I Really Need A Camera

Truth is, I have a camera, but it's too big to carry around all the time. So, I'm asking Santa for a really thin, almost credit card size digital camera so when I tell these stories, I can have a camera in my pocket at all times to snap a picture. Because without the camera, the story is not quite the same.....

We're riding down this country road back from a place called Bobita. The road is rough to say the very least, but well traveled by kids walking to school and back home again. Remember the stories of your parents walking miles (up hill both ways) to get to school? Well, if they live in the country in the DR, the stories are true. Lots of walking.

So, we're riding along, and it's starting to drizzle a little, and we're on our way back from Bobita. Me, Kevin, and Zoi, the our doberman pinscher (who's full grown by now, but still really cute). Keep in mind most Dominican's are really really afraid of dogs. Even nice ones. Which "nice" is the way I would now describe Zoi. She's been around so many people, she's hardly a good guard dog. Just loves people. But to look at her, you wouldn't know that.

So, we pull up to these kids (ages probably like 8, or 10, or so), 3 of them along the road as it's dizzling rain, to see if they want a ride. And Zoi's in the back seat, basically laying down on the seat, out of site. I begin to think, this is going to get very funny. We do the usual offering them a ride and their eyes light up because a ride in a car is a very very good day especially when it's raining (them still not seeing my "surprise" in the back seat). So, I tell them okay, and I reach behind and open the back door.

Just as I open it, they all see the surprise lying on the seat, and almost in perfect harmony, all 3 kids SHRILL!!! No way! They're not getting in the back of the car with that thing!!! I'm laughing the whole time. Too funny. Zoi's just happy to have the potential for some company (she's always acting attention starved).

We finally convince the kids to get in the car; no easy feat. Very cautiously, very slowly the three kids enter the car. Eyes dead on the dog. But, also brave, if you ask me, that they get in. Zoi immediately starts her "LOVING" thing, and just as quickly they realize that my words "amable" are true. Amable means nice in Spanish.

We're now back on track headed down the road and now the kids are totally relaxed and starting to chatter. (of course I have no idea what they're saying). But, I glance back and Zoi is practically lying across the lap of two kids, head sprawled down just as gentle as a lamp, and the kids are petting her head in their lap. It was Zoi's finest moment. Cute as could be. She look up with her cute doggy eyes, keeping her head in the kids lap, with that look of "thanks Dad, these kids are great". And they, the kids, look at me as well with that, "Hey, you're right, this is a nice dog." And now stories of their dogs start flooding the car.

If I had a camera, I would have snapped a picture. Zoi's such a baby and these kids loved it. They go from terrified to having this dog laying across their laps, almost fighting to get to pet her. And Zoi's loving all the attention. I really need a camera. A picture would tell the story so much better. It was a good ride for us all.

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So When Are We Doing It Again

.... I was on the bus, on the DR side of the Haiti boarder crossing, and a boy caught my attention. Not sure why this boy did, as the entire bus was surrounded by kids and adults begging while we waited for permission to cross into Haiti. But he did; maybe his eyes.

Eventually I remembered I had a boxed lunch at my feet that I never intended to eat (it was given out on the bus; just some cold rice, beans, and mystery meat that I had turned my nose up at). I decided that I was going to try to get this box of lunch to this boy. Not easy, as the windows on the bus didn't open. And opening the front door would not have been a good idea; can you say mob rush?? Anyway, the bus driver's window did open, so I managed to indicate to the boy to follow me around to that window, and out goes the box to the boy.

What happens?? This boy opened this box of "reject" food, and you'd have thought I had given him gold. His eyes light up. He sticks both thumbs straight up in the air. God had just made his day. He uses part of the box as a fork, and begins his passionate journey through rice, beans, mystery meat, and raw cabbage. And as the journey ends, not one speck of food remained in the box. And after he was finished, again, the thumbs shoot straight in the air, and a smile from ear to ear you rarely see on any child's face, even at Disneyland. The bus starts moving, and he waves goodbye (or at least I thought it was goodbye). And we cross the boarder, and wait for Haitian customs to clear the bus, and who appears again, same smile, same thumbs in the air? This little boy. We pull away again, and he's given his best and quite amazing version of "thank you". Did I cry? You betcha. I always do.

This country Haiti remains the saddest thing I've ever seen. And it's sad at so many levels, not the least of which is that 8 years later, and I have less answers than I did when I started. But, I do know that it was priceless to be in that moment with that boy. But, that moment would never had occured if someone else had not inspired me to come to Haiti, or come back to Haiti. The blessing was really mine. So, I'm now in the role of trying to encourage others to receive the same blessing. To come to these places and do things bigger than themselves, and maybe get a glimpse of who God is from another corner of the world. A bigger God, I believe. Do things that don't make sense in any business model. And look for success in far more obscure places. And work for things beyond themselves. And cry.

Gayle, when I think of that time you and I were completely nuts in the back of that little church in Haiti, and just remember how blessed I was to be with someone who makes me laugh, even in the most saddest of places. Well, I just hope God surrounds you with folks like that, for your journey. I wish I had more Gayles in my life. I need them more than ever. I loved everyone on that trip; special folks. But, I laughed and just allowed myself to enjoy that trip (surrounded by hopelessness) with one person in particular, you. So when are we doing it again?

Check out www.mannaglobalministries.org for more info or to get involved.

So How Do You Prevent A Flood

Well.... if you're poor in a developing country and the road was built higher than your house.... you have a truck load of dirt brought into your house!! It may be tough to see, (you can enlarge the picture) but that's how we roll around here. I took the pic from my front balcony, through the bars and plants so I wouldn't be too noticeable to my neighbor. She's standing outside supervising the hauling of the dirt.

But doesn't that make your ceiling much lower?? Ah, yes.... But, if you're tired of shoveling water out of your house each time it rains, I guess a low ceiling is better than flooding every good rain.

Houses below the grade of the roads are all around my place. Each time it rains, my heart goes out to all of them. Can you imagine your home flooding at least once a month, more in rainy season!! Different world.

Check out www.mannaglobalministries.org for more info or to get involved.

So What About Africa - A Truck full of Ostriches

Most of you know that I, along with Brian Wallace and Brad Gautney went to Africa this past month, July 2009. Basically in search of another possible opportunity for us to be involved. Our focus (Manna) has been and will likely continue to be humanitarian relief and helping folks connect with God, but how we do that effectively is always allusive.

But, we did see some amazing things in southern Africa. And, there's door opening in Swaziland. We still have much to do and much to consider, and much to pray about, but we're now more planning when and how, instead of if. So, we're making progress.

We're also restarting our group program in Haiti. Not to mention continuing to try to help in the DR, so it's busy. We also have a good list of folks wanting to be involved either short term or long term but we're looking to see how we can provide the support they need in terms of training, proper placement, right fit for responsibilities, skills, etc. So, tons going on, but so much wisdom needed, and at times, feeling so stupid. Maybe like a bunch of dumb clucks (Ostriches) on their way to who knows where.

Check out www.mannaglobalministries.org for more info or to get involved.

One More Spider

Seriously, the Lord has a sense of humor because He knows how much I hate spiders, but am living in the land of giant spiders. Why oh why??? The above is called a wolf spider. Don't know why, but they are fast and ugly!

And, ah yes, fall is in the air. NOT because it's cooler, but because we've started what I call "The Running of the Tarántulas". Where I get to see them everywhere walking "sauve" in my path. This will last until November or so. Ah yes, Fall.....

Check out www.mannaglobalministries.org for more info or to get involved.

Just When You Think Your Efforts Make No Difference

I was finishing up my language classes this past school year. Teaching English to 3rd and 7th graders was certainly challenging. (thanks for the advice Adam) I wish I could begin to describe the smell from the outhouses (yes, outhouses) just a few feet from the classroom window that always gave a good breeze, and that breeze carried such a rank odor!! But, that was our class! And on a hot day, words can hardly describe. Tin roof. Sun beating down. Outhouse a few feet away; you get the picture.

But, the kids were great for the most part. Some got it; most didn't but we weren't really there to teach English so much as develop a relationship that would hopefully encourage them to choose God in their future. You know that "let them see the good you're doing so that they can see how amazing God is" verse.

Well, I wasn't sure it was working.... Until the "party". And, to keep in mind how poor this village is. I was asked to attend a "celebration" for what we had done throughout the year, a year end party. And much to my surprise and great honor, they had prepared an amazing spread of fresh fruit, mystery meat (at least a mystery to me), and cookies, and sodas. All the works for me and the kids. I was just incredibly honored to be there, because it told me that they got what we were trying to do. And, this is the photo of all the kids we taught (Osvaldo, William, Vicki Graham, and myself). Wow, some days it just pays to get up in the morning. A great way to cap off a school year end.

I am in the photo; you have to search for the white guy!

If You Can't Be with the Ones You Love...

Love the Ones your with. My July 4th (yes, this is slightly behind) was spent in the DR, like most all my days. Very different from many prior years of celebrating places like with my brother and sister in law (Wanda and Eulice) in Melbourne, with Eulice’s incredible hamburgers and Wanda’s awesome sides and desserts.... hmmm hmmmm!!

But it was special, because I was able to share it with some guys (and Zoi) that don’t get to roast hotdogs very often, if ever. I even slighty burned the hotdogs, but that didn’t interrupt their appetite. And it was accompanied by Pringles and sodas, American cheddar cheese, chili for toppings, mustard, and ketsup. I perfect meal for them.

And still I felt very blessed. I would want everyone to know how blessed they are to be American, if only by spending time in countries like this one, even in a so called democracy in the DR, where true freedom is hard/impossilbe to find.

And while my crew probably didn’t get the signifance of how amazing my country is, largely based on it’s true independence, still we celebrated. And I loved the ones I was with.