In this newsletter:
- Thoughts
from Our Staff - Upcoming
Trips - Stories
from the Field - Videos
drew an interesting connection between this sometimes surreal missions experience
and a popular reality TV competition.
NBC’s the Biggest Loser is the kind of show that can not only suck you in for
a hour, but keep you watching for two. We
love the drama of seeing people on the brink of death-by-burgers brought back
to life before our very eyes over a season of grueling workouts that people in
size 4’s won’t attempt.
We love the emotional
breakthroughs. If you’ve watched this
season, you’ve seen one of the contestants deal with deeply rooted emotional
trauma from her past and her family life. She’s shed the weight she’s been carrying on
her shoulders and the weight around her waist at the same time…
I watch the personal, emotional,
and physical health of these participants change over their experience and it
makes me think of the World Race.
True story, some racers lose
weight. Also true story, some racers
absolutely don’t lose weight.
But weight-loss isn’t the
connecting point for these two entities. It’s the fact that true transformation comes
from brokenness and an understanding of the deeper issues and bigger picture
that ultimately got you into habits you didn’t want, and living a lifestyle
opposite of what you (or God for that matter) desire for your life…
Read on to see how Ashley further elaborates on this
poignant parallel.
- Spend
next Christmas in Kenya or Cambodia or. . . : Go on the July 2011
, August 2011
World Race! - Just
got out of college or maybe need some time off from school? Want to explore some options other than
the American dream? Try Real Life
Immersion. - Haven’t
figured out your spring break yet? How about going on a short-term missions trip? That would definitely be an alternative spring break for sure.
A few weeks ago our two teams
attended a worship/preaching gathering in the middle of Moyogalpa on Ometepe
Island. Estimated crowd size: 4,000.
Now that’s 4,000 people who don’t
use deodorant. Gathering in a public
square composed mostly of dirt and trash. Surrounded by vendors selling everything from candy apples, to glow sticks,
to grilled mystery meat. Needless to
say, there were a lot of sights and sounds (and smells) to take in regardless
of the actual production happening on stage. . .
for a final exam, but to worship God.
However, one thing stood out to me
about all others… these people were not afraid to worship their God. They brought balloons, banners and flags to wave,
celebrating the life and victory found in Christ. They gathered together with energy, rubbing
shoulders, trading sweat and not worrying about having enough space for
themselves. They sang with
passion…shouted and jumped… smiling and laughing… finding JOY in WORSHIP. They wanted to be there… to celebrate Jesus!
I wish I could express the energy
they displayed as they worshiped. Oh,
this might help. The whole event lasted
form 8 pm until 5 am! Non-stop. Some of that time was for performances and
for preaching, and some for worship and prayer.
But it wasn’t a two or even a four
hour get-together. It was ALL NIGHT
LONG…
Continue reading more of Mac’s account of this all-night
revival.
Quenching the Soul | Tim Dixon
Tim Dixon is finishing up his last month as squad leader of theSeptember 2010 World Race (R Squad). He’s
been in Malaysia, where his heart has been going out to those who thirst
deeply:
If you go walking through the
Chinatown market in Kuala Lumpur between 1 and 4 in the afternoon, you’ll
probably run into Vincent. He’s pretty
unmistakable.
If you see an emaciated man with
his shirt off on his knees begging for money, then you’ll know it’s him. If you’re still not quite sure, go and get a
good look at his knees because his knees are always wet from his tears.
Vincent and I have had several
conversations over the past week. But
most of the time it’s difficult because he’s either just done heroin, or is coming
down from doing heroin.
Every one of our conversations
seems to come as an annoyance to a shop owner whose shop is near where Vincent
begs. He doesn’t understand why I sit
with him on the ground and talk with him.
Frankly he’s tired of watching
Vincent make more money then him everyday and then go and party on drugs. I may be a naïve American, but I know that’s
not how it is at all. The tears on
Vincent’s knees tell me that, very clearly.
So the shop manager finally asks me
why I spend so much time with a dirty drug addict. My only reasonable response was, “…because
Vincent is thirsty.”
Keep reading Tim’s reflections on thirst.
In The Darkest Places, Christ Shines the Brightest | Angie
Blattner
A week ago, Angie Blattner recounted her most memorable
ministry moments she’s experienced so far. She and her team are in Central America. FYI: for the non-Spanish speakers, “barrio” = neighborhood.
…We ventured to one of the poorest
and most dangerous barrios in Alejuelita, and partnered with a local church to
put on a feeding ministry for the children in that area. We were a bit cautious when preparing for
ministry in the morning because according to the locals, the area is extremely
dangerous and we are “very, very brave” for ministering there.
barrio, you just don’t go down there. The
barrio is down by the river, and has only one dirt road, so there is only one
way in and one way out. A lot of people
get robbed coming out of the barrio because people see you entering in and wait
for you to come out the same way…
Once the road turns from asphalt to
dirt, you know you’re in a place filled with poverty, prostitution and drugs. Now, this next statement might sound ridiculous
to most of you readers… but I have never felt safer in my life.
I could literally feel the
protection of Jesus… surrounding our group as we descended down into the river
barrio, and I had complete peace the entire time we were feeding and pouring
love into the women and children there…
Find out what else happened on this personally momentous day
for Angie.
Most Racers will be able to describe in detail their
surroundings and accurately recall what happened the moment their heart
broke. It happens anywhere on the
mission field, this grieving over what grieves God’s heart isn’t limited to a
particular part of the world.
how her heart synched up with God’s last Sunday:
…I felt like a tidal wave crashed
into me. The day God decided He could
take the scales off my eyes and expose me to the gravity of the world’s
problems.
The day I breathed in the stench of
mud puddles filled with feces. The day I
walked the streets of Luongwe with Jeremy and was overwhelmed by the people
around me – a drunk man tried to take my grocery bags from me; a young girl ran
behind me and pulled my arm while asking for money; and a group of teenage boys
followed us to the gate of our house, ignoring the fact that we asked them to
leave.
Those parts of the day barely scratch
the surface of the array of experiences that I had.
Earlier in the day, Jeremy and I
went to town to buy groceries and check e-mail. I’ve been overcome with tiredness the past few
days, so my mind was in a fog as we walked down the sidewalk lined with elderly
women begging for food and money. In a
sense, I feel like my mind has become numb to the poverty surrounding me. . .
It seems normal because it’s been
my life for the past five months, but that doesn’t mean poverty is acceptable. It’s eleven months for me and a lifetime for
these people.
As I was walking down the street
and wondering if my heart had become hardened to the conditions around me, I
saw him; a young teenager, no older than 15, lying dead on the sidewalk…
Please keep reading to see what Stacey saw and felt that
day.
from Colby Gardner in Romania, the second is from Brian Barrett in Thailand.
