They’re Just…Gone

On one of my trips to Ukraine, I had a little free time on my hands, so I asked my friend if we could go to downtown Kiev and visit some of the historical sites that are everywhere. He said “sure, that would be fun, where do you want to go?”

This was my fifth trip to Ukraine, and every time I’ve come I’ve wanted to visit Chernobyl, to see what has become of it some 20+ years after the explosion.

Here is an excerpt from an article I read recently from History.com, that puts the whole thing in perspective for me…

Pripyat, Ukraine, was a bustling Soviet city and cultural center with a population of 50,000 when it became the site of the world's worst nuclear accident on April 26, 1986. Thirty-two people died and dozens more suffered radiation burns in the first days after the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power station, but only after Swedish authorities reported the fallout did Soviet authorities reluctantly admit that an accident had occurred.

Cheers and Church?

A few years ago I traveled to Mexico City, where I had the chance to do some teaching, preaching, networking and encouraging.

I’ve been to Northern Mexico several times, but have never had the opportunity to visit Mexico City, so I was really looking forward to it.

While I was there I interacted with some amazing youth leaders from all over Mexico, and Ecuador.

Assembled in the classroom were students from the east and west coasts and the Northern and Southern borders and I learned that just like the States, and many of the other countries I’ve visited thus far, young people are as different as night and day depending on which area they come from. There is no such thing as a cookie cutter youth ministry.

The class I taught at the seminary was Youth Ministry Programming, and the whole premise deals with understanding your culture, your target audience and purpose before designing programs to reach them. The whole class is about prayerfully reaching out and building up a solid, healthy, Biblically balanced Youth Ministry that works in a specific culture.

So as we discussed various ways to reach young people, I was amazed as I heard many different techniques, tools and ideas, but one similar theme throughout, the discussion.

Identify, Use, Reach

My trip to Malaysia was an incredible experience! I have never been to that part of the world before, and it was everything I expected and so much more.

The people were very friendly and accommodating, and the food was out of this world! Everywhere you looked there were food vendors offering choices such as Thai, Indian, Cantonese, Chinese, Malay, Japanese and even Mexican (served with a smile and a sarcastic comment from a guy from Toledo, Ohio...we laughed and laughed at that.)

The food, the atmosphere, the climate, the view everything I could see and feel was telling me this place was an awesome place to visit and and spend some time.

Then when I met the students I would be teaching, all my intuitions were confirmed. These guys were amazing! In one setting I had passionate youth leaders from countries I had heard of and only dreamed of visiting some day. Countries where it is illegal to talk about Jesus, and countries where to this day religious persecution abounds.

Think about that, in China the word "underground" and church are used in the same sentence. In Myanmar there is constant persecution, in Brunei it's not easy to stand out and stand up for your faith as a Christian. In Sri Lanka and other Tsunami hit areas the ministry of helps is your ticket in to reach the people.

Standing for the Cause

I don’t know about you, but from time to time I wonder if I ever came face to face with a real life choice to stand for what is right or die, if I would have the courage to stand. I mean in my mind of course I not only stand, I go all Rambo on my enemy, save the day, and give Glory to God in the process. In my daydream not only do I win but God wins!

I wonder if that would be the case though, if I came face to face with a direct question about my faith or my family or my country that was backed up by a gun.

On one of my trips to Kiev, Ukraine I had a chance to visit a soccer stadium that is home to a very popular Ukrainian soccer team called Kiev Dynamo. Dynamo has a very interesting history that has inspired lots of stories, books and even a movie with Sylvester Stallone (Rambo himself). As I gazed at the stadium, and remembered the story that is told about the 1942 Dynamo team, I remembered another place I visited in Kiev (Babyn Yar – which is where 100,000 Jews were executed and dumped into a mass grave by the Nazis). I wondered again if I was faced with the choice to stand for what’s right or die if I would have the courage to stand.

Legendary

This past week I had the opportunity to go to Ecuador on an Operation Christmas Child distribution trip. To say the least it was amazing!

In just a few short days my team and I had the opportunity to take part in six different distributions in the Manta and Puerta Viejo region of Western Ecuador. We visited churches, a Samaritan's Purse Hospital, a woman's Prison and a school, and in every location we gave out gifts that were used like a boombox proclaiming to the children that JESUS LOVES YOU!

I wish you could have seen the faces of the children and experienced the joy of the leaders who love these children. The use of a simple gift was just astounding to me, as I saw the power that it packs when given in the name of Jesus!

The whole time I was in Ecuador I kept thinking about how amazing it was that in this very country some 50 years ago one of the single most tragic missionary killings took place not far from where we were.

It's a story I grew up hearing about, and actually is one of the main events that God used in my friend and ministry partner's life that caused him to dedicate his life to God's service. To say the least it was a powerful time for me this past week.

Every distribution we went on I kept thinking about the word legendary, because that is exactly what happens when we step out and serve Him...God becomes more and more legendary in the lives of people, and His fame spreads!

Check out the excitement and joy that took place at one of the distributions...

Pretty cool huh? Well, that's what it was like at every single one, and at every single stop along the way I met some people who were becoming Legendary among their friends and family because of their love for Jesus and their love for His children.

Then during one of the evening sessions we heard from some missionaries who are sharing the love of Jesus with the Waodani Indians in the jungle and as I listened to them share about what God is doing in that tribe and that whole region the concept of legendary became more and more vivid to me. The picture below is of a group of Waodoni who are not only believers but are being used of God to share His love up and down the river and all throughout the jungle.

This got my attention for sure, and then when the missionary said that the very spot they were standing for the picture is the exact spot where the five missionaries were speared to death in 1956, I lost it.

She went on to say that the ground that the enemy used to claim their lives, God has reclaimed for His glory so that His fame would spread (He has become Legendary).





The week was one of the most amazing experiences that I have ever had as every where I went I saw God's hand at work in the lives of ordinary people who are being used of God to become legendary spreaders of His fame!

Then the last night in Quito we had an incredible time of praise and worship as well as debriefing all that we saw God do. It was so cool to hear how God had impacted each of us in different ways. Then just when I thought the evening was over and we were wrapping up in walked a person that I had been thinking about the whole time, but never in a million years did I expect to see in this setting.

It was none other than Mincaye, one of the Waodani Indians that speared the missionaries to death in 1956! I couldn't believe what I was seeing! Right in front of me was one of the killers that wiped out five men's lives and made their wives into widows and left their children fatherless.

I must admit I was speechless, as I sat there taking it all in. This guy was as far from God as you can get, and was used to murder God's messengers in cold blood, but as only God can do He redeemed the situation, the place, the time and the people including Mincaye, and is now using Him to spread the good news of Jesus to His people.

I found two great clips on the internet that help tell the story, and put in perspective how incredible our God is. They are both about 10 minutes long, but I encourage you to take the time to watch part 1 and part 2 and join me in praise for our God's redemptive Grace!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Duqi9T6JOh0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BD8LZFht9i4

So, as I was sitting there listening to Mincaye talk about how important it is for us to continue to share God's Carvings (His Word) with the world I wondered if the early church felt the same way I felt when they met Paul and listened to this former persecutor of God's people share with them how He was changed. It was truly an inspiring moment for me.

Then as our time was ending we were told that one of the reasons that Mincaye had traveled many hours from the jungle up to Quito was to get about 400 shoebox gifts to take back to the camp that his grandson (who is now a missionary in the jungle) is doing this next week, the place erupted!

As I continue to process all that God did this past week, I'm so thankful that He is in control and is the one that we serve. He uses us in various ways to accomplish His will, and it inspired me even more to proclaim His name because He is not only Legendary, He's Living and Active TODAY!

Connected with Kenya

Well, it’s hard to believe, but after months and months of planning, and anticipating a visit to the US by the YMI East Africa Director, Sylvester Onyango, that trip is winding down, and what an experience it was.

Sylvester was in the States for three weeks, and in those three weeks he maintained a whirlwind schedule, of connecting, encouraging, sharing and basically shining a spotlight on what God is doing in the lives of young people through, the ministries of the Youth Pastors who are being trained in Kenya.

Sylvester arrived in Louisville, KY and embarked on a series of speaking engagements that took him into Indiana and Kentucky for the first two weeks.

He spoke to youth groups, church leaders, college students, parents and people who are asking “what can I do to assist the vital ministry of training trainers in youth ministry?” To say the least…he was strategically busy!

With every story he told, picture he showed and testimony of God’s grace he delivered, people young and old were moved…moved to prayerfully connect with Kenya in a way that will enable his ministry of youth leader multiplication to continue to go to new heights!

I had the privilege to be in Louisville on the campus of Boyce College and Southern Seminary during Youth Emphasis week where he taught several youth ministry classes, and it was so much fun to see him in action, sharing passionately with these future life changers that their ministry to young people is so vital.

I think my favorite part of his presentation was when he launched into his testimony of how he received Christ. It really is a miracle, and an incredible example of how youth mission trips really makes a huge difference!

In 1993 God used YMI Founder and President, Randy Smith to organize and lead a group of young people on a mission’s trip to Kenya. On this trip the team, utilized gymnastics, music, drama, testimonies and the clearly understandable gospel message to reach hundreds and hundreds of Kenyans all over the country.

On one particular day, during one particular presentation in a huge outdoor area, a 17 year old Sylvester was walking home from school…early!

You see, he actually was skipping his math class that was meeting that afternoon, because in his words…”I didn’t like math, I wasn’t any good at it, and the teacher was really mean!”

Well, God used a dislike for numbers and a “mean teacher” to propel young Sylvester toward that open air meeting. He was drawn towards the music and the sounds of fellow young people yelling “Mzungu, Mzungu”, which means white in Kiswahili. (By the way everywhere I went during my visit to Kenya I heard the same thing, except when I told several of the young people that when I’m in Mexico I usually hear “Gigante” which means giant…I then began hearing a combination of Spanish and Swahili…”Gigante Mzungu, Gigante Mzungu”…Big white dude!)

Anyway, he was drawn to the crowd, and was in awe of the gymnastic routine, music and drama and when the speaker (Randy Smith), stepped forward to clearly explain what this group of young mzungu’s from the States was doing in Kenya. Sylvester was ready to listen and ready to accept the free gift of salvation that comes through a personal relationship with Jesus!

Sylvester became a believer that day, and a journey of discipleship began. Through the next several years God brought mentors, Pastors, missionaries and many more key individuals into his life to challenge and encourage him to live his life for God, and live out his passion and calling, which turned out to be YOUTH MINISTRY!

As I was with Sylvester, in Kentucky, New York and New Jersey, I was amazed again with the awesome work of our God.

As Sylvester and I were presenting his ministry at a Chinese Church in NY, he and I were so moved as we saw huge Chinese characters spelling out the love of God on the front wall of the church, and right next to the Chinese letters was the same message in English…God doesn’t need a translator, He connects with everyone in their own language, culture, and environment…Truly Amazing!

So, as my friend and partner in ministry returns to his homeland, I know he will have plenty of amazing “firsts” to share with his people.” Firsts” like…

· Being in America
· Seeing Snow
· Eating at Taco Bell
· Riding a subway in NYC
· Seeing the Statue of Liberty
· Eating a traditional Kenyan Tilapia dish prepared by a Culinary trained Chef at a private dinner in NY

Just To name a few, but one story that is not new that I know he will return with, is that God is an incredible God, and He chooses to use us to further His Kingdom. Whether it is in Kenya or America, He is still in the life change business!

Several weeks before Sylvester came to America, I re-ran a few articles on my blog called “Connecting with Kenya”. I wanted to recap and encourage people from my 3 week visit to Kenya in 2007. It was my prayer that many would read those and be challenged to pray for Sylvester and his ministry while he was here, and as he goes home.

I think that happened, as everywhere I went with him I saw people genuinely drawn to hear and learn more about his ministry of training trainers in Youth Ministry.

So, my continued prayer is that God would keep working in hearts so that we ask Him “God, How do you want me to be CONNECTED with KENYA?” Thank you to everyone who had a part in making this trip a reality.

It was an incredible three week adventure that I believe God will use to further His work of CONNECTING PEOPLE TO HIMSELF…GLOBALLY!

Connecting with Kenya #5

YMI East Africa Director, Sylvester Onyango is visiting the US next week. In 2007 I spent 3 weeks in Kenya, so the next few posts are dedicated to some of the journal entries from that trip...

12/05/2007

• 8:30am – Willie picked me up at the BTL and we headed over to the camp

o As we were driving to the camp Willie showed me the morning news paper headline that said something like “30 houses burned in (some town) as raiders continue their protest of (some politician)” He said that during the political races for the Kenyan government things can get a little hot...I’d say that’s pretty hot…we talked a little bit about why people do such things and why it’s so important that they know Jesus…I was a little nervous, but remembered that when you’re in the center of God’s will you’re in the safest place you can be!

Willie went on to assure me that the town was a long ways away from Ruiru, and then he said “don’t worry Mon, it’s all good!” And the rest of the day I had a reggae version of “Every little thing is gonna be all right” going through my mind!o We got to the camp and again the church was rocking! These kids really know how to praise God! It was kind of a mixture between Reggae and Hip-hop in Swahili…very cool!

This time they also sang some songs in English and I had a good time worshiping with them. I thought it was awesome that they sang in English, they really wanted me to feel a part of what they are doing, I told them how much I appreciated that, and how hard they are working to understand what this “no rhythm, non-Swahili, bullet dodging, pasty white brother is trying to tell them about Jesus”…they laughed and laughed! I forgot to mention that one of the assumptions they had when I told them I live in NY is that I’m constantly having to dodge bullets from all the gangsters who live in NYC…I politely told them that that assumption is not completely true, and that I live like 6 hours away from NYC, and actually grew up in a town called Horseheads, NY… they kind of looked a little disappointed at that. It was almost like they wanted to be able to say they knew a guy who took on gangsters in NYC, but now all they got is the fact that they met some dude from Horseheads…Hey what can I say!

o Both sessions went well, I shared about how Noah stayed faithful to God even in the midst of ridicule and questions about what he was doing. I challenged them to stay faithful to God’s plan for their lives even when it doesn’t make sense…I then shared with them my story of ups and downs, and junk that God has helped me overcome in my life…those who know me well know what story I’m talking about because I’ve shared it many times over the years…somehow as I shared about the pain that I’ve had to overcome with God’s help it didn’t seem as bad in comparison to what I think these kids deal with on a daily basis…I could be wrong, it may be a foolish assumption on my part, but I’m more amazed every day at what these kids are dealing with and the fact that they continue on…Sylvester said it best when he said “Kenyans are survivors!”

o After the sessions were over I watched the campers play some hilarious games that would make any Youth Pastor proud…It’s so refreshing to see how they use whatever they can find and improvise it to make a game out of it…the kids aren’t “too cool” either, they all get involved and it’s contagious…I know from experience that, that doesn’t just happen either…Sylvester has done a tremendous job of training his leaders on how to design games, how to include students, how to make it fun and interactive…you know stuff they teach you in Youth Pastor School…(I think I took that class after I took “Recreational Camping Leadership 101”, “Proper Pizza Consumption Calculations 102” and my personal favorite “Paper, Plastic or Styrofoam which cup is most cost effective for the all-nighter 103”) or one of the many other YM classes I took in college – ha ha.

o In the afternoon I continued to hang out and get to know the kids…I really like the laid back atmosphere around the BTC tree, it’s almost like they view it as sacred ground where it’s ok to talk about stuff you’re going through…I think there is something to be said about the experiential learning aspect that the tree offers…It’s amazing how when you “give kids permission” and a venue to share it frees them to open up…that’s exactly what’s happening under that tree! I believe some of the next generation of Godly men and woman World Changers are going to come out of this place, and because of the truth of God that’s being taught under a TREE!

o At 4pm I taught part 2 of the Leadership Seminar I’m doing, and we focused today on how important it is to lead from our giftedness…we had a great discussion about Spiritual Gifts and how when we lead through them, we are blessed as are others through our ministry.

o After the seminar Sylvester and I sat and talked about some issues he’s working through in the ministry, and it seemed like he enjoyed talking with someone who knows what it means to be a Youth Pastor…I reminded him that even though I’ve been doing YM along time, I don’t have all the answers and I can’t even begin to understand and empathize with what it means to be a Youth Pastor in Kenya, but whatever I have to offer in terms of encouragement, prayer, insights, ideas etc. I am more than willing to share with him. I think He really appreciated that.

It must be very lonely for him to be leading a movement of trying to educate churches who can barely afford to pay a Sr. Pastor let alone a Youth Pastor that the investment is so needed! That’s something that I think we take for granted a lot of times in the US…I mean the early founders of Youth Ministry as we know it today (some of which serve on the YMI board by the way!) must have had it tough as well trying to break through the stereotype that youth ministry is just about fun, games, all-nighters & pizza!

As we talked I could tell that we have a common goal of helping to continue to take Youth Ministry to the next level by being a part of training the trainers with excellence!

o It was a very profitable day…I think the “Be The Chan
ge” theme is starting to click with many of the kids and I think Sylvester and his team are leading the charge in that area...

Sylvester doesn’t know this but I walked into the church at one point to get my sunglasses while the games were going on, and there he was bent over a mop bucket wringing out a rag that he was using to “mop” the area around the pulpit where I was preaching from because it was very dirty from everyone walking in and out…I saw him and across the church in the other door, a few of his leaders saw him as well, and I could tell that they took notice at how their leader was serving when no-one was looking…BEING THE CHANGE!

Connecting with Kenya #4

YMI East Africa Director, Sylvester Onyango is visiting the US next week. In 2007 I spent 3 weeks in Kenya, so the next few posts are dedicated to some of the journal entries from that trip...

12/18/2007

• We got up at 5:30am to get ready for our morning game drive…we grabbed some coffee and then headed to our land cruiser to head out into the Mara to see what we could find.

• It didn’t take long and we came upon another pride of lions…this time though there were 4 huge males and 2 large females just hanging out right next to our vehicle! Their paws were gigantic and I was just amazed as I stood there looking at them! There was a heard of about 100 buffalo about 200 yards away but they weren’t interested at all…they did have an interesting stare down with a hyena though that was pretty funny to watch…guess who won that one?

• We then drove all over the place looking for things and saw a ton of different kinds of animals…

o Zebra

o Buffalo

o Wildebeest

o Jackals

o Foxes

o Vultures

o Hyenas

o Monkeys

o Secretary Birds

o Giraffes

o Elephants

• As we were driving along we saw another pride of Lions, this time they were gathered around the carcass of a wildebeest having breakfast…they were chomping away, and it was amazing how they were sharing and taking care of each other with the catch.

• It was funny because just over the ridge we could see the lower species on the food chain beginning to gather to get some scraps that might be left behind…hyenas & vultures waited patiently as the lions pulled and ripped and chewed…The food chain at work.

• As I’m writing this I just heard a loud snort and it sounds like a hippo is nearby! God’s creation is amazing!

• On the afternoon game drive we were taken about an hour away to the border of Tanzania (we actually crossed into Tanzania for a little while) to a section of the Mara river where the hippos & crocodiles hang out and wait for the migration of wildebeest to cross…when we drove up to the river bank the smell was pretty pungent and then I realized why…there were hippos and crocks in the water surrounded by bodies of wildebeest…there were about 20 carcasses just laying in the water…Jonathon told us that over 10,000 animals were killed in the migration this year as they tried to cross the river! We then went a little further down the river to a bridge and as we got close to the river the smell of death was not only pungent, it was RANK!

I’m talking about the worst smelling stench imaginable! We continued onto the bridge and soon found out why…there were hundreds of carcasses strewn as far as you could see. In among the bodies were hippos and crocodiles hanging out enjoying the spoils of a successful migration (from their perspective)…I then looked to the other side of the bridge and there were several hundred dried up carcasses and bones everywhere. It was an incredible sight to see and smell.

• We then turned around and left the area for a sweeter smelling section of the Mara…it wasn’t long and we came upon a family of Giraffes grazing on some very tall trees…it was fun watching them leisurely stroll about the meadow (what a difference between them and the crocks and even the Lions)…while I was getting some video of them Jonathon said “hey, there’s a Rhino!” sure enough there he was in the bush just walking around…they are very hard to find, but we saw him for short time and then he was gone…it was definitely the top find of the day!

• We got back to the lodge and attended a Massai Tribal presentation and lecture which was very interesting!

• After the presentation we headed for bed and enjoyed a good night’s sleep!

12/19/2007

• We got up at 5:30am to get ready for our morning game drive…grabbed some coffee and we were on our way.

• While I was drinking my coffee a man asked if he could sit down and join me, so I said “sure have a seat”…we struck up a conversation and I found out that his name is Hassan and he is from Egypt…It was fun talking with him about what we do with YMI and learning a little bit about his culture…I’ve met some interesting people on this trip…people from, Wales, Germany, Japan, New Mexico, India, Massai Tribal Warriors, and I even met a Swami from Pakistan who is in Nairobi doing a “Swami thing”, whatever that means…It’s been an amazing intro to various cultures…One thing is for sure, we were all fascinated by God’s creation on the safari!

o The game drive started and it wasn’t long and we came upon another pride of lions enjoying their breakfast (they seem to really enjoy wildebeest)…it was awesome to watch the power that these animals possess, no wonder they are the king of the beasts!

• After the game drive was over we packed our gear and went to the airstrip to catch our flight back to Nairobi.

• We landed safely and were taken back to the Safari Park Hotel where we’ll spend the night and fly out tomorrow night back home!

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• It has been an incredible 3 weeks in Kenya! I’ve seen God at work in many ways, and it has been a privilege to take part in His work! Africa is known as the dark continent, that’s true…but it’s my prayer that God will continue to use his people to shine His light here, so many will be drawn to Him!

Connecting with Kenya #3

YMI East Africa Director, Sylvester Onyango is visiting the US in a few weeks. In 2007 I spent 3 weeks in Kenya, so the next few posts are dedicated to some of the journal entries from that trip...

12/12-16/2007

• It’s been a while since I last blogged and a lot has happened this past week… I haven’t had a lot of time to sit down and write, but I’ll try to capture as much as I can from memory.

My time at Kenya Baptist Theological College was awesome! I was able to rub shoulders with some amazing Youth and Pastoral Majors who really have a heart to serve the Lord in Kenya!

• On Thursday I spoke in chapel and was very well received by the students and faculty…God was working as I shared with the students…thanks for all of your prayers.

• Randy and I spent a lot of time with the School Administration and several professors regarding the future direction of the school (they are working towards becoming Kenya Baptist University), and YMI’s part in continuing to provide the training for the youth majors within that context. Everyone we talked to and interacted with absolutely loves YMI and what we’re doing with the Youth Majors, and it was so great to be a part of strategizing with the top leadership about the future possibilities.

• The Youth Majors are incredible! I met one graduate of our program who is from an Island in Lake Victoria which is bordered by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania…she told us that 65% of the 30,000 people who live on the Island are

HIV positive! I can’t even imagine that…she has such a strategic ministry to people who desperately need the hope that our God gives! Her name is Jane, please pray for her and the kids that she is reaching! I talked with the Pastor of her church about doing some ministry when I’m back and he was very excited about some possibilities.

• Sylvester has done a really good job with teaching these students, and it was also fun for me to hear stories about two of our guys that helped pave the way for these students to receive their Youth Ministry diploma…Frank Mills and Scott Dishong had a great ministry with these students as well, and it was awesome to see the fruits of their labor as I sat on stage next to Randy at the Graduation ceremony! Thank God for dedicated Youth Trainers like these guys! I was reminded again how important it is to train the trainers of Youth Ministry…the legacy is continuing in Kenya!

• The graduation service was a fun atmosphere to involved in…I thought I’d be sitting somewhere in the congregation or maybe even outside looking in one of the windows like many of the people had to do because it was standing room only in the auditorium. As we were taking pictures with graduates and talking with several students the Principal of the school (equivalent to the President) called us over and told us to join him at the front of the procession and sit on the stage with him and the other leaders! It was such an honor to be a part of that!

• The service lasted about 3 hours and was full of songs, scripture, testimonies, an African choir and a challenging message…the highlight for me was seeing our graduates step up and receive the announcement of their degree in youth ministry and seven of them receive the YMI certification to be able to take our informal materials and go out and teach it all over Africa! It’s a big deal, and you could tell that they were so proud to have been given that confidence, authority and license to take our materials and train others in it!

• After the service I got a chance to mingle with several more students and encourage them to go out and make a difference.

• After the service was over Randy and I checked out of Brackenhurst and headed into Nairobi to stay at the Hampton House for the evening.

• On Saturday morning we checked out of the Hampton House and went to the Safari Park Hotel where we’re staying until Monday morning…talk about extremes! This place is amazing…beautiful grounds, Five star accommodations, incredible food, cascading water falls and like 5 pools! It’s a lot different than what I saw at Kibera! We are having a great time here, but I must admit I keep thinking about all that I have seen and experienced up until this point…I’m glad I got to see and be a part of all of it and not just this part!

• I had a great talk with Lincoln again…(he and I have really clicked and have had some incredible strategy sessions under the tree, in the dirt, on the steps etc.) I asked him what part of the youth ministry training he really
enjoys, and he said the materials that help him understand how to reach the street kids and kids that live in places like Kibera! He said he could see himself living among and ministering to the kids in Kibera some day! I was blown away, here’s a guy who has such a heart to reach kids in the slums that he is praying about taking his training right to them and living among them to reach them!

o There are a bunch of other guys like Lincoln who would love to get their degree in YM but don’t have the funds…it costs about $60 a month for 3 years to give a youth leader a full scholarship to KBTC in Youth Ministry! (The total cost for the college is about 45,000 shillings per year – which is about $725 a year for 3 years)…That $60 a month might as well be 6 million a month for these guys, and the reality is most of them can’t afford it without some help form others…It is my prayer that God would lay it on people’s hearts to help sponsor one or more of our students who want to get trained as Youth Professionals in this culture. I’ve met a ton of great investments here in Kenya!

• Today (Sunday) Randy and I went back to Ruiru for church as he spoke in the Youth class and also in the morning servi
ce. It was fun to be a part of the service again and interact with the kids and the leaders. Randy did a great job speaking and the people really responded to his challenge…at the end of the sermon he gave an invitation to receive Christ or rekindle your faith in Christ and many responded! The Pastor then asked me to come up and pray for the people who responded…it was a great joy to do that!

• At the end of the service Sylvester and his youth leaders came up front and thanked me for my ministry with them over these last 3 weeks, and dedicated the closing song to me…They sang “Friends” by Michael W Smith, and of course I was very moved by that, it was a special moment that I will always remember!

• I hung out and talked with the youth leaders and the kids for a while and then it was time to leave…as we were leaving I remembered something…during one of the songs that the youth leaders sang in the service (again everything in the church service was run by the youth and the youth leaders!) One of the guys up there singing was Kevin (he was one of the orphan boys who was at camp on a work scholarship and had accepted Christ during the camp week)…there he was up front smiling and singing with all his might! God is at work here in Kenya!

• Randy & I along with Sylvester and Willis (yes, after a week of thinking his name was Willie I found out it’s really Willis – oh well) went back to Safari Park to have lunch and celebrate all that God has been doing these past 3 weeks.

• Tomorrow morning Randy and I fly out of Nairobi over to the Western part of Kenya (Masai Mara) to go on the safari! I’m really looking forward it!

Connecting with Kenya - #2

YMI East Africa Director, Sylvester Onyango is visiting the US in a few weeks. In 2007 I spent 3 weeks in Kenya, so the next few posts are dedicated to some of the journal entries from that trip...

12/8/2007

• 8:30am – I was picked up at BTL and taken over to the church for the closing ceremony at the camp

• It was a very fun and energetic program, as the kids presented, the leaders presented and Sylvester presented, all in a way to help bring closure to an awesome week of camp!

He shared that after counting all the commitment cards there were 9 salvations and 29 dedications to the Lord! He was ecstatic and the whole place erupted! That’s what it’s all about!

• Before the program started a bunch of the kids were sitting under the BTC tree so I got in the middle of them and said “hey everyone, surround me”

they came running and I got a great picture with them. “As the shot was being taken I reminded them that in Christ we are on big family! They all cheered and smiled at that!

• The Pastor came up and gave a closing word, and he thanked me for sharing God’s Word with the campers, and asked me to thank everyone back home for their sacrifices that allowed me to come to Kenya and minister to them…I assured him that I would and that many people have been praying!

He then said that in Kenya there are many kinds of flowers, and they symbolize blessing from God, and there is a tradition in spring that when the breezes blow and the flower petals and seeds are flying everywhere that it symbolizes God’s blessing spreading to all people…he then had everyone open their hands likes flowers and on the count of three close their fingers and then fling them open and make a whooshing sound to symbolize them sending blessings to me and my family…it was a neat moment and I actually got a great picture of them doing that to remember it.

• Sylvester then invited me to come back up one more time and add any closing thoughts I had and close in prayer…I reiterated my thoughts from yesterday about the next generation of world changers emerging from under the BTC tree, and how I have been so blessed to be a part of it with them! I then prayed and asked God to bless them and we were done…They didn’t want to leave though! I got lots of pictures with kids, and leaders…It was an awesome end to an awesome week of camp.

• Thank you to all of you who were praying for God to do great things…He did!

Connecting with Kenya

In a few weeks, a good friend, and colleague of mine is coming to America for a visit.

In 2007, I had the privilege of visiting his turf, and we had plans to have him visit in 2008, but due to the violence that erupted in his country, we were unable to make it happen.

Well, now it's going to happen. The YMI East Africa Director Sylvester Onyango is coming here to introduce people to what his ministry is all about, what they're doing and prayerfully ask others to join the team by supporting Youth Pastor training in East Africa.

He is going to have a pretty busy itinerary, with speaking engagements in Kentucky, Georgia, New York and New Jersey, and your prayers are much appreciated during this time.

He arrives January 28th and will fly home February 23rd. During my visit in 2007, I blogged quite a bit about what I saw and experienced, so I thought for the next few posts I would dedicate them to re-posting some of my experiences when I spent 3 weeks in Kenya...

Blog Post -12/7/2007 • 8:30am – Sylvester and a new driver picked me up at BTL to head over to the camp

It was different not having Willis as my driver today, he was on a trip for the weekend but will be back with me on Monday. I arrived at the camp and it was a little different today, it almost had a sad, kind of depressed feel to it...the church wasn’t rocking like it has been, so I asked Sylvester what was going on and he said that the reality of camp coming to an end is setting in with the kids…I know how that can be when you really are having a good time, and you don’t want to go home…many of these kids really don’t want to go back to their reality!

Sylvester invited me to come up and officially deliver the final 2 sessions to the camp and I was up and running…I told a couple introduction stories to kind of lighten the mood and get them tracking with me again and then it was just like the other sessions have been, lots of interaction and laughter and challenge from God’s word… you should have heard the uproar during the first session when I was preaching…I walked to the back of the church and looked out the door at the "Be The Change" tree and told them what I thought yesterday when I saw them sitting under it learning how to Be The Change…I told them how I Believe that the next generation of World Changers is going to emerge from under that tree! The church erupted!!

Sylvester had tears in his eyes and many of the leaders stood to their feet and looked at their teens and applauded them! It’s amazing how powerful our words can be when they are truthful, filled with passion, belief and encouragement…I could’ve stopped the message right there it was that incredible of a moment! God was really moving today!

I think if I were to judge the effectiveness of each of the sessions, today would’ve been the best of all of them…I shared the gospel again and invited Sylvester to come up and close the second session however he felt the Lord wanted him to…he gave an invitation to accept Christ and an invitation to commit their lives to serving Christ…as of this writing I know of 3 teens that told Sylvester that they had accepted Jesus as their Savior! One of the orphan boys (Kevin) was one of them!

There were many more who responded to commit their lives to living for Christ, and the commitment cards were still coming in, so I’ll give an update with official commitments and salvation decisions when it’s final…God is Good!

It was raining today so the games were held in the church…the rain didn’t dampen the spirits of the campers though, they were really into it again! They had a contest to see who could draw the best picture of me in under 5 minutes…then I had to judge the winner. Talk about difficult! The campers then signed their names on the back of the pictures and gave them to me as a gift to remember them by, so I could pray for them all by name! It was a great gift! In one of the pictures though, I look like Lebron James, it was pretty funny.

One of the competitions was a rap contest…these kids were really good at that…they are so creative and expressive, they really do everything with passion.

After the games Sylvester and I went back into Nairobi to get some things and it was packed! There were cars and Mutatus and people and goats and Herds of Longhorns that would make even the biggest University of Texas fan proud…the city was teeming and alive with activity…I found myself surrounded in a sea of people…Sylvester was pointing out various religious & people groups that we saw on the way…We saw Muslims, Hindus, Seiks, Nomads, Rich people in BMW’s and poor people with broken walking sticks, filthy hole filled clothes and bare feet...young and old and even a huge billboard of Tupac Shakur…it was incredible to see so many kinds of people from so many different walks of life all converging on a city that was built to handle about 2 million people but now finds itself struggling to hold around 5 million…to say the least it was a zoo!

At one point while we were sitting in the “Jom” as Sylvester called it (traffic jam is what he’s referring to)…I heard a bunch of people shouting in Swahili and then around the front of our car a group of about 10 guys were chasing a well dressed man shouting “Thief, Thief, Thief” and they caught him and starting beating him up on the other side of a bus that was sitting next to us…Sylvester said that that’s one of the techniques of pick pockets these days, they’ll walk the streets in nice clothes so people think they have money and don’t fear them, they will rob unsuspecting woman and take off…this guy wasn’t so fortunate, the civil law kicked into gear and Sylvester said that if the police didn’t get there soon, he’d be lucky to be alive…WOW!

We got back to camp just in time for me to do the final session of the Leadership seminar…the leaders were really into it again today, we had a great closing session as we brainstormed about ways that they can imple
ment the learnings into their own ministries…it’s so much fun for me to throw out a leadership principle and watch them tackle it & discuss it and figure out ways to put it into practice in their culture…there are some excellent leaders in this group!

After the seminar I talked with Sylvester for a little while about his thoughts about the camp, and he had the look of a very happy, tired and satisfied Youth Pastor who just saw a ministry that has taken months of planning and preparation come to a successful completion. It was so incredible for me to sit and talk about what went well, what didn’t and what could be improved…he strikes me as a guy who is always striving to get better at what he does, and that kind of attitude towards youth ministry is so contagious, and is the kind of attitude that really energizes me!

As I was leaving the camp a bunch of the kids from the camp and along the road were waving and saying goodbye…it was a bitter sweet moment for me to think that my time at the camp is done, but because of God’s life changing truths being accepted into lives this week, I’m going to see many of these kids again someday, either on this earth or someday in Heaven!

My prayer for the kids at the Ruiru Baptist Camp is that they would continue to grow in their faith and take steps each day to Be The Change that this world needs, and stand up for Jesus who is the only one with the life changing power! You know what…I think they just might do it to…Kenyans are Survivors, that’s true but when Jesus is powering the change…they will become more like… THRIVERS! That’s my prayer!

Immovable - YMInsights Series

One of the things I have the privilege of doing in my ministry is traveling and meeting like minded youth leaders around the world. I love learning and growing with them as we interact around the truths of scripture and the principles of youth ministry.

On my recent trip to Malaysia, I learned so much in such a short period of time it was mind boggling. You see when I teach in the modular program at one of our partner schools, I have to add the dimension of "well, this is how we in the US have discovered ways to do youth ministry, so lets discuss how these tools will work or won't work in your culture."

I love the dialog that ensues, as it is rich, real and full of passion.

In every country I've been in thus far I've witnessed a similar theme among the youth leaders...they love their young people and are tired of the world, culture, and traditions trapping and enslaving them into missing the truths of Jesus.

In this last trip to Malaysia I also heard a reverberating theme of the need for Freedom resounding time and time again.

These leaders are praying about the lack of freedom that exists in their settings.

Countries like Myanmar, Brunai, Sri Lanka, China, India and Nepal were represented in the class, and the cultures and traditions that these youth leaders have to learn to navigate through in order to reach the young people of their culture is just astounding.

Every day I spent with these leaders my heart broke more and more with the lack of freedom they have, but at the same time I was equally fired up and encouraged with the faith and hope they have that Jesus can and will shine through...I'm telling you it was contagious!

The whole time I was there I kept thinking about how fortunate we are in the US with the freedoms we have, and how incredibly privileged we are to be able to stand, sit and kneel whenever we want to in worship of our God.

I did alot of exploring and asking questions, not just about the different religions that are represented in their culture, but actually standing in the very symbols that the people worship in their culture.

One type of temple in particular really nailed me with the fact that everything that it was about, was based on man's belief.

It was the Buddhist temple, and the pictures you see in this post are actually taken from three different temples in a very close proximity to each other. The Chinese Buddhist Temple, The Burmese Buddhist Temple and the Thai Buddhist Temple.

As I was walking and talking with my students I couldn't help but think of a passage in Jeremiah, where the prophet warns the children of Israel against following idols, and the following passage sums up what everything within me wanted to shout to the scores of people who were wandering and worshiping and paying homage to idols and all that those idols stand for.


Jeremiah 10:4-7
4 They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter. 5 Like a scarecrow in a melon patch, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good." 6 No one is like you, O LORD; you are great, and your name is mighty in power. 7 Who should not revere you, O King of the nations? This is your due. Among all the wise men of the nations and in all their kingdoms, there is no one like you.

With everything inside of me, I wanted to proclaim that truth. There is none like the Lord, He is the one worthy of praise and worship and honor and sacrifice and lifelong dedication, not a created thing that has no power.

As I looked around and watched my students, I could tell they were feeling it as well, and I could tell that they had faces and names of individual young people and family members on their minds as we interacted with what we were experiencing together.

Then when we were on top of the mountain at the Chinese Buddhist temple known as Ke Lok Si, I learned an important piece of information that helped solidify in my mind and heart what my faith in God is all about.

I asked why there was half a statue on top of a pagoda and another very tall statue surrounded by supports going up off in the distance. I was told that the goddess of mercy had been swept away by a mudslide and all they could recover from her demise was the top part which was on the building.

The new one surrounded by supports was being built in a more secure fashion.

That was it for me, my mind and heart praised God right then and there as I realized that He is my strong tower, my rock, my immovable force that is as alive and well today as He was thousands of years ago.

He doesn't succumb to mudslides and earth quakes and forces of nature.

He is the force of Nature!

As I was standing there taking it all in and worshiping God on the very mountain He Created, I thought of the song "Strong Tower" by Kutless and was moved to pray for the many people who are facing tough times, hard decisions, soul shaking questions and doubts, like we all do.

I thought about them and how the words of that song speak the truth that He is the strong tower, the one we can go to, and the one who actually has the power to do something about it, because He is God!

My prayer that day, as well as right now is that we would realize that our God is alive, and well and doing His work in the hearts of His people!

He cannot be moved, and is always ready to be our shelter in time of need.

I encourage you to listen to the words of this song by Kutless (actually there are two songs in the clip...click here for the lyrics) and both are all about How incredible God is and how awesome it is to stand in His courts, and His Temple in worship of the living God.

I'm so thankful that we serve a Risen Savior who is IMMOVABLE!

What's the difference? - YMInsights Series

I've been home from Malaysia now for almost 3 weeks, finally the jet-lag is wearing off, (although to be honest I've been milking that one for a good 2 weeks.) I've had some time to rest up, reflect and try to process what I saw and experienced during my nearly 2 week adventure to Southeast Asia.

While I was there I saw a lot of things that were different than what I'm used to, and had so much fun seeing how they do life on the other side of the world. Things like driving on the opposite side of the road, the steering wheel on the right side of the car and clocks that countdown the time remaining on a red light were some of the things I noticed very quickly that were different.

A couple more things that caught my eye were; the high octane energy drink of choice instead of Mountain Dew or Red Bull is a drink called "Kickapoo Joy Juice", the way to eat an ice cream is in a hoagie roll, and if you do happen to ask for it scooped up in a cone you have to watch out for Monkeys as they are known to be little thieves.

I had such a good time with my students as we compared and contrasted cultures that we saw all around us. I mean everywhere we went there were Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Christians and Free Masons. All of the different religions and belief systems made for some very lively discussion and challenged us all to not only know what we believe, but why we believe it. I also encouraged the students that we need to know the basics of what the other religions teach so we can have healthy dialog with others regarding truth.
During one of these discussions we visited a very famous Buddhist Temple called Ke Lok Si which is an incredibly beautiful setting carved out of the side of a very high mountain overlooking Penang and the ocean off in the distance. We didn't have much time, so rather than trek up the very steep mountain trail we decided to drive up the winding road instead (I was very pleased with that decision!)

As we got to the top and looked out it was the most beautifully ornate temple you could imagine. Every detail was intricately designed and every artistic depiction was made with the purpose of honoring Buddha and in this particular location the goddess of Mercy.

We went into one of the many Pagodas where we saw some Buddhist monks doing there duty as they offered daily prayers complete with a banging bongo like instrument and burning incense. Then we walked up some more stairs to another Pagoda area where people were gathered kneeling and offering prayers and paying money for various things. We kept going up and up and up until finally we came to a very fancy lift that was kind of like a gondola that took us up the rest of mountain to where the statue to Kuan Yin the goddess of Mercy resided.

When we got to the top it was so beautiful and peaceful, every blade of grass was intricately designed and manicured to help create a serene and restful atmosphere so that people could take it all in.

The first thing I saw was this statue on top of a building so I asked what that was, why it was on top of the building and why it was kind of smudged up and dirty. One of the students who really knew his stuff, and was an awesome help to me kind of chuckled when he said "um that is the original Kuan Yin, see that bronze statue over there surrounded by all the supports? Well, that's the new one." Of course I then asked, "why are they building a new one and what happened to the old one?" He went on to say "the old one was swept away during a mud slide and was pretty much destroyed except for the top section."

Hmm, the whole time I was trying to be respectful, and not make any verbal observations that might offend someone, so I pretty much just bit my lip and kept my mouth shut, but inside I was fuming as I saw idol after idol and issue after issue that really made my heart break for the people who are trapped in a culture that is built upon man made beliefs. The very fact that a god they worship couldn't stand up to a mud slide was a vivid picture in my mind of how weak and fragile our best efforts to reach God really are.

As we got in the van and headed back down the mountain the discussion we had was so rich, and the passion I heard in the voices of the leaders was so moving as they had kind of a "see what we have to deal with in order to reach young people with the truth" attitude...that was absolutely soul shaking for me.

I mean these youth leaders not only need to learn about youth culture they need to navigate through family structures that are steeped in centuries of traditions that are inter-woven through the fabric of generations. Talk about tough!

As we were leaving though, we had a great time of discussion about the fact that Jesus can break through and break free any and all obstacles, and the very fact that all the tombs we saw at the temples were full and if we could take a "road trip" to the Holy Land we would find nothing where they laid Jesus...it's EMPTY, because our God is alive and well and still in the business of changing lives!

I came away from that mountain and all those temples with a new found appreciation for my brothers and sisters in other countries who desperately want their friends and family members to know Jesus. I also came away with a re-kindled zeal to learn all I can about other religions so I can dialog intelligently about the God who is alive and well, and lives in the hearts of His people. They need to know that He is the one that can be known, will change their lives, give them purpose, and a place with Him for all eternity, and unlike the reclining Buddha in the picture below...He won't zone out on them...He's locked in!
Please join me in prayer for the youth leaders of Southeast Asia as they seek to proclaim God's love, and help their young people understand a key question they face when presented with the truths of Jesus..."What's the difference?"