Water - A Basic of Life

Last weekend, Dee and I watched the documentary FLOW, about water issues around the world, including here in the United States. Some of the most sobering scenes, however, were of people in developing nations gathered around filthy rivers and streams... bathing and drinking from water that will definitely have a negative health impact on their lives. We saw first hand how Mission of Mercy is helping children and their families have access to clean water.

In Cambodia, floating communities exist that move from place to place in order to make a living fishing. The water is muddy, but families use the lake for washing, drinking, as well as for toilets. The kids regularly have dysentery and sickness is common. Mission of Mercy provided each family with water purifiers - very basic protection. It has made a tremendous difference in their health, and the families are deeply grateful.

In Kenya, we helped provide clean water for a Masai project after bacteria was found in the water that was being drawn from a local well. Each family is provided with clean drinking water. Again, there's been a tremendous improvement in the health of children. These are small steps, but they make a difference for these families. There is so much more to do. That's why I deeply appreciate the people that support Mission of Mercy. It enables us to provide so many things for our children that they would not have access to otherwise - food, clothing, medical attention, educational opportunity - and hope through Christ.

I wanted to mention one more thing in this note. My youngest daughter, Emily, and her husband, Heath, had the chance to meet their sponsored child when our family went with others on a Mission Trip to Swaziland. She recently opened up a new business and within a couple months sponsored another child through her business. I'm proud of her for taking that step early on in the development of her business. Sponsorship does make a difference, right, Emily?

I also needed to mention this and put Emily's picture on my blog because my granddaughter Montana arrives tonight (with oldest daughter, Kate, of course). Emily knows that my next post will probably include photos of Montana, so she wants equal time! So, here you go Emily!! Thanks for sponsoring another child! And... watch out behind you!!

Serving

I spent the last weekend (Feb 21-22) in Baton Rouge with the wonderful folks at Healing Place Church. Pastor Dino Rizzo will soon be releasing a new book entitled Servolution. It is all about Healing Place Church's journey to serve the people around them and the people around the world.

The week before Easter, HPC is encouraging other churches around the country to join them in serving their community. While I was there the number of churches registered went over the 100 mark. If you would like more information, go to www.servolution.org and see for yourself what is happening.

I had the opportunity to visit and speak in a couple of their satellite churches. I saw the servant heart in reaching out through prayer to so many who had come to church carrying heavy burdens. One body is serving over 30 widows each week; providing them a meal, mowing their lawn or doing whatever it takes. That's truly what the "church" should be about.

Not only is HPC reaching people across their community, state and region - they are making a significant difference in missions around the world. I was blessed to be a part of their service, and deeply appreciated their hospitality - I felt very much at home!

To the people of HPC - God bless you - and thanks for all you do!

25 Years - KSLT Radio

Today would have been my dad's 87th birthday. KTPT Radio - "The Point" is 4 years old today. And KSLT Radio is celebrating 25 years of broadcasting. In honor of that, President Obama is signing the Stimulus bill today - well, that may be a stretch!

But, it is wonderful to see what God has done over the past 25 years, The picture to the right is the Lown House, the historic building where we started broadcasting. There is a legacy of music and ministry that I have been blessed to be part of.

Today as we talked about "old times" on the air, several long time friends stopped by. Many shared testimony of how God used KSLT in their lives. What an encouragement is these difficult times. We heard how Hills Alive, our Christian music festival since 1985, has been impacting people. The little things make a difference, and what sometimes seemed insignificant in our ministry became a turning point in their lives.

It was over 15 years ago that KSLT began working with Mission of Mercy. Now the radio station hosts mission trips and sponsorship events. There are people on the mission field right now as a result of KSLT's involvement in missions.

Over the years, God has used KSLT to touch people in many walks of life, in many areas of the country and around the world. My thanks to all of the staff that have persevered and been dedicated to sharing His Word. And a special thank you to the thousands of people who have made a financial investment in the station over the years. This truly has been a partnership of believers reaching out - believing that we can change the world!

What Lies Ahead?

Just a week ago, like millions of others, I watched the inauguration of President Barack Obama. Or, rather, tried to watch. We were in the lunch room at Mission of Mercy, attempting to view a web stream of the speech. Obviously, millions of others were trying to do the same. We heard the festivities clearly, but only occasionally got to see some of the video.

Uncertainty in the economy continues, and we're hearing all sorts of opinions on whether a government bailout will have any immediate impact. The debate will continue even after something passes through congress.

Dee and I also heard last week that a dear friend of ours was diagnosed with cancer. Results of her surgery are not optimistic, and we are in prayer daily for this special couple. They are younger than we are, and you never expect to hear news like this. Dee shared a Scripture passage from Psalms with them. Here is Psalm 62:5-8 in The Message:

"God, the one and only—
I’ll wait as long as he says.
Everything I hope for comes from him, so why not?
He’s solid rock under my feet, breathing room for my soul,
An impregnable castle: I’m set for life.
My help and glory are in God
—granite-strength and safe-harbor-God—
So trust him absolutely, people; lay your lives on the line for him.
God is a safe place to be." [1]

We never know what will come our way. Why do some experience difficulties at every turn, while others seem to go through life unscathed? Nothing that we do in life can earn us a "free pass" from trials and struggles. The only thing that we can do is place our trust in something that offers peace and hope in the midst of the fire. We know that we can not place our faith in our government or the institutions built by man. I love the last line above, "God is a safe place to be."

I have no clue how far down, or how far up, the economy will go in 2009. Instead, I'm being reminded daily that I have to keep my faith grounded in the Lord. I hope you can find comfort - and rest - in Him, as well.


[1] Peterson, Eugene H.: The Message : The Bible in Contemporary Language. Colorado Springs, Colo. : NavPress, 2002

2009 - A Year of Challenge

We are entering a brand new year that has a lot more questions than answers. The economy is in a tailspin, and nobody really knows yet where the bottom is. Jobs are being lost at a record pace. At the same time, we are on the verge of an historic occasion as a new president is inaugurated in two days.

I've had to write my very first "state of the ministry" message to Mission of Mercy supporters. As people in our country have had to contend with one piece of bad news after the other, many businesses and ministries are feeling the economic pinch. We have placed a limit on pay increases, cut travel and expenses, and have done everything that we can to prevent reducing the amount that we are sending to the children around the world. Their needs continue - and we are called to bring hope to children that would otherwise fall through the cracks of the system in their countries.

These have been difficult times - and there have been some sleepless nights as I've tried to "figure things out." In the midst of one of those sleepless nights just before Christmas, I put on my headphones and just hit shuffle on my iPod. The first song that played was December Leaves by Beth Nielsen Chapman. In the song, there's a lyric that says, "How heavy the heart that is empty. How light the heart that's full. Sometimes I have to trust what I can't know." That spoke a lot to me about being glad that I have a faith and a family that will help sustain me regardless of what happens in the future.

The Christmas season was full of wonderful family times. We spent time in South Dakota on Christmas eve at my brother's home with a house full of people. On Christmas day, we stayed with Dee's parents and spent time with her side of the family. A quick drive back to Colorado the day after Christmas to have all of our kids at our house. Our daughter Kate, with husband Aaron and grand daughter Montana, were able to come back from Washington state. Our son Mason joined us from South Dakota, and daughter Emily, with her husband Heath, came in from Wyoming. It was loud and busy - and awesome!

I was speaking to someone a couple days ago that said there may be some very positive side effects of the down economy. There will be far less travel in the year ahead, and people are being forced to consider their priorities. Many will focus on relationships - family, friends and church. This is also a time to make sure that we don't cut back on our benevolence. Families across the street and around the world need our help.

I pray that 2009 will be a year of blessing for you. I pray that you find your peace with God, and that you are strengthened by the relationships around you. I know that it is easier said than done, but, place your trust in the Lord and not in your own wisdom. Let's hope that when we look back at the end of the year that we will see that 2009 was a time of renewal of faith and family!

A Matter of Perspective

I was going to title this a "Question of Balance," but since the Moody Blues used that back in 1969, I decided against it.

This has been a tumultuous fall. The markets have been dropping, housing market crashing, financial institutions failing - everywhere you turn, you hear the bad news. We've been praying for the kids at Mission of Mercy, while looking to cut internal costs any way we can. A drop in giving means that our ability to help the children will be impacted. This has been a very stressful time in leadership at Mission of Mercy. Even though Americans are struggling, the need is growing greater for the kids in developing nations.

On the personal side, I found out what African Tick Bite Fever was - about 10 days after it knocked me for a loop. A few days back from Swaziland and I was ill, but still trying to go into the office every day. Just as I was starting to recover, a doctor confirmed the diagnosis, and the fact that it just needs to run its course.

I was not having a good end of November. But, on Friday, the 21st, Dee and I flew to Seattle and then drove up to Lynden, where our daughter Kate, her husband Aaron, and our grand daughter Montana now reside. Aaron's parents were also there for his ordination ceremony Sunday evening. On Saturday evening, we celebrated Montana's 1st birthday (just a few days ahead of schedule). What a joy it was to spend time with her again. She is a delightful baby and we miss being near her.

Sunday evening, we all headed across the street for Aaron's ordination ceremony. Seven churches in the Lynden area are supporting him as he seeks to plant a church, probably in the Bellingham area. The church was full. As leaders from each of the seven churches surrounded him and laid hands on him in prayer, we were deeply touched. We can see that Kate and Aaron already have a base of people that love and support them. At the end of the evening, we addressed the Reverend Aaron Walters as an ordained pastor in the Christian Reformed Church. We are very proud of Aaron and Kate, and pray for their success as they establish a new home.

On Monday, we flew back to Colorado, then drove to South Dakota on Tuesday. I met up with my son, Mason, and we headed up to a little trailer house on Iron Creek Lake to spend a couple days. Thankfully, there was a neighbor who hauled us, and our stuff, to the trailer on his snowmobile - there was lots of snow on the ground. We beat the brush, in vain, looking for the great whitetail buck for a couple days, but still managed to meet up with Dee, her sister and her parents for a great Thanksgiving feast.

After the pressures of the past couple weeks, and fighting things healthwise, the change of scenery was just what the doctor ordered. Sometimes we allow things to grow larger than life, and they begin to consume us. There are challenges ahead, and they'll be around for a long time to some. But, in the middle of all of that, we need to remember the blessing of family and of children. It was a lesson I needed to learn all over again.

As we look ahead to the Christmas season, I hope I can remember to balance the troubles of the world with the blessings that God has given through family and friends. My hope is for a balanced perspective for you, as well.

Mozambique - Swaziland

Traveling can sometimes be a real challenge. Dee and I just returned from a trip to Africa to attend the dedication of a couple of Mercy Centers. On the way there, a flight cancellation resulted in a day's delay in travel. Two days after we got there, I got my suitcase. The night before we returned, Dee got her suitcase! It's amazing how little you really need.

I am always moved by seeing the work of Mission of Mercy. In Swaziland, where the rate of AIDS is the highest in the world, virtually every family has been impacted. The Mercy Centers provide these kids with a sense of community and stability. The workers are deeply dedicated to the children.

This was my second trip to Swaziland, but just my first to Mozambique. Most of southern Africa was influenced by the British, but Mozambique was a Portuguese colony. So crossing the border into Mozambique made you keenly aware of the differences in language and culture. But you know what? Kids are still kids. They love to laugh and play - and they are grateful for the meal they receive every day they attend at the Mercy Center there.

The last time I was in Swaziland was August, 2008. Our entire family was there, along with others, on a Mission Trip. We helped break ground on two new centers. It was great to go back and see both of the centers completed, and to see the great number of kids that are already being impacted.

Our last day in Swaziland, we got to spend time with Sophie, our sponsor child. We took her to a candle factory, where she got a few instructions on candlemaking. Sophie has really been on our hearts since we started sponsoring her. Both of her parents have died of AIDS and her life has been very difficult. She has become a very special young lady to us.

One final note. Our trip took place during the week of the US Presidential election. The night after the election (which would have been the morning after in the US) we had dinner in Mozambique. Someone showed us a newspaper. The full front page was a picture of Barrack Obama with the huge headline (translated) "Obama, President for the World." The next day, back in Swaziland, at a dedication of a Mercy Center in a remote area, there were several tribal elders in attendance. They all thanked us, as Americans, for electing Obama. We definitely live in amazing times! It will be interesting to see what is in store for us in the next few years.