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!

After learning about the people and the common belief systems across Nepal, we drove west (and that was a long & crazy drive) to help the people of this country we love…

Nepal is a very poor country. In fact, approximately 60% of the country’s 28 million people live on less than $1.25 a day. Poverty. Malnutrition. Disaster. For many, despair. 

It’s geographically the highest country in the world with nearly 100 mountain peaks over 23,000 feet in elevation. They’re proud of Mt. Everest which we saw from a flight. The mountainous conditions lead to many things such as homes built on the sides of hills and the highest per capita number of rivers (think melting mountain snow) in the world. Homes on hills + rivers = flooding and mudslides.

We smiled as 24 godly men from 24 churches in 24 villages across the western part of Nepal gathered for the Convoy of Hope/Nepali Red Cross Disaster Preparedness training. One man rode 12 hours to be a part of the week. At least 80% said their villages and homes were affected by at least one recent natural disaster. For most, it was flooding and mudslides. For others, their village was transformed by drought, fires or other calamities.

When I asked what they did to help their community in the midst of past disasters, they said they didn’t know how other than to get animals and food to safety.

 They now know they’re responders, not simply victims. They’re part of the solution. 

During this disaster preparedness training, many things like this were emphasized:

Preparing their family for disasters

Preparing the people of their churches and villages for disaster

Assessing damage and resources when a disasters occur

Serving as resource people for the Red Cross and other organizations when disasters occur

Mobilizing to help across the country and region when disasters occur

Training others with the information they’re receiving

They’re excited about this week of training.

When the training is done, the men will work with our team to distribute food, blankets, clothing and other supplies to a village hit hard by flooding last fall. They’ll put their training to good use…

Please keep these great guys and this beautiful country in prayer.

Tomorrow, the tribe of slaves no more…

I’m in Nepal.

Fascinating. Old worldish. Beautiful. Religious. Smiling. Like nowhere on Earth.

This country is between the world’s two largest: India and China. Still, it’s never been conquered. Nepal is tough, powerful, proud, kind, and when necessary, fierce. I love it here.

Over the next week or so, I’ll share some thoughts, experiences, and insights I’ve gained during my time in this place.

I’ll also share about our Convoy of Hope interns who are in the midst of some incredible and important work.

First I wanted to share a bit about the country’s religious history. It’s an intersection of two of the world’s largest religions—Buddhism and Hinduism (with many Muslims as well). The founder of Buddhism was a Nepali man. The country is next to Tibet and contains numerous Buddhist Stupas (temples). Approximately 10% of the people are Buddhist and about 80% Hindu (about 1% are Christian). I’m learning that the Buddhist faith makes room for other beliefs and so often Buddhism/Hinduism are combined in various ways across Nepal.

With hopes of better understanding the Nepali people, we visited two of their largest Buddhist temples, the Boudhanath Stupa and the Swayambhunath Temple, also known as the Monkey Temple. At the Bouodhanath Stupa we saw thousands of people walking around the large statue of Buddha (and many smaller statues), spinning prayer wheels, burning incense, and offering sacrifices.

While the religion would take much more than a blog entry to explain, one element is their belief that the more prayers they pray the better off they’ll be in this life and their next. Hence, spinning these prayer wheels means (among other things) they’re praying many prayers and will have a better chance at a good life/afterlife.

I can’t help thinking about how many Christians think that “spinning wheels” somehow gets us closer to God. While faith without works is indeed dead, I’m thankful that salvation isn’t something I must earn…because I never could. I’m thankful for His grace and for redemption though Jesus.

We also visited one of the most “holy” Hindu temples in the world. I’ll share about it & one other place of worship tomorrow…it was a day we won’t forget.

(update, wrote this in Nepal, but just made it home)

During intern training, our team watched the movie, Born Into Brothels. In the Oscar winning documentary, kids from Calcutta’s Red Light District are given cameras and taught to use them. Out of the project, an organization called Kids with Cameras was born. We liked the idea.

Here’s how we used it: after school, 12 girls from Bangladsh go to Uttam’s Place, an oasis they can see from their home in the slums. There, they study, learn, play, laugh, eat, shower, wash their clothing and smile a lot.  Now, they’re kids with cameras who love to take pictures.

A key lesson they’re learning? There’s no one on earth like them…they’re unique, special, and there’s a pretty fantastic plan in the works for their lives. They’re learning some other key things too…

Our interns spent last week with them. We played, did crafts, shared songs and stories, ate and got to know them.

Getting to know the girls was insightful. One told me how her father is crippled. Another talked about her uncle recently dying. They’re all have their stories. They’re unique and they’re beautiful. They’re learning and having a blast at this special place.

Last week, they learned about photography and how like photos, each of them is unique and special. Smiles, laughter, interest, concentration, and joy infected each of these special girls. They took many, many photos and look forward to learning more.

The most frustrating part of the week? The stomach flu all 10 of us got. We’re better now, but not done with Uttam’s Place! The team goes back the next week…and even next month. I’ll post some of their photos when I get them.

We’ve taught the basics of taking pictures…and just started with a few details before getting sick.  Anything you think we should include in our future lessons?

Note: Many thanks Fred & friends at Lawrence Photo in Springfield, Mo.  They donated/gave great deals on cameras we took to the center that helps the girls.

Their region provides very little wood for fires and they use the resources available to them.

A pastor with whom we worked said if he and the people of his church could help their neighbors utilize something besides the norm for their fuel it would make a huge difference.

Chad, one of Convoy of Hope’s former interns, is in Armenia right now. Among his various projects, he’s helping these Yezide Kurds use something much better than cow poop to use as fuel. Coffee.

Java Logs are bricks made of coffee ground.  They’re not a new thing, but they are in the plateaus of the Caucas Mountains. Chad’s using local resources, including coffee grounds from area hotels and restaurants to test java logs with these great people.

He’s still working on the best local resource for the wax that helps keep the java logs together, but from what I’ve heard from him, overall things are going well.  Pray for the right wax combination and source so the project can spread across the area…

I love innovation.

What are some innovative things you’ve seen to help people where you live or around the world?

The churches have people bring some of their best produce to the altar of the church where they display it for all to see.  There’s then  a service with music, stories, preaching (sometimes by numerous people) and more music.  They thank God for what He’s provided, then they share what’s been brought with the people present.

Here’s Troy Darrin from last year’s service in Mihaileni.  That’s some BIG cabbage!

We got to be a part of numerous Thanksgiving services this year, like at this one in Beltsi (say it like, “Belts”):

I miss Moldova!

Most of our interns fall into the category often referred to as “young adults.”  Lola’s one of 2 over-40 interns we’ve had and she’s a great lady…and as far as I”m concerned, a young adult.  Last week, she became one of 2 “over-50″ interns as she spent her birthday helping people in Picayune, MS.

Here she is on her birthday.

Picayune, MS, is the site of the first Katrina response from Convoy of Hope.  The pastor and others in the city are wonderfully hospitable.  As we spent time in the city, we also saw extreme need…Lola is helping.

I love the story in Joshua 14 where Caleb, a man I picture as quite grizzled who’s the kind of guy that would eat beef jerkey for breakfast, tells Joshua what he thinks about his future,

¹⁰ “Now then, just as the LORD promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the desert. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! ¹¹ I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. ¹² Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the LORD helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.”

Lola’s not Caleb’s age…she’s got a long way to go, but I love it when people get stronger, more determined and more adventurous as they age. I want to be that way.

God called her, she stepped out in faith, her church is supporting her dream, and it’ll be fun to see what’s next for her.  Happy Birthday Lola!

He laughed about all of this.  We love Cody.

Here’s the link:

Pupusas are to El Salvador what hamburgers are to the USA or Fish & Chips is to the U.K. or Cuy (pictured below) is to Peru…well not exactly that, but close enough.

We had fun making them on Easter evening at Pastor Fabricio’s house.  Great day.  They’re made of rice or flour and are then stuffed with cheese, beans, loroco (a plant) or even fried pork…chicharon.  You can read more on wikipedia…the best source for news

Here are a few photos of the team, with a nice video for your viewing pleasure.

Yep…I’m in Guatemala.  About 48 hours ago, our trip to another country was abruptly cancelled.  Not an April fool’s joke either.  Still getting word as to reasons, but it’s beyond our control.  It’s a beautiful place full of special people…I hope I can get there someday.

Ever had a change of plans?  Ever stood there knowing things would work out, but you had no idea how or where or why or what or whatever?  Me…Monday night.

Prayer (over hot wings with Paul Walker…where I was when I got the call)

Understanding that God wasn’t shocked.

Cell phones, websites…surfing the web for airfares/etc. (with help from OneHope’s Kathryn and Shannon from our staff)

Prayer

Within two hours we booked a flight for the team to Guatemala.  We arrived an hour ago or so. We’ll have a short spiritual retreat while we coordinate with the Convoy of Hope staff in El Salvador, then we’ll head to that country.  It’s working out better than I could ever hope.  In a few days we’ll be working with refugees, a new church plant and in other places.  Thank God for God.

BTW:  The retreat will be here…a beautiful place for a team that’s been working very, very, very hard in Haiti to soak in what He’s been doing.  Please pray it will be a holy time that brings a much greater depth to each of our lives.  Sometimes when there’s day after day of work in a foreign place, we don’t stop and let what’s happening soak in and affect us like it should.  I’m praying that’s what happens over these few days.  We head to El Salvador Saturday.

 Life with Jesus isn’t boring.

 Here’s another shot of one of my favorite places on the planet…