Gary Weston - The World Race 2006

Taking the Gospel to the Streets

Tue, 12 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT

There we were at the corner of two dirt paths bustling with activity. The air was thick with smoke from nearby open fires and the smell of the corn and potatoes cooking upon them. Well-worn speakers blasted the sounds of Pastor Mike's keyboard, mixed with a heavy dose of static hiss, as another pastor led chorus after chorus of praise music. A crowd began to gather. Our "open-air" had begun.

An "open-air" is an outdoor revival-style program aimed at attracting a crowd and then sharing the Gospel with them. They are very common here in Kibera, but Saturday was he first one we had been a part of. All week long, we spent our mornings preparing dramas to present during the open-air. We talked about who would introduce dramas, who would share testimonies, who would preach. And now, the time had come.

As the pastors continued their choruses, I prayed for the Holy Spirit's touch. I asked God to be with us, in the midst of the crowd, touching hearts and bringing souls into relationship with Himself. This was the day of salvation.

After the singing, we presented our dramas interspersed with testimonies. Both dramas were original works created by fellow World Racers; one from our dear Laura, and one from Sarah Cruz of the Blue Team. Both dramas depict Jesus freeing people from various types of bondage and welcoming them into a new life with Him. Kim and Friske testified to the power of Jesus Christ in their lives, as their words were translated into Swahili by Pastor Jackson.

After all of this, I had the honor of preaching from God's Word. My plan had been to preach from John 3, Jesus' visit from the Pharisee Nicodemus. However, God had other plans. I started in John 3, but as soon as I touched on the necessity of being born again, I found myself launched into a bare-knuckled evangelistic plea. Propelled by the Spirit, I talked about how everything is insufficient to get us into heaven except for the blood of Jesus. I talked about how the Father stands with His arms wide open, waiting for us, desperately desiring for us, to come home to Him. I talked about the peace that comes with a relationship with Christ, and about how sin leads us to death, but God's free gift is eternal life for those who will give their lives to His Son.

As I spoke, I felt the weight of 2 Corinthians 5:20, which says: "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God." The Lord was imploring these people to be saved, and He was using me to do it.

At the conclusion of my time we gave an invitation to receive Christ, which was accepted by two men. We prayed with these men and rejoiced at the great miracle of salvation along with them.

But God was not through.

As more praise music played, I looked around and noticed that nearly every one of my teammates was engrossed in conversations with people in the crowd. I prayed for them, that God would use their words for His glory. I later found out that because of these conversations, four more people put their faith in Jesus that day.

While my friends ministered to the crowd, I was involved with one of the two men who came forward. He was a little inebriated, though not what one would call drunk. He told me some of his story; how his brother had died just a couple of weeks ago, and how he had left his own neighborhood hoping to find work on the other side of Kibera. He had no job, no family, nowhere to stay. He was scared. As he spoke, his glassy, red eyes filled with tears.

I couldn't find any words to comfort such pain. Not knowing what else to do, I embraced him and pulled his head to my chest. He wept and cried out to God for help, for relief. I prayed for him with everything in me.

After several minutes, he pulled his head away from my tear-soaked shirt. He said he had peace, and he was confident that God would provide. He also said he was glad to have become a child of God today.

It's moments like this that make all the stress, strain, and hassle of a trip like this worth it. To see God touch a life. To grieve with someone, to comfort them with the love of Jesus Christ. To be faithful in sharing the most important message that exists in life, the message that God loves you and wants a relationship with you. That is what this trip should be about. That is what life should be about.

So, as we were wrapping up with a couple more songs and some dancing, God gave us one more surprise. A Massai man happened up out of the crowd. He had not been present for the dramas or the preaching, but he heard the music and joined in the dancing. He danced with such joy and energy. And after several minutes, he told one of the pastors that he wanted to follow Jesus. The pastor was a little surprised, but overjoyed. He explained the Gospel to the Massai man in his language and asked if he understood and wanted to receive Jesus. He said he did.

So, within moments, our group was huddled around the Massai man as he knelt on the ground and gave his life to the Lord. God won him, not through preaching, but through rejoicing. He saw Christians rejoicing in their Savior and wanted to join them. Perhaps there's a lesson in that for all of us.

So, after one week of ministry, we have seen at least 15 confessions of Jesus Christ as Lord. The fields are indeed ripe for harvest.

A Breath of Fresh Air

Wed, 6 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT

It's so great to be here in Kenya. Finally, a chance to get away from the distractions that come with travel, tourism, and big-group living. Finally, a chance to pour myself into ministry. It's like a breath of fresh air!

It seems our main focus here will be evangelism, both through door-to-door visitations and open-air revival-style events. In addition to this, God is challenging us to love and care for the poor of Kibera, especially those who lack money for food and schooling for their children.

Yesterday was our first door-to-door experience. We went out in three groups, each with a pastor from the church we are working with, to visit people in their homes in a section of Kibera called Olympic.

As we walked there, one of the pastors ran into a woman who goes to his church. She asked him to come and pray for her, so he and a portion of our group went with her to her nearby home.

Meanwhile, Pastor Jackson and I began talking with a woman named Rebecca there on the street. Rebecca was a Catholic, but she said she did not know if she was saved. She said she wasn't sure that someone COULD know for sure. Pastor Jackson and I shared the Good News with her: that Jesus died for her sins, and that she could know she was headed for heaven for sure if she would only trust in Him for her salvation. After several minutes of discussion, Rebecca told us she desired to give her life to Christ.

We hadn't even got into the neighborhood we were targeting, and already the Holy Spirit was brining new believers into the Kingdom! What an awesome God we serve!

After arriving in Olympic, we prayed and split up into three groups. Katherine and I went with Jackson. We were supposed to spend an hour visiting homes and sharing the Gospel before meeting up at Jackson's church.

Well, our group spent more like two hours visiting homes, and in that time we saw another four people come to Christ. In fact, every non-believer we invited to accept Christ said, "Yes!" Every one of them! We also had the honor of praying for a couple of women who were believers in difficult circumstances. It was truly a day of blessings.

Please pray for these new believers: Rebecca, Caroline, Caroline, Stephen, and Edie. They need our prayers for protection from the Enemy and the support of local believers. Pray they come to church this Sunday.

On Saturday, we are supposed to be having an open-air event in this same neighborhood. We have spent our mornings all this week preparing dramas to present at the event. Please pray that everything would go smoothly with the event, and that many more would come to Christ through our meager efforts.

I'm so excited to see what will transpire in the weeks to come, and I humbly thank God for including Kibera in the path of discipleship He has me on.

Oh, and for those that don't follow college football, my Trojans KILLED their opponent and are now ranked third in the country. We're idle this week, so no Game Day preparations need be made. FIGHT ON, TROJANS!!

Fight On, Trojans!!

Fri, 1 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT

I know I'm a half a world away and all, but I would be remiss if I didn't take a minute to wish my beloved USC Trojan Football Team the best of luck in their latest bid to stand atop the world of college football...AGAIN.

We open our season Saturday night with an away game against the Razorbacks of Arkansas. If anybody back home thinks about taping it for me, they would make me very happy indeed. I will be sporting my USC gear (and not shaving) on Game Day, and I would advise my Trojan brethren worldwide to do the same.

Oh, and the picture? That's our new starting QB, John David Booty. He has waited in the wings for three years, and now he has his chance to show the world what he can do. And that he shall, on the way to yet another Pac-10 Championship, and maybe...just maybe...another National Title.

And now, please rise for the singing of our beloved fight song, "Fight On!"

Fight On for ole 'SC!
Our men Fight On to victory!
Our alma mater dear
Looks up to you!
Fight On and win for ole 'SC!
Fight On to victory!
Fight On!

In the Midst of Egypt

Tue, 29 Aug 2006 00:00:00 GMT

We're back in Cairo after ten days serving in Quissia, a rural town smack-dab in the middle of Egypt. We'll be here in Cairo for a couple of days of debrief and preparation before we head off to Kenya to begin our next phase of ministry.

Our time in Quissia was both challenging and interesting. I found it challenging because we were serving within the context of the Coptic Orthodox Church, a body with a long and treasured heritage, but unfamiliar ground for us Protestant folk to be sure. I found it interesting in that we were able to find a great deal of common ground: our love for our Savior, our gratefulness for His sacrifice, our desire to serve the body and to take care of orphans and the poor. In these, we were united with our Coptic brothers and sisters.

During our time there, we were fortunate enough to stay in the house of Bishop Thomas. The Bishop was very hospitable to us, and upon his return from a speaking tour of the U.S. and Canada, he made time to talk with our group, sharing his insights on church unity, what it is to truly be "in Christ," and the ever-increasing danger of the spread of Islam. I found the Bishop's thoughts on all of these topics thoroughly fascinating, and I'm quite sure that if he had continued to talk indefinitely, I would still be there listening.

On the topic of church unity, Bishop Thomas said that it's not about being identical, but about being united in spirit and in purpose. It doesn't matter that you worship one way and I worship another. What matters is that we are united in our desire to love and serve our Lord.

Amen, Bishop.

And it was in this spirit of unity and love that we served the people of Quissia during our time there. For me, I was blessed to work at a boys orphanage most mornings, and then I did a variety of other things in the evenings, including speaking at youth meetings, sharing stories from our travels, performing our drama, and leading a bible study.

I was even asked to teach a class on how to make a CV. My response was something like, "Sure, I'd love to. Just one thing, thoughwhat's a CV?"

Turns out a CV is a curriculum vitae, which is what speakers of British-English call a resume. I am something of an expert in this field, as at one point in my life I had six different jobs in five years. I wrote a LOT of resumes. The class had about thirty students in it, and it went pretty well. I even taught a second session on how to have a great job interview.

Throughout our visit, the Christians of Quissia were wonderful to us. Their hospitality and their eagerness to share fellowship with us were overwhelming, humbling, and very welcome. Thanks to everyone we met there.

As we stand on the verge of our final three months in the field, we are faced with some challenges. Money is beginning to become a distraction. Katherine and I are right on target (thanks again to all of you who contribute to make this work possible), but there are a few World Racers who still need additional support. And with some expensive travel costs on the horizon in Africa, the need is all the more immediate.

All of the American World Racers have decided to band together to make an effort to get every World Racer fully supported. We are currently about $16,000 away from this goal.

So, I ask you to consider making a donation to one of the World Racers who are the most in need (Ashley, Casey, Jessica Friske, Kim Kinsley, etc.). Go to their blogs, check out what God is doing in them and through them, and see if the Lord might move you to contribute to this work.

That's all for now, folks. Peace out.

Greece is the Word

Wed, 2 Aug 2006 00:00:00 GMT

This one was intended to be a post on the Red Team site, but we're locked out of that one at present. So, for the moment, the post resides here. -Ed.

As I'm sure you all know by now, our itinerary has changed. Due to ongoing hostilities in the Middle East, we have decided to reroute. So instead of retracing the steps of Jesus in Israel, we are retracing the steps of Paul across Greece and Turkey.

Our journey began a couple of days ago. We took overnight ferries from Split, Croatia, to Ancona, Italy, and then from there to Patra, Greece. The ferry to Patra was an interesting experience, as we ended up sleeping in our tents on the deck of the ship. We even had bible study out on the deck as the sun went down. How cool is that?

We arrived in Patra yesterday and spent the night there, and then journeyed by train to Corinth this morning. Of course, we paid a visit to the ancient city.

Ashley played the role of tour guide, since she visited Corinth two months ago. Her knowledge and passion for seeing the Scriptures come alive blessed us all.

We walked among the piles of ancient stones and fragmented columns, as the Acrocorinth - a huge mountain upon which the Temple of Aphrodite once stood - loomed over us. We tried to imagine what it must have looked like almost 2000 years ago when Paul walked these streets. As we strolled along the agora, we pictured the shops that once lined each side of it, among them perhaps the tent-making shop of Aquila and Pricilla that Paul worked in during his year and a half in Corinth (see 1 Cor 18).

We also saw the bema, a tribunal building in which Paul may have faced the Jews who accused him of blasphemous teaching.

As we stood in the town square and read the Scriptures, we came across one special passage in which God gave Paul a word of encouragement:

One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city." -- 1 Cor 18:8-9

God had many people in Corinth. They were our brothers and sisters. They walked these streets. And one day, we will get to meet them and hear their stories in heaven. What a blessing.

Lord, may we heed the word You spoke to Paul here in Corinth. Let us not be afraid, let us keep on speaking, let us never keep silent.

Now, on to Athens!

An Irish Memory for the Ages

Sat, 10 Jun 2006 00:00:00 GMT

It has only been a little over a week since we were in Ireland, and already I find myself missing it. What an extraordinary place! Katherine and I rented a tiny little euro-car and drove from town to town, exploring the southern half of the island.

But of all the beautiful things we saw, my favorite by far was a pile of rocks known as the Gallarus Oratory. This small beehive-shaped building is an ancient church. It was constructed sometime around 700 AD by early Christians, a part of a monastic settlement on the Dingle peninsula. Though it's 1300 years old, it's still watertight. Not bad for a stack of rocks.

But more extraordinary than the architectural achievement of it is the feeling you get standing inside of it. You can feel the weight of centuries. You can imagine all of the prayers uttered within those walls. You instantly connect to our long and beautiful Christian heritage.

Katherine and I took some time, to reflect, to pray, to thank God for leading us to this amazing place. I sat inside the oratory and prayed: for all the places we've been, and for all the places we have yet to go, for my teammates, for the Lord's Will to be done.

In America, we don't have a proper appreciation for the power and depth of our Christian heritage. But the truth is, people have been putting their faith in Jesus for centuries. Generation after generation, worshipping our Lord just as we do. We must see that we are a part of it; that we have our place in the history of the church. What are we doing with it? What will others say, generations from now, about the way we've lived out our faith?

Now is our time. Let's make the most of it.

Rising From the Ashes

Sun, 21 May 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Forgive me, Seth, for I have sinned. It's been over a month since my last blog post.

All kidding aside, I do owe an apology to all those who follow this blog. To put up a post detailing my spiritual suffering, and then to be silent for a month with no indication as to what's going on with me spiritually is less than cool. My bad.

I'm pleased to report that things are much better now. As soon as we arrived in india, the Lord began to speak to me again. Granted, most of what He had to say was reproach and correction, but I didn't care. I was just glad to hear His voice again.

Our month in india was fantastic. The highlight for me was a fourteen year old named Kohemson. It's my hope to write a lot about him, and the rest of my India experiences, in the days to come, so stay tuned.

But as for now, Katherine and I are in Cairo. Late tonight, we'll be heading to the airport to catch an early morning flight to London to begin our European adventure: Britain, Ireland, France, Germany and Italy. We have some ministry contacts in certain places, and we're looking and praying for others.

So, stick around and see what God does in us and through us in Europe. We're curious to find out ourselves.

Taking Time to Stop and Pet the Elephant

Fri, 21 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT

I had a real Job 40 moment a couple of days ago.

We were preparing to defeat the Brown Team at mini-golf, taking a few warm-up swings with our rubber-coated putters, when Paul calls out, "Um, guys? There's an elephant down here on the sidewalk."

I turned to look, and sure enough, there was not one, but two young elephants out in front of the mini-golf place, posing for pictures and being fed by the tourists. I couldn't resist the urge to go see for myself. Though it would delay the game a few minutes, I had to take time out for this unusual circumstance.

Within moments, I was standing face-to-face with a creature more than eight feet tall, watching it eat fruit from the hands of passersby, petting its trunk.

My mind immediately went to the words of God in the fortieth chapter of the Book of Job:

"Behold now, Behemoth, which I made as well as you; He eats grass like an ox.

Behold now, his strength in his loins And his power in the muscles of his belly.

He bends his tail like a cedar; The sinews of his thighs are knit together.

His bones are tubes of bronze; His limbs are like bars of iron."

--Job 40:15-18

Now, I am of the opinion that the Behemoth is actually a pre-flood brontosaurus, but that's a discussion for another time. The point here is that I was faced with this enormous animal, and I could only see the wonder of the Creator. What an imagination God has to make a beast this large and powerful, to place such destructive capability in its muscular trunk and in its thunderous feet, and then to make it use that awe-inspiring trunk to feed itself with fruit and plants.

But the wondrous imagination of the Creator is not only on display in the exotic and unusual. Consider the beauty and grace of the horse, the delicacy of the butterfly, or the perfection of the rose blossom. All of these are testimonies of the creativity, artistry, and passion of our God.

Don't miss these things. Don't let them pass you by. Take time to stop and pet the elephant.

Though, I wouldn't recommend smelling the elephant. For that one, stick to roses.

Crying Out in the Darkness

Fri, 21 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT

These past couple of weeks have been some of the most difficult I have thus far encountered on this trip. Though Phuket is filled with natural beauty, and though there are many fun things to see and do, none of that matters much, because I find myself overwhelmed by the spiritual darkness of this place.

For three weeks now, I have been unable to hear the voice of God. I do not feel His Presence here at all. Katherine observed that it seems like we checked the Holy Spirit at customs. Old sins and struggles and temptations have resurfaced here, warring against my soul in a constant and on-going battle. Hope is hard to find and even harder to hold onto.

Katherine and I have also struggled as a couple. For some reason, we have incredible difficulty communicating here (we believe it's spiritual in nature). This interference recently led to the biggest fight we've had in many months. We're okay now, but we are both very much looking forward to the day we leave this dark and disheartening place.

I don't like being the one to rain on the parade of sunshine and smiles that usually fills the pages of everyone else's blogs. But those who follow the World Race -- especially those of you who are considering applying for next year -- need to know the truth. This trip is hard. It's hard on emotions, hard on relationships, and hard on your spiritual life.

Of course, the fact that it's hard is part of what makes it great.

But nevertheless, in these dark days, I am learning to cry out along with the Psalmist

" Will Your wonders be made known in the darkness? And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? But I, O LORD, have cried out to You for help, And in the morning my prayer comes before You.

O LORD, why do You reject my soul? Why do You hide Your face from me?

--Psalm 88:12-14

Don't Believe the Hype

Thu, 13 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT

If you've been reading the blogs here on the WR site, then you've already heard blogger after blogger rave about the beauty and allure of the island we just finished spending four days on. They go on and on about the sun and the sand and how it's absolutely heavenly.

I'm here to set you straight.

Was the island pretty? Sure. Very pretty, in fact. But I, for one, certainly hope it's no indication of what is to come upon the Golden Shore of heaven.

Consider a few points that underscore the differences between the island and our hope in heaven:

Humidity - Every time you see someone in a picture on a white-sand Thailand beach, remember that they are probably covered in sweat. 95 degrees and 85% humidity? Not my idea of paradise.
Overrated Beaches - Sure, the sand is white and the ocean's blue. It's the beach. That's what it's supposed to look like. But I've seen beaches in California that are twice as pretty and half as humid. The island's beaches just don't compare with La Jolla, or Venice Beach, or Santa Barbara, much less heaven.
Too Much Ocean - For someone who doesn't swim and doesn't really like the beach, there's very little to do on an island. Except lie around and sweat. Which is what I did.
Critters - When I get my mansion in heaven, I'll be sorely disappointed if I'm visited by large rats who run through the gaping holes in the roof to rummage through my belongings and eat my bread.
Strange Effects on Katherine and Me - For whatever reason, the entire time we were on the island, I was incredibly irritable with Katherine, and she was incredibly oversensitive with everything. We believe there was something spiritual going on there, because as soon as we were back on the mainland we were back to normal. Very strange, and a good reason never to go back.

So, my friends, do not be snookered by the World Race blog hype machine. The island was very beautiful, and the ministry work we did there was valuable in reaching a people who do not know Christ.

But the hyperbolic statements that have appeared on this website about our "days in paradise" are a little over the top.

Luckily, you have me to set you straight.

Bangkok Leftovers

Thu, 13 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Katherine and I didn't get to share our adventures back in Bangkok with you all, so here's something I've been meaning to post for a week or so.

Think of it as a blogging meatloaf: sure, it's not as fresh as it was a few days ago, but if you reheat it and put some barbeque sauce on top, it's still pretty tasty.

Anyway, back in Bangkok, Katherine and I took a day to venture up the river and see some sights in the older section of downtown. Among the things we decided to check out was Wat Something-or-Other, an ancient Buddhist temple that features a huge statue of Buddha in a reclining position. He's sort of laying on his side with his head propped up on his elbow.

Laura refers to this pose as the "Sexy Buddha," which amuses me.

We bought a ticket to see this thing, and I was thinking, I've seen some big Buddhas on this trip already. What's going to be so cool about this one?

It was about that time that I turned the corner, entered the temple, andwhoa!

Holy Indiana Jones! That thing is enormous!

I know it probably doesn't come through in the pictures, but this thing was huge. Trust me, I was there.

We walked around the Temple of Doom for a while, noticing the intricate artwork. The Buddha's feet are inlaid with detailed mother-of-pearl engravings. Every wall surface of the temple is covered in beautifully painted murals.

I reflected on the level of craftsmanship involved in creating all of this, the long, tedious hours of painting tiny little details on a wall three stories above the ground. I expected that pity for the laborers would surface in my heart, because their hours of labor were in vain: fruitless gifts to non-existent gods. But instead, I found myself admiring them a little. What devotion they must have had. What oneness of purpose. What a hunger to please the one they worshipped.

We aren't like that so much. We get upset when our worship service runs fifteen minutes over. We look for ways to keep from doing extra work at church. The idea of spending hours doing tediously repetitious tasks in the service of our Lord would make most of us cringe and run the opposite direction.

Why is that? Could it be that these ancient Buddhists were more devoted to their fake god than we are to the Real One?

Lord Jesus, light a fire in your people to love You more, and teach us to pour out our lives in serving You. Amen.

On the Service of Our Lord

Sat, 25 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT

I was reading in Luke today, and something struck me that I need to share. I was reading Zechariah's prophecy at the birth of his son, John the Baptist. In that passage, Zechariah praises God for rising up a horn of salvation, which He will do with the forthcoming birth of Jesus. But in praising God, Zechariah lists among the reasons God is bring Christ into the world the following:

"to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. --Luke 1:72-75

The words that caught my eye are, to enable us to serve Him without fear. Jesus came so that we might serve God, not so we might enjoy Him, or so we might get everything out of Him we can, or to give us happy and safe lives.

The picture painted by these words is one of a servant whose life is not his own; to live at the beck and call of the Master, and to live out this lifestyle in the holiness and righteousness made available to us only through Christ.

I feel like so many of the believers I know are content to accept the righteousness part for themselves, and to try to do the holiness part when it's not too hard and doesn't demand too much. But to turn over our very lives to God, to say, "Not my will, but Yours be done," is a little more than most believers are willing to do.

Katherine's latest post hits this point right on the head. Her challenge is a real one. If God called you to sell your house, quit your job, and move to China to serve Him, would you do it?

Really now, would you?

Would you even hear His voice if He called you, or would it be drowned out by the business, the obligations, the hubbub of everyday life?

My friends, the time has come for us to stop and question why we are even living everyday lives in the first place. God's goal is not to help you survive the rat race. His goal is to help you leave the rat race behind.

Let us put first things first for a change. Let's be more concerned with God's glory than our own comfort and safety. Let's pour out our hearts, our souls, and our very lives in the service of our Lord.

It's more than a challenge. It's what we were made for.

Reflections on Being a Rock Star

Wed, 22 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT

We have just completed six days in Won Gai, a mostly Muslim city in Northwest China. Amazingly, we didn't minister to Muslims at all, but rather to the Han Chinese. For whatever reason, God opened up doors among the Han, so we just walked right through them.

At any rate, we ended up speaking to 800 teenagers studying English, and we shared with them the reasons for Easter and Christmas, and Katherine taught them all to sing "Jesus Loves Me, This I Know" in English. This launched our rockstar lifestyle. After the assemblies, we were mobbed by adoring teenage fans wanting autographs. Terrific, I though to myself. Another opportunity to tell them that God loves them, and this one a lasting ink impression they will take home. Perfect.

I underestimated the power of the crowd. They mobbed us in droves, swarming around us like jackals on a downed caribou. Within moments, I was completely hemmed in, little Chinese bodies pressing into me from all sides, their notebooks and pens completely obscuring my field of vision. At one point, I had to stop signing completely because I could no longer even see the notebook I was writing in. This was popularity on a scale I had never experienced before. I had become a celebrity.

The glow of fame lasted most of the week, though not at such a frenzied pitch. As we walked down the street, local teens would elbow their friends and stare at us. The braver ones actually came up to us and introduced themselves in English. We even had one pair of girls engage us in the lobby of our hotel. (We would end up spending much of the week with her, and we later gave her the English name, Hannah.)

But this experience of fame has bothered me somewhat over these last few days. To be sure, our speaking at the school planted seeds in the hearts of our hearers about what foreigners are like, about how Christians conduct themselves, and most-importantly, about the all-surpassing love of God for everyone in that room. It also helped us forge great relationships with the English teachers we spent so much time with all week. So clearly, I would not take back anything we did or said at the school.

I just wonder, did we miss something? Did we fail to capitalize on the celebrity status the students bestowed upon us? Should we have seized the moment and evangelized our adoring fans on the spot? Or would that have been distasteful, and would it have torn asunder the good reputation we had been so careful to earn among them?

At this point, I can only pray that God would bring a permanent Christian presence to Won Gai. There is an opportunity for a foreign teacher at the school, if only we can find someone willing to go, to be salt and light in a community that currently lacks both.

Just for My Kung-Fu Lovin' Homies

Wed, 22 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT

While I'm blowing the dust off of the old personal blog, I can't resist posting these pics. I realize that this was during our visit to Hong Kong, which was weeks ago, but I still get all fired up when I see these.

If you love the kung-fu like I do, then I know you'll dig 'em.

How cool is that! Wooooo!

Video Report: Meeting Miguel

Fri, 24 Feb 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Meeting Miguel

^ Click the play button above to start

More Excerpts from My Journal

Sun, 5 Feb 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Here are a few thoughts and observations from my journal about the time we spent in Comalteco. This blog continues to lag about two weeks behind.

Anyway, enjoy.

Monday, January 23, 2006 Day 17

It's raining here. Has been all day.

What's really funny about that is, yesterday we gave our laundry to Carlos' sister Marta who volunteered to wash it all by hand for us. This is a generous offer, no doubt, but in a short-sighted move on my part, I included in my laundry package all of my pants.

So, I am wearing my cargo shorts and my beanie, in the rain.

Yep, it's a funny picture alright.

Anyway, yesterday it wasn't raining. In fact, the weather was great. Kinda balmy, overcast, and in the mid-seventies. Can't complain about that in January.

We attended Pedro's church here in Comalteco, which is about 15 feet from my bed. The service was at noon, which I liked a lot. It was nearly three hours long, which I liked somewhat less. I was very honored that Pedro invited me to preach at his Sunday service, though I was somewhat concerned about picking a theme that would stand up to linguistic and cultural translation. I preached on what the church is and what it is not; that the church is not a place, but a people, not where we go, but who we are. I charged the people with the commission Jesus gave in Acts 1, that they are to be his witnesses in Comalteco, and in all of Mirador and Garranchos, and to the very ends of the earth. I hope they will remember it after we leave, but who can say for sure.

After church, we played volleyball with some of the local teenagers. I stink at volleyball, but being tall enough to just stuff the ball at the net is fun. People here think I'm a giant. It's kinda cool.

Anyway, this morning the rain started and so we adjusted our ministry plans a little. We hung around the house until lunch, and then went off to minister. Of course, most of our ministry here has consisted of going to people's houses for meals. The people here have been so anxious to host us that we've nearly been at a different house every day for lunch and a different house every day for dinner. I would never eat this much normally, but this is for the ministry, so I'm trying to find the room somewhere.

After dinner, we nearly cashed it in and went home because of the rain, but Katherine really wanted to visit with some people since this is the first ministry day she's been out of the bed. So, we headed to the house where we've been meeting in the driveway each night, and we found that Cris, the man of the house, was just finishing putting up a giant tarp to cover the entire driveway and stringing a couple of light bulbs inside it. It was like a giant tent in the rain. Carlos said we'd wait around until 5:00 to see if anybody showed up. If no one did, we'd still head home.

By 5:15, we had nearly thirty people inside the tent. All clapping, singing, and praising the Lord together. It was cold and raining, and yet we had more people there than at any meeting so far. Praise God! It was also kind of interesting because Pedro wasn't there. So Juan Carlos led everything, and it became a little more his church tonight because of it. He preached an awesome message on listening to the voice of the Lord. Many people came up afterward seeking prayer, and so we laid hands on them and prayed for them. Many knelt in the mud. I don't know if I know anyone back home who would do that to be closer to the Lord.

We may have started off a little rough, but we're getting our feet under us now. This church plant is going to soar. The people pray with such vigor and authority, and the community of believers is strong. God's going to do some really amazing things here in the next couple of years. It's exciting to think I will have played some small part in it's birth.

I guess we're doing some good here after all.

Tuesday, January 24, 2006 Day 18

More rain, more meals, and another meeting tonight. There were 43 people at the meeting tonight, including ten brand new faces. Most of them were young people - teenagers actually. Carlos talked to them about the youth group he wants to start eventually on Saturdays, and it sounded like they agreed to come back tomorrow night for the fiesta. Meeting these teenage guys made me miss the youth group back home.

God's funny. I come all this way, leaving my youth group at home and tearing my heart out in the process, and the people I'm most attached to here are teenagers. Carlos has a young guy named Christian that he refers to as his "disciple." The kid is thirteen and he's just a kick. He and I joked around most of the day today. We played UNO this afternoon with Carla and another young guy. The irony of playing UNO with Spanish speakers was not lost on me.

Tonight while we were singing, I had a vision. It was a church near the ocean, but not on the beach. Kind of elevated, like a hill or a cliff or something. And Katherine and I were there overlooking the ocean, and a crowd of people were behind us. I couldn't see whether they were kids or adults or what, but it was a huge crowd. I don't know what it means at all, but I know I'm going to talk to Andrew Sherman and Seth Barnes at the end of this thing to see if they understand it.

Tomorrow, we're concluding our efforts with a big fiesta. There's supposed to be live music and dancing, but I don't know how that's going down if the rain continues. Guess we'll see tomorrow. Then Thursday is a day off, when we'll probably go to the ruins to worship and pray, and then Friday morning we leave for Palenque. Actually, for Tabasco, where we'll stay the night with Carlos' friends before heading into Palenque Saturday.

That's the plan anyway. With us, you never really know for sure.

Thursday, January 26, 2006 Day 20

Today was a good day. We spent it visiting the ruins at Tajin and getting in a little internet time in Poza Rica. We also had hamburgers for lunch, which rocked pretty hard.

The ruins were kind of a letdown. I expected to feel something, because of the age of the place, or because of the pagan rituals that went on there, or something. But I didn't. I was expecting a stronghold of ancient evil and all I got was a bunch of piles of old rocks.

The truth is, there is no power in that place. Any power that may have been there at one time has long since died out, succumbed to the tourists and archeologists. It's still a pretty impressive pile of rocks, but that's all it is.

The best part of today, however, had nothing to do with Tajin. After we returned home, Miguel came by to ask us to come over and pray for his family. Miguel is a fifteen-year-old who God has put in my heart. I told him about my daydream, about meeting a young man named Miguel and telling him of God's love and plans for his life. He's a special young man.

As I knelt at the foot of his mother's bed and prayed for her health (she's battling some sort of intestinal disorder), my heart broke for Miguel and his family. I cried, and I asked God to bless them and watch over them. But what really struck me were Miguel's prayers. I heard him pray that God would continue to change him, that the changes that were taking place in his life, even in the last week, would be permanent. I heard him pray that God would take care of his family and lighten their burdens. I heard him pray about wanting more of God.

Oh Lord, be with this young man and guide him in the way he should go. I pray that he never forgets Your great love for Him.

Jungle Boogie

Sun, 5 Feb 2006 00:00:00 GMT

My experiences both in Southern Mexico and here in Guatemala seem to confirm something in my heart: I really love being in the jungle.

In Palenque, we toured Aguazul, an awesome series of waterfalls. My favorite part? The jungle that surrounds the river.

At the ruins at Palenque, we saw ancient buildings and learned all about the Mayans. My favorite part? Tromping through the jungle at the end of the tour. I swung on a vine, walked across the top of temples buried for centuries, and smelled the leaves of trees that produce natural Ben Gay. How cool is that?

Yesterday, we climbed the San Pedro Volcano. The view at the top was incredible. My favorite part? The cool of the jungle at over 9000 feet.

I dont know what it is. Maybe the novelty of an actual jungle, since we have none in California. Maybe the lush greenery. But whatever it is, the jungle stirs something in my heart. I am definitely going to try to soak it in as much as possible over this next month in Guatemala.

My Account of Our Attempt at the Race

Sat, 21 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT

I've been neglecting my personal blog in favor of more posting on the Red Team blog, so to make up for it, I thought I'd post my journaling or the adventure from Matamoros to Comalteco. It's long, but it's quite a story.

Enjoy...

What a strange and wonderful journey it has been so far. The trip from Matamoros to Veracruz was supposed to be about 16 hours of driving, but ours didn't really work out that way. It seems our van had one problem after another, resulting in stop after stop and repeated searches for mechanics in various places. Five mechanics and $85 later, we have repacked brakes, a resealed thermostat, a thoroughly cleaned-out radiator, a nonleaking fuel line, and two new fuel filters. It's far more work than one could get in the U.S. for $85, but it's taken up a lot of our time and attention.

Even so, I'm grateful for what has happened to us. Every stop, every repair, was an opportunity to share the love of Christ with someone. After about four hours in the car with stops every 40 minutes to put more water in the radiator, we pulled over, in danger of overheating again. We looked up to find that we had stopped right in front of a sign for a mechanic's shop. The mechanic turned out to be a Christian man named Abraham. He was a new believer who had accepted Christ when another Christian had broken down in front of his shop and presented him with the Gospel. Abraham thought the problem was our thermostat, which he resealed for us. He didn't charge us, because he considered a gift to the Lord to aid a group of missionaries on their way to minister in the interior of Mexico . We asked if he'd allow us to pray for him, and he agreed. He asked us to pray for his son, who drinks too much, which we were very happy to do.

So then, we were back on the road. But Abraham's thermostat seal didn't resolve the problem for us. We still had to stop every 40 minutes or so for more water in the thermostat. We also couldn't drive more than 35 miles an hour or we'd overheat immediately.

As you can imagine, this slowed our progress considerably.

So, by the end of our travel day, we had only made it to Tampico , which is about halfway between Matamoros and Veracruz . We found a cheap hotel in Tampico , ate some dinner, and crashed out.

The next morning, we went in search of yet another mechanic who could fix our radiator. There was a mechanic's shop next door to our hotel, but they didn't do radiators. They recommended a place for us to go, but the directions were confusing and we got lost. Frustrated and overheating again, we pulled into a gas station for refills of gas and water. There, a man pointed us to a radiator shop less than two blocks away. We very excitedly headed there, and we were not disappointed. The repair took some time (about three hours), but the result was a very thorough cleaning of our radiator (which was COMPLETELY plugged up), a new radiator cap, and a couple of gallons of coolant, all for $40. In the U.S. , it might have been five times that price. So the lesson is, if you're going to break down, do it in Mexico . It's much more affordable.

So, we were back on the road againfor an hour or so. Then, the engine began cutting out in short bursts. This continued for several minutes, and finally, it cut out entirely. We had been driving through a very rural area with no shoulders on the road or anything, but just as the engine was cutting out, we were limping into a small town. Once again, God was looking out for us in our distress.

At a nearby gas station we met Arturo, who helped us considerably. At first, we thought it might be that we had purchased bad gasoline. So, Arturo and Juan Carlos siphoned the gas out of our tank and into some large tankards we borrowed from the gas station. We then put in new gas from our reserve can, and Arturo also fixed a small crack he found in our fuel line. We fired it up and were on our way again.

By this point in was very late in the day, and we knew we couldn't make it to Veracruz . So, we decided to set our sights on Poza Rica, a smaller city where Juan Carlos has some family. If we could make it there, we could spend the night with his aunt and uncle, and we'd also eat a home-cooked dinner, which sounded pretty great to us.

So, about 20 kilometers short of Poza Rica, the engine cut out again. It sputtered and surged, and then it died. Right on the side of a large hill. In pitch black darkness.

"What am I doing," I thought to myself. "I'm way over my head here. I'm stuck on a Mexican highway with no shoulders in a van God told me to buy that keeps breaking down at the end of the second day of what was supposed to be a day-and-a-half journey, and we're STILL no where close to Veracruz."

We decided to pray. We asked God to help us make a good decision as to whether we should try walking along the highway, sleeping in the van, or camping beside it. We asked Him to protect us. Most of all, we just praised Him. We decided as a group that our praise for God would not be contingent on things always working out the way we wanted them to.

I was reminded of Joseph. He did the right thing, time and again, and his situation in life just continued to get worse. He was sold into slavery and thrown into prison, and yet the Lord was with him the entire time. As Andrew Sherman taught us just a few days ago, God is more interested in your character than your circumstances.

So, we praised Him. We said, "Hallelujah Anyway." And just as we were about to start walking, Sarah suggested that I give the engine one more try.

It fired right up.

We jumped into the van and began singing praises to God, asking Him for the grace of just 20 more kilometers to get to Poza Rica and safety for the night. And we made itsort of. We made it into Poza Rica, anyway. But t he van broke down again before we made it to Juan Carlos' aunt's house. Juan Carlos suggested that maybe we should have been more specific in our prayers. After another rest break, the van fired up once more, and we made it to the house.

Upon our arrival, we met many of Carlos' relatives: grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. They received us warmly and sat us down to dinner, pork in a chile sauce with black beans, homemade rice, and tortillas. It was absolutely delicious.

So, we stayed the night there and spent the nest morning fixing the vanagain. Carlos knew of a mechanic in the colonia, and he quickly diagnosed our problem. The fuel filters were nearly completely clogged, preventing gas from getting to the engine. He replaced them both while Katherine and I waited. The repair cost us a total of $18 for parts and labor.

By this point, this portion of the race was pretty well over. To go from Poza Rica to Veracruz would take four more hours, and then to get to our ministry site, another 5 hours. It would be another whole day of travel, and a whole day of ministry lost. And seeing as we'll only have about ten days to minister before we have to leave for our debrief, we decided it would be better to just scrap this portion of the race and head for our ministry site, a mere hour and a half from Poza Rica. We called the AIM office and told them of our plans. They agreed that we should proceed to the ministry site, and that the Road Rules Committee would have to come up with a suitable penalty.

Giving up on the race was a challenge for me. I guess I had more pride tied up in winning than I thought I did. But it was a good decision. It demonstrated that, though our team is competitive as can be, we also value the ministry more than the game. I feel good about that.

So we rolled into Carlos' hometown of Comalteco late in the afternoon Tuesday. We're staying with his father and mother. His father is a pastor here, and his house is built just behind his church. It's a two-room house, constructed of cinderblocks, and plastered and painted on the outside. One room is a bedroom with two full-size beds in it. The other room has a kitchen area and another full-size bed in one corner. This is where the pastor and his wife usually sleep, but they've given up their bed for Katherine and me. The pastor and his family are sleeping inside the church, and have given us their beds and the full use of their house. We are humbled by their generosity and hospitality.

Last night, we went for a walk around the pueblo and talked of our plans for ministry this week. We're planting a home church in a nearby pueblo called Mirador. Our plan is to spend several hours each day going door to door, visiting with the people, telling them about the love of Christ, and inviting them to our meetings. Then each evening, we'll meet together for prayer and worship, breaking bread together, and teaching from the Bible. We pray we will reach many for the Lord there.

So far, the home visits and meetings are going very well. If we could just stay healthy... Being sick and far from home is terrible, but at least we know why we're here. And that's blessing enough for me.
So far, the home visits and meetings are going very well. If we could just stay healthy... Being sick and far from home is terrible, but at least we know why we're here. And that's blessing enough for me.

As you can imagine, this slowed our progress considerably.

So, by the end of our travel day, we had only made it to Tampico , which is about halfway between Matamoros and Veracruz . We found a cheap hotel in Tampico , ate some dinner, and crashed out.

So, about 20 kilometers short of Poza Rica, the engine cut out again. It sputtered and surged, and then it died. Right on the side of a large hill. In pitch black darkness.

So, we praised Him. We said, "Hallelujah Anyway." And just as we were about to start walking, Sarah suggested that I give the engine one more try.

It fired right up.

Everything in Matamoros "Esta Bien"

Tue, 10 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT

The last couple of days have been filled with training, worship, planning, and even a little bit of actual ministry. To find out what our team has been up to, check out the Red Team blog here. As for my personal blog, I'm going to try to communicate what I'm thinking and feeling as we do the things we do. Also, please be aware that I'm having some technical difficulty in posting pictures on this blog, but I hope to be back in full operation soon.

So, here we go.

Every morning, we have an hour of quiet time, followed by a worship and debrief time during which we praise God through song and share what He's laid on our hearts. It's a rich time with the Lord every day. If only I could slow down like this at home to find two hours a day to spend with the Lord! What a difference it makes!

Today was terrific. After our worship time this morning, we finished up a training on church planting and cultural awareness that we started last night. The training totally jived with the things I've been thinking about how the church is not a place you go, but a group of people with a common mission: to glorify God in all the earth. If we have no building, we'll start a church in a house. If we have no house, we'll start a church under a tree. It doesn't matter where we meet. The important thing is that God's people gather together to glorify Him and share His love with others.

After lunch, we were sent out to do some ministry. Each team was sent to a different colonia (which is what neighborhoods are called in Mexico) to talk and pray with people. You can read the details of what we did on our team blog, but what really struck me was the peace with which the Christians we met live their lives. These are people who for the most part are building their own houses out of wood pallets and scrap metal. They have no running water, no power, no pavement on the roads, and yet they carry with them an abiding trust that God will see them through.

How is it then that back in the U.S. we have it so much easier and yet we have so much more anxiety? Judging by availability of modern conveniences, we should have so much more freedom, so much more "leisure time." And yet, we're busier, more stressed, and less free in nearly every imaginable way.

Could it be that we have filled our lives with business and junk to the point that we no longer have any life at all? Could it be that we all need to unplug, slow down, and take a breath or two?

I've noticed that many of the people here have a saying that pops up in response to almost any situation. They say, "Esta bien." Literally, it means "it is well," but it really comes across more like "it's okay." The remarkable thing is how frequently it pops up.

You drop a plate and break it? Esta bien. Our plans have to change at the last minute? Esta bien. I have to build my own house using whatever scrap materials I can find? Esta bien.

No matter what it is, esta bien. We would do well in the U.S. to say, "esta bien" a little more often, and "but what about (blank)" a little bit less.

Finally Beginning the Journey

Sat, 7 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT

We made it. It's been a long, hard struggle, but we're here in Matamoros, Mexico, the site of our training for the World Race.

To think that just this morning we awoke in my mom's house in Southern California, only to see this day carry us hundreds of miles away to begin this grand adventure. It's somehow not quite real yet.

Today was mostly about getting here; our real training and orientation begins tomorrow. But even so, there is much to take in from this first day.

This afternoon, as we flew from Houston to Brownsville on a tiny little puddle-jumper plane, I began reading Epic by John Eldredge. I have a group of guys back home who I've been reading and discussing John Eldredge books with for more than a year now. Really to say that doesn't do them justice. They're much more than a group of guys. They're my brothers, my comrades in arms, the guys who've got my back spiritually. Anyway, they've decided to read Epic next, and I thought that since I can't be there with them, I'd at least read along with them on my trip.

Anyway, the book starts with a quote from The Lord of the Rings, in which Sam wonders aloud, "I wonder what sort of tale we've fallen into?" That's exactly how I feel. It's as though I've awoken inside some amazing story that God is telling. I'm eager to see what happens next!

Okay, so now for some details. Katherine and I are staying in the home of a local couple named Roberto and Olga. They are wonderfully warm people, and though they speak no English, they're instant affection for us shines right through. They've given us their guest room, pictured here. It's humble, but for the next eight or nine days, it's home.

It was great to meet up with the other Racers again. It seems we're all in the same condition: exhausted, excited, and eager to get started. We took team pictures, which should be up on the team pages, so go check those out and see the people you're praying for.

That's enough for Day One. Please pray for all the World Racers during our training, especially that God would speak to us regarding His vision and plans for the year.

More to come

Officially Homeless

Sat, 31 Dec 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Yesterday, our escrow closed. Our house is completely sold. Katherine and I are now officially homeless.

It's an odd set of circumstances I find myself in: no house, no job, no mailing address. Kind of like college, 10 years later.

I expected that I would experience a certain level of trepidation in selling our little house, or at the very least, sadness. After all, this was our first house, the one we dubbed "Beth Ahav" (House of Love, in Hebrew). Katherine and I rebuilt the backyard fence together, planted a lawn together, painted the laundry room "blue, like clean" together. This was our little corner of Sacramento. Surely, I'd feel something at the thought of letting it go.

And now that the day is here, I do feel something, but not what I expected.

I feel a sense of peace, a sense of excitement, knowing that God will take care of us and looking forward to seeing what He will do.

I feel victorious, in that God challenged me to sell my house to follow after Him on the World Race, and though saying "it was hard" is a huge understatement, Katherine and I did it.

I feel a sense of freedom, knowing that possessions will not keep me from doing the things the Lord would have me do.

And finally, I feel a sense of relief. There have been many struggles for us related to the sale of the house and the packing of our stuff, it feels great to finally, at long last, be done with it.

Now, we're spending some time with family and attending to some last minute details. It's only one week away, and yet it can't get here soon enough.

Last-Minute Encouragement

Thu, 22 Dec 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Phil and Zana Dirksen are a wonderful couple from our church who spent many years in D.R. Congo working as medical missionaries. Phil is a surgeon here in Sacramento, and a member of our church's Pastoral Leadership Team.He and Zana spend six-weeks every yearbackin D.R. Congo, taking with themlarge shipments of donated medical equipment and supplies for the medical clinic and nursing school they started there.

Monday night, Phil and Zana had us over for dinner to talk about the six-week mission trip they just returned from, and the eleven-month mission trip Katherine and I are about to begin. We had good food and great conversation, filled with practical wisdom and encouragement. Toward the end of the evening, they gave us a gift; little black calendars, with a hand-selected Scripture for each of us written in the front cover, and a reminder that Phil and Zana will be praying for us every Friday while we're gone.

Phil picked Psalm 18:30 for me, which says:
"As for God, his way is perfect;
the word of the LORD is flawless.
He is a shield
for all who take refuge in him."

Knowing that you have good people like the Dirksens standing with us, praying for us, and cheering us on makes it a little easier to face the challenges that lie ahead. I'm humbled by their love for us, and I hope we do them proud.

Only sixteen days until we leave for Matamoros!

The View From a Distance

Tue, 13 Dec 2005 00:00:00 GMT

In just a couple of months, we'll be in Guatemala, sitting beside Lake Atitlan, giving praise to God for the ministry He has called us to. It seems a world away right now, and yet picturing it gives my heart hope.

Lord, grant me the strength to do the things I must in these last few days before our departure, and help me to not lose sight of Your Glory.

By Way of Introduction...

Wed, 7 Dec 2005 00:00:00 GMT

This is a very exciting moment for me. You see, this is my very first post on the blog I'll be using to chronicle our adventures during the 11 months of Adventures in Missions' first-ever World Race. It's a test-drive of sorts, but it's also something of a christening; I feel like kicking the tires and breaking a bottle over the bow, all at once.

I guess I should start with a little about me.

I live in Sacramento with Katherine, my wonderful wife and ministry partner for the last 6 and a half years. We moved here from Southern California after graduating from USC, where we met, became friends, and fell in love. Our marriage is an incredible blessing from God, and I couldn't imagine tackling a trip like the World Race without my Ever-Lovin' Wife by my side. (Check out her personal blog, Still Small Voice.)

Professionally, I've spent the last six years working in and around the California Legislature. I've worked for various State Senators, the Assembly Republican Caucus, the State Board of Education, and even Governor Schwarzenegger. But none of these jobs means anything to me compared with the opportunity to seek and serve the Lord. It's my desire that this trip would be my segue into full-time ministry.

Katherine and I have led a junior high youth group together for the last five years, through which we have become increasingly engrossed in youth ministry. Now we work in both junior high and high school, and though we have no children of our own, we feel as though we have twenty of 'em. And they're all teenagers! Yikes!!

Our hearts have burned to be a part of the World Race from the moment we heard about it. This is actually one way we knew it was from the Lord, because we don't have a lot of missions experience, nor are we world travelers. We're simply people who love the Lord, and who are willing to do whatever it takes to serve Him.

If you want to know more about me, you can read my personal blog, Cognitive Dissonance, by clicking here.

I hope this blog encourages and challenges you in the months to come. Please pray for us as we make our final preparations over this last month in the States, and stay tuned for all of the exciting World Race action!

Let the Race Begin!!