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Back to Africa #6--Home Again

Well, it's home sweet home once again and I'm back where I started, once again.
Africa is getting more and more of my heart each time I go.  Although I am still exploring all that God seems to be doing in my heart for this amazing land and it's people, I truly sense a thirst for more of what He is doing there.
Since I was unable to get the internet access that I had hoped for, I will give a quick overview of our trip:
I traveled with Tom Schlesselman, a friend and co-elder of Crossroads Community Church.  We were on a scouting trip for our church.
Friday July 1: Departed Chicago for overnight to London.
Saturday July 2: Arrived London in the morning, took Underground into the city to explore and see Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty's Theatre.  Depart London for overnight to Johannesburg, SA.
Sunday July 3: Arrive Jo-burg and stayed in B&B. Very accommodating and hospitable hosts.  Great stories from man of the house who used to be a mercenary.
Monday July 4: Early departure for flight to Harare, Zimbabwe.  Began whirlwind tour with Danny Curle.  Danny has been in Africa for over 49.5 years.  Wonderful and powerful stories of a life of service and COMPLETE trust in an AMAZING God.  Lost wife in tragic car accident in early 80's, left with 4 small boys to raise.  Ends up adopting 19 Africa children no one wanted and raised them as his own.  We got a chance to meet some of these now adult children; some of which are layers, pastors, farmers who are changing their worlds because of the a Father's Love.  One son runs tranformational orphanage that is changing the future of the so many children by providing more that food and shelter for a couple years.
Tuesday July 5: Rode along with Danny as he delivered food to widows out in the bush.  Spent the day meeting and visiting with widows he feeds every week.  One widow he feeds has lead to the Chief of the village and his whole family coming to a personal relationship with Christ.  The chief observed Danny's faithfulness in loving the widow and asked why Danny did it.  When the Chief discovered the Love behind the service, he wanted the same relationship that would cause this kind of love.  Bwana Asifiwe!! (Praise the Lord)

Wednesday July 6:  Met some more pastors Danny shepherds from the 100 churches he has helped start.  Also met one of his adopted daughters who is an attorney in Harare.  Got to airport early for our flight, as usual, but ending up running through security and to gate when we  discovered that our flight was leaving over 30 minutes early.  Made our connecting flight through Nairobi and arrived in Entebbe, Uganda.  We made it to our hotel to discover power was out and no AC.  Power finally came on about 2AM so AC helped make warm night little more comfortable.
Thursday July 7: We were picked up by AOET (Africa Orphan Education Trust) Uganda Director James bright and early for our drive to Jinja.  After few minutes to freshen up at our hotel, we headed off to a remote village to experience their mobile medical clinic.  We saw HIV/AIDS testing, evaluations, treatments.  Learned a lot and was very encouraged by what we saw.

Friday July 8: We began the morning with a meeting with the Leadership Team of AOET Uganda.  We toured the Village that has 16 houses that have been built to provide housing for families that have adopted AIDS/HIV and High Risk orphans that do not have a house of their own.  They are provided a house and utilities for up to 3 years.  They are required to save money during this time to be able to build/purchase a home of their own while caring for up to 4 children along with their own.  We also got a chance to visit Rehoboth Secondary School and visit with student body of almost 300 kids.  Then it was off the the primary school where we were welcomed by almost 500 young and excited children.
Saturday July 9: Got a chance to catch our breath a little.  We visited Bujigali Falls and the Source of the Nile River.  Great day seeing some sights and getting to know James and AOET more in depth.
Sunday July 10: Travel day overland to Lira, Uganda in the northern part of the county.  Long day of rough travel.  Arrived Lira and checked into our hotel.
Monday July 11: Got to see more of AOET from another of their locations.  Same DNA from different perspective on more remote location.  Shared in another mobile medical clinic as over 180 children were tested for HIV/AIDS.  We also passed our mosquito nets for each child that got tested.
Tuesday July 12: Started journey home at 5:00AM with another overland ride back to Kampala to pick up Nancy Tushabe, wife of Executive Director of AOET and then to airport in Entebbe for flight to Nairobi.  Got to Nairobi to discover our flight to London was going to be over 2 hours late.  We finally got out of Nairobi about at about 2AM.
Wednesday July 13: Made connection in London and arrived safely in Chicago to be greeted by our wives and sons!  Great to be home...
I'll be sharing thoughts and lessons learned as I continue to process all that I'm learning about who God has created me to be.  Please let me know if you have any specific questions or would just like to talk about Africa.

Back to Africa #5-- Overload...

I don't know if I hate not having internet to keep updated more because I'm spoiled with what I have at home, or that I'm overloaded with things going through my mind when I finally get a chance to get access to post.  Probably some of both...

Overload, is my word for the last 2 days here in Jinja, Uganda.

Yesterday Tom and I were picked up at our hotel in Entebbe, Uganda by AOET (African Orphan Education Trust).  We had an enjoyable 3 hour ride with James, the Uganda Director, to the Sunset International Hotel in Jinja, Uganda at the north end of Lake Victoria.  After a few minutes to get settled and freshened up, we were off to a remote district to witness a mobile clinic in a rural village.  I received a new education in AIDS/HIV testing, as well as life in the rural villages with AIDS.  

One thing I learned from my limited time in the villages around Iringa, Tanzania was that the nurses at the village clinics we visited in 2009 were getting low single digit percentages of men being tested compared to the women in the villages.  AOET has as much as 25% men being tested at their remote clinics.  That is not to say it’s a competition, just an observation of reality.  More men are getting tested.  This is good change that everyone in the clinics hopes continues.

Today we began with a meeting with the Leadership Team of AOET Uganda.  What an amazing group of people, committed to the children that AOET serves every day.  From there we had a meeting with the almost 300 students of the High School, and a tour of the village they have built for families that have taken in orphans; more amazing people.

From there we visited the AOET primary school.  We visited each of the classrooms and met the teachers.  After the tour we were treated to a full show of entertainment of Ugandan traditional favorites, as well as original poetry/songs by the students.  Or me, it was right up there with Phantom of the Opera that Tom and I got to see in London last week.  After the show we shared a special luncheon feast with the teachers and students.

From there we went to the AOET medical clinic.  The people who work/serve mostly serve at the clinic do so much with so little.

After a long day we only had to wait for about an hour for our dinner to come.  The upside still amazed me as we watched the sun set across the Nile River.  Very Surreal.

Back to Africa #4--Arrived

I finally get an opportunity to send an entry.  Tom and I arrived in Entebbe, Uganda tonight to no power, but at least the generator give us light and WiFi.  There is a slight breeze off of Lake Victoria that keeps it from getting too hot.
We flew in to Entebbe tonight from Harare, Zimbabwe.  We almost missed our flight that ended up taking off over 1/2 hour early!
We spent about 3 days and 2 nights with Danny Curle. Danny has been in Africa for 49 1/2 years.  Our church has supported Danny for over 20 years.  To our embarrassment, this is the first time we have visited him.  It was a joy to get to know him and hear all that God is doing in and through his ministry there in Zimbabwe.  It was a whirlwind visit, but Danny did a great job giving us a great overview.
We met one of his sons, Steven and his family who serve with Danny in various ministries.  We also met some of Danny's 13+ adopted children.  They are all grown and serving God in various capacities.
Tomorrow we are picked up and will be taken to Jinja, Uganda to visit with Sam and Nancy Tushabe of AOET.  African Orphan Education Trust serves  "to increase family and community capacities to care for orphans and other vulnerable children, who are either affected or infected by HIV. "
Continue to pray for us as we travel and explore what God seems to be doing in Uganda through AOET and others.

Back to Africa #3--Counting the minutes

Well the day has arrived to depart for Africa.  This week has been nothing sort of bizarre, crazy, frustrating, disappointing, maddening, stressful, exciting, all wrapped up to make me weak in one week.
I'm the last person to see Satan under every rock, but some of the stuff that hit the fan this week was just plainly put, bizarre.  As I look back, I was reminded this morning while I repacked that it was all in preparation for Africa.  We in America really know very little about the old adage, "Stuff Happens".  In Africa, they have it honed to a science.  Patience and flexibility is the name of the game.  I have always hated when I have prayed for patience, God doesn't just give it to me.  He puts me in situations where I have to learn it all over again.  This, I have discovered over the years is something He is VERY good at.  With my bent sense of humor, I wonder if He smirks a little when He places me, yet again, into a process of relearning what it really means to completely depend on Him for Everything.
As often as I am able I will be sharing the ups and downs, and overall adventures that Tom and I will share together over the next 13 days together.
Please continue to pray for us as well as our Lead Pastor Keith Boyer and Northern Range Campus Pastor, Mark Hardacre as they are in India this week as well.
Until my next entry from Africa,  Asante Sana and Barikiwa!!

Back to Africa #2--Pessimism vs. Racism

My friend Tom and I depart one week from today.  Wow, where have the last two weeks gone.
On my first visit to Mwanza, Tanzania in 2008 I had the opportunity to be a part of a Leadership Conference where over 1000 Bishops, Pastors, & Church leaders from over 64 Denominations and 7 East African countries participated.  This was not about denominations or factions, my church vs. your church, this was a truly Kingdom event.
Part of that conference took place in the city of Shinyanga, about 160 kilometers south of Mwanza.  I had the privilege to go with two dear friends to teach for two days to a group of about 250 leaders at that satellite location.

Bishop Edison Mwombeki led that conference.  At the end of the first day, my companions and I sat to debrief the events of the day.  I was really struggling with not only the hyper charismatic theology, but also the heart wrenching presentation that the Bishop gave us asking us for money for his ministry.  I felt that the Bishop was being opportunistic since he had 3 "Muzungu" (Swahili for white man) he could hit us up for money.
As my friends and I talked, one of them pointed out that the Bishop was a destitute pastor, leading an impoverished church, in a county where the average "middle-class" income is about $1 a day.  Bishop Mwombeki would have been doing his churches a dis-service if he had not presented the needs.  He was simply casting the vision of what he felt God had called him to accomplish in the Shinyanga region.  It was a vision far greater than what any one man could accomplish.
These and other thoughts haunted me that night as I lay in bed trying to go to sleep, being serenaded by the chanting coming from the crusade taking place at the local mosque a couple blocks from our hotel.
The next day my companions and I took turns speaking on different topics of leadership.  An all out battle was going on in my heart and mind and my feelings toward the Bishop.  This battle continued until we began our trip back to Mwanza.  The Bishop wanted us to stop at a remote hospital that he had told us about.  In the midst of my pessimism and prejudice I could only believe it was only a photo op with our new friend.  I was confronted by some of the most needy people on this planet.  This was a leprosy hospital where people were put to die.  They were provided with dilapidated cement barracks with tin roofs and unless someone brought them food, they did not eat.  We were confronted with people who were in the midst of various stages of this horrible disease.  Some were missing fingers and toes, some legs and arms.  Some hobbled around with a cane, some sat in wheelchairs because they had no legs but also no hands to grab the wheels to move themselves around.
But what was harder than the visual images before me to face was the mental and emotional struggles that raged within me.  For the first time in my life I came face to face with a prejudice, a racism if you will, that went far deeper than the color of this Bishop's skin.  It was a prejudice that went to the core of who this man was and his deepest belief's.
I discovered a note in an online dictionary that read, "a person's bias is based on facts, but prejudice occurs without a person knowing or examining the facts".  Antonyms were listed as, "fairness, justice, regard, respect, tolerance".  My heart showed none of these to Bishop Mwombeki.
In my mind, I knew I felt compassion for this Bishop, and these people because of their circumstances and surroundings, but I have to admit that I did not hold the same level or type of compassion because of who they were.  I was consciously discovering that I had a huge disconnect between my mind and my heart.
The kicker that really put all my struggles over the top and broke through my dam, was the look on the faces of the patients of this Leprosy hospital.  They knew Bishop Mwombeki!  This was not the one-stop photo-op that I had conjured up in my mind.  They truly recognized and knew him as someone that loved them, and cared for them in very practical ways.  At one point during our time at Kolandoto Hospital, Bishop Mwombeki walked up to an old woman whose head was almost completely covered by a hooded cape.  Our interpreter told us that the Bishop was saying, "Where is my beautiful princess?"  He slowly, but only slightly pushed back the hood revealing a face that had been ravaged with disease.  He placed both hands on her cheeks and spoke loving compassionate words into her life.  Through the disfigured skin that was left, I could see a smile that sprang from deep within her heart.  She knew, regardless of her circumstances, she was loved.  And because of the compassion and love of a man, she knew someone far greater loved her and looked upon her as special, unique, and precious, even worth dying for...
I was undone to say the least.  The last 2.5 hour drive back to Mwanza was literally an emotional roller-coaster as I attempted to process everything that was going through my mind.

Our host for the overall conference in Mwanza, Bishop Mpemba was speaking, I think, when we returned and rejoined the main conference in session.  Something he said jarred me back to reality.  He was referencing the conference and that it wasn't about his church or denomination.  It was about the Kingdom of God, and that if we were to reach the world we had to put our differences and prejudices aside, in fact, we must destroy them in the recesses of our minds so that we can join together and show the world God's Love.  That was it, I broke down right then and there and got up and went over to Bishop Mwombeki and through the sobs and tears asked him to forgive me of  my prejudice and "racism".  He met me with graceful, compassionate hugs, and most importantly, forgiveness.  I then went to each of the interpreters, and our diver and did the same thing.  I have never in my life been so overwhelmed by emotion and brokenness as I was at that moment.  The sense of relief and freedom that came over me was beyond description.
As I am typing this Hillsong's "From the Inside Out" is playing on my i-tunes.  The emotions and memories of that release pours back over me...  I have truly been ruined for the ordinary, and know that I will never be the same again.
All that is to say that with each successive journey on my "safari", God fertilizes a growing passion and vision for all the He continues to do in my heart for Africa.  Sometimes it feels like it is more about what He is doing in me, more than what I am able, or would ever be able to do in Africa.
Part of me feels very insecure in sharing this.  I have only shared this privately with a few of my closest traveling companions.  It is almost embarrassing to show and expose some very despicable actions and feelings.  But at the same time, I put it out there as a challenge, to expose the same types of prejudices that are more prevalent in the church than we really want to admit.  The infighting, and back-biting, the unspoken expectation; Church, It Must End!
Our brothers and sisters in Africa have so much to teach us.  A conference of leaders from 64 denominations, from 7 different countries?  That is unheard of in this country.  There will always be differences, we are unique, that is the way God made us, but we in the Church, have allowed them to become barriers that the world has observed and frankly is saying they don't want to have anything to do with.
Join me, Please join me, in working to break down our personal and corporate barriers in the Church and be the Church to a lost and hurting world so they will see what the Apostle John talks about; letting them see and know we are truly children of the God of the universe, by our love for the one-another's of this world.

Back to Africa #1--Spiritual Tourism

Three weeks from today my friend Tom and I will board a plane to fly halfway around the world, again.
It was not until after I was home from my first trip to Tanzania in 2008, that it hit me that I was able to cross off a lifelong item on my Bucket List.  That item was to go on photo safari in the Serengeti.  As much as I enjoyed that, it pales in comparison to what goes on in my heart and soul these days as I am undone by the thought that I have the extreme privilege to return to Africa a 4th time in as many years.
Until I depart, I would like to reminisce a little of my past journey's and how they seem to be preparing me for another trip on my "safari"(Swahili for journey)
One of the things that I have struggled with along this journey has been my deep desire to keep these trips from becoming just "spiritual tourism".  I have worked hard to not just be a tourist that goes, gives a little, does a few token gestures of service, all to make myself feel better...
The needs are so great, and I will never be able to "fix" them.  (Yes, I admit I am a "fixer")  But one thing I am learning is that I can have an impact and in some small way assist in being a catalyst of change.
For me, this "impact" comes in a number of ways.  First and foremost is comes in having the privilege to have influence in my church and being a part of what we as a church do to develop strategic partnerships with ministries around the world.  Through these partnership, we encourage and provide opportunities for people to develop and/or expand their Biblical Worldview.  The one thing I am learning is that as we go, God uses different element, people, events, differently in the team members lives in different ways.  We can not create, or recreate this impact and/or transformation.  As we each submit to what God wants to do in each of us, we each pick up or sense differently parts of the trip that impact us in different ways.  What I like best is that as we share what God is doing in each of us we learn more about all that God does in us together to expand our world view.  It actually multiplies what God does in each of us individually as we share in each others lives together.
We do our best to prepare our teams to create a disdain for spiritual tourism.  We attempt to get them out of their comfort zones, and as we like to say, "ruin them for the ordinary".  We challenge them to actively seek all that God wants to communicate to them on the journey that lies ahead of them.  I truly believe that God does not need me to do anything for Him.  What He wants most is a personal relationship with Himself.  What He does in and through that relationship comes from an overflow of that relationship, that ends up blessing others as well as myself much more than if I just went and tried to do something humanitarian on my own, no matter how altruistic my motives.  What these short term outreaches provide is an opportunity for people to experience what God is doing around the world and realize that it involves way more than our sheltered religiosity here in America.  I admit what I just said is a generalization, but find that often times when I and our team members talk upon returning home, we have begun to discover that we didn't know what we didn't know...
Bishop Mpemba from Mwanza, Tanzania uses an alphabet analogy.  Humanly speaking, all we know is that which is between A and Z.  God lives before A and after Z.  We can't even begin to understand all that goes on before A or after Z.  As we open ourselves up to His work in and through us in the context of a personal relationship with Him, our world view is expanded way beyond ourselves and we experience new levels of what it means to be a follower of Christ here on this earth.

For me this is best expressed in an image that I stole of a moment in time as God transformed a heart.  The image is of our Lead Pastor, Keith Boyer, and his youngest daughter Brittany.  It was the moment that God gripped her heart for others outside her everyday world.  It was also a transformation in humility as she was undone by the fact that God would use her to touch the lives of children with His love and compassion; children who through no fault of their own are under resourced and less fortunate.
It was also a moment in a father's heart that is a culmination of years of prayers for that child.  A prayer that God would capture his child's heart is such a way that marks the child with the fact that the expression of His love for the child is not meant to be held, but given away, and the appreciation that comes for a God that gives opportunities to express that love to those less fortunate.  That joy that overflows to a father that gets to share in his daughter living out of the overflow of God's love in and through her, is a joy that is beyond description.
What I had the intense privilege of witnessing that day went way beyond the transformation in a father/daughter relationship and has instilled in me a deep and growing passion to provide opportunities for people go beyond "spiritual tourism" and experience first hand God's overflow in them as they express the Love, Grace, and Mercy of the God of the universe to those less fortunate than themselves.  It is through experiences at this level that we begin to experience a mutual redemption that will forever change our lives, and our relationships.