India - Kolkata and Bonnie

Dee and I met Bonnie for the first time seven years ago. Bonnie is our sponsored child in India. She was eight years old the first time we met. Two years ago, on another trip to Kolkata, Bonnie and her family were our guests at a banquet. On Saturday, I got to spend time again with Bonnie and her mother.

Bonnie is now 15 years old and is maturing into a fine young lady. She will enter high school in a few months. It is apparent that without our assistance, she would not be able to attend school. As it is, her family still needs to sacrifice to provide those costs that sponsorship does not take care of. It is a difficult struggle for her family.

I saw Bonnie in a different light this time. She is no longer the little girl that we sponsor. She communicates clearly and I was impressed with her poise and confidence. She wants to be a doctor someday, but she will need to study hard and to catch a break here and there for that to happen. Bonnie and her family have become an extended family for Dee and me, and we want to support and encourage her growth. If she is able to succeed, her entire family will benefit.

Even as I think about Bonnie, I find myself wondering how many times this scenario is being played out around the world for other children who are sponsored. They are being given hope, and they can dream of a future that is better than their current reality. But, I see that there is more that we need to do. Driving through the streets of Kolkata, it is apparent that for many there is a daily struggle just to survive today. Tomorrow the struggle will be just as difficult.

I know that there are many children that we serve that will not break out of the cycle of poverty their family has been locked into. A child in India, or Kenya, or Honduras still has to have a desire to succeed and they have to work hard. But, if we help, at least they have a fighting chance to get ahead. Bonnie has a chance to dream big, and with determination, she has the opportunity to achieve a level of education and opportunity that no one in her family has ever experienced. That’s certainly worth the price of a few cappuccinos a month.

On the Road Again!

I'm sitting in the Denver Airport waiting to board my flight.  I'm heading to Kolkata (Calcutta) via Seattle, Tokyo and Bangkok.  A trip of about 36 hours.  I used to love to fly, but now I find it more difficult.  Planes are jammed with people, legroom has disappeared, and I'm leaving someone very special at home.

I will be spending time at a Founder's Day celebration in Kolkata, the birthplace of Mission of Mercy.  This is strictly a suit and tie affair.  It will be nice, though, to spend time in the Mission of Mercy offices and enjoy dinner with the staff.  I'll also get to see Bonnie, a young lady of 15 now that we have sponsored for over 8 years, and have seen on several occasions. From Kolkata I'll head to Delhi to visit several of our projects in that area.  This will be my first trip there.

After Delhi, it's on to Katmandu, Nepal to see our work there.  From Nepal, I'll head to Thailand for more of the same.  Once I have seen projects and met our partners in Nepal and Thailand, I will have had the opportunity to view our projects in every country where Mission of Mercy operates.  Each country and culture is so different.  This makes those long flight worth while.

Yet, as I leave, the images from Haiti are on my mind.  I read Dr. Beyda's blog last night.  There is such a desperate need and I am proud of our teams dedication and commitment.  Please pray for their strength and health while in Haiti.  Watch the Mission of Mercy website for updates.

I'll try to keep up with this trip as much as I can.  I look forward to meeting new people, loving on the kids, and especially, returning home to Dee.

Middle East Journal

I will not again view the news of the Middle East with the same perspective.  Last week, shortly after our return, we saw a news story that talked about Israel revoking permits for Palestinians who live in the Israeli occupied area of Jerusalem.  They could no longer go home.  Having experienced what we did while in Jerusalem and the West Bank, this story really struck home.  Normally, it would have just been another story in the news, and we wouldn't have given it a second thought.   Now, our ears perk up when we hear a story from this region.  We don't take the news stories we hear as "truth" any more - we filter what we are hearing.

I have completed my journal from our trip.  It will not be posted on the Mission of Mercy web site.  However, you are encouraged to request it and it will be emailed to you in pdf format.  Send an email to blog@missionofmercy.org and we'll send it right out to you.

The work that Mission of Mercy supports in the Middle East is critical component of our ministry.  To sponsor a child from this region, go to www.missionofmercy.org, click on the sponsor link, and sponsor a child from Jordan, Lebanon or Egypt.

I'm sure it will be a long time before we return to the Middle East, but this trip has impacted our lives in unexpected ways.  We will never be the same.

Wrapping up Middle East Trip

The last two weeks has been an amazing experience.  Visiting Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Israel and the West Bank has given us a brand new perspective.  We'll never watch the news back in the States the same way, and we certainly won't accept those reports as pure fact.

I have kept a journal of our trip and have posted it as the trip progressed.  However, some of the information and photos are sensitive and I don't want to create a difficult situation for anyone here.  Upon my return, I'll write a wrap up and then will make my journal available by email.

This has been a life-changing trip in many ways.  There is much to be done here to help those who are poor ane oppressed.  We had a couple very close calls on the highways.  Dee mentioned yesterday that it must not be our time yet.  We still have much to accomplish.

When my journal is completed, I'll post an email address where you can get a copy.  Thanks for your prayers.

On the Way to the Middle East

We leave for the airport in about an hour. A long flight to Frankfurt, Germany, an eight hour layover, and then the final four hour flight to Amman, Jordan. It will be a long journey. It gives Dee and me plenty of time to talk, think, pray and sleep. This is our first trip to the Middle East, but it is not a Holy Land tour. We will be visiting Mission of Mercy supported projects in Jordan and Lebanon. We'll travel from Amman to Beirut by car, so we'll travel through and spend the night in Damascus, Syria. We will conclude by going into the West Bank of Israel to determine the needs of children there.

We know that this will be a once-in-a-lifetime journey. We will see and experience things well off the beaten path. Our hosts know the culture of the Middle East well. I have a feeling that we will get a very unique perspective and that we will come back changed.

I'll do my best to blog as I have the opportunity. I'll post pictures where possible. Please keep us in prayer. We will be on the go for two weeks. I look forward to learning much more about this historical area of the world.

Field of Dreams

Today was an amazing day. A new facility was dedicated in the Dominican Republic. It consisted of a baseball field, volleyball and basketball court, multipurpose building and classrooms for the 200 children who attend this project. In addition, a total of 15 projects reaching over 2,500 children are within 20 minutes away, so they'll have access to use this wonderful facility.

Today, about 300 children participated in the dedication. Pro baseball players from the US attended, along with a few US players in the Dominican league. Civic officials and a Mission of Mercy project leaders and pastors helped round out a wonderful group. After the dedication, activities were scheduled for the kids including baseball, soccer, basketball, face painting and more. I got a great hit off a major league pitcher.. it was captured on video.. I'll post that later!

This day wasn't about baseball - it was about hope for the children. The community where the field is located is a poor community and this facility has given them great opportunities for their kids. Hundreds of children will benefit. They know that they have value, and you could see the excitement on their faces.

But, for me, one of the greatest blessings came from someone I had never met. A pastor of a local church introduced himself and asked how my family was doing? I told him that my family was doing well. He said that he has been praying for my family every day asking God to protect them and bless them. He has also been praying for me - that God will continue to give me a vision to reach more and more children. As I spent time getting to know him, I felt honored by his commitment to prayer for my family and me - even though he never met us.

There were so many events that occurred today. The medical team checked each of the 200+ children in this project, and met a couple very immediate health needs. It was a great day of fellowship and fun. I look forward to seeing the impact this "Field of Dreams" has on this region. Today was the start of something great!

Pray

It seems hard to find the time to keep this blog updated. I have great intentions, but it seems like too many things get in the way.

However, I just had to write my thoughts about giving and prayer. In the past few weeks, I have been especially touched by the prayer requests coming into Mission of Mercy. Every Tuesday morning, we break into small groups and pray over every single prayer request that comes in - even if it just a note on an enclosure in an envelope.

Many of those requests show the heart of compassion that people have for their families. Some say that they are having to financially help their married children, or children writing that they have to help their parents - all because of lost jobs, or serious medical conditions. Many have asked for prayer because they have lost their jobs. A lot of those who write send in their check for the sponsorship of their child, despite their own need. Some need to stop their sponsorship because they just don't have the money to continue.

Even though I am very aware of the needs of the children we serve in developing nations, the US is also a nation in need. Millions have lost their jobs and there are many other circumstances that are occurring that are forcing people into financial desperation. Maybe we could all benefit by praying more. A nation in need becoming a nation of prayer? You know what? If that happened, we'd change the world.

I want to say thank you to all of those who continue to support us in prayer. And those that support the kids despite their own person time of crisis. It is humbling to see that kind of spirit on a daily basis.

Speaking of prayer, if you need someone to stand with you, please let us know. You can email us at prayer@mofm.org. We will stand with you in prayer. The lessons learned from this economic crisis may get us back to the fundamentals of faith and life.