvo commercial? It was great!

ONE

2005-07-01T10:58:00.000-07:00

Sign your name to the ONE petition and be a part of supporting suffering Africans. If Pres. Bush and the other G8 leaders are aggressive on these issues next week, it will make the biggest difference that can be made to make poverty history. Non-profit organizations can do great things, but they can't touch what a very small percentage of what our tax dollars can do.

www.one.org

Exciting News! - Roz, Volvo and Live8

2005-06-29T20:07:00.000-07:00

Saturday night is when the big Live8 concerts will go on around the world to promote attention to African poverty and the seriousness of this issue. I just found out that Volvo is one of the sponsors and they will be airing three 30 second spots on Roz and the Imbabazi Orphanage. One of the spots is to air between 8 and 10 p.m. Saturday night on ABC. Be sure to watch for it!

Volvo is doing this as they gave their Volvo for Life Award to Roz last year for living a great life of service. Usually they give the recipients a Volvo for life! Since that is not real feasible for Roz in Rwanda, they have given a very large sum to the orphanage on her behalf.

So, don't miss Live8 Saturday night. Gather your friends and family and talk about Africa and then watch for Roz on tv!

Update

2005-06-28T19:44:00.000-07:00

I wanted to update on a few past posts......

Claudine is doing well in Boston. She is the 12 year old orphan from Imbabazi Orphanage in Gisenyi, Rwanda who was diagnosed with bone cancer so late that she lost her leg to amputation. Partners in Health and the Clinton Foundation made a way for her to be in Boston, have surgery to remove more cancer and begin chemo. She is now in her second week of chemo that will last until January. Very generous people have taken her in but we are still looking for a volunteer that can stay with her full time and be her full time guardian.

Rebecca, Cari, Heath and another friend, Josiah, have been at the Imbabazi Orphanage with Roz for one week now and have four to go. They are being amazed at the love over 100 Rwandan children are giving them. I spoke with Roz Saturday who was on her way, reluctantly, to a gorilla fundraising dinner that President Kagame would also be attending. She has kept Rebecca and Cari in her home for a few nights and is delighted at the work they are all doing. My cousin, Terri Taylor and a few others were also there last week singing with the children, repairing needed items around the orphanage and just loving on them. They're doing well and having a great experience.

I have some exciting news from the Source in Jinja, Uganda I'll share next time too, once I figure out how to post pictures on this thing.

The Good and Bad of Capitalism

2005-06-16T19:10:00.000-07:00

There are so many great things about freedom and capitalism. It empowers and releases great creativity. It provides for great development. People can dream big and tap into their God-given potential. Generally, it greatly improves the welfare of the majority of people.

It does have a dark side though. It often creates greed and injustices among people. Someone comes in first (financially) and someone has to be the last (financially). Those who succeed begin to want more, and more, and more and often forget about those who fail as they struggle in poverty.

Recently I asked a small group to give their thoughts on the communal nature of the early church in Acts 4:32-37. One friend honestly said, "it sure sounds an awful lot like communism."

That statement and the following article keeps me pondering the dark side of capitalism. More on that later. For now, here's the thought-provoking article from the Sojourners e-mail update that I read earlier tonight. David Batstone talks about the contradicting values of capitalism breaking into Communist run Vietnam.

The money trail cuts across values in Vietnam
by David Batstone

I just returned from a two-week jaunt to Vietnam. As most of you know, Vietnam operates under one of the world's few remaining communist political systems. For the past 30 years, both North and South have been united under one government. Remarkably, about five years ago, the Vietnamese government made a public commitment to capital free markets. Once disdained, foreign investment suddenly became a welcome friend - that is, as long as the investment was made in venture with a Vietnamese-based company.

My trip started in Hanoi in the North, and continued to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) in the South. I have many Polaroids to share, but one in particular - the story of Thuy - is worth telling.

Thuy was one of our Vietnamese guides. The 30-year-old woman was born right around the time of the fall of Saigon. She never experienced the American war in Vietnam. The only enemy she knew was poverty.

Both her parents were grammar school teachers. The government paid teachers a small salary, but it was barely enough to live on. Thuy cannot recall more than a few meals in her childhood that involved more than rice and a vegetable. Some days there was not even enough rice.

Thuy's parents could feed her mind adequately. They put a priority on education for all their children. By the time they reached 18, Thuy and her siblings were prepared for university. Thuy wanted to be involved in international relations, so she applied and was accepted to study in Russia, all expenses paid by the government. She focused her studies on languages, becoming proficient in Russian and English.

Today Thuy works in a government agency for women's development. Most of the time, she manages a project that offers small loans to women entrepreneurs, as well as social service clinics that address women's health needs. Thuy occasionally acts as a tour guide for visiting foreign groups like ours.

Thuy told me her family is far from wealthy today, but they now enjoy an abundance of food. The free markets are booming and are making a major social impact. The entrepreneurial energy in Vietnam is palpable; every corner is a hub of commercial activity. The government now can afford to pay livable wages to teachers.

Undoubtedly that is why Thuy is so grateful for the Vietnamese experiment. She directly benefited from free education and health care. Her family members also have had their lives transformed by the changing economics of free markets. Her work today promotes both: micro-capital for one-person businesses and delivery of free health care. Thuy is the embodiment of all that is right with Vietnam.

A curious thing: Many of my students and I noticed that this sacrificial, yet adventurous spirit was not atypical in Thuy's generation. It was quite inspiring, to be honest. Among a younger generation, on the other hand, we detected more aggression and downright animosity in our interactions, be they social or commercial exchanges. I asked Thuy about this impression, cautious of making a generalization based on limited experience.

Thuy confirmed what we were sensing, confessing to the same concerns. She was quick to point out that we would find that attitude only among young people in major cities, not in the rural areas. Her explanation was fascinating: the current generation of urban young people, the first fruits of a free-market economy, have much higher expectations for material gain. To put in shorthand, they want their own iPod, and they want it now. The inability of most to find the financial means to match their desires caused great frustration.

A Hindu master once remarked, "Quenching our desires with material gain is like seeking to extinguish a burning fire with butter." It seems no matter how much better off we are today than we were yesterday, we cannot answer the question: how much is enough?

I will watch with great interest how the Vietnamese government manages to stoke a flame essential for warmth in a cold, cruel world, which is at the same time a force that threatens to spill over the fire trails it so meticulously grooms.

A Good Week

2005-06-14T23:23:00.000-07:00

Last week was a very good week as some of the richest people and richest nations focused on the poorest people and poorest nations like never before. I hope it's just the beginning.

On Wednesday I read about the upcoming Live8 concerts that will be held on July 2 in Philadelphia, London, Paris, Berlin and Rome. www.live8live.com U2, Bon Jovi, Dave Matthews Band, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Paul McCartney, The Cure, Sting are just a few of the groups playing at these concerts. All of these and many more stars are gathering to focus the world's attention on the fact that 30,000 people die every day just because of poverty. Bono has been leading the way now for years and has a great organization where you can learn more about these issues. www.data.org

Brad Pitt was featured Thursday night on prime time as he talked about how his recent trip to Ethiopia affected his life. He talked of being annoyed at getting so much attention himself and having half a million dollar photos taken of him when there are so many helpless people dying of starvation and preventable diseases. He also talked of downsizing his home, his belongings, his life as all of his possessions mean much less to him now.

Earlier in the week I read a great article in the NY Times about how a once unthinkable alliance is coming together with evangelical leaders like Rick Warren joining the likes of some of the most liberal politicians and Hollywood stars mentioned above. Rather than constantly fighting with each other about differences why not put aside differences and fight the common war against poverty? Fortunately, it's happening.

On Saturday, Tony Blair and President Bush announced a debt relief plan that should take effect immediately for 18 countries. Uganda and Rwanda are included in these countries and will have all debt relieved that is owed to the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and the African Development Bank. This will free up much needed money for providing more free education and better healthcare. (Just imagine what you could do if your mortgage, car loans, credit cards, etc were all wiped out.)

On July 6th, the G8 nations will meet in Scotland and discuss even more initiatives to share their wealth with the world's poor. Hopefully they will make more bold decisions that will truly help the poor of the world.

This is a time to be active and praying for these things. It would be a shame if the Christian community did not stand up and participate in this movement. In fact, we should be leading this movement! I read throughout my Bible how God desires for His people to look for ways to serve the underprivileged - physically and spiritually. My prayer is that American Christians will truly show compassion to the world's poor through their budgets, actions, and prayers.

Are you part of a church community that is truly compassionate to the poor and needy as we read about in Acts? What more can be done in your church?

Claudine and bedtime prayers

2005-05-27T05:06:00.000-07:00

Claudine is a sick child but she is a blessed child. Claudine is a 12 year old orphan at the Imbabazi Orphanage in Gisenyi, Rwanda.

When I visited the orphanage in March, Claudine was in a hospital across the border in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. Previously she had developed a tumor on her knee. It was removed and tested benign at a lab in Rwanda. Just before I was there the tumor redeveloped and she was put in the Goma hospital. Subsequent to my trip they had to amputate most of her leg as it was learned that she actually did have cancer. Claudine has a disease attacking her body that was unfortunately misdiagnosed and she is now behind in the game of fighting this cancer.

The good news..... Partners in Health, The Clinton Foundation, and Massachussets General Hospital have learned of Claudine's plight and those three working with the Imbabazi Foundation have made a way for Claudine to receive free chemo treatment in Boston. She has just received a 10 year visa and should be making the flight over within a week or two. She is going from one of the worst medical care locations in the world to one of the best.

Claudine has already lived a terrible life. She was just an infant when nearly a million people were murdered all around her. Somehow she survived but her parents did not. I wish I knew her whole story but Claudine probably doesn't even know her whole story. What I know, Claudine's life has just been given a new and bright outlook.

I was thinking about Claudine when my two little boys and I were saying our bedtime prayers earlier this week. As usual they thanked God for their family, their friends, and their many toys. I decided to make a habit to also be thankful for things that so many African children don't have. We now thank God every night for clean water to drink, many sets of clothes, free school, the police who protect us, a doctor to visit when we get all of our ear infections, and medicine when we're sick.

Manry Family

2005-05-17T15:15:00.000-07:00

Speaking of proximity and going to a land full of poverty....... Mark and Lori Manry, along with their three small children, traveled to Jinja, Uganda last week to view the town and meet the people they plan to share their lives with over the next several years. They will be there for one month and then plan to return in October. Mark has some great ideas on wholistic development.

They have a great family website where you can read and keep up with their experiences. They speak of sharing God's love in a land full of poverty and the impact of experiencing a drastically different economy. They are experiencing a comfort-shocking, faith-expanding experience at this very moment.

Be a fly on the wall of their lives and read of their experiences first hand at http://www.manryfamily.com/

The Power of Proximity

2005-05-13T05:49:00.000-07:00

People who have witnessed African poverty firsthand often have an overwhelming desire to do something about it. It's impacting to meet people just like yourself who don't have a good chance to survive long in life simply because of where they were born. I'm thankful that a few influential people have seen the horrors of African poverty firsthand and have made it their mission to make a difference. Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe is one of several I'm thankful for.

I recently heard Senator Inhofe speak to an Oklahoma Christian University group interested in going as missionaries to Rwanda. He spoke first of his unwillingness to go to Africa despite his friend's repeated requests. He finally made that trip and he was forever affected by it.

I loved the advice he gave (coming from his Baptist background of which there are many different Baptist groups working in Africa). Paraphrasing, he said, "Don't go as just another church organization. Don't make it your mission to start the churches of Christ in Rwanda. Go and simply share Jesus. They don't need another church organization. They need Jesus." He went on to tell powerful stories of how African leaders became close to Jesus and how that positively affected peace initiatives, poverty alleviation, etc.

And I was reminded.... Proximity to God first and then proximity to His people in need, which is another way of describing Jesus. We should do more of it ourselves.

If you ever get a chance, visit a third world country. It will change your life.

Roz on NPR

2005-05-02T23:05:00.000-07:00

Click on the title for a link to a great NPR interview with Roz Carr on her life in Rwanda and starting up the Imbabazi Orphanage. She lives a fascinating and inspiring life of service.

And help is on the way......

In about six weeks my friends Rebecca, Cari and Heath will arrive at the Imbabazi Orphanage to begin a six week stint of working at the orphanage so that Roz, at nearly 93, can relax just a little. (Our goal is for Roz to be able to sleep in for at least one day, her request when I last saw her.) These three and others are going this summer with hearts wide open to possibly live there someday on a longer term basis. Please pray for God to work His will in their lives.

If you would like to donate to help these three this summer my new non-profit, The Kibo Group, that is focused on African development projects, has set a goal to raise $2,000 to help with their living expenses while there. Donations are tax deductible. Checks can be made out to The Kibo Group and mailed to 604 S Redwood Ave, Broken Arrow, OK 74012.

Thank you note from Sarah Bizzu

2005-04-19T05:29:00.000-07:00

Many from Memorial Drive Church gave money to help Sarah Bizzu, a very bright and talented 17 year old AIDS orphan at the Jinja Church, so that she could continue her high school education in Uganda. (See March 2nd post for more of her story) Enough money was raised to keep her in school the entire year. Her thank you note to all of you is below.

Well, I give my gratitude to you and all your church mates. Thanks to God who has kept you guys over those ends. Send my warm greetings to all those there.

I have two sisters and a brother and I have a foster sister called Edith. My real sisters are Ritah and Phiona and my brother is called Jonathan. They live in an orphanage in another district which neighbours the district I live in with my foster parents. I'm the first born.

Well, about my interests, I like volleyball, singing, dancing, making friends, chatting, reading novels and watching movies. I have no boyfriend, it's quite destructive in Uganda. The movies I like are Lords of the Ring, Parent Trap, Mickey Blue Eyes, Preachers Wife. I like Whitney Houston's songs.

I am 17 years and my birthday is 16th of September. Greetings one more time to you and your church mates.

I thank you alot for your donations.

I love you so much. God bless you alot.

Love,

Sarah

Wasting Time

2005-04-13T19:50:00.000-07:00

How do you spend your time?

Last month Wade Hodges preached at Memorial asking this question. He encouraged us to go against our culture and feel free to "waste time" in God appropriate ways. Spend time with your spouse, your children, your grandma, and your small group. Most importantly spend time with God. It may not be productive in our world's eyes or in a financial sense but we desperately need to just waste time more in these ways.

I'm trying to take this advice to heart. Last Saturday Easton, my 6 year old, and I wasted time playing chickenfoot (dominoes) with my Aunt Becky, Aunt Jessie and my 94 year old Grandma D (who beat me soundly!). Then we wasted time with my Mom and step-Dad over dinner. I delighted watching Easton waste time reading books with his Grandma who loves him so much. This week it is on my agenda to waste more time with my wife and with my four year old, Tyler. We have a park date this weekend just the two of us.

All of this reminds me of my African friends as well. Their culture is more friendly towards wasting time and is why I believe their relationships and communities (families, villages, etc) are so strong. Of course, wasting time can be taken to an extreme and I know many Africans who could stand a small dose of Americanism so they can be more productive. But many of my African friends do work hard - they just tend to work hard at chores we never have to think about. Chores like walking long distances to carry unclean drinking water for their families and then having to boil it. Another time killer is dealing with sicknesses that are easily treatable. This kills potential productivity and wastes their time.

We need more balance and justice here. We Americans need to learn how to waste time better with God and our family and friends. We need to sit at the feet of Jesus more. I'm convinced that when we do we will become more convicted to help Africans and other poor people across the world so they don't have to waste their time in extreme poverty.

Raising our Children For Service Or Privilege?

2005-04-05T17:37:00.000-07:00

Words from Richard Foster's Freedom of Simplicity that make me wrestle with my every day Christian walk and how I raise my three awesome children:

"One specific means of identification with the poor is discovered in our approach to education. Do we see a college education, for example, as a ticket to privilege or as a training for service to the needy? What do we teach our teenagers in this matter? Do we urge them to enter college because it will better equip them to serve? Or do we try to bribe them with promises of future status and salary increases? No wonder they graduate more deeply concerned about their standard of living than about suffering humanity.

As we seek to follow in the steps of Jesus, we will be drawn to identify with the poor. As we do, perhaps a valuable question to keep before us is whether we are as willing to evaluate our living standards by the needs of the poor as we are by the lifestyle of our neighbors."

Imbabazi Foundation

2005-03-30T18:58:00.000-08:00

I knew there was a Foundation created a few years ago to secure the future of Roz' Imbabazi Orphanage in Gisenyi, Rwanda, but I never dreamed of being a member of it! This is another door I believe God flew open on my trip.

While I was with Roz she asked me if I would mind if she proposed me to be one of the ten board members for the Foundation. She explained that last year one of the board members died in a diving accident. I asked questions about the Foundation and then agreed. The next week the Foundation Board met and agreed to accept me as their newest member. What an honor to be part of a group that has the welfare of over 100 orphaned Rwandan children as their primary purpose.

Of the ten board members, six live here in the States, one in Italy and three in Rwanda. They meet twice each year - once in the States and once in Rwanda. Of course, due to travel challenges, not all meetings are attended by board members.

I'm not sure what God has in mind here but we'll see where He takes it next!

Tulsa International Soul Winning Workshop

2005-03-23T12:43:00.000-08:00

The Tulsa Workshop had a huge impact on my life as I attended every year growing up. I was always inspired by how people were going out and serving God in every corner of the world.

Twenty years ago today I committed my life to Christ and was baptized in front of thousands of people at the Tulsa Workshop. I remember, like it was yesterday, hearing Ronnie White preach on David and Goliath and pledging myself to have the same kind of faith David had - a faith that would conquer absolutely anything when the Lord was on my side.

This year is no different. (Thousands of people have already began making their annual trek to Tulsa.) I have an opportunity to speak this weekend to about 30 individuals who are willing to consider uprooting their American lives and move to Rwanda to serve the poor and to expand God's Kingdom there. I'm thankful for and inspired by each one of them.

May God continue to light the fire within us "to go" and do His work in all the world. May God use the Tulsa Workshop powerfully once again this year.

The Source in Jinja, Uganda

2005-03-22T17:19:00.000-08:00

Plot 20 Main Street sits in the middle of a city of 100,000 people and it is a special place to me. I tried to hang out there as much as possible while I was there two weeks ago. I believe it is holy ground.

Starting in 1997, my teammates and I spent meeting after meeting overlooking the source of the Nile River and discussing and praying how we could best encourage the Jinja Church of Christ and Busoga Bible School (Bible training school for village church leaders) to have a place they could call home for years to come. It's not easy when the average Ugandan lives on less than $1 a day and it costs a location like that $15 a day just to pay the utilities. Weekly church contributions often consist of fruit grown as opposed to checks drawn on big bank accounts.

Seven years ago, we concluded that there were basically three options.

1.) Raise on-going money from the U.S. for an unlimited amount of time to pay the bills.

2.) Focus on house churches (not a bad option by itself) but concede weekly large gatherings and not having a meeting place for BBS.

3.) Try to build a place we would later call The Source. The Source would empower the Ugandans by providing them jobs and a way to serve the community while paying for a church building and creating a hub for a growing church movement in eastern Uganda.

As far as we could tell option # 3 was full of risk and had never really been done before but we didn't feel great about the first two options either. So we started praying and praying more. Every week we prayed that if this third option was from God that He would bless it. If not, we asked God to throw the whole idea into the Nile River and show us a better way.

Seven years later the Jinja Church of Christ has a beautiful facility (property purchase and renovation funds came from many generous American Christians) that they are paying for the operational costs themselves through The Source - an effective Christian business in an extremely poor place in the world. BBS has a home and holds week long Bible training classes every month where the on-site dormitory houses up to 50 village church leaders. I praise God for providing this incredible place.

Two weeks ago I spent a couple of days with Moses Kimeze. who made his start as a little boy in the village raising goats so he could go to school, and was impressed at how well he is managing The Source. Moses, for The Source, manages an Internet cafe, computer training school, coffee shop, and craft business. The Source is a model Christian business paying their taxes, providing jobs and a facility to be used by the community for good causes, and allowing the Jinja Church of Christ to spend their money towards supporting missionaries as opposed to paying electricity bills and rent.

The property at Plot 20 Main Street is used seven days a week for God's glory. In one short week I witnessed AIDS victims being counseled, meals being provided to hungry children, village church leaders attending a seminar to improve their Christian pre-schools in their home villages, two baptisms, great worship and praise to God, small group meetings, e-mails being sent to family members across the globe, Ugandans learning computer skills, cool local crafts being sold, and lots of coffee being sipped. (I brought some great Source packaged Ugandan coffee back if you want to support the mission!)

I'd be lying if I told you The Source is not without its problems and challenges. It's not easy work but it's good work. And because of the way God heard and answered many prayers, I call this place holy ground and I'm thankful to have walked on it.

Christian AIDS Network

2005-03-18T18:15:00.000-08:00

One of the most encouraging things I saw on my trip was a new ministry by my friends at Jinja Church, the Christian AIDS Network. It is a direct attempt at dealing with a devastating disease affecting so many Ugandans.

Oliver, Phillip, Charles, Augustine, Michael and Joseph are just a few of my Ugandan friends who I know have died of AIDS in the past couple of years. There are many more who have died and there will be many more who will soon die of this disease. Their orphaned hildren are left behind often in an aunt or uncle's home.

CAN is run by a couple of volunteers from church who don't really have any great qualifications for AIDS counseling except that they have the love of Christ in them. Alice is one of the volunteers with a huge heart. Alice will accompany anyone willing to the AIDS testing center to sit with them as they learn of their fate. If they are not HIV positive she will advise them on how to prevent getting this disease, pray with them and will invite them to church. If they are HIV positive, it is the beginning of a loving relationship that the HIV positive patient often will not receive anywhere else.

Alice returns to the church with these unfortunate individuals and begins advising them on how to manage their condition. She gives them advice on how to receive medicine as cheaply as possible which is unfortunately not cheap enough for most people (although there is plenty of supply if profit hungry pharmaceutical companies and their countries are willing to help out more.) Alice is there for the individual if they have any questions and need any advice.

Most importantly, though, Alice is simply their Christian friend when many others will treat the AIDS patient as an outcast. Alice introduces them to other AIDS patients in a weekly support group. They share their concerns, eat meals together, and make crafts together. These crafts are sold and the proceeds go to help this support group continue meeting in the future. They hope to someday make enough to begin providing for many of their own orphans of the future. Alice and her friends will then sit at AIDS patients' bedsides and hold them as they die.

Christian AIDS Network is providing the same kind of love to Ugandan AIDS patients of today as Jesus showed love to lepers of his day. I am proud of my Ugandan friends and hope that there is some way I can help them to increase their resources for such an incredible ministry.

Rwanda Today

2005-03-15T15:19:00.000-08:00

Many of us are seeing Hotel Rwanda and just now understanding the story of Rwanda eleven years ago. I want to let you know about Rwanda today.

I left Rwanda amazed at the progress eleven years has brought. In my view, the government has done and is doing an outstanding job of leading the country towards a developed country status. There is still a lot of work to do but they are certainly on the right track with their Vision 2020 plan.

An example is one story I read in Rwanda's national newspaper last week. The story was titled "We Need More Government Retreats" and I have to admit I rolled my eyes at the title. However, the story went on to tell how President Kagame announced last week at a retreat that the government would be reclaiming hundreds of government issued SUV's and would be auctioning them off to the public as they were considered an excessive expense to the people of Rwanda. Now that's good government!

I also had a chance to meet with the Secretary General of the Ministry of Gender and Family, who happened to be one high ranking official who had her SUV taken away from her. Rather than lamenting the loss of a $50,000 vehicle, Anne assured me that she fully supported the decision and that it was the right decision.

It is known that development in Africa doesn't come easy. There has to be a good and transparent government in place making good decisions and a willing international community. It helps to have a good geographical location and security surrounding the country. Rwanda is geographically and resource challenged but I can say they are making the most of what they have now and they are overcoming a horrible past in impressive fashion.

Hotel Rwanda shows how the world shamefully ignored Rwanda in a great time of need in 1994. I hope and pray that the world will at least now be willing to jump in and help a country that is doing their part towards improving the lives of its citizens. They may not be experiencing a genocide today but they ARE experiencing an AIDS epidemic, weather conditions that allow malaria to continue to be a devastating killer for the poor, and absolute poverty that in itself kills so many each day. Let's rally the forces to develop Rwandans' hearts, souls, minds, bodies and even bank accounts. They are willing and eager to experience a better life and they deserve it.

Almost Home

2005-03-12T02:53:00.000-08:00

I board the plane here in Kigali in 7 hours. I wish I could just be zapped home in an instant to see my family. Evidently, Tyler, my 4 year old wishes for that too.

A week ago Tyler made a wish to his Mom that I would come home. Yesterday, Tyler was crying and when Briley asked what was wrong he could only say, "I want to talk to Jesus!" over and over again. Finally he shared more, "I want to tell Jesus to bring my Daddy back."

I'm looking forward to a sweet reunion!

I'll try to post some follow-up comments on my trip later next week after I've hugged on my family and caught up at work some.

Laughter, great medicine

2005-03-12T02:31:00.000-08:00

As Americans we grow up not worrying much about our next meal, how to get clean drinking water, how to prevent and treat common sicknesses, etc. We can move about freely on nice roads and get loans at the bank for a house or to start a business.

Millions and millions of Africans grow up without those "freedoms of life." The past two weeks we've driven by thousands of people carrying heavy loads up steep hills to the marketplace. We've passed hospitals that don't have any equipment to help the sick. We've seen many villages with no access to clean drinking water. And then we've seen pictures and video of children watching their parents brutally raped and murdered before being killed themselves in a genocide.

These two worlds clashing can be difficult for Americans to process emotionally. American missionaries get many requests every day for money for medicine, food, capital for a small business, etc. It can easily get overwhelming.

That's why I'm thankful that my teammates carrying on the work in Uganda know how to laugh and just be goofy. After a long week of travel seeing the above conditions we spent the better part of a day joking around and laughing until we hurt. Not because we think the situation is funny, but because laughter truly is great medicine for the soul when you've dug in deep helping the needy.

Please pray for the emotional well-being of your missionaries and that they will frequently experience the gift of laughter.

Hotel Rwanda

2005-03-11T02:22:00.000-08:00

We ate dinner last night at THE Hotel Rwanda. Unfortunately I can't recommend their food but it was still cool to eat at the now famous hotel - actually called the Hotel Mille De Collines (hotel of the land of thousand hills). Hotel Rwanda was playing in their video shop as we ate.

I've said it many times but I'll say it again. Go see Hotel Rwanda and consider how we as Christians can improve our outlook towards Africans.

Roz' Mugongo farm

2005-03-10T03:27:00.000-08:00

It was a little surreal drinking tea in Roz' living room at her Mugongo farmhouse this morning. Unfortunately she couldn't join us, so as we were drinking tea I took her book "Land of a Thousand Hills" off of her own bookshelf and read several pages to our group.

I read of how she was reunited with her cook (who had just served us tea) after the genocide. I read of her life back in the 50's and how she treated the sick and injured at her back door.

We also walked around her incredible flower farm and saw the orphanage for the future. She hopes to move the children to her farm again this coming November. It was all an incredible site high up in the hills with two volcanoes towering above us.

If you haven't already, you have to read her book! You won't believe her stories, but now I've seen them firsthand. You can order it off of Amazon.

Imbabazi Orphanage

2005-03-10T03:12:00.000-08:00

Talk about preaching the gospel! Roz Carr lives her life out loud by the love she shows for 123 children at the Imababazi (translated from Kinyarwanda language "loving as a mother loves") Orphanage in Gisenyi, Rwanda.

At age 81 Rosamund Carr had lived a full life, much of it in Rwanda and East Congo. She was therefore reluctant (more like forced) to leave when the genocide began in 1994. She spent four months in the States watching the horrible footage on CNN wondering how her lifelong friends were doing. As she heard the news reports of thousands of wandering children she decided to start an orphanage. She returned soon after the genocide ended to a ransacked house with nearly everything gone. She soon went to work rebuilding her home and converting her former flower storehouse into an orphanage.

The orphanage continues to do well and it has been a pleasure to be a part of it this week. Roz was absolutely floored when I gave her the $6,300 check many friends donated through the Kibo Group. Her joy was enough to make the whole trip for me.

The best part, however, was playing soccer with the kids, installing a new basketball rim on an old backboard and listening to the orphans sing. We spent nearly an hour last night with Terri, Erika, McKensey and Emily teaching them songs and they would respond with a song of their own. It was powerful to hear them sing of the love of Jesus in Swahili, to sing "I'm free, Jesus has set me free" and then to hear them sing "It's me, it's me, it's me Oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer."

These children have endured so much. Thanks to Roz Carr, who at nearly 93, is still preaching the gospel loud and clear in a small corner of a needy world.

Beautiful Rwanda

2005-03-09T07:25:00.000-08:00

Rwanda is often called the "Land of a Thousand Hills" and is one of the most beautiful places I have seen on earth. Some compare it to Switzerland but with lots of tropical crops, trees and flowers. The mountains, lakes, and greenery are just amazing.

It is hard to believe that less than 11 years ago Rwanda was in mass chaos, with about 800,000 murdered in 100 days. In several visits the past six years I am seeing excellent strides toward stability, security and development. It will take generations to recover from the genocide but good things are happening here.

The most important thing that can happen is that all Rwandans and residents of Rwanda will love each other as Jesus loved us. The reconciliation that Christ brings is the way forward and it is my prayer that all Rwandans will understand and know Jesus more each day.

A Wonderful Week, On to Rwanda

2005-03-05T20:53:00.000-08:00

I'll be shifting gears on this trip tomorrow. As soon as church is over I will be traveling with the resident Jinja missionaries to western Uganda on our way to Rwanda on Monday. We will stay with some good friends in Mbarara tomorrow night (about a five hour drive). I don't expect to be able to blog very often this next week as we'll be staying in guesthouses and away from Internet connections. The French keyboards are difficult as well!

It has been an exhausting yet fulfilling week here in Jinja. So many people seen and visited. There have been very early mornings and very late nights as every minute has been valuable. I have seen God move in powerful ways every day and it has been a privilege to be a part of it. I wish I could have more time to write about Alice, Moses, Ida, James, Grace, Sam, Lazarus, Ronald, and The Source. There is so much more to tell and not enough time.

I will close out the week in Jinja by preaching at Jinja Church tomorrow morning. As I mentioned before it is Friend Day and many of my old friends who are not church members have promised me they'll be there. I've invited my former electrician, some boda bodas (bicycle taxi drivers), more new Sudanese friends and many more. I'm hoping for a big crowd and for the Spirit to move powerfully.

An African Church Movement

2005-03-05T13:32:00.000-08:00

When our team moved to Jinja in 1994 we had a vision plan that had our team directly involved in the start and growth of the church movement through 2010. We knew we needed to work ourselves out of a job eventually. This trip is largely a check in for me to see where we stand in the progress of that goal.

The results....... the Ugandan church leaders are ahead of the pace and I believe the Ugandan churches will follow their lead. After sitting in several meetings and eating meals with several leaders I am inspired by the faith, fruit, mutual trust, humility, servanthood, energy, vision and perseverance of the church leaders. They have taken the ministries God started through our team and improved them while creating ministries that are Ugandan inspired.

There are still very important roles the current missionaries will play here but it is obvious the churches in Jinja and Busoga in this little corner of Africa are well on their way to becoming a truly African church movement.

Matooked out and missing my family!

2005-03-03T12:31:00.000-08:00

In a 24 hour span I have just been served four matooke (pronounced ma-toe-key) meals. Three times with chicken and once with beef. That doesn't include the posho, potatoes and beef meal I just finished eating at 10:45 p.m. tonight! Matooke (cooked bananas) and posho (corn meal) are Ugandan staples I have now been refamiliarized (inundated) with.

I have the visitor routine down. I greet them when first seeing them and we ask each other how we are, how home is, how the wife is, how the children are, how the church is...... it could go on and on. Then they show me into their warm home and have me sit down. Once I'm seated we greet again and all the members of the household come and greet me. The man usually sits and talks with me as the women prepare the meal. This could take 30 minutes or 3 hours as it did tonight (in the dark with no electricity). After eating and eating more they ask me to pray a blessing on the home and their family. I am then free to go to the next matooke meal.

I love the people and their hospitality but I'm also missing my own family!

I miss sharing all these things with my wife. I miss coaching Easton's last basketball game and taking him to his first t-ball practice. I miss waking up with Tyler early in the morning and cuddling on the couch with him. I miss holding McKensey in my arms and singing her a song before bed each night.

Ten more sleeps until I'm home!

Sarah's Hope

2005-03-02T14:03:00.000-08:00

On New Years Eve 2000, two of the Jinja Church of Christ members were involved in a terrible accident. Joseph and Grace Bizzu were riding on a motorcycle towards a New Year's celebration when a drunk driver ran a stop sign and smashed into them. Grace bled to death that night and Joseph died 8 months later from complications made worse by AIDS. Grace's last request that night was for her children to be well taken care of. They were ages 12, 9, 7 and 5.

The three younger children were soon placed in a local Christian orphanage but the orphanage was not able to accept Sarah, who was beginning secondary school. A loving couple at the Jinja Church agreed to take in Sarah and Briley and I agreed to help ensure she continued her education.

Fast forward to today and Sarah is now 17 and the equivalent of a junior in high school. She has performed at or near the top of her class each year since 2001 and she desires to be a doctor someday. Some of my good friends at church in Tulsa helped me to be able to allow Sarah to continue her education this year.

Yesterday I went to visit her at her school and her big smile told of her thankfulness for the opportunity to continue her education. Sarah is now full of hope.