In a Gypsy village

How would you like to stay for two weeks in a gypsy village? Some would see it as a romantic idea – the worry-free attitude, the sanguine music and beautiful people. For others this will be a scary thought – what would they do to me, will it be safe? Having the privilege to spend some time in Momaia (Romania), I can understand both.

The gypsies, like most nomadic people across the world, are seen as the outcasts, those far-removed cousins that you prefer not to talk about. They are good to do the hard work that we sometimes are to lazy to do, but we would prefer that they stay out of our way, out of sight, out of mind. But they are humans like you and me. They may be different, but they have the same needs, same fears, same hurts and same hangups.

Being treated as outcasts in Romania for many years, being forced to settle down in villages by the Communist regime and being treated with contempt by many, it is understandable that they do not trust other people.

But the gypsies (as well as the other nomadic people) are not unique. Most people are entangled in some sort of hurt, habit or hang-up. We all need acceptance, love, care and respect. We all want to be acknowledged as a human beings, we all want something better.

Listening to the witness of Christians in the village, I begin to have some hope. Despite their conditions, despite the hardship and rejection – some are finding the answer in Christ.

Images of Momaia Gypsy Village

Live Life

I love to travel, and especially to Europe. The history, the culture, the food, the wine - everything is just so amazing! And even more so in the summer, the long warm days where everybody is outside, enjoying the sun and the holidays. People love to live!

But there is more to life than just living. Listen to what Jesus said: "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10b). There is more to life - do you want to have it all?

Spending time in Budapest with missionaries from CrossRoads Church was a blessing. Getting to know them better by enjoying the city, it's people and the great food! It was living life to the fullest.

Enjoy some of the photos of Budapest:

Budapest from my perspective...

Bergamo, Italy

Lie, and do it often

Every time I travel to another country or region I am amazed how people differ from one anther and how cultures are unique to each community. But, as the saying goes, the more they change, the more they stay the same.

It is often said that Italian men are 'mamma's boys'. And it seems to be true. Italian men tend to marry at an older age, at around 35 years of age. And when they do, they often leave their parents house for the first time. And it is their mother's privilege (or duty?) to care for them until they get married. In many instances they do not know how to cook or to care for themselves. But it is not only the men – some girls do not know how to take care of a household when they get married (for they too are spoiled by their mothers). And when they get married, the husband's mother sometimes move in when the new couple to show the wife how to care for her son. Some she even sleeps between the couple at night (to prevent them from sinning – a Catholic view in some places that sexual intercourse without procreation is a sin)!

For many, including myself, this is not a common view of life and marriage. But what is stranger, is their view of a happy marriage. In an Italian survey done a few years ago among couples married for seven years, the biggest secret for a happy marriage, was 'to lie, and to do it often'. Not to love, to care, to serve or to make the other one happy – but to lie!

Starting my journey to visit some of CrossRoads Church's missionaries in Europe, I visited Raney Brown in Bergamo (north east of Milan) for a few days. It was encouraging to see that the evangelical church is growing in Italy – although it is sometimes more due to immigrants arriving in Italy than new believers joining the church. Bergamo is a city of about 130 000 people, and supply Milan's fashion world with fabrics and is also renowned for it's industry and engineering firms. But with the current world financial crisis, Bergamo is feeling the crunch as any other industrial city. Many of the church members are laid off at their work, or work fewer hours per week, putting a lot of financial strains on families.

Thinking about the financial crisis, the 'lies' of the community and personal priorities, I have to ask myself the question: “What is the most important thing for me”. Am I running after money, wealth and power, or am I looking for fun and pleasure without realizing the seriousness of commitment, vows and contracts? It seems that the world continues to make the same mistakes over and over again, and not learning from our mistakes. And maybe this is what we are destined for. What is the old saying? 'If you sleep with dogs, you wake up with flees'.

Technology, the G8 and sweating in Italy

I am always amazed about the new invention and gadgets that we see on the market nearly every day. It makes live so much easier - that is, most of the time. Being a frequent traveler I used to do the 'right' thing to be at the airport at least 3 hours before an international flight - mostly to get a window seat, and to shop around in the duty free. (A few years ago I had to start to deal with my 'addiction' to shopping by asking the question 'Do I like it or do I need it?' every time I saw something I liked. This has taken all the fun out of shopping and I do not even want to go to a mall or a shop if I do not really need something - because I hardly need anything apart from groceries!) These days you can check in online up to 24 hours before you fly with most airlines and only drop off your bags an hour before you fly - so easy. You do not even have to print out the boarding pass - just check in on join pda phone or Blackberry, and get all the stuff at the airport. But when you are in a hurry, or you are running late, it is usually our Mr Murphy that starts to throw his laws at you.

I departed from Calgary on Thursday to fly to Milan Linate airport via Amsterdam. I checked in for my first flight, but could not do the same for the second one from Amsterdam to Milan, mainly because KLM and Alitalia does not seem to blend to well (although both of them are part of the SkyTeam Alliance). I spend a wonderful day with my friends Zet and Alinda in The Hague, and returned to Amsterdam Schiphol airport intime to get my boarding pas for the flight and to have a farewell cup of coffee with them. The flight was uneventful (I was starting to feel the effects of jet lag), but when we arrived in Milan, things started to changed. We had to wait more than half an hour to disembark the airplane because the computers at the airport were down (did not make sense..), and then had to go through customs again (although we arrived from a Schengen country and were not suppose to go through customs again). I only heard later that the G8 Summit is in Italy from 8-10 July and Italy closed all its borders and all travelers to and from Italy needs to go through customs. I was the last one out of customs, and could not find my bag. Yes, it happened to me - my bag did not arrive with me. An hour and a half after we landed at Linate airport I walked out without my bag, to be received by a sweaty 28C 10.45pm evening. Welcome to Italy!!

They found my bag and it is on it's way, and I hope to receive it before tomorrow morning, otherwise I will have to preach in tracksuit pants and a T-shirt. Well, if I could sit in a boat and preach, or on a ladder and do a report-back, I could most probably preach in a T-shirt.

I love Italy, the old towns, churches and basilicas, the coffee and Chianti, the colours and the smells, and even the people! I pray that I will also be a blessing to Raney and the church in Bergamo the next few days.

Ciao!!

On top of the ladder

If you forget the silliness of a pastor sitting on top of a ladder on stage and that his knees are trembling, you might agree with me that if you change your position or the angle you are positioned in, you will most probably look at things from a different perspective. Looking down from the ladder I look at things differently than sitting next to you in the pews. The same is true with most things in life, including our view on poverty, injustice and the need of the developing world.

We have been blessed to be in a privileged position, to have the material things we need and to live in a community where fairness and justice are the rule we live by. This give us the advantage to look at the problems in the developing world from a different point of view as they do, recognizing the causes of the problems and through thorough assessment, helping them to see the answers to the problems as well. We are also blessed to help them with their material needs, to provide relief, aid and help them with development.

But, sitting on our elevated ladder, we are not capable to show compassion. We can provide relief and aid from a distance, but it is impossible to have compassion and to show compassion from a distance. To show compassion we have to be there; we have to see what is going on, to hear the stories, to touch, to smell to hold. You cannot do that from your ladder.

When the Lord gave the visions of the GCC to our church last year, I believe that the leaders did not wanted to start another Relief and Development program, but wanted a truly Global Compassion Campaign. Not only to give money to the hungry, poor and helpless, but to be involved in communities where we can give love and hope, while also focusing on their basic needs. But in order to reach out in love and compassion, we need to leave our position on top of the ladder, and come down and experience the reality the people are in.

The GCC Committee has finished the first part of their mandate. They defined the parameters of the GCC, the asked for projects to be involved in, they assessed submissions and approved three projects, and during April and May visited The Sudan, Haiti and Uganda to understand the context better. We met with our partners in the field, we met the communities, and we saw their needs, heard their stories and began to understand their needs.

The completion of this first stage is also the beginning of the next stage ? where the whole church can became involved in our campaign -as a church, but also as individuals. What can you do? You can go on one of the teams or as an individual for a longer period of time. You can pray for the projects, the teams, our partners and communities, you can give, you can use your administrative skills or join one of the sub-committees, you can tell others about the campaign and get other churches, organizations and individuals to join us, you can collect trades-equipment or help with teaching or training. There are so many ways to became involved with, a place for each and everyone.

When you leave the sanctuary this morning, you will receive the GCC report in booklet form. You can learn more about the campaign, our projects and partners, and our visits to the projects. And on the last two pages you will find information on how to become involved with the campaign.

We have the vision, and the groundwork is done. The question is, will we stay on top of the ladder and observe, or come down to the reality, experience the relationships, love and show compassion, and be a blessing while receiving a blessing from our partner as well. The choice is ours.

Quo Vadis? - Where are you going?

A strategic plan for the GCC, July 2009-June 2011

There is an old Christian legend (in The Acts of Peter) in which the apostle Peter meets Jesus while running away from being crucified in the city of Rome. Peter asks Jesus: ?Quo vadis?? (iterally meaning: ?Where are you going?? in Latin); and Jesus answers Peter: ?I am going to Rome to be crucified again? (Vercelli Acts XXXV). This reply shook Peter?s foundations and persuaded him to continue his ministry, and eventually he became a martyr

I do not think many of us dream to become martyrs, but I believe that we all seek to find God's specific will in our lives. What does He want to do in me, through me and with me? Where is He leading me, and where does He want me to go? But we also seek to find God's will for our congregation; asking the Lord to give His vision to our leaders, and the strength and courage for all of us to follow. At the beginning of 2008 the Lord gave the Board the vision to establish the Global Compassion Campaign, and now it is our (meaning all of us) turn to follow where the Spirit leads us.

But what can I do, where can I be used? We are all unique, with different gifts and talents, but it is the same Spirit that lives in us. God is using his church to build his kingdom, but He is also calling us to show compassion, in Red Deer, in Alberta and in Canada, but also in Haiti, in The Sudan and Uganda. What are your gifts, and do you trust God to use you to bless and serve others?

The vision of the GCC is not only to give financial aid where it is needed, but to build relationships between CrossRoads Church and the communities that will benefit from the projects. That is why we want to continue working with our current three partners for more than the period we have currently committed for. But it also means that we want to bless them on other levels, and allow them to bless us as well.

In the Bekaa Valey

What is the first thought that comes to your mind when you think of Lebanon? Religious conflict, cedars, war? A small country, a long history and a sadness of conflict in the recent years.

As I sit on the balcony of my friends just outside of Beirut, I hear the bird chirping, the metropolis of Beirut spread before me and the calm waters of the Mediterranean spread before me. But I realize that this is just part of the reality. On the other side of the mountain is the Bekaa valley - soldiers, closed roads, Bedouins living in appalling conditions and people who are hungry for peace.

Yesterday we visited a group of Bedouins in the valley. Cramped into a small area because of a lack of space and open sewers running through the conregated iron and plastic 'homes' with children playing around them. A sight that is foreign to most living in the modern Beirut. But there is something different about this place, you find hope! As small school, a tribal leader and a vision to improve his people.

I am reminded of Jesus and the leaders of his time. The leaders of Israel was more interested in their status, their 'religious' piety and teachings, that they forgot about the people they were called to serve. Jesus did the opposite. He was entitled to be served, worshiped and feared - but He came to serve, and He did that with love and compassion. May we show the same attitude; may we understand what it is to be a follower of Jesus, not only to know the Right Way, but also doing what Jesus did.

Programs or People

We live in an age of programs - especially true for the church. After we have completed one program, we move to another program. Evangelism programs, children programs, programs for men, women, teenager and the elderly. We go from conference to conference to learn about the next new program. Programs, programs, programs. Is there something wrong about programs - not necessarily. But, when the programs become more important than the people, we start to loose our focus. I have fallen in the trap before - being a task oriented person it is sometimes difficult to focus on the people, and not on the programs. But once you realize that Jesus came to serve people, you realize that He did not start a new program, but He came to love people, serve people and to save people. Let's have a close look at our programs, and find the people in our programs. Let us love them, serve them and bless them as our Master did!

What is Love?

Ever wondered what love is? An emotion? A chemical reaction? An action? What is love?

I had the privilege to attend a seminar this weekend called "Is there Truth?", a Worldview seminar hosted by YWAM Blackfalds. The speaker was Ellis Potter - born in California, Zen Buddhist who became a Christian under the ministry of Francis Schaeffer. He lives in Switzerland and travels around the world, preaching and teaching on the topics of worldview, apologetics and epistemology (the branch of philosophy that studies the nature of knowledge, its presuppositions and foundations, and its extent and validity).

I was challenged by some of his statements, but more than that, attracted to his gentle spirit, wisdom and love for Jesus. In our pluralistic world, is there still a place for truth. According to Potter - yes! Not the objective truth of the Age of Enlightenment (modernism), or the subjective truth of the new age of post-modernism, but BOTH! For absolute truth can only be grasped if it is understood as bot objective and subjective? Why? Because God and his relationship with mankind is both objective and subjective. He was and is and will always be the same! But his mercy is new every morning, and his relationship with you and I is different, and dynamic! Absolute truth can only be understood in the perspective of the Trinitarian God and his relationship with us. Follow this link to listen to some of Ellis Potter's lectures.

But what is love? Love can only be understood from the perspective of God's love - proven by the sacrifice of His Son. God is love, love is not god. Because of the love God has for and in Himself, He is love and love comes from Him. I cannot put it as good as Ellis puts it, so take a break and listen to his sermon (at CrossRoads Church yesterday, May 3, 2009).

In the King's Fold

Every now and again we all need to break away from our busy routine and have a time of rest and recouperation. That is in a sense why we have weekends (although our weekends are sometimes so full that we need a rest afterwards). After a busy month, it was good to break away for a 3 day pastor's retreat at King's Fold, close to the foothills of the Rockies.

Moving into a new culture is not very easy. Whether you're an international students, foreign worker, immigrant or missionary - it takes time to learn a new culture, even if the people speak a similar language. When most of us think of India, we think of one country, one culture and one people. I was amazed to learn from Indian friends that when they travel outside of their state or area, it seems like a whole new country to them! So, moving to Canada from South Africa (via Australia), I am starting to experience that cultural shock again...

But with experience comes wisdom (or so I hope). In Australia I rebelled against the culture shock, while I now realise that if you do not go through the culture shock, it will not be easy to assimilate into the new culture. Pain always brings growth (if not death). I will not say that I am looking forward to the pain of culture shock, but reather that by accepting it, I realise that I grow through it.

At some times during the retreat I felt disengaged with my colleagues - not understanding what they were talking about, not comprehending their humor, not agreeing with their perspectives. Disengaged, but now also challeged. If I want to be part of the society, I need to study the society in order to understand the society in order to live in and serve serve the society.

Being a 'fisher of men' lately?

Sitting in a boat on stage and preaching to 900 people was a new experience for me yesterday. I hardly had time to recuperate after the trip, and there I was, preaching at CrossRoads Church for the first time. It was daunting, but God is good!!! Through His grace and strength I was able to tell the story of Andrew's (the brother of Simon Peter) call to follow Jesus and to make fishers of men (Matthew 4:18-22).

Imagine, standing on the shore casting your net into the lake - like most other days. And at once you are aware of the presence of a Great Person staring at you. You turn around, and there he stands in front of you. You might have heard stories about Him - preaching and teaching like no one before Him, with authority and compassion, and healing every sickness and disease. He looks at you, smiles, and then utters these words: "Come, follow me, and I will make you a fisher of men". You were not called to be a student of the Law, or a Rabbi; you were too old for that. You were not destined for great things - only to catch fish! You are ordinary ... but God has extraordinary plans for you!

How would you have reacted? Would you have replied with every possible excuse possible? Would you have turned around and walked away? Or would you have reacted as Andrew and Simon, and James and John (and millions after them) - leaving their nets and boats and families behind? Not an easy answer. I do not know how I would have reacted - but I am grateful that when I was younger, God's grace and Spirit compelled me to follow Jesus.

Am I a fisher of men? I may not be an evangelist or a preacher, but God has called me to mobilize others, encourage, train and send them out to a harvest field that is ready. Have you heard Jesus' call to follow him? Are you a follower of Jesus? I f not, here is a web page that will tell you more about Jesus. If you know Jesus and have been following Him, have you been fishing men lately? If not, please join me on this amazing journey where Jesus are using ordinary people to do extraordinary things for Him.

Click here to listen to yesterday's message (and imagine me sitting in a boat on stage...)

Arrivals and Explenation

The team arrived safely in Calgary at 2pm on Friday afternoon. The travel from Haiti via Miami and Dallas wan uneventful apart from the thunderstorm in Dallas that delayed our flight by 30min.

If you travel a lot, you would know that coming home is always bitter-sweet. Bitter to end a holiday, saying good bye to new friends or finishing a project, and sweet to come home to a familiar context, friends, family and work. After nearly 3 weeks of travel, my 'home-coming' to Red Deer was bitter-sweet again. I am glad to be back in my new home-town, although it looks so different after all the snow has melted, and sad to leave new friends behind. But after all these travels, I can say: "God is good! And faithful!"

For all that prayed for us, thought of us and supported us; thank you very much. You were as much part of the team as each one of us!

On different note - the heading of the previous blog is 'Let's be wenting'. First of all, it is not 'wending', but 'wenting'. Although there is not such a word, it is an expressing that I often use. It simply means "Let us go", but for a Boerseun (Son of an Afrikaner Boer) who still struggles with the English language, I use it to annoy those speaking English, and to bring a bit of fun to it as well. The team took quite a while to understand what I meant, but I doubt it if they will ever forget it.

Let's be 'wenting'...

I love photography.  I love to look through travel books and magazines looking at amazing photos and reading fascinating stories.  I love to travel as well.  And as I prepare to go to a new country, I love to read about the country, look at documentaries and read books.  But you can look at a thousand documentaries, read a dozen books and look at hundred of photos, but if you do not actually go to a certain place, you will not really know that place.

Yesterday afternoon we took a walk around the surrounding community of the Haiti Arise compound in Grand Guave.  It was eye-opening.  I have seen poverty before, but this was as bad as I've seen.  We stopped at a house (a wooden shack) where a couple lives, with their 9 children and 4 grand children.  The shack is smaller than my bedroom!  It was not the only shack of it's kind in the area.  A number of families live like this in the area.  Alma asked Marc Honorat what percentage of the population of H

aiti live like this.  He answered: "About half of them".  But you do not only see the poverty - you also see smiles, joy and friendliness.  It always amazes me how much happiness we find in poverty, and sadness in affluence.

This morning we walked through the market, we saw it, heard it, smelled it, touched it and tasted it.  It was sweet - at least the cane sugar was.  It was busy, people everywhere; shouting, selling and exchanging.  What a different world!  No western mall is as fascinating as this!

Tomorrow we fly back to Canada via the USA.  It has been a long trip, but amazing.  May the Lord use us as we encourage CrossRoads Church to have compassion on the most needy; blessing others as He has blessed us.

Ami is super cool... and hot after she got sun burned in the market today.  Ag shame, poor girl!  And she knows that it will make Brendon mad.  Buddy, have compassion.

A bit of R&R in Haiti

To Feed a Nation

The best way to advertise something is still by word of mouth.  If you really want to get people to buy your product of to use your services, you need to have a few very satisfied focal clients, and they will do a better job of advertisement than a dozen ad's in the newspaper.  

Yesterday at church Marc announced that there would be a 'meeting at the church' at 9am this morning.  Everybody at church knew this was the code word for providing rice to the needy.  Most of the people at the church would not come themselves, but would tell their friends who are really needy.  

At 8am we went to the market to buy 25kg bags of rice – many of them!  The GCC of CrossRoads Church made funds available for buying the rice, and we had to bring 3 loads to the Haiti Arise compound.  There the woman measured it off and put it in plastic bags – one bag per family.  Haiti Arise recently received a container from Canada and a group of woman in Edmonton, “Sew on Fire”, made material bags with some basic necessities in them – soap, toothbrushes, towels, T-shirts etc.  They were sorted according to gender and age, and we were ready to distribute it as well.

Even before 9am the people started coming, and they just increased by the hour.  At 10am more than 500 had assembled in the church.  I had the privilege to bring a message from the Word to a very captive audience, and Alma gave a lesson on how to use solar rays to purify water.  And then the distribution began.  In groups of ten they came to receive their bags of rice and 'goodies' bags.  The Haitians took control of the distribution and we stood back.  Unfortunately a fight broke out between the people and the distribution had to be stopped.

It is very sad that in this day and age we still have millions of people who still live in poverty.  When we have so much choices and opportunities, many people still live from day to day.  Can one bag of rice make a difference?

Jesus said that the water we drink and the bread we eat will never satisfy us, but the living water He gives will satisfy us forever!

A Church for Children

Ten years ago I was involved with an outreach ministry of my church in Pretoria, South Africa.  Every Sunday a group of high school students would go to a church member's farm 50km north of Pretoria to teach Sunday school to a group of 70-100 African children.  The outreach started after the church showed the Jesus film a few months ago. And when they started a church after the outreach, some adults attended the church initially, but drifted away leaving only the children behind.  For a few years the ministry just focused on the children, but then more and more adults started to come to church.  The church grew, and 5 years later that church had already planted two more.

Yesterday we visited the children's church of Tapion just west of Grand Guove. What a blessing.  And what a location!!  In the hills, this wooden structure with corrugated iron roof building seats about 100 children every week as they come to church to hear the Word of God, sing, pray and memorizes Scripture.  Many of these children's parents are not Christians, but they allow their children to come to church every Sunday 

afternoon.  We were blessed by their commitment and love for the Lord.

They say that you can change a nation by influencing the children.  In a nation desperate for non-corrupt leaders, economic growth and better education, one hopes that these children would become leaders that would show the same commitment in serving their country and people as they serve the Lord.

And Ami says 'hi' to Brendon....

Paradise Lost

It was considered one of the most beautiful islands of the Caribbean, green, lush and fertile.  But not anymore.  Haiti is not only the poorest country in the western hemisphere, but it is also a ecological nightmare.  95% of the country has been deforested, and even with re-plantation, some areas in the north are bordering being deserts.  How can that be?  What happened that this paradise, became lost?

One can name a number of things that contributed to this poverty; early Independence from France, over-population, a country dedicated to the devil and still overrun by voodoo and fear.  But the truth would more be a combination of some of these answers and more.  One could dwell on the reasons for a long time, and feel anger and despair, or one could look at the future, and try to bring change, even if it is one person at a time.

The road between Port-au-Prince and Grande Guave is an interesting route.  Just getting out of the airport is a challenge.  The moment you exit the doors, you are swamped with porters taking control of your baggage cart.  Even if you tell them "Non" a million times, they still hang around like flies on a hot Australian night.  The traffic is typical to most developing countries - fairly few traffic rules, more cars than the road can hold, and a combination of people, bicycles, motorbikes, cars, buses, and more people sharing the same road.  There are some areas in the capital that could count as lower-middle class, but some areas are nothing more than shanty-towns or squatter camps.  Raw sewerage and garbage everywhere and people and animals living, walking and working in and around it.  Chaos, in it's own orderly way.

And then when you leave the suburbs of the capital, you drive past the seashore, plantations and smaller towns in similar fashion.  The majority of the people live along the seashore for mountains cover most of the interior.  And even in the smaller towns, you see the same conditions as in the city.

Every now and again you would see a group of people marching, dancing and singing.  In one of the towns they even had a street party with a stage, speakers and load music.  We were later told that it was a 'rah-rah', a celebration of Jesus' death.  A cult expression of the death of Jesus, and the victory of the devil.  It is strange that they had to repeat that every year - for if Christ did not rise from the dead, why would you celebrate his death annually?

A ravaged country, with beautiful and friendly people!  As we worship with them this morning, we saw the love for their risen Lord and their passion for the truth.  I spoke at church on Matthew 9:35-38: Jesus ministry, His compassion for the people and our compassion for the world.  I pray that God will be graceful to all of us that we will have compassion and bless others, as we have been blessed!

He is not here

In the early church believers would greet one another on Easter Sunday: "He is not here; He is risen", and then "Indeed, He is risen".  God died.  God is alive.  Jesus went to the grave, but He rose again.  A message that still rings true nearly 2000 years later.

These were also the words I greeted the Haitian congregation this morning.  The team (Alma, Ami, Maureen, Keith and I) arrived yesterday in Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, and then traveled to Grand Guave to spend the next five days in Haiti.  We were privilege to worship with our Haitian brothers and sisters on this Easter morning - knowing that the Lord we serve, is alive!

God Died!!!

Good Friday - the day God died. It is a hard concept to comprehend, but true. Jesus, the Second Person in the Trinity, came to earth to prepare the way, to show the way and to become the Way. Jesus, through whom all things were created died, so that those who were doomed to have eternal death (all of mankind), could have life - in abundance. God died, but not for long...

The past few days I spent in the Netherlands and Belgium - quite a stark contrast to Sudan. Money, wealth, power everywhere. Do they need anything? It does not seem so. But we all need something. Whether it be water in the Sudan, love and acceptence in Red Deer, or spiritual assurance in Antwerpen, we all need something. Some things are easier to find, other things you have to wait for or to look for many years.

On Saturday our team will arrive in Haiti - a country with many challenges. May our eyes be open to see the need, may our hearts be open to feel compassion, and may our hands be open to bless.

May you have a blessed Easter.

Being empowered

Teaching at a Bible College for four years, and being involved with adult education for nearly eight years, I strongly believe that education can change a generation, if not a nation. Not education just for the sake of it, but to empower men and woman to be actively involved in their society, business and community. It breaks my heart when I see children who are unable to go to school because they are orphans or children whose families are unable to pay their school fees or those who have to work to generate an income to survive. We sometimes take education for granted, but for those who do not have access to it, education can be a life-changing experience.

Today we visited an IDP camp just outside of Khartoum. There are seven blocks in the camp with approximately 500 families in each block, and in each camp, ADRA has build a facilitation center. Each center is an one-room building (shelter), maybe 5 meters by 5 meters, brick walls three quarters to the top, and a reed or thatched roof on top. But it is a blessing to the community. Here woman get a chance to learn to read and write, as well as to make crafts, and children, who cannot afford to pay school fees, come here for a couple of hours per day, to be facilitated in a basic literacy program. Each of these centers has 2-3 volunteers who facilitate training each day, and there can be up to 40 children (mostly girls) or 80 women at an afternoon's class.

But does it help? “Definitely”, is the answer we received. Woman are empowered to be more competent in the market place as well as to look for jobs where literacy are required, and the children can are tested by the locality's school board to receive credit to continue in the public schools. Llewellyn Juby, the director of ADRA Sudan, told us that he presented certificates to approximately 400 ladies a few weeks ago that completed their literacy class. He tells of one woman who told the audience that she cannot believe that a few months ago she could neither read nor write, but on that day, she was able to write down her our speech, and she could read it to all present.

Sometimes I wish I had the ability to change the world in one day – no more poverty, no more pain, no more crime, no-one hurting anymore. I know I am not able to do it, but hearing a story like this one, and experiencing a project that works, confirms the fact that we can change the world, even if it is just one person a day, or a community at a time. I thank the Lord for all the blessings I have received, and pray that He will show me how to use it wisely!

Ain't no talking to you!

Don't you just hate it when two family members have a fight? Mother and father, brother and sister or any other two members of a family. I remember growing up how my two older sisters used to fight. I hated it! But what I hated even more, was when my brother (who is just 2 years older than I am) ignored me! For days he would just read and read and read, while I just wanted to play and play and play. When 2 family members fight, they are at least communicating, but when they ignore each another, or do not make the time to communicate with the other, they sometimes do more damage.

I am amazed how the same principle applies to the greater reality. Two different sections or department in a company would forget (or refuse) to share information with the other, sometimes to a detrimental effect. But even worse is when governmental departments do not share information, and it is you and I, the taxpayer, who pays the price! Ok, I am exaggerating a bit, sometimes they do not even know that the other might be doing the same thing, but come on, isn't that why we pay our taxes – so that the government might have an inkling about what is going on?

After spending a few days in Kosti, we concluded our stay with a visit to the Water Corporation this morning. And were we surprised to learn that they already have a plan to deliver water to the IDP camps (and have even started with constructing a water reservoir and laying some pipes)! But, as in many cases in developing countries, the project has been put on hold because of a lack of government funds. The proposal we received from the NGO last year, included a consultation with the Department of Planning, who seemed not to have consulted the Water Corporation. So there is a proposal on the table, as well as a project already going. What did we learn today? To involve everybody concerned with the project as early as possible! But on the bright side, this new turn might even work better for us; but that is not important. What is important is that the people in the IDP camps might have good treated water sooner than we though (or so we hope).!

It was time to say good-bye to our new friends in Kosti, but before we left for the 3½ hour drive back to Khartoum , we stopped at ADRA's warehouse and the way-station (not the weigh-station as earlier reported!). The barges left on Friday, and already 9 new families arrived at the way station to wait for the next ride back south. Let us pray that they will find their return for the better.

The journey back north was without an incident. As with our trip down south, we were not once stopped at a checkpoint (as with the journey south). Understandably enough, because it was certainly 100C today. Seriously, it must have been close to 50C with a very warm western wind blowing from the desert. Paige, our travel-along reporter summed it up, “It's like living in a hair dryer”, without the comfort of switching it off!

Classrooms in Elleya IDP camp near Kosti, Sudan

The tree in the forefront is the grade one's classroom, the first building has two classrooms and the gap between the two buildings is the grade two's classroam. This school has an average of 120 children in every class. No tables or chairs. There are 6 classrooms and 2 outdoor 'rooms' at this school.

The other school in Elleya is made out of natural materials, with the sand the only piece of paper and their fingers their pencils....

Thank you, thank you

As we left them behind, they start to run after us, shouting “thank you, thank you”. Not out of fear, nor because they want something, but rather because of the novelty. Taking a stroll through an internally displaced people's (IDP) camp in Kosti, Sudan, can become a novelty, especially if your 2 Caucasians and 1 Indian (with the token interpreter and community representative). We were allowed to spend a couple of hours in Elleya IDP camp to take some more photos, hear a few stories and have a final on-the-ground assessment of the context before we depart for Khartoum tomorrow.

It was fun, but also an eye-opener. To see 14 000 people literally living in the desert, using and drinking untreated water from the Nile, goats eating the national flower of Sudan (the plastic bag), primary classrooms half the size of the one we are use to (which have to fit 120 children in each of them – apart from the grade ones who sit under a tree and the grade twos who sit in the heat in a ruin) and children as dirty as any child can be, but without the privilege of a bath for the next few days. But there are also the smiles, the laughter, the joy and the hope of a better tomorrow.

A refugee camp is an interesting phenomena. You have a bunch of people that fled to another location to save their lives. They have seen the atrocities of warfare, moved away from their loved ones (that are still alive), but sometimes show more hope, joy and hospitality than in some of the most affluent communities. True, this is not the case where people are dying from hunger or thirst, but in most refugee camps most people have enough to eat and drink to survive. And they have one another, and most have faith in a better future.

I was taking photos of a group of children in the refugee camp, and as we left them, they start to run after us...

Lying in Moses' basket

Ever thought was was going through Moses' mind as he was drifting in the basket between the reeds on the Nile? I haven't, until this morning. We took a cruise on the Nile with a fishing boat. It was pleasant, but it was hot. Moses must have been glad to be among the reeds, and not being in Central Sudan – or otherwise he might have been like the fried fish we had for breakfast. But that is not the point. Do you think that if Moses had the mental capacity at that young age, that he would have though that his life would be remembered for more than 3500 years? Growing up with all the other royals at Pharaoh's court, living for 40 years herding sheep in the desert, meeting God at a burning bus and leading a stiff-necked people (more than 2 million of them), through the same desert to a promised land, that he was not allowed to enter? What would you have done if you could know the future? What would you do if you knew that you were destined for great things?

I would not say that I am destined for great things, but I know that God has great plans for all of his children. Sometimes it is to make an impact in a whole city, town or community, and sometimes it is to do a simple act of kindness, that can change the attitude or life of one person. Miracles still happen – but we are sometimes to blind to see them or we simply close our eyes rather than to accept the truth. But what is the truth? “Your version of the truth or my version of the truth?” the post-modern person would kindly ask. Can there be an absolute truth? I believe so, because I believe in the only person that has ever claimed to be the Truth. The truth is, people are suffering, in Kosti, in Khartoum, in Darfur, across Africa and all other continents – even in Red Deer, Alberta. Physically, emotionally, spiritually and psychologically. And it is not just the poor suffering, just look at the community you live in; how are people suffering?

Back to Moses – have you ever cruised on the Nile? Some do the tourist thing from Aswan to Luxor, or the night cruise in Cairo with live music and belly dancers, or for those who need the 'authentic' experience – the odd slow falukah sailing (I've done the former and latter before). Every time I go onto the Nile, I think of old Moses lying in his basket, crying for his mothers love, looking for someone to change his diapers. Today was no difference, cruising in a motored fishing boat to the other side of the Nile. Looking across the mighty Nile, staring at the billions of gallons of water, I asked silently, “Lord, what is your great plan for my life”?

Fisherman on the Nile, Kosti Sudan

Fried Fish for Breakfast

Listening to the 'big' Chief

For generations there has been a discussion (even conflict) within the evangelical world regarding social involvement, relief and development. On the one hand you have those who believe that the primary purpose of a Christian and the Church is to proclaim the Gospel, and therefor all other things 'shall be added unto thee', while on the other hand you have those so strongly involved with humanitarian programs, that they do not see place for the Gospel at all. But how should we as Christians be involved with social involvement, relief and development? Should we use these efforts as a means to reach people with the Gospel? Should we do it so that people will see how 'good' we are and therefore want to become Christians as well? Should we do our best to tend to all the needs, and if there is time, share the gospel as well?

Not a easy topic to find an answer for. My opinion? For a while I have been thinking about the missional character of believers. As a starting point, we serve a missional God. Since the fall He has reached out to all of mankind to reconcile them with Him. He called out in the garden, “Adam, where are you?”, and later called Abraham to be the father of a nation; a nation that would bless all other nations on earth. But it was through Jesus Christ that He finally showed us His perfect love, compassion and broken heart for this world – to send His only Son to show the Way, become the Way and lead the Way for all of us, his disciples, to lead others to the Way. And so He called the Church. But the Church reflects her Bridegroom. Therefor the Church is also missional by calling and by nature. Through the ages God had used the Church to fulfill His mission on earth, to bring His Kingdom to all people. And if the Church is missional, so is each congregation – within it's own context, but also to the end of the earth.

If the Church is missional, and if the Church is nothing more than the total of all believers, everywhere, through the ages; then all who make up the Church must be missional as well. Not something to strive for, but something to realize, and live out. We should not strive to be missional, we are missional, and saying that, we should realize our identity and live it out! But what does that have to do with social involvement? It means that everything we do, we do from a missional perspective – to be agents of the Kingdom of God. It means that whatever we do, we do out of gratitude about what God has done for us. We are not forced to do it, but rather compelled by His love. If Jesus had compassion on the Jews who were “lost like sheep without a shepherd”, how much more should we have compassion when we see 31 000 people living in the desert, without clean water for nearly 20 years? Up to 120 children in a classroom where they only have the dust on which they sit as paper, and their fingers as pencils? Children dying from diseases because they do not have toilets, and people losing hope because it all is too much for them? Being missional is more than just doing missions. It means to live the Gospel, preach it, teach it, but also to love others and be a blessing to others - because we have been blessed! We are involved with social involvement, relief and development because that is what Jesus did; not because He wanted to 'save souls', but because He loved them. Can we share that love?

Today we spent the morning discovering the amazing Internally Displaced People (IDP) communities of Kosti. Dan, Eric and I were joined by Paige from the Red Deer Advocate, the core management staff of the Kosti office of ADRA, two representatives of the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) of the Sudanese Government, and community leaders of the two IDP camps that we are assessing to become involved with.

First we inspected a water project that was implemented more than 2 years ago in one of the other IDP camps (serving IDP's from Darfur) outside of Kosti. They pump the treated municipal water during the nights into underground cisterns (because of the low usage of the water by the towns people at night), and then pump that into an elevated water tank during the day. From the elevated water tank they then divert it to 2 serving points in the IDP camp, from where donkey carts with drums take the water to the community. Is it making a difference? In the past, these donkey carts had to drive up to 3 km further to collect (untreated) water from the Nile, at 12 Sudanese Pounds (approximately US$5) per load, to resell it in the community. Now they get treated water at 1Sudanese Pound per load within the IDP camp to resell it in the community. The money collected from the selling of the water pays for the municipal water, for the maintenance of the project, and it even funds other projects; and all these are managed by a local Water Committee. If approved by the Church, our project in Kosti will contribute to a similar project in 2 other camps.

After this we had a meeting with the community leaders of Elleya and Gozelsalam IDP camps. They shared with us their needs and through their leaders, the 'big' chief in his blue tunic and the gentle deep-thinker in his brown suit. We realized how good these communities work together, and the cooperation between the communities, ADRA and the HAC are open and cooperative. Apart from treated water being their biggest need, they also need better sanitation (toilets) and schools. We drove through the two communities after the meeting to see the needs for ourselves, before ending the morning with a traditional Sudanese lunch.

We came, we saw and we listened. We were touched, inspired and surprised. May the Lord give us the wisdom to make the right dissensions.

Returning to their roots

Nobody knows the exact number of displaced persons as a result of the conflict in the Sudan over the last few decades. But one thing is for sure, that you would find Southern Sudanese and people from Darfur in refugee camps all over Sudan, the neighboring countries and even to the ends of the earth. I had the privilege to teach a few students from Souther Sudan in Perth who had horrific stories who fled as the result of the war. So many sad and terrible stories, millions hurt, killed and raped.

But there are also positive stories coming from the Sudan. The Government of the Sudan, inpartnership with several NGO's, have been repatriating internally displaced persons back to Southern Sudan in the last few years. They are not forced but rather being offered the opportunity to move back to their places of birth. They are given food for the journey, money or coupons for the transport, and a place to resettle once back in Southern Sudan. A new program is in the process of being finalized, trying to repatriate at least another 500 000 back to the south.

After a three hour drive south of Khartoum to Kosti, we visited a weighing station and barge docking station on the White Nile this afternoon. ADRA is involved with this repatriating program, and deals with hundreds of people weekly arriving at the station to start the slow journey back to the south. Here they stay for up to 4 weeks to wait for the barge to take them as far south as Juba. In the last week, about 980 stayed in this camp – with all their earthly belongings! The children are given the opportunity to go to school, where they learn about the dangers traveling on the barges. Through games and activities, they are also encouraged to share their stories and fears. Some of these children are orphaned, while many of them were born in a refugee camp.

Once the barges arrive, they make a run for the front of the line; with their beds, clothes, bicycles and anything else they gather during the years away. And then they pack the barge – literally, without moving from their places for days because of the fear of loosing something. Between two and four hundred people stay on a barge, and it takes up to 22 days to reach the final destination of Juba. And then by other transport to their villages.

We were fortunate to visit this program this afternoon, because hundred will leave Kosti tomorrow on six barges (passenger and cargo). But one thing that was really scary, is that there is no fresh water for these people. The well that was dug is dry most of the time, and the people have to walk 300meters from the weighing station to the Nile to fetch water – untreated.

Even on the barge they have no means of fresh water. Water is life – truly. Many children become sick and some even die as a result of diarrhea or other water-born diseases. How easy it is for us to turn on the tap and get fresh water, water and cold, any time we need it. For millions in Africa, this is not even a luxury, it is outside of their reach. Makes you think, doesn't it.

The trip down south was relaxing, and without any incident. We had to get special permission to leave Khartoum and travel south to Kosti, but was not even once stopped at a road-block. Mr Salah, the office director of ADRA in Kosti, and our driver for the ride down south, repeatedly said, “It's my lucky day!” I think we were just blessed by our Father as He heard many prayers.

Tomorrow we will spend time with the ADRA Kosti team and inspect some of the projects as well as the site for the proposed water-project we might become involved with. We pray for wisdom, discernment and peace. Do pray with us!

God's April Fools?

When others are leaving the country - we are coming to serve...

On April 16, 2009, President Omar al-Beshir of the Sudan, announced that he's government would be expelling all International Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO's) from the Sudan within the next year. For the Global Compassion Campaign Committee of CrossRoads Church in Red Deer, AB, this became a point of concern. Last year the GCCC approved two projects for a longer term commitment, the first with Haiti Arise in Haiti and the second with International needs in Uganda. The third project was provisionally approved, a water project in Kosti, Sudan, pending on a site visit to the Sudan. So, with the government of Sudan making it harder for NGO's to go work in the Sudan, why would the GCCC consider such a project?

But God's logic is not man's logic - and He definitely works in mysterious ways. It is not always easy to follow the call of the Lord; Abraham had to sacrifice his son, Moses had to face the wrath of Pharao, and then the stiff-necked Jews (I do not always know which was worse), and David his lion and bear – but God gave them the wisdom and the strength to endure- and to conquered their enemies. Would it be different with the Sudan? Yes, we should be aware of the political situation, the safety and health, but we should also be obedient in following Gods will, vision and direction. As we spend the next few days in the Sudan, we pray that the Lord will show us the 'foolishness' of his ways!

Khartoum – what a surprise!

At about 6.30pm on March 31, I arrived at Khartoum International Airport. My first visit to this war-striven country's capital. And what a surprise! A conglomerate mixture of Arab, African, Western and some Eastern (the Indian tuk-tuks!) influences. There is construction all around, somewhat orderly traffic and all the people are friendly.

A couple of hours after arriving in Khartoum, Eric Raja from A Better World and Paige Aarhus from the Red Deer Advocate arrived from Nairobi. They, together with Dan Wilson, chair of the GCCC, will be my companions for the next few days. After spending the morning at the Adventist Development and Relief Agency's (ADRA – our potential partner in the Sudan) office, we had lunch at a typical Arabic restaurant – Gad. Good food and even better company. The afternoon we had a 'city tour', our driver and guide being Mr Ahmed from the ADRA office. He has worked for ADRA for the last 23 years, a fountain of information, and a man with a gentle heart. We crossed the Blue Nile a few times and even saw the meeting of the Blue and White Nile, but the highlight (albeit sad), was a visit to the industrial area in Khartoum. It was here that the Al-Shifa pharmaceutical factory was destroyed by US missiles on August 20, 1998, allegedly producing VX nerve gas.

After a late afternoon nap, we went for dinner at a Lebanese restaurant. Dan arrived just before dinner from Dubai, and now our team was complete! We are all looking forward to visit an Internally Displaced Refugee Camp in Khartoum tomorrow, before leaving for Kosti tomorrow afternoon. And so the journey begins....

Blackberry Blog

Ain't technology wonderful - when it works!

Using my Blackberry I'm writing my next blog, hoping that it will work while I'm in the Sudan an Haiti as well.

Keep watching for more news...

I'm blogging - I think

So, everyone needs to try new things every so often, you think?

Well, this is my try at blogging. As I will be traveling over the next few months, a colleague of mine suggested that I keep people up to date on what's happening in my life - here it is, my own blog!

Hope you enjoy it!