around the world with Jesus

I came across this story today. Heartbreaking.  It’s about the people of Peru who raise alpacas high in the Andes Mountains. The weather is getting colder each winter and they’re having to make tough decisions about their animals, their farms and their families.

I’m skeptical about the reasons behind climate change (not sure man’s behind it) but I’m not skeptical that the climate does change and has for years. I also know it affects people.

People like those in these highlands are affected. The article refers to them as “people existing on the margins of survival”.

I was in the highlands a few years ago on a OneHope trip and met this little guy.  I won’t forget him.

I won’t forget his hands or his cheeks. We were about 10,000 feet elevation when I took this photo. His hands were very, very, very dry as were his cheeks. Everyone’s were.  It hurts them just like it would hurt us…affecting sleep, comfort level and more. More is at stake though as the elements take their tole on those exisiting on the margins of survival. A few miles from this photo we met people walking their alpacas.

The article linked above mentioned that people are now debating whether or not to use their meager resources to save their children or their animals! I cannot imagine.

I don’t know the solution.

“They should move!  Why would anyone live that high!!”  Except many generations have lived in the same area and it’s all they know…

“Why wouldn’t they save their kids…they’re humans!”  I AGREE…except they understand that with no animals there’s no food so there’s starvation for all.

What’s the solution? I don’t know. I like to use this site to raise awareness sometimes…and to help us remember to pray for those exisiting on the margins of survival. God is creative and He gives great ideas to those who listen. May these hurting people and those who influence them hear from Him.  May they find new life in Him!

Here’s a closer shot of his hands, with encouragement to pray for him and those affected, and with a challenge to be a part of the solution for those on the margins.

Yesterday I left the world’s densest country* to head to the world’s highest.  It’s been a wild ride full of wonder, intense poverty, beautiful people, and opportunities to serve.

I’m here strategizing the work our interns will do during the spring ‘10 Convoy of Hope internship term.  So many places with so much need.  Opportunity.  Impact?

We’ll work with little girls who live in the slums but who are finding a way out with help from people who love them.

We’ll work in a very special orphanage where the lives of children are changed forever.**

We’ll connect with churches that are making a difference and do our best to encourage with a sweet partnership.

I’m actually pretty overwhelmed by this trip…and excited by the opportunity.  More thoughts from here a bit later…

*For those keeping score, it’s the densest except for city states like Vatican City, etc. 

I just got done chatting on line with the Convoy of Hope director in the Philippines.  I had a the great privilege of working with Raul 2 years.  He’s a great man, husband, father, pastor, and leader and he really cares for his country.  He oversees the feeding of thousands of children and other Convoy of Hope projects across the country, and he oversees the Convoy of Hope disaster response.

Here’s Raul with two of the key staff members.

In the last month, the Philippines has been hit by 4 hurricanes.  In our chat, he informed me that #5 could be coming this weekend.

He says his brother’s home was under water for two days.  His home had knee deep water inside, and chest level water outside.  They have connections and means to take care of themselves in the midst of this hard time…and he’s trying to be the connection people across the Philippines so they can be taken care of the midst of this hard time.

We’ve had staff from our home office deploy to the region to work with him, but after our chat, I just felt like he could use a little extra prayer.  He’s tired, and is working very, very, very hard.

Here’s a shot I took of this beautiful country…an area now preparing to be pounded by their 5th typhoon (hurricane) in a month.

A year ago in  Moldova I met Dani and Lena. Here’s Dani.

I blogged about those days here.  Their father abandoned them  years ago, and at the time, their mother was in another country where she went to find work.  There were a couple of older brothers who didn’t know how to help them.  The kids were very cold and hungry when we went by their house.  The hearts of the team were moved and we went by there a couple of times.  Thankfully, the hearts of the people of the local church were moved as well.  The pastor’s son told us, “I didn’t know that poverty like this exists in my village.”  They commited to keeping in touch with them and helping in any way they could.

Since then, I’d heard nothing about the kids, but have prayed often for them.  We even put their photo in a prominent place in the intern area and it’s helped remind us to pray.  We’d hoped that the church was still helping them and that the family was reunited.

When I returned to Moldova, we wondered the latest.  We stopped by and connected with their mother.  The members of the church new them well and shared the latest:

• The mother returned shortly after we left last fall.  She’d been gone for many months, and came back home before winter.
• There are two older sisters we don’t know…nor does the church.  We learnd they’re in a desperate place and need help. 
• The mother has been working hard, but can’t make ends meet.  The day we connected with her, she was in the corn fields working hard…we heard that for about 12 hours work, she’d make about $10.  Dani was with her as she worked in the field. 
• The church had regular contact with the family…sharing food with them, asking if they needed help with things and more.  The mother accepted some help but not other help.

The team wanted to help.  We didn’t want to do anything that would cause the family to expect the church to do everything for them, but we wanted to share the love of Jesus.  We spent a day in their home cleaning, painting, cleaning, scrubbing, and more.  The church members pitched in as much as we did…maybe more.  The mother worked harder than anyone…and Lena pitched in too.

The family loved it.  You could tell it meant a lot.  We also had fun playing with the kids, getting to know the mother better and more…

The next day we returned to take a family photo.

They loved it.  We also shared a few things with the family and had some great prayer with them.  Since then, they’ve been to the church, connected more with people from the church and see a glimpse of hope in their lives.  The team is still in Moldova and keeping in touch with them.  I look forward to what’s ahead.

Poverty looks different in so many places…and it’s too widespread.  While we’re always trying to help “the masses” I love connecting with kids like Dani and Lena and their mother (w/local churches) and learning more about individual stories.  And helping.

My prayer is that in this hard time, their mother (and the family) will see hope, hear His voice, and turn to Him.  Hosea 2:14, “I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her.”

I loved my time with OneHope (was called Book of Hope International back then) leading interns and teams.  A few years ago on a trip to Ghana, a film crew from fearless films joined us to get about 100 hours of footage.  We wondered if it would ever be released…it’s been released and is now available on INO Records and is in stores. 

 “Nomad: The Great Reverse” is episode 2 of the Nomad series.  The first episode followed Sara Groves on her trip to Rwanda.  Anyways…Chip, Troy and co. did a great job editing the video and capturing the spirit of our time in Ghana.

It was fun reliving the trip.  It’s been great keeping in touch with the team since then…weddings, hard times, moves, new opportunities, babies and more.  Great team.  Great video.

The first time I really remember people asking me for money was on my second trip overseas.  It was 1994 and we were in Calcutta, India, one of the world’s poorest cities.  Everywhere we went people were begging…the children in front of our hotel (they would do cartwheels and pop up holding out their hands for $), people on virtually every street corner and in front of shops.  I won’t forget the man on the sidewalk leaning back in a makeshift seat with a tin cup around his neck.  He hand no arms and no legs.  He was in desperate need.

Since then, I’ve been approached in virtually every country I’ve visited…and in my own.  People around the world are poor.  What can be done to help them? 

Relevant Magazine just posted a great article on the problem.  It’s found here. 

I don’t think the proper response is to give money every time someone asks…have you seen Slumdog Millionaire?  Not all of that money will get to the people in need.  Even if it does, it’ll help create dependency and can in fact keep people from finding the right help. 

I wish I knew exactly how Jesus would’ve responded to that man I saw in Calcutta…or the children I see in Ecuador…or the family by the side of the road in Papua New Guinea.  All beautiful places with great churches, leaders and futures…but all places with people in need.  If Jesus helped one by handing out money, then he would be mobbed everywhere He went.  He was mobbed, but that’s not why.

I like what my friends Joe and Mishael do.  When they’re overseas, they always carry bags of fruit with them in their vehicles…they hand them out to all who ask until the bag is empty.  I like what my brother-in-law does when he goes to downtown Chicago…he likes to bring McDonald’s gift certificates knowing the money he’s giving will be spent on food and not something else.  I traveled with Chris who would regularly take his leftovers and give them to people in front of the restaurant asking for food.  My wife has handed out breakfast bars to the  vet on the corner when we exit the highway by our home.  I’ve had fun playing with kids and then taking them for an ice cream cone or “Magnum” bar (they’re really good) in plenty of countries overseas.

These things help…but just for a moment.  While that’s what some people need in that moment, there’s got to be a bigger/better response.

I love being a part of Convoy of Hope.  In all honestly, we ask that people don’t give money to those who ask from the side of the road in foreign countries (or our own).  However, we work with churches to help find long-term solutions.  Convoy of Hope has helped start a cafe in Eurasia, a bakery in Central America and other micro-enterprises in places where people are in need.  We provide seeds to families so they can grow food and even sell some to help make ends meet.  We help people build water filters…that they can build inexpensively with items from their own communities. Our interns are working with schools to help the children plant gardens and then use seeds from those gardens to give to others so the food can spread.  I could go on…

I don’t have many photos of people who ask for money.  It doesn’t seem right to take them.  However, I won’t forget those kids on the street in Calcutta.  They saw Allen, another friend and I get off the riksha and came over and asked us to take their “pic! pic! pic!”  They wanted their photo taken.  We took their photo.  They then looked at each other and each went for a different water bottle.  They stole water bottles from our hands and ran across the street laughing.  I suppose if  it made them smile, I was fine with losing that water bottle.  A fun moment…

God give you people wisdom about what to do to best help those in need!

What do you do?

There’s a hunger crisis happening in the world. While this isn’t new, it seems like hunger issues are getting more severe while technology and communication of the problem increases.

While I’ve never worked with them, I love seeing groups like the people who work with this miracle food, Plumpynut.

Check this out…http://www.theywilldie.org/.  It’s a combination of locally grown peanut butter mixed with powdered milk and a vitamin pack.  Their website says a 3-week supply can literally save the life of a child.  Thinking not only with the head, but with the heart is such a good thing. 

We at Convoy of Hope have communictated with the PlumpyNut people, and who knows what partnerships could be ahead.

There are solutions still to be found, and I hope some of our interns find some of those solutions.

Here’s a good place to mention the moringa tree. Many of our interns, and Convoy of Hope family members have worked with this miracle tree. This site describes them well, http://tinyurl.com/3gcjs3.  Maybe I’ll talk more about them another time.

There are still millions of people who’ve never heard that Jesus is the Son of God…some have never even heard his name. 

The story of Jesus, and what He means is powerful…and it doesn’t begin in the New Testament.  In the Wednesday night Bible Study at my church, I recently shared this story of EE-TAOW, which means, “It’s True!”  The story is about some indigenous people in Papua New Guinea, near where I spent 3 months back in ‘03.  In fact, here’s a man I met on the trip…

Here’s a clip from EE-TAOW from the web…and it can be ordered on line.  Good stuff…

Here are some boys I met on the same island where the video was filmed…

Today at our Convoy of Hope offices, many on our staff met to discuss the various ways we seek to share hope with people around the world. We were all pretty excited and awe struck as the opportunity God is providing grew in clarity and sank in even more. People around the world are facing a really, really hard time and we have the privilege to work with others in sharing hope with them.

Though my five years on staff with Book of Hope International are over, I still see myself as part of the family. Today, I got an email from the president of the organization who mentioned they’ve changed their name to OneHope. I like it…it does a good job emphasizing “hope” and not so much just “book”. You can see more at http://www.bookofhope.net/.

It all reminds me of a billboard I saw in Bangalore, India a few years ago,

In case you can’t read it, it states,

“1 billion people

4200 communities

1625 dialects

29 states

18 official languages

9 major religions

1 HOPE
Sonia Ghandi”

Now I certainly have no interest in getting into the politics of India. However, if there’s one hope for India or anywhere else in the world, it’s not a person…not even a politician type person.

There’s a whole lotta hope being placed in a whole lotta places. I like Hebrews 6:19 which speaks of the hope we have in Christ as an “anchor of the soul.”

My friend Travis is in Honduras now with the newly named OneHope. Read about his travels at www.the1814project.com. Also, our Convoy of Hope interns are in Haiti and doing well. They head out for ministry in the morning…I’ll keep in touch about how things are going with them, and will join them in the region soon.

I’ve wanted to memorize and pray for all the countries of the world for about 5 years. I figured since I’ve actually started, that blogging about it may help provide added accountability.

I heard a speaker at Book of Hope quite some time ago. His name is Dick Eastman and he’s with a ministry called Every Home for Christ. http://www.ehc.org/

If I remember correctly, he spoke of praying for every country in the world every day on his way to work, or wherever he was going that day. I love that idea. Of course, it’s a listing thing where he would simply fly through a list. However, with his decent knowlege of the world a passion for those people, and a greater love for God, I bet some cool things happen in response to those prayers.

The prayer…

• helps keep his passion alive and growing.
• reminds him to pray for the places he’s been and the people he’s met
• helps him be more aware when he hears of places on the news or in conversation
• connects him with the desire God has to receive worship from the nations
• is heard by our Savior, who responds

He passed out prayer maps that day. I have mine with me most of the time, wanting to actually start the memorization process. The idea is to pray for a few countries a day each day for a month, but I like the idea of just learning them all. I’ve told other intern teams of my desire to learn them all. Haven’t done it. Will do so starting now, or last week actually.

Click here to see the list.

I’ve gotten Africa, but am a bit worried about all of those Oceanic islands. Wish me luck…or even order the map (it’s free). Accountability in cyberspace has arrived.