Three: Seventeen - Katie and Billy Swan

Poverty Series: An abandoned girl.

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I'm used to it by now. Poverty doesn't shock me anymore. Metal shanties held together by strings, makeshift cardboard boxes, naked kids running down the street, grotesque piles of garbage everywhere, pollution visibly hanging in the air, and open sewage flowing down the streets. I've seen it across continents. I've encountered begging children, 43 people living in a one room house, and families making their homes in the dumps. I've become desensitized.

Until TODAY.

The personal stories I entered into this afternoon shoved each individual I've simply passed by back into my face. I'm shocked. I'm reeling in disgust. I'm begging God to give me an answer to how I should respond-to how I can make a difference: a REAL, big difference. Here's just ONE of those stories; there will be more to come.

I met a cute girl today. She's young-maybe nine at best. She lives in a one-room shack made of scrap wood and filled with holes. Her parents abandoned her long ago. She's very, very alone and she's blind. She spends her days trying to tend to her home, one in which she has never seen. She eats when neighbors have extra food and goes hungry when they do not.

Did I mention I'm talking about an innocent nine-year-old girl? Don't put her into a category, think of your daughter, niece, neighbor, or even yourself. Make this girl REAL to you because I can promise you, she's as real as they get.

Instead of filling her head with love from a family and playing with her favorite dolls, she spends her days waiting and wondering when her next meal might come. She spends her days alone, too weak to walk, in the few feet that is hers.

But brace yourself, because even though it doesn't seem possible, this story is about to get worse. And here it is: this little girl is happy. When you met her you find a girl who is full of joy. Smiling and singing songs about how much God loves her. What?! I almost felt like I was the blind one; what was I missing here? No family, no food, no descent shelter, no anything.

I'm blown away by this child. I don't know exactly how, but I know that my life will never be the same. "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. God gives and God takes. God's name be ever blessed." Job 1:21.

++Follow-Up: There is a blind ministry here in the Philippines that has now connected with her. We're working on getting her to the doctor, we're praying with her and feeding her daily [I got to be the happy deliverer of spaghetti this afternoon]. So, don't be surprised if you hear from me on her again! :).

Beating Myself Up

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I'm my own biggest critic. I've known this for a long time, and it's really no good. For some reason, we feel like it's a good thing to always be searching out all of the imperfections in our life and constantly working on them. We feel like this is what God wants from us, which suddenly makes it "spiritual" and an act of devotion to God.

Just the other day, I realized how much of my prayer life is consumed by apology. "Sorry I didn't read my Bible today, sorry I didn't spend more time in prayer, sorry I didn't serve those people when I could have, sorry I'm not really the follower of you that I should be, sorry I cussed..." and the list goes on and on. In many of my blogs, I even beat myself up a bit, because it feels like it's right to be constantly downplaying and belittling myself (God's creation by the way). My dad (earthly) has even written comments basically to tell me to stop being so hard on myself, but for some reason I felt like it was still right.

God made me realize that this is actually quite annoying and doesn't in any way serve to build intimacy between us. What if every time Katie talked to me, all she said was "Sorry I didn't make a good enough dinner, sorry I didn't encourage you more today, sorry I wasn't fun enough, sorry I'm not the wife I should be..." This would drive me insane. I know my wife's not perfect, but I love her and I want to spend time with her and talk about life with her. I don't want constant apology.

This is not in any way meant to take confession out of our relationship with God, because this is so important, but it is to say quit apologizing for not being perfect. God knows that, He knows every mistake and every shortcoming that will ever take place in your life and He already chose to love you anyways. So enjoy God, and quit paying penance every time you talk to Him. Christ took care of that one for you.

God, I thank you for making me the person that you have. Thanks for giving me the gifts that you have given me to serve and love your people. You are a good creator, and I know that you've made me good. We've got a ways to go, but I trust that you will continue to work in me to make me more like Christ. In the meantime, thanks for grace, and thanks that I don't have to live life feeling like you're disappointed in me!

+These three pictures are from the trikes that drive us around this place; talk about congested + exhilarating!

Welcome to the Philippines.

Mon, 8 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

We've made it-country number three. And as Billy said it best tonight, "I could live here."

This month Billy and I are living and working in an orphanage. He's focusing on the older boys and I'm scheduled to work with the younger girls. It's going to be a heartbreaker as these kids are from dark pasts [abuse, abandonment] and yet have the greatest joy you could imagine. How does that work?

We begin our regular shifts at our orphanage on Monday. So, we'll have more details in the days to come.

Until then, we have a short video to give you a gist of this land we're in. Billy and I got today off, so we grabbed some motor vehicles, the other married couple (Erin + Drew Crain) and set out to do some exploring. This is what we found.

God is Ridiculous: Part 1

Tue, 2 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

So I have a lot of explaining to do. I feel like I should do it in parts so that you don't get overwhelmed by a really long blog, and also so I can keep you all hanging, so here it is: Part 1.

Life has been pretty crazy since I started the World Race. Previously, I knew of the Holy Spirit as somebody who apparently lived inside of me and He used to do some wicked cool stuff through people in the Bible. I always knew that God was capable of doing supernatural and awesome things, but I just didn't think He did it that often any more.

God has challenged my faith in Him in so many ways and has increased my faith more than I ever thought possible. When I pray for things, I BELIEVE that God can and will actually be involved in the lives of His people.

Case #1: Jamie and Fran

Jamie and Fran (pictured here with our teammate John) are awesome people. Some of you saw on facebook that I was looking for a place to stay in Brisbane, Australia. This couple caught wind of the request and housed 40 of us in a duplex. They fed us, showed us the city and loved us. One day in the pool, I was talking with Jame and we got on the subject of kids. He and his wife had been trying to get pregnant for several years, and it just wasn't working. I could tell that this broke both of their hearts.

God spoke to me. Do you believe that God still speaks to people? I didn't. Not until this trip. For some reason, I thought the Bible was enough and God doesn't REALLY speak to people anymore. FALSE. God told me so clearly "Your squad needs to pray for this couple, and I'm going to give them a baby." I thought, hmmm, I might look crazy here, but I went for it. That night, we had Jamie and Fran stand in the middle of us, and we prayed for them. I prayed, fully believing that God would do this work in them. The date was February 2.

Yesterday, we got an email from Jamie and Fran, and you guessed it, they're pregnant. They just found out, and the doctors told them that she got pregnant 1-2 weeks after we prayed for her. WHAT???

This is only the beginning. Hold on for part 2, coming soon to a blog near you.

Bacon

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

We are currently at the airport in the Northern Territory of Australia in the middle of a monsoon. Once this rain lets up, we'll be flying to Singapore, and then Malaysia and finally the Philippines--where we will be spending the month of March. We have LOVED this month, but we are getting quite excited about the one to come!

As we wind down our time here in the outback, however, we wanted to post one more video to share about our time. And to make it even better, know that we [my teammate Kelly and I] did not have a gun during this adventure, but only some dogs and a big knife. Oh what memories!

Aboriginals

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Aboriginal culture is so vastly different from any I have encountered. They have no standard three meals a day, but instead eat whenever food shows up--like after a spear hunting trip for Kangaroos, an afternoon of smashing turtles with crowbars or a discovery of big, juicy green ants (I just might have video of when I ate these live bugs!). They each are given skin names, which determine their relationship to every individual in the community (seriously, it tells you who are your mothers, uncles and friends). And they value relationships like we value television or food; it is everything to them.

I sat next to an Aboriginal woman tonight as we put on an outdoor church service. She had deep chocolate skin, short spiral curls running in every direction from her head, and a well worn red skirt that danced above her bare feet. As we sat there, she laughed and played countless games with the small boy in her lap and sang along with the songs she recognized.

I looked at her with envy as we sat under an incredible sparkling sky. Envy that life was not so complicated for her. She didn't have planes to catch, people to e-mail or a life to figure out. She had her family and she had her God. And that's all she needed.

I looked down at my Chaco sandals, pretty Bible and white blotchy skin and I wanted to give it all up. I wanted to exchange it all for her life--a life where only the important things mattered. A life untarnished by money, to-do-lists, or shallow images. A life of MEANING.

These are our green ant snack!

A Town with Two Sides

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

As people told us about this place [Oenpelli], I created sad pictures of a dirty and dangerous land. We received looks of pure shock and disgust when we told people where we were going-and for how long we were going there. "Three weeks?!" they exclaimed, "I don't think you'll make it two." Whether we were sitting next to people on the plane or in line with them at the supermarket, everyone seemed to have unpleasant things to share about this place. Here's a small outline:

There are public displays of domestic violence every 30-60 minutes. They have the three deadliest snakes in our world. The neighboring village to the east has the highest murder rate in the world while the neighboring village to the west has the highest violent crime rate in the world. And worst of all, there are more bugs in this city than you could find anywhere else on the planet.

And all this from a community of 1,500 people.

As we prepared to go, things got difficult. The rising rivers stopped us from driving, lacking money inhibited a flight back, and our housing for the month was nowhere to be found. But we pleaded with our God [again and again] that He would send us to this hurting place. We knew, without doubt, He had purpose in our visit.

We had no idea what to expect outside of the hardship we kept hearing about. The weather would soar high into the 95's each day, the bugs would overcome our bodies, and the snakes would be on the lookout for our naked legs. It wasn't sounding like an easy month ahead.

But they forgot to tell us about some things -the people, the landscape, the lifestyle, the air-conditioning, the ice cream, the artwork, the waterfalls, the zeal for Jesus. And to be honest, we love it here. And we hope you do to.

Since we've been far from internet this month, we put together a short video that touches upon many of our outback experiences. So sit back and get ready for some laughs!

Shanai

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Tonight was surreal. Shanai, a little girl in Oenpelli that I have come to love rocked my world. All month, she has clung to me, and whenever she sees me, she wants to be near me (or on me). She needs a daddy, and there's a huge part of me that wishes I could be it.

Tonight started much like any other night. We laughed, I held her, she kissed me and I kissed her. As they began the farewell service for us, Katie was sitting next to me with Shanai in her lap. When the people explained that we were leaving in the morning, Shanai shut down. Her head was in her hands and she cried, refusing to show her face. I took her into my lap and I held her for an hour. We stood for singing, danced, sat back down, and all the while she still hid her face and cried. I was overcome with sadness.

I took Shanai outside to talk to her, and she still refused to show her face. It broke my heart that she wouldn't talk with me about why she was so sad. At this point, I felt like I understood a part of God. So often, I am suffering or struggling, yet I hold it in with my face in my hands. After the service, I set her down in front of me and sat next to her on the floor to talk. She looked into my eyes and said nothing. Not moving toward me or away, she just stood there with that broken expression on her face.

After we got food, she went and sat with the other kids and started playing, all the while ignoring me and Katie. She would occasionally glance at us, and then look away. Throughout the night, she slowly made her way closer and closer to us, and then she finally jumped on me and hugged and kissed me. My heart had ached so much for those 15 minutes that she was away, when she jumped on my lap, joy flooded my heart and the world seemed right again. When the other kids ran over to me, she told them, "No, he's mine!"

When I am hurting, I want to run to God and to embrace him. I know what I felt like when I wanted Shanai to just be with me, and I can't imagine how much more God wants that. That eight year old girl taught me so much last night, and I will not soon forget her. It feels terrible to know that she gave me a part of her heart, and tomorrow I was leaving, probably forever. And yet, I left a part of my heart with her too.

I pray that God would become her daddy.

A side trip to India

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

If I could pick any place to visit, it would be India. I love the food, the smells, the people [my best friend Marilyn!], the culture and hopefully someday the land. But, I could never have thought that out in the middle of the Australian Outback, I'd be going there.

Our first night here we slept at an outstation. It's like the bush for people who live in the bush. We nicknamed this home "tick city" because our room was filled with hundreds of ticks scurrying across the floors and up the walls (as seen on the video). We spent hours trying to get them all out, but finally ended our fruitless attempts with appeals to God for protection and blankets over our heads-even though it was sweltering hot in that place.

With little sleep at our back we heading through flooded dirt roads as we ventured into town for the day. Here we were greeted by our new home-an empty room next to the city's church. We plucked down our sleeping pads and set up camp. The man-size grasshoppers that hopped around our heads at night were a welcomed visitor compared to the previous tick invasion.

We were beyond thankful for this new location. Although there was no kitchen, we quickly learned how to make everything imaginable with an electric skillet. From pasta to burritos to rice, we were beginning to feel like royalty.

But now, for the exciting part: India! Sunday we were invited for tea by a 60-year-old Indian lady who's teaching here. Once in her home we discovered air-conditioning, tea and biscuits and a passionate new friend. Within minutes she pointed to three chickens thawing in the sink and happily explained "that's supper."

Two days later, a massive rearrangement of furniture and another incredible meal of lentils and fish and we've gotten ourselves a roommate. We're now camped out across her apartment. We've got a full kitchen at our fingertips, cold water to drink, a washing machine and every Indian movie ever created. Not to mention, we no longer share our beds with furry creatures of any size. Truly now, we have set up home in this city's palace.

Job: Lesson [2]

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

We've been learning something in our feedback time about suffering. Sometimes when we come together as a group, someone has some painful things to share. They feel beat up, they're tired and sometimes they fail to see how wonderful they are.

I hate to watch people suffer. I want to jump in with words of encouragement. I want to dispel any lies they might be believing, tell them how great they are, and hand over a simple to-do-list that will solve all their worries. However, I'm learning that this is not always the best response.

Job's friends gave him formulas for how he could restore his life of prosperity. They laid out what they saw and commanded Job to obey their advice if he wanted his life back. They went so far as to mock him when he disagreed. However, even after speech after speech after speech, Job found himself in the same position and his friends were simply frustrated.

There are going to be struggles that people carry with them on this trip that I cannot solve. No words of encouragement, no scripture verses and no accountability will change them. And maybe, just maybe, God may not want us to. See, just as God has purpose in the blessings He gives, God also has great purpose in the difficulties.

As we read the Bible, we come to see that those who follow God suffer more than those who don't. So, instead of always giving our meager advice as to how someone can better their marriage, obtain emotional stability or reach their dreams, we should instead seek to enter into their sufferings with them.

Here, we can join them in learning the lessons God has planned. We can seek out the root of their struggles instead of merely dealing with the rotten fruit. And we can love them where they are at. It's easier for me to hand over a quick fix, but the longterm transformation is much more worth it.

Job: Lesson [1]

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

This month I'm reading through the book of Job. It seems like a perfect match for the land and people we will be serving. And so, I'm going to post a series of lessons that we're learning and I hope they also encourage you.

Job is a man found in the Old Testament who was "honest inside and out; totally devoted to God." And then, in one single day he lost next to everything-his camels and oxen were stolen, his sheep destroyed, his 10 children killed and his skin broke out in a disgusting and painful disease. To top it off, his few friends who remained blamed Job for this downfall. [Yet, we know that he had done nothing to deserve this; in fact, he had done nothing wrong-period].

So, how did Job respond?
As word came in of all the calamities that had fallen upon him, he "fell to the ground and worshiped." Job acknowledged the truth that just as he had entered this world naked, he would also leave it. It didn't matter whether God gave to him or took away from him. Job followed God because of who He was, not because of anything else.

Already this month we've had canceled flights, 12 hour airport stays, sick parents back home, squad-mates in the hospital, frustrations up the wall and, as I write this, we're only on day 1. Now, although those things are trivial compared to Job, it seems somehow difficult to remain faithful in each moment.

Oh that we would be people of God even when we are at our whits end. That we would worship him on our best days and our worst days. That the world would see how we are different because of His grace and love that flows through us at all times.

Is God Enough?

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Last month, we had the privilege of working with a guy named Rob. Rob is that guy that I wish I could spend lots of time with. I think every guy that was at the camp would love to have him as a mentor. Rob had fun with us, invited into his home and his life, and he blessed us like crazy. But Rob also challenged us...a lot.
One night, toward the beginning of our time at El Rancho, he presented us with this question: If EVERYTHING else was stripped away and you only had God, would that be enough? Of course we'd all love to answer yes, but I can't. Not yet. He reminded us of this question our last night with him, which was ironic. Ironic because that night everybody was weighing their pack and deciding what to get rid of to stay under 20kg. Some people laughed, some cried, some insisted that they could not possibly live without the things in their packs, and so they paid money for their extra weight.

I got to thinking, what's in my bag that I could live without. Materially, I would have no problem throwing away my bag. I would smell bad, but I could do it. But relationships and fun are some things in my life that I can't live without. This is a double-edged sword, because we are called to be in relationships with people, and this is a good thing. However, my relationships with people are SO valuable to me that I would not be happy if I had God and nothing, or more accurately nobody else.

When I have the choice to spend time with God or with people, it's always people that I choose. I find the fulfilment and satisfaction that I desperately need primarily through people. I know that God wants to fill that hole in my life that I keep trying to fill with people. Then I will be able to build relationships with people based on love rather than on my need for them to fill me. Pray for me, that I would seek and find more and more enjoyment through being in His presence and loving Him.

Oenpelli: Our wilderness village

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

We made it to Australia and thus far we've noticed the people are extremely fashion-forward and everything is extra expensive. Tomorrow we begin the second leg of our journey. We're flying up north and spending the afternoon buying our food and supplies for the month. Then it's a day of bus riding and our final flight into the wilderness.

We've been learning more about our new community and the work they've asked us to do. The majority of the aborigines we're working with have become consumed by alcoholism and find themselves drifting from day-to-day solely because of government handouts.

Struggles with depression and suicide have flooded the small villages as people seriously spend their days in front of the television and their evenings in the town's pub. Day after day after day. It's not hard to imagine what an unhappy life that would make.

They've asked us to come in and be a positive example of people who work hard and love people. So, we're going to be holding a salon in the day to love on the women; as there is no one in the village who knows how to do this. We're talking cutting hair, removing lice, treating scabies, doing nails + waxing eyebrows.

Kelly (pictured with Jesse left), our team hairstylist has a lot of teaching to do with us girls before we arrive or we may not have too many customers after our first day ;). Wish us luck!

Feedback Time

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Most people think about the World Race as eleven months of ministry to people all over the world. And in many ways this is the core of what we do. We come together to serve and love others. We bring healing, freedom, food, water, hands, ears and whatever else we can fit into our 44 pound weight limit backpacks.

However, there's another aspect that fuels growth in us like nothing else. It is called feedback time and it happens every single day. As our small team of seven, we find time to meet together daily. During this time we talk about our days-our struggles and our celebrations. And then, we get dirty.

We forgo all our natural tendencies to pretend everything is fine and we talk about the hard things. We call people out on their selfish actions, we share about words that cut into us and we love each other so much that we don't allow them to stay the same.

If I came back from this eleven months of tenting and dirty clothes only to see difference in the people I served, I will have failed. God has called me to bring transformation to the people I encounter, but He has also wooed me into a life that looks quite different than the one I live now.

In the month ahead our team will be alone. No other teams to run to; no Internet to connect with people; no nothing. Please be praying that we would learn to LOVE each other like never before and that the aborigines be encouraged by the selflessness of this love. May we both be changed.

Australian Bush

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The FEED tonight [see Maori blog] was awesome. The food was great--earthen flavoured stuffing, meats and potatoes. It made us feel like a New Zealand Thanksgiving! And as we've begun saying goodbye to our new family here, we're realizing that things are about to change; fast.

We head out tomorrow on an 11-hour bus ride to the airport where we'll fly out to Australia. From there we catch another flight further up north, take a bus ride and end with a chartered flight into no-man's land (you cannot even get there by car). Once out of civilization, we'll be living and working alongside the Aborigines.

We're talking no Internet, one pay phone per town, and a days walk in between them. We looked at pictures on-line and saw towns filled with fields, crocodiles and one tiny shop apiece. Wow, who would have thought we'd be doing that in Australia? I hadn't prepared myself for that until at least the Philippines.

Food costs over 300% more in these towns the the bigger cities, so with our daily budget of 3.25$ a piece, we'll have to bring most of it with us. We're told we'll be eating out of cans and cooking over an open fire. I guess we won't be eating the three desserts we've become accustom to here.

With all that said, you may not be hearing for us over the next four weeks. If we find any Internet I promise we'll post a blog, but if not, know that we're praying for you by name and we look forward to re-connecting in March. We love you + miss you already.

Billy and I at a Maori meeting house.

Māori

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Māori are the indigenous people of New Zealand. They have such a beautiful culture and we got to enter into that this month. From the moment we arrived in this land, they invited us in.

From off the bus, the women met us with beautiful songs that beckoned us into a welcoming celebration. They greeted us by pressing their noses against ours to show their total acceptance of our presence in their lands and lives. After the ceremony we joined them in a "feed" that would make anyone's stomach growl.

It was awesome. We were the first visitors in this land to be invited to such a ceremony. And tomorrow, we get to experience it all over again for our farewell. They told us that the food we'll eat will have a delicious earthen flavor. We can't wait!

Here are some snaps from our day as we prepared for tomorrow:

1. The women all gathered in the kitchen to peel, chop and crush the food.

2. The men jumped in the rivers to collect watercress used to wrap the food so it doesn't burn in the hole where they'll cook it tomorrow.

Wish you could join us for the FEED tomorrow, we'll let you know how it goes.

Free time New Zealand style

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

We may spend 12 hours in the kitchen each day, but that doesn't mean we don't find time for some outside excitement. Whether it's roller-skating in the camp gym, jumping on the trampoline, or driving on the left side of the road, there's always something we come up with. Here's just a small sample of a free afternoon.

What a better way to end the night then with a camp gym, dancing + glow sticks.

Click to watch this video; we promise, it's worth it!

Washing Dishes [all day]

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

These past two weeks we have found ourselves in the camp kitchen a lot. I'm talking breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and evening tea (yes, they eat numerous times a day in this place). Our team has been assigned all sorts of different things here at camp-from toilets to graphic design-and somehow Billy and I have continually been put in the kitchen. And well, we love it.

The women we work with in there are hands down some of the most servant-hearted people I have ever met. We start our days at 6:45am and they're already there. We take short breaks between meals or teas and they stay. We finish our day and they're still working. We're exhausted at night after only a couple of days and they do this year-round.

Often, when we're covered with chunks of food from other people's dinners and trying to stay ahead of the massive crowds, we encounter visitors who complain about the temperature or spiciness (or lack there of) of the food. I smile and nod, state something about how I'm sorry and that hopefully they will enjoy their next meal, but I cannot get myself to pass on these words to the kitchen ladies.

Instead, I compliment their cooking myself (which, although I think they kill a cow or two for each meal, it is wonderful), turn on some Micheal Jackson and join them for some singing and dancing as we get our work done. (I wish you could see us, it is a riot, I can promise!).

Who would have known I would love being behind the scenes, scrubbing other people's bowl's so much? Well, it's not the work that keeps me going. May I continue to strive to be someone who serves from my gut and enjoys life while we're doing it.

I don't want to change...

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

When I signed up for the World Race, I didn't really know what I was getting into. I was expecting a missions trip in which I would get to experience a lot of different cultures and ministries. I expected to change lives, and I expected my life to be changed. I don't want my life to be changed any more.

I can think of a lot of life-changing experiences that I've had. Getting my first motorcycle, realizing I loved Katie, accepting a job at a church, deciding to go back to grad school, and many more. These experiences influenced me in such a way that I was forced or drawn to change some things in my life. Essentially, I'm quite similar to the person I was ten years ago. So I don't want another life-changing experience, I want transformation.

Transformation involves so much more than adjusting some of the details of my life. It is all-encompassing. The classic example of transformation in creation is a caterpillar which changes into a butterfly. A plump little worm that crawls around on the ground suddenly becomes something beautiful that has the ability to FLY! If you didn't know about this phenomena, you'd never even compare a caterpillar to a butterfly, because they seem so fundamentally different. I want the Holy Spirit to change the essence of who I am. I want to so radically different at the core of my being that if people didn't know I was the same person, they'd feel as though they were meeting me for the first time. I want to go home and help bring about transformation in the community that I will live in (no clue where that will be). Changes can change back. Transformation is eternal. I don't want to crawl faster or crawl better, I want to fly.

Pray for me that God would transform me this year. That is my single largest request, and it will continue to be so.

Tent Warming PARTY

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

So, we've been talking and we want to fully invite you into our lives this year. Our concepts of community and church have been demolished already and we want to beckon you forward, that you might join us in discovering something that is much, much grander.

To be honest, I have become disappointed at the role of church in my life. We put on a Sunday morning show, hold a Bible study here and there and forget about each other in between. As I read the Old Testament and see how the Jewish people failed and failed to understand what God wanted from them, I feel like the church is doing the same today.

How long will it take for us to realize that it's not enough for us to be skilled individuals with good advice, to play beautiful worship music, or to preach well-crafted sermons? Our world is filled with those things and nothing is changing. Our world (and our God) is demanding more than a well-oiled Sunday morning performance.

They want to SEE what we TEACH.

So let's show them. Let's love our neighbors, live free from bondage, encounter healing, speak truth, confront sin and ugliness, stop putting on a fake smile and start being the change our world is looking for.

I confess I've been waiting too long for someone else to tell me what to do. I may not know what the answers are, but I know that God has called me to move and I'm going.

"I came that you might have life and have it more abundantly." - Jesus

This is our home for the year. We even take our shoes off before we go inside.

This is inside our beautiful tent. You cannot even see the floor.

Us, enjoying our home.

Corporate Worship

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Something is missing. I've known it for some time now as I've sat in church dissatisfied and feeling empty. I stand and sing the same songs as everybody else, but I feel very little. I could sit at home and play my guitar and sing the same songs, so what is the point of all of us getting together? I must admit that my favorite part of church for years has been the beginning and end of the service when I get to interact with people and build relationships with them. Surely this isn't all I'm supposed to be getting from church...

Recently I've been challenged on corporate worship. I haven't felt like this is a time I really connect with God, and so I often either just sing anyways, or I stand there with my head down trying to figure out what's wrong with me. Last week, something broke. I was challenged by one of the World Race staff members to use this as a time to go and pray with people around me, and to listen to God and see who He would have me pray with. I went into the next worship time a bit skeptical, but mostly open. I felt free to worship God however I wanted. I'm not usually a hands in the air danging around type of guy, but that night I was. I was free. Then as I looked around, I saw several people that I felt like I should pray for, so I did.

It was awesome! God gave me words to pray over people that really connected with where they were at, even though I didn't know what they were struggling with. I felt connection and relationship with the people I was praying for, and with the other people around me. A few of these people came to me later and shared how specifically what I prayed for them applied to their current struggles.

I was thinking later, why don't we do this more? What's the point of coming together if we're all just sitting in our pews looking at whatever is going on in the front? What about the people around us? Are we not to be ministering to them? There's power when we pray together, when we let God speak through us. I started imagining doing this in some of the churches I have attended over the years and had to smile. People would look at me like I was nuts, and would wonder why I had left my 2'x2' square during "worship."

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe people wouldn't think this way, but I would have, which is why I sat still. Corporate worship has become something totally different for me, and it's awesome. I'm glad somebody challenged me to leave my personal space and engage my fellow believers during worship. I challenge you to do the same.

From my thoughts, Bill.

When forced to kill time with the campers, the solution was "Thriller."

the nobodies

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

"Make Friends with Nobodies; Discover Beauty in Everybody." This is from the book of Romans, chapter 12 and I've been repeating it to myself over and over again.

We started camp just two days ago and already we have been overwhelmed by the pain of our campers. We have about 80 10-12 year olds here this week and over half of them are in the custody of the government. There is so much despair that I can literally feel it in the room.

I'm sitting next to kids who don't know their parents, cut themselves to deal with life, punch their fists through windows when they're angry, watch their mums stick themselves with needles, get beat when their dad's drink too much, and find themselves ignored and degraded at every turn.

One boy in particular flashes to my mind as I write this. The first day he arrived with his 21 year old brother (guardian) he could barely look at me. He visibly hangs his head so low, it is as if he wishes he could disappear. He has a sweet disposition about himself, but he's afraid to make himself known. His mother recently passed away from drugs and his father is no where in the picture. He has scars throughout his body from self-mutilation (of which, his brother taught him how to do).

I found myself in tears yesterday as I tried to show this kid that he's loved and valued, while the rest of the world tells him otherwise. I pray that through camp we will be able to share with him a love from God that will bring healing to his wounds, freedom to the lies that entrap him and purpose to his days ahead. A love that will hold him when we are far, far away from this country. A love that will transform his life.

This camp may be made up of the world's nobodies, but there is such beauty in these kids that we cannot help but pour our love and hope into them each day we are blessed to have them.

We painted names on our faces so that people would know who we are. Pretty inventive, huh?

Kingdom Footage

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

At training camp last week each team was given the chance to make a video about the Kingdom of God.

During his life, Jesus sad that "the Kingdom of God was at hand" (Mark 1:15). In other words, the Kingdom of God is HERE on earth. The Kingdom of God is made up of those who know Him and live in the freedom of His presence.

It breaks my heart to think about the way Christian's represent this. We tend to give the impression that the Kingdom of God is merely a building where we meet once a week and a book of rules we try (and often fail) to follow. Oh, it is so different than that. The Kingdom of God is alive. The Kingdom of God is worth living for. The Kingdom of God is a taste of heaven here on earth.

Hope this video helps to wake you up this morning and maybe, just maybe, gets you exciting about the Kingdom of God and your life in it.

And the changes begin.

Fri, 8 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

They told us from day one that although we'd make plans, and lots of them. It was most likely that they'd change. A lot. And well, they were right.

Within 24 hours of arriving here we got a new team member [her name is Emily and you're going to love her; we already do!] and we have a new route [instead of Malaysia we're heading off to the Philippines in month three].

I feel like we're on Apollo 13. You know, things are slightly shaky at first and then settle down for a smooth ride ahead. Like the huge things that can change have already been altered and all that's left are the little things. But there's something inside of me that's confident there are changes ahead that will blow me away; that will knock me to the ground as I try to figure out how we're going to make it.

And to be honest, I'm paralyzed with excitement. Excitement to find what my heart has been seeking: a life with great purpose, a life that will change other lives, a life that is changed itself. So, here's to a year of transformation.

I pray that together we'd journey into the unknown this year and come back new.

Our Month in New Zealand

Fri, 8 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Our launch/training camp has been great. We've been tenting it and eating more peanut butter and jam sandwiches than a kindergarten cafeteria (Billy claims we're stocking up for future months). I even managed to pull off a chocolate cake for Billy's 27^th birthday. I've been counting down the days to this momentous event, for now the jokes about how much older I am can stop (at least for another 10 months).

We head out early tomorrow morning for a great 11 hour bus ride through beautiful terrain (glad we're writing this now and not after 10 of those hours; it at least sounds like it could be great and beautiful). We're heading down to a camp on the south coast of the North Island (New Zealand is made up of a South and North Island) to be camp counselors at a youth camp.

We don't know the ages of these kids or what exactly camp counselors do in New Zealand, but we're going to be living with them and hoping to get at least 5 hours of sleep a night-we've heard the days are busy and the nights are short. Then we're going to be working at the same camp as a serve team. There are 800-1,000 people coming in for a conference, so we'll be sleeping in our tents, making food, fixing broken things and cleaning toilets. If I'm not mistaken, Billy already volunteered for the job of cleaning toilets, but I'm not certain...I might have been the one who volunteered him for it ;).

No this is not a postcard, this is a picture we took. Need anything be said but, "Wow, when can we move in?"

Launch

Sun, 3 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

We've made it. In the past three weeks we've done a lot of traveling. We've gone from Chicago, IL to North East, PA to Winona, MN, to Saint Paul, MN, to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico to Guadalajara, Mexico, to Las Angels, CA, to Auckland, New Zealand and off to our current home in Matamata, New Zealand.

It's 2:30pm on Sunday in Chicago and 8:30am on Monday morning here in Matamata, New Zealand. Talk about a time difference! We've got our tents set up outside and just woke up from a wonderful night in our sleeping bags. It rained all night and does not look like it's going to let up anytime soon, but since we have yet to discover any holes in our tent walls, we couldn't be happier.

Half of our team arrives today and the other half tomorrow. We are getting pumped to see them again and hear how their past weeks of goodbyes went. We must say, ours went better than expected. We're sure going to miss a lot of people in the months to come, but we're also going to be hanging out with some amazing ones while we're over here.

We'll let you know soon what we're going to be up to this month. And until then, we're going to work on adjusting to the time, the great food and the beautiful views surrounding us.

Enroute - by Bill

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Mexico!

What a crazy month December proved to be! After Thanksgiving, we returned to Chicago for 2 weeks to pack up our possessions, buy all of the things we needed for the World Race, pack for the World Race, and say goodbye to the people we've spent the past 5+ years of our lives investing in. Saying goodbye was easier than expected, which was a pleasant surprise. We both really felt like God really gave us some peace about stepping away from those relationships. This was especially true for me as I left my small group of high school guys who I love dearly and have invested so much in. They've grown so much, and I am confident that God is going to continue working in them. After that, we were tired!

We then traveled to Pennsylvania and Minnesota (opposite directions) to visit our families. This was a great time, but once again so busy. As I'm sitting here on the plane to Mexico with Katie's family, it's really starting to hit me that we're going. All of my possessions for the year are packed into my backpack, and I'm not going home for a while. I have no cell phone in my pocket, no idea what's ahead of me, and I'm hungry.

I realize I'm kind of rambling right now, but that's how my brain is working. I'm hoping to slow down in Mexico and spend some time getting myself emotionally and spiritually prepared for the year to come. Why is it that we only think about being emotionally and spiritually prepared for "big" things? Why is it that I didn't put any time or effort into that as I said goodbye to people, or as I spent time with my family? What more could have been gained? How much more impact could I have had on the people around me?

This is a weakness of mine. I don't slow down or stop very often, and I need to. I don't seek God's power and influence in my daily life unless something "big" is going on. Life is big. God has big things for us every day. It's time for me to realize that.

Here's how you can pray for me now:

That I would rely more on God's power for life
That my prescription drugs would arrive in LA before I have to fly out (this is a big one)
That I would slow down in Mexico and start to LISTEN

Thanks guys! Get ready to share this incredible journey with us!

Modern Slavery

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

To most people modern slavery is an oxymoron. Slavery in our country is something we think ended with the civil war. But in truth, over 27 million men, women and children are entrapped in the snares of slavery today. Slavery crosses all borders of our globe and effects people of every race, age and nationality.

I can no longer ignore this heart breaking issue.

I recently read a book about modern slavery. In it I ran across something that was like a boost of caffeine. It made me want to get up right then and there and do something grand. I hope, like me, it encourages you to live out the life you have been so graciously called to: "There are times to read history, and there are times to make history. We live right now at one of those epic moments in the fight for human freedom. We no longer have to wonder how we might respond to our moment of truth. It is WE who are on the stage, and we can change the winds of history with our actions. Future generations will look back and judge our choices and be inspired or be disappointed." (Not For Sale by David Batstone).

I plead that you would join in fighting the apathy that calls us to do nothing. It is our turn now.

Let us make a difference.

Let us change the world.

Let us start today.

Love,

Injustice

Sun, 1 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Here's a video that addresses some of the issues we'll be working with this year. Take a few minutes to watch it!

Get Involved: Silent Auction

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Well, the details are getting underway for our silent auction.

We're calling business after business for possible donations.

We're speaking and posting information about the event.

We've found a slew of people who are going to add their expertise.

We're waiting for miraculous things to happen!

So please, pray with us.

Donate your little brother to clean other people's basements.

Donate yourself to rake someone's colorful leaves or paint a picture.

Donate your time to come and join the festivities:

Sunday, November 15^th from 12:00 to 2:00pm

Oak Community Church [620 North Oak Street, Hinsdale, IL 60521]

The Auction:

There will be numerous types of delicious chili to indulge in.

There will be items from all sorts of surrounding businesses:

Gift certificates for restaurants [pizza anyone?]

Beautiful paintings

Gift certificates that range from groceries to clothes

Items spanning from an older big screen T.V. to a b0-flex gym

We are REALLY looking forward to seeing you there!