around the world with Jesus

Jude’s got a great story. Surviving the Haiti earthquake is a part of it. Here, he shares his story from where he stood that tragic day, January 12, 2010.

Thursday of this week, we’re having a gathering at the Convoy of Hope home office where I hope to convey thanks to friends and family for the prayers, encouragement, financial support, friendship and for being nice to us throughout this journey! With the same spirit, a quick thank you to from my recent trip to Haiti.

BTW: We’ll gather at the home office on Thursday, May 13, from 6:30-8 p.m. and you’re invited. e-tell me if you can come!

I spent some time with some of Haiti’s precious children. Here we discuss potential opportunities for the interns to be a part of what Convoy of Hope is doing at this school.

(With no internet access in Haiti, I’ve returned to share a number of blog posts over the next few days…)

I’ve been a few really sad places in the world, Auschwitz, slave ports along the West African coast, various slums and other deprived areas. I expected I’d have the same dark and depressed feelings here in Haiti. While there’ve been plenty of somber moments, I don’t have those same feelings.

                      In the ride from the airport, I asked our driver about the mood of the country. He said, “People want to be hopeful.” Instead of looking to the past and pain, there seems to be a desire to move to what’s next. While there’s tension and apprehension as to how the process will look, people really want their country to heal. I’ve only seen one symbol (a cross on a hill) to memorialize the precious loss of life, but have seen hundreds of people working towards the next and better normal in Haiti.

Since the January 12 earthquake, Haitians have buried loved ones, many have moved into tent cities, they’ve begun digging through rubble, stores have opened, roads are being cleared, and schools have opened. The church is a key in leading the way. The next normal is coming.

                              I’m honored to be a part of the Convoy of Hope team. I’ve never been here and have had very little to do with our response in this country so far. However, my colleagues from the Convoy of Hope staff and our Haitian partners on the ground have mobilized well and effectively. Before the quake, over 11,000 school/orphanage children were fed each day through our feeding programs. Since the quake, over 8.6 million meals have been distributed. The school feeding program is back up and running and people are being helped every day.

The interns and I weren’t part of Convoy’s first wave of response, but we’re a part of the next (and the next and the next and the next?). A team of about 15 interns/staff and I will arrive on July 5 to begin helping in areas affected by the quake. I can’t wait. This current trip will help us get the best picture as to what the most effective work for them will be. We’ll respond, work hard, and live out the Kingdom of God in this great place.

I look forward to being even a small part of what I believe Haitians are hoping for…a rebuilding of a country that will someday be stronger and healthier than before the quake. A country where children are educated, where malnutrition is rarely if ever seen, and where hope and faith reign in areas that experienced the worst of the worst.

Today I’ll work with our disaster response team in strategizing what we’ll do. I look forward to sharing more later…

This week we confirmed that our Summer ‘10 Convoy of Hope intern team will serve in Haiti. Humbled. Excited. I’ll go there next month to begin setting things up for our work there.

Before the earthquake, few places on earth struggled like Haiti. Lack of infrastructure, extreme poverty, mudpies for lunch, corruption, disease, lack of clean water, natural disasters…you get the picture.

Then the earthquake struck. Over 200, 000 people lost their life. The country is different forever.

My prayer is that this tragedy is the catalyst for the right change in Haiti. I pray that the best minds, biggest hearts, focused souls and deep pockets will strategize and work together to see the people of Haiti get on a path that will sustain their bodies, souls and spirits.

What will our interns do? Only what we can do.

I commit that we will not:

1. Change everything about Haiti.

2. Erase the problems of Haiti and solve the crisis of the country

I commit that we will:

1. Serve

2. Love

3. Show God’s love

4. Help in a way that (as my friend Jim Harriger from Victory Mission says,) will give them not just a “hand out but a hand up.”

So far, Convoy of Hope has distributed over 8.2 million meals and over 2,000 water filters. A lot more needs to be done though…

Please pray as this team comes together! It’ll be a wonderful summer. If you or a friend is interested in joining us..let me know!

Friends,

Have you ever said, “Just text me, or Facebook me, or DM me or something…”  Or, “I got this email from a friend the other day–well, it was a Facebook–actually a Facebook chat–anyways, he said…”?

We all have. Bummer, isn’t it? It would be much easier to have one method to communicate the various forms of electronic communication. I know you’ve been thinking the same thing.

It’s time for a new way to communicate. Our Convoy of Hope interns, while on a wild road trip through the foothills of Nepal’s Himalayas, invented the solution to this world-wide dilemma.

These aren’t completely random words for which we’ve created a meaning (i.e. Conan inventing “crunk” so many years ago), but instead they’re words that can enter the world’s vocabulary quickly with little tutelage necessary.  I realize we’re not the first to emply “e” usage. However, I know of no one currently using the popular “e” in this fabulous way. Are you ready for the words?  Here they are with their meanings:

Main entry: e-tell

Pronunciation: \’e-tel\

Function: verb

Meaning: To communicate a message via an electronic medium. I will e-tell you when the meeting is over.

Alternatives: May be used in similar fashion with similar tenses as the word “tell.” She e-told me that she broke up with him.

Word dob: March 29, 1010

And the second word:

Main entry: e-talk

Pronunciation: \e-talk\

Function: verb

Meaning: To communicate via electronic means things often spoken. Let’s e-talk about a time to have coffee.

Alternatives: May be used in a similar fashion with similar tenses as the related word, “talk.” While e-talking with a friend, I learned that Johnny Cash’s new CD is beautiful.

Word dob: March 29, 2010

I encourage you to e-tell as many people as possible through your networks and relationships. I also encourage you to e-talk about this approaching phenomenon in communication.

Also, please use the words verbally in casual conversation. If people don’t know what you mean when you say “e-talk” or “e-tell,” please show respect as you inform them. I don’t want anyone to feel hurt in their hearts that they’re left out of the circle of knowledge, but do want them to feel excited when they realize they’re a part of this new day in verbal communication regarding social media.

We watch Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution. We love this new show (2 episodes so far) where a famous chef from the U.K. comes to the most obese city in USA with hopes to transform the food culture of the people. He cares about their health and the health of the USA and hopes a revolution is starting there in Huntington, WV.

As someone who leads groups around the world on various types of “missions,” I thought I’d share 10 things I see in the show that can teach us about serving cross-culturally:

1. Be passionate about what you’re doing, or don’t go. It can be way too tough to face whatever you’ll face if your heart isn’t 100% in it.  (The radio station host and some of the lunch ladies aren’t so welcoming.)

2.  Show respect to the culture you’re visiting. You are in fact, an outsider. Listen, observe and keep an open mind about things. Jamie gets flak from people who think he doesn’t respect them. The only ones who listen are the ones who feel respected.

3.  Connect with a local church. As someone who loves Jesus, I like this idea anyway for everyone, everywhere. In the show (episode 1), I love how he connects with a local pastor. Jamie doesn’t speak of his faith, but realizes the church cares about people in the community.  The pastor is a fabulous resource and ally.

4.  Look for local resources. Jamie looks around to see what’s available locally. What people get what he’s doing? Potential partners? Food sources? Especially when doing development work (I guess most types of international work), using local resources is a key!

5.  Don’t assume everyone will automatically agree with this good news you’re sharing. Actually, it looks like Jamie thought he might have more agreement than he’s received the first two episodes. He believes in what he’s sharing and he knows it’s true…shouldn’t everyone immediately jump on board? Whether sharing faith or medical information or the value of good education, perhaps not everyone will get or even care about what feeds your passion.

6.  Be flexible with ways to share your core values. Throughout the show, Jamie doesn’t change what he believes, but he works at finding the most effective way get the point across. If what he’s trying doesn’t work, he’s willing to alter the method (i.e. various school lunch menus and teaching methods.)

7.  It’s not just about the masses, it’s about the individual. He obviously cares deeply about an obese and struggling family with whom he connects. He spends a lot of time with them, studies their diet, speaks truth to them, and shows compassion with their hurts and frustrations.

8. Don’t be afraid to speak truth, even if it’s hard to share. He speaks truth after he’s built relationships and has a window to do so. People don’t always like to hear him, but it’s making an impact.

9.  Have fun with what you’re doing. He finds a way to enjoy the journey and laugh, even when things are tough.

10. Care for the people regardless of whether or not they listen to you. The show is just starting and we don’t know how each of the individuals will react to what he’s sharing. He seems invested in what he’s doing, and I hope he’ll continue caring for the people regardless of how they ultimately decide to apply what he’s telling them. If he’s just showing concern so they’ll believe him and change, it’s manipulation. People are worth more than having to endure manipulation.

There’s my top 10 list. What would you add or change? Are there shows that have taught you cross-cultural lessons?

I’ve been telling stories from our Convoy of Hope interns and our trip to Nepal. Here are a few random things we saw while there…

Here you’ll see:
–The best burger in Nepal. It’s actually one of the best burgers I’ve had anywhere…and it was a nice surprise.
–A nepali “rest stop”. The team didn’t use those straw restrooms often…
–I think it’s the first sermon I’ve preached in just my socks. Great church…
–Fish on a stick
–A cow hoof in the trees. I think there’s a meaning behind that, but not sure what it is. Do you know?
–Beautiful kids
–I guess Leo and Hillary are paid spokespersons for this salon. I’m sure they know their image is being used to promote the place…
–Meat!
–Monkey! Our host has only seen 2 of this type in his almost decade in the country. It’s a langur, and they’re much harder to spot than the monkeys we’d see crossing the road and in many other places. Not a great quality picture, but at least I got one…
–I flew across the country. In a plane with no door on the cockpit. With a pilot who was reading the paper during most of the flight. Aargh.
–Shannon and Sam in a rickshaw.
–A nepali school bus. I loved these.

For centuries the Kamaiya people of Nepal served as slaves to wealthy land owners. Some were treated harshly, others as part of the family. All were given a place to live and food and water. 

A few years ago, after international pressure, slavery—specifically slavery of the Kamaiyas–was outlawed across Nepal. They were freed. Unfortunately, they no longer had their homes or access to the food and water they had for so long. They also had few skills outside of working in fields and helping in homes.

 They needed to learn to live in their new freedom. They need people to walk with them in their new freedom and show them the way to go and live.

Sounds like people who find their freedom in Christ for the first time…always good to have someone to walk with you and show you the way…

There are approximately 200-300,000 ”ex-Kamaiyas” in villages across western Nepal. We visited with some of them from a local church. Special people. 

We played with the kids and laughed with the adults. Tiffany, a registered dietician from our team, learned about their diet. We even drank yak milk tea with them. It was a special evening.

I’m not sure how we’ll help the Kamaiyas in the future. Their situation seems overwhelming and their poverty intense. We’re training people from their area to help with disaster response, and people from their church are helping them, but I know they could use more help than that.

Please pray with our team and others who want to help these ex-Kamaiyas. I know God has a great plan for these beautiful and generous people. If/when we’re able to help them in other ways, I’ll post the stories here.

Tomorrow…some random things we encountered…