Well it's been a LOOOOONG time!!

I guess first of all you need to know I tried to write as often as I could but I really had no Internet connection for most of the time that I was in Africa. The time I did have was squeezed between different appointments so my apologies everyone, I was hoping I could be more consistent.

I've been back for about 4 days so, I'm going to try to do a little bit each day to help you get a sense of what God is doing in Africa and what my part was in His time for me there. Thanks to all of you who prayed for us as we served, you are SO appreciated!!

Getting there…

July 24- 26

So I’m listening to drums as I write this… no kidding. We left Chilliwack about noon and got to YVR about 1:30 for check in. I figured that we should be at check in about 3 hours prior, for an International flight. There was no line at all! So check in was a breeze. The family and I hung out at the airport for a bit before saying our farewells. We met up with Willis and his family about 3:30 and Willis and I headed through the security check point. Once through we realized that since we had checked in at different times we had different seat assignments. One of the attendants said the flight wasn’t full. We’ll see…. The flight is actually quite full once we board. So someone got wrong info.

We left Vancouver without a hitch and the flight was uneventful and we arrive in London at about 10:15am London time. We made our way to the connecting terminal at Heathrow to connect with the Kenya Airways flight that will take us on to Nairobi. This flight is to depart at about 8pm. It’s starting to feel like a long day. It’s here that we meet up with the group coming from Briercrest. We take some time to get to know each other and to pray together. It seems like a great bunch of kids. I take some time to have a nap.

Once the gate is assigned we discover that the flight has been delayed an hour so Willis and I have supper at the English Pub at the airport. It’s a bit different and the food is OK. WE board the plane and find our seats only to discover that we’ll be delayed another hour and a half… It’s dark so I fall asleep again. I wake up once we’re in the air.

Since our flight was delayed out of London we missed the connecting flight to Kisumu from Nairobi. It a regional service so we get to hang out in Nairobi for about 5 hours. We hired a vehicle to take us around the city a bit. The students wanted to get some things at the supermarket. We get to meet Brother Salamba who will be ministering with us through these crusades, as well as Heshbon Willis’ brother–in–law.

We finally arrive in Kisumu at about 6pm. We are met at the airport by some of the African planning committee for these events. After some discussion and a bit of juggling with loading the vehicles. We head away from the airport. Pastor Nathan insists on us stopping at his hotel for some tea. We do, and there is something going on that doesn’t make sense. But we are polite and have a bit of tea and something to munch. But we are asked to hurry.

We arrive at Willis’ house or ‘shamba’ (property) in the dark it’s about 7:30 we get to meet the planning team and some of the significant leaders who have been praying for this time. We eat and around 10:30 we drive over to the hotel they have arranged. It’s called Uncle Sam’s Inn. In a place called Emuhaya. It’s about 10 min from Willis’ place.

Ahhh! Need infrastructure!!!

Now I said drive but I’ve got to tell you the roads here are ATROCIOUS!! The reason it takes so long to get places is that you are forever dodging and weaving pot holes in the road and whole pieces of road that are so bad that it’s easier to drive on the dirt shoulder (most of the time). The road to Willis’ place is an old dirt road that has so many bumps and crevasses, that the vehicles regularly bottom out over them. We are using the family vehicles to get everywhere. They are both Toyota’s one is a four door ‘Tercel’ type into which we pack about 6-7 people. The other is kind of like a Camry hatchback but the very BASIC model and we are able to pack one or two more into the hatchback space so we can get everyone transported to the homes of Willis’ siblings who are putting up these students.

There is electricity, but the village where we are is too poor for people to afford to bring it up to their homes. Willis’ home has a generator and his mom also has a solar cell which helps. The village is called Ebuhando and the people are really friendly… especially to ‘mzungus’ – Swahili for white person. There have been very few in this area so we are quite an attraction. No one has indoor plumbing. Everyone uses pit latrines. These vary from cement floors with a hole in the middle to a pole or stick shack that has a piece of tin as a door. I confess I haven’t been in one of these so I don’t know what the floor is… or even if there is a floor, perhaps it’s just a dirt floor. The poverty is striking. The village has been razed by alcoholism, and HIV/AIDS. There are TONS of children and many are being cared for by a single parent or a grandparent. The need is great but the people are warm and friendly. It’s going to be an interesting time.

10 days!

The countdown is on! 10 days till I head out. This last week has been an interesting one to say the least. Please be praying for the Briercrest contingent of our team. There has been some miscommunication and there is a shortfall in fundraising for them. I KNOW God is faithful because at this point I have been able to raise all of my support!

THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE MADE THIS A REALITY!!!

We had a fundraising banquet last Saturday and God really met us there. I have had some great feedback in that regard. We were able to raise over $1000 towards some of the relief work we will be doing in Kenya.

I spoke with Brother Isaac from Nigeria on Sunday night (he still get the time zones mixed up) he was so excited that God has provided for the trip. He wants me to bring a Canadian flag to hang in the church. That will be fun.

Well, there is still lots to do so I'll post again soon.

Am I a servant?

It's about 3 weeks to go till I head to Africa. I am excited and I am eager to see what God has in store for us.

I have been slowly getting to know some of the other team members who are coming with us from Caronport. I love their exuberance and it feeds my own anticipation. God has been faithful regarding my support and to date I have only $800 left to go. God is SO good!!

One of my favourite musicians is Larry Norman and one of his songs is called "I Am A Servant" it's kind of a lament of one waiting to be used by God.  As I think about what God is wanting me to share with my African brothers I am continuing to be impressed to speak about REAL servant leadership. We here in the western church throw this phrase out there and maybe even give ourselves kudos for how much we as church leaders are “serving”. I put serving in quotes intentionally because it seems to me that I as a church leader have said that but only in terms of being employed to do a job. And I have even been guilty of using ‘serving’ as a gentle “stick” to help compel people to be involved in the ministry of the church. The servant hood that Jesus calls each of us to seems to be a bit different both in its motivations and in its action. In fact I don’t think Jesus ever teaches on leadership! He almost turns things upside down! The Way of Jesus seems to ask US to pursue servant hood, we should do so, motivated by love. Even to the extent of serving (loving) our enemies. So if I am interested in following Jesus way, I must serve, and to not even consider significant leadership something to be grasped but become a servant even if it costs me much… hard words to consider and even more significant to reckon the consequences of such a conviction. Perhaps some of these thoughts will be sharpened in Africa where I do indeed hope to serve. Jesus didn’t tech about leadership but boy did He ever live it! Am I, are we ready to follow His example?

Intro's all around...

Well, I've gone and done it. I have started a blog... whatever THAT means. It can be a bit stressful trying to think of what to even call your blog let alone figure out something worthwhile to say.

Since this is my first post I guess I'll introduce myself a bit. I am a guy who has recognised that his life is really a journey of discovery about who my God is and how I can reflect His character better. So I'd say that first I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. That may not mean much to you but it gives me an anchor point to begin. Secondly I am a husband. I have a phenomenal wife, partner, friend. Together we have 4 amazing kids (18, 16, 14, 13) who make me so proud and who I know will exceed anything I could have ever achieved. Our niece is also living with us and has been for the last almost 4 years since she was 2, she's now 6.

I have been a Pastor by vocation for several churches and totalling about 15 years. Currently I drive a school bus, and volunteer for non- profit Org called the Christian Ministers' Association. I'm the Secretary-Treasurer, and it's quite a bit of work. I'm trying to do a better job of that one.

The real reason I started this blog is that I believe that God has opened the opportunity for me to go to Africa this summer (Aug 2010). I'll be ministering with some of the local churches and to some of the local Pastors. IT seems that God has put all of the pieces in place for this to actually come to fruition.

About a eighteen months ago I received an email to the CMA email address from Nigeria which I promptly deleted. Several days later there was another which met the same fate. After the third or fourth I noticed that these were all from the same email address. So I replied. I assured them that we as an organisation were Canadian in our focus and as such couldn't really do anything for him except pray for him. The next day my phone rang and I spoke with Isaac for the first time. That was the beginning.

It wasn't until the past August that Isaac said "My brother, I am asking the LORD to open a way for you to come to Nigeria, there are many Pastors here who need help and even a little training. You must come! Inside I felt "Hey, I appreciate the sentiment I like you too!" I have another friend who is Kenyan and lives near me. Willis is African and we have been friends since Bible School. Our paths have crossed numerous times over the years with He and his family coming over for a meal or we going there. I had a coffee with him about a month after Issac's comment and Willis said "I am going back home (to Kenya) in the summer of 2010 and I have been asking God to bring someone to mind who could come with me; Your name has been on my heart for some time and I want you to pray about coming to Africa in 2010." This began the journey which I am now on and why I started this blog to record where I see God's fingerprints and to have a way for my family to stay in the loop.

It's these last several months that inspired this blog title. God is SO faithful, and there have been many time where I have moved in confidence that He is with me and there have been equally many times that I have felt that I must honestly decide to trust God 'cause I don't have a clue what else to do.

SO if you take time to read these ramblings Thank you. If you do read this please pray.

For King and Kingdom,
Ray