The Foolishness of Preaching: Archive

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I haven’t written in a long while. I haven’t blogged in an even longer while. As I return I have some confessions: For most of my life I have been a person who proclaims the truth that being a missionary isn’t something you can only do in a foreign place and, simultaneously, a person who doesn’t think like a missionary when I’m not abroad. Many are the hours that I...

Jun 7th

Nov 6th

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Mudslides and Flooding

There have been mudslides in Los Anonos and San Antonio, barrios in Escazu. For the past few days we’ve been bringing food to a feeding center in Los Anonos where we have been serving food to people while they are salvaging their belongings and the parts of their house they are trying to take with them. Los Anonos is a community comprised mostly of squatters, an area that the government has...

Nov 6th

sitting at a desk

We got a desk in our room finally. Which means I’m sitting at a desk for the first time in a while. Don’t really have much to say. Had to kick another guy out of the center the other day for smoking weed and failing a drug test. So we’re down to four now. Here are some thoughts I’ve had recently: Concerning physical war: isn’t coming to the conclusion of war a lot...

Oct 17th

Watch

First Refugio blog post. We’ll be trying to keep everybody more informed on the happenings of the Refugio. Follow 68refugio.tumblr.com Team got here late last night because of flight delays, they’re coming to the house at 9 to hangout. Let’s do this!

Oct 8th

too short for a title

Whenever Jehovah opens a door for me and I am bold enough to walk through it, I see the wonderful things He can do and I’m always convicted about all the open doors I’ve slammed shut or walked away from. How come when I have time to reflect on what Jehovah has done in my life and the things I’ve seen him do in others I instead choose to use that time on myself and forget what He...

Oct 7th

oh to be a candlestick

The accoutrements in Beauty and the Beast make service seem so easy. I’ve learned here that service is not just offering a service, but being prepared to give anything for which you are asked. Jesus tells us to love people. And Jehovah gives us the greatest example of love by always providing what we need, whether it be sustenance, correction, encouragement, rebuke, or wisdom. But we can’t tell...

Oct 2nd

i'm trading my sorrows

It’s been a tough couple of days for me. I have felt really taken advantage of, and I have never had that feeling to this degree before. It’s really eye opening for me because I’ve always thought about living totally surrendered, and I talked like I was and many people warned me that when you live totally surrendered to the will of God, people will take advantage of you. I always...

Sep 27th

something i don't understand

Tonight I need to talk about one of the many things I don’t understand. Let it be known that usually when I start a blog post, I know how it is going to end, but this is a different case. Tonight I am reminded that I cannot for one second understand Life. In my current personal worldview I can see 2 powers apparent enough to be mentioned. The most powerful is Jehovah god and the other is...

Sep 21st

the stench

I have been Lazarus and I have been Martha. Today I was Martha. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” - John 11:39 When people have been “living” in the death that is our sinful nature, they produce a very offensive odor. We’ve all had to rid ourselves of these...

Sep 17th

Sep 15th

gatos y perros

It rained a lot today, at the most inconvenient times. Today was one of those days that makes a person want to give up. Today that person was me. I completely understand that my struggle is not against the guys in the men’s center, or any other human being for that matter. My struggle is against the powers of darkness that are unseen. That knowledge does not change the fact that I wanted to...

Sep 14th

fan the flames

Today was a very sad day. Today we had to close down the men’s center for 7 days. It is necessary, but it is sad. We are closing for a week because we are changing a lot of things. We are opening back up on Saturday with a whole new program and new rules. As it was, the men’s center was really just a place for guys from the street to sleep at night. The vision for the men’s...

Sep 6th

new house

So the men’s center moved yesterday. We’re now staying in pastor Jorge’s old house. There are 4 rooms, a big kitchen, a full bathroom, a big living/dining room. Anton talked to the cable people yesterday and there is cable coming into the house now, but we don’t have a modem for internet or a tv. We’re going to work on getting a modem so we can have internet today. I...

Sep 1st

Aug 21st

Aug 20th

roll with it

We are on 30 minutes of downtime right now. I wanted to try to capture some footage and put together a video but I don’t think I’ll have time to before we go out again. We’re going out again to finish up our service scavenger hunt. It’s really fun, we split up into 2 teams and we have a list of things to like; “buy food for a homeless person…get a tico...

Aug 20th

Watch

Costa Rica video blog. This was taped yesterday and the day before. Good stuff happening here. Lots of interesting things going on. Astounded by the beauty here, and the community with the brothers and sisters with whom I am serving. Stay tuned.

Aug 17th

1,000,000 MPH

I’m in the Miami airport. I landed here about 1145. My next flight starts boarding at 710 so I’ve got a little time to kill. I spent the first hour exploring the airport. It’s very crowded and busy. The exploration did help me get used to the backpack I’m using which is freaking great. Thanks a lot to Krista Austin for loaning it to me! I feel worn out. I have been eating...

Aug 14th

Costa Rica

Preparing for Costa Rica. Right now I’m short on funds, leaving on Saturday morning, and don’t know where I’m staying after the first week. Praise God! Anyway, keeping on praying. Have been thinking about the difference between telling people about Jesus and showing people what he is like. I think it doesn’t help people spiritually to act like Jesus and not tell them why. I...

Aug 11th

To accept any number of human lives lost as reasonable or “not that bad” is a tragedy, be it 1 or 1000.

Dec 20th

It's electric, boogie woogie

Well, the electricity came on, and by that I mean they turned the generator on so that Shirin could send email and let me use his computer. It is raining again today, but that’s ok. I was just checking my email and I want to thank you all who have sent me encouraging emails and the many more that I know are praying for me. I can feel your prayers and your encouraging words are doing more...

Sep 10th

Did you hear they are going to stop making...

It’s been raining all day. Pouring. The electricity has been out all day. They turned the generator on so now Shirin’s laptop is charging and I can use the internet for a second. Back in North India after a long train ride, the last day of which I got pretty sick. But better now. Taugh 1st and 2nd graders the story of David and Goliath today. Stopped before the part where David cuts...

Sep 9th

Boat Races

Well today we saw boat races. Huge row boats with anywhere from 30-110 people on them. It was pretty awesome. The name of that city I forget. But here in Kerala it is Onam. Happy Onam! Onam is a celebration that most closely resembles Thanksgiving in America. They celebrate with a traditional meal, and then just by being happy. I found out that for a lot of people that means getting drunk and...

Sep 2nd

Darjeeling Limited

I’m on a train. Its 2 different shades of light blue like in the Darjeeling Limited, but thats where the commonalities stop. Stop to a dead still. This train is indescribable, I’ve tried 3 times in words to describe it, but you’ll just have to wait for pictures. My third day on the train. We’re in Kerala, but not yet to our destination, a few more hours. It is sandy here,...

Aug 28th

Finally

Sorry I haven’t been faithful with updating. I’ve been trying. But it took me 12 minutes (not an estimate, I timed it) to load this page. The internet is spotty and unreliable. But thats not a big deal. I am doing great. Tomorrow I am going to Kerala (pronounced Kettle-Ah) with Pastor Shirin. He is from Kerala and knows a lot of good places to visit. Its supposedly very touristy, so I...

Aug 25th

Day 2

Well, its about 100 degrees here. I can’t believe how hot it is. And everyone is wearing either long pants or dress type things. I sat in on the morning devotion with the school staff which was cool. They sang a song and then Pastor Esron talked and prayed. I only knew he was praying cause he said something that sounded like amen at the end and everyone was bowing their heads. Simmi...

Aug 21st

Catch Up

I’m in Panchkula, Haryana, India. I guess I was expected to be tired today so I’m not supposed to do anything. Tomorrow I’m working in the studio for the Media Ministry. Before I had internet today I wrote in my paper journal an entry about today; this is it: “Thursday, August 20, 2009; 0700 I just woke up to a boy knocking on my door with tea and cookies, or crackers,...

Aug 20th

PHASE 1

Well, it’s official. I’m on my way to India so that phase one of my evil plan to save the world can start. I’m in Tampa waiting for my flight to Detroit to start boarding. (yes Detroit, don’t ask me why). Then comes Amsterdam.

Aug 18th

Visa approved!

I just got an email that from the Indian visa handlers that said my visa has been approved and my passport is on the way back to me via FedEx. Thats awesome. As soon as I get my visa I can buy my airline ticket and start packing. If I encounter no snags in the next few days getting my tickets purchased, I will be able to leave Saturday!

Aug 11th

Beginning

Well, my planned departure date is August 15, 2009. Which is in approximately 6 days. I am super excited. I cannot wait. Tomorrow I am making my doctor’s appointment to get the necessary injections. Woo!

Aug 10th