i am sitting here with pam, (who is cattle prodding me to blog) awaiting to head to ukraine from bucharest at 5 am. we are facing a 40 hour train ride which normally would spark travel day anxieties because of the typical brutish nature of world race travel days. this time however, i am excited for the travel day as we will be romping across eastern europe in a train. not only will i get to see some great scenery, but the peaceful time will allow me to reflect on the last 9 months on the road and prepare myself mentally and spiritually for the end of this crazy race as next month i will be heading back to the states for the summer. from january until the end of march, i was in africa; this did not allow me a lot of opportunity to blog but nonetheless, i feel it necessary to offer up an apology to my supporters and those back home who pray for me on a constant basis. when i leave in the morning, i will be heading to the last country i will see before i fly back to america. i am unsure what ministry will look like in ukraine, but i do know that our group will be situated outside Lugansk. from within this city, you can actually see into russia. anyways, this area seems to be full of people who lack hope and love and whose lives are marked by endless seasons of drowning away their lives with their constant companions: alcohol. this is what we are up against next month. i know that this description is general, but there will be more details when i have them. i will also spend some time talking about what 3 months of africa was like but to be honest, i am still trying to straighten all of those memories and God given lessons that Africa brought with it.
i do want to encourage my supporters by letting you what your money has accomplished this year as we you have teamed with God and myself to literally bring his kingdom down from above. we loved the homeless at a garbage dump in guatemala as well as served as the Hands of Jesus in a childrens hospital. we fought against prostitution in vietnam, reached out to those ostracized by HIV, and fed mentally and physically handicapped children and young adults. in myanmar, a small group of us provided much needed food/goods to families in the delta who lives had been ravaged by cyclone nargis. we also ushered orphans into the presence of God through games, skits, bible messages and the love of Christ that flows through us. in London, we reached out to the rapidly growing muslim population and began breaking strongholds that are so prevalent there. in mozambique, we moved an orphanage complex to a place that will give them a great chance to become more modern and catch the attention of the government. in malawi, we planted churches in 3 different villages and got to experience extended community within that culture. i can say that when the body of Christ is unified across boundaries and borders, the world is being changed and Christ is being magnified.
Walking daily how Jesus walked; reaching out to those that society has rejected or loving those who are deemed unlovable, those who are broken and hurting means that you are making the world a better place. The cross and the empty tomb are central to the truth of God, but we cannot miss how Jesus walked out his daily life. for those who have partnered with me this past year, know that God has used you to impact the world for the better
