Mexico again and again, and again.

Returning to Mexico every year to visit the same places and many of the same people may not expand our cultural horizons or allow us to check off more countries on a Travel Buddy map. But the consistency builds credibility with those we're ministering to and gives a short-term mission trip long-term benefits. Here are a few stories of the relationships I love.

Adorable Michelle Annette two years ago.

Michelle Annette now

 

At Pastor Lupita's church in the village of El Golfo, I couldn't resist sweet Michelle Annette. These two precious hermanas are the daughters of the worship leader in a church with more children than adults and a fluctuating male population. I pray little Michelle continues to grow healthy, strong, and full of wisdom, with God’s favor upon her. (Luke 2:40)

Jovenita years ago in front of her store

Jovenita and famliy now.

Jovenita (pictured right in both photos) is the owner of a souvenir shop we've been frequenting for five years in El Golfo. Her brother Jose was with her in 2006 (left) and her sister Juanna and niece Adrianna have been with her for the past two years (right). Our prayers for this family finally bore fruit last week as she confided in us about her kidney disease and tearfully accepted the Lord as her Savior and Healer. She was nearly glowing as she brought her dog in to be neutered the next morning. Appropriately, the last surgery of the trip, and my last in Mexico.

Trini serving us tamales this year!

Dr. Dougie and Ray praying for Trini two years ago.

 Two years ago, we were pleading with the Lord for Pastor Juan's wife Trini to be healed of the peptic ulcers that left her weak and coughing up blood (left). Last year her improvement was obvious, but this year when she fed over 20 of us homemade tamales (right), we were blown away by His power. Being fed by the ones we went to feed, and blessed by those we went to bless. Humbling. 


And now!

Juliet with "Kitty" two years ago.





 



 

1 year ago

Juliet is the granddaughter of pastors Victor and Trudy. They work five or six 12+ hour days in the onion fields for $20-30/week. And pastor a church. Now, Victor is struggling with a hernia that requires treatment more expensive than they can afford, yet they remain faithful. Over the years I've befriended Juliet and her tomcat "Kitty." This year after she brought out the photo I gave her last year in the frame she'd found for it and we posed for some new pictures, I reluctantly said my farewells; "Feliz Navidad, Dios le bendiga." When she unknowingly replied, "Hasta el proximo año," I teared up. I'd just discovered she was ticklish but I had to say "adios" instead of "until next year."

I trust the Lord knew what He was doing when He brought these lovely people into my life, and that He is still in control as I move on to build relationships with other Latino people.

 

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," declares the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth and making it bear and sprout, and furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it." -Isaiah 55:8-11

God works in mysterious, but really cool, ways.

As our homemade version of an "Angel Tree" Mosaic sponsored about 30 kids from RICA and 6 from Jessup Elementary School for Christmas. The response by Mosaic was, as usual, greater than expected (you'd think I'd start expecting great responses by now!) But, some last minute additions left us doing a little scrambling last week to make sure everyone was covered. A few overly-generous people took extra kids, recruited neighbors and even co-workers to participate.

But my favorite story was that of the last child's angel. The day before the gifts were due, I had all but given up on finding anyone to shop for this one when I stumbled into what seemed to be a divine appointment at work. In the exam room I found a young girl, a dog and a man on his cell phone.

Inconsiderate cell phone usage has been on the rise in our exam rooms recently, but this man was apologetic, so I was more forgiving with his apparent wasting of my time, and when he covered the phone and whispered to me he was talking to church, I, of course, became even more forgiving. After he finished his call I asked him what church he went to, which led to his summary of the conversation and his frustration with his church for not being able to provide him with needy family to shop for this Christmas. All he wanted to do was give a little back this season and to teach his kids that it's not all about receiving gifts. As you can imagine, I was quick to offer a solution to his problem. And quick to recognize God's handiwork in this surprising solution to our problem as well.

Tonight, about 20 Mosaicites joined about 30 RICA kids in a raucous celebration, to decorate cookies, ornaments and easels (in a massive game of Pictionary), before sharing the presents we'd brought them. I could tell the experience had a different effect on everyone involved, but I hope the common denominator for each of us was that we took at least a little more away from the party than we brought to it.

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift." -2 Corinthians 9:15

P.S. I'm heading to Mexico on the 17th. Your prayers for a flexible, unified, humble team of servants, and a God-glorifyingly successful week of outreach are greatly appreciated.

Merry Christmas!

Thankful

This November Mosaic showed how blessed we are by blessing others for Thanksgiving. I was most blessed by the enthusiasm for serving that I witnessed from our new church family.

For Jessup Elementary School we filled three of these baskets and added a turkey to each to share my favorite meal of the year with a few families who might not have as much to be thankful for as we do. They were so appreciative (and surprised that we put them in real baskets, turns out usually Thanksgiving baskets come in boxes, how boring)!

We also collected lots of clothes for the students at Jessup that can't afford uniforms.

We had so many people volunteer to serve on Thanksgiving that we had to add an extra service project. We signed up to help prepare Thanksgiving dinner with the Bea Gaddy Family Center. The women's shelter for this organization burned down the week before, so they had their name in the news a lot. The publicity must have drawn a bigger crowd than they expected. When we arrived with 20 Mosaic volunteers, there wasn't anything for us to do. It made an awesome statement about Baltimore's attitude toward the poor, but it made for a rough morning for me, having lead many people downtown away from their families on Thanksgiving. The picture above shows the long line of tiny people waiting to be served.

In the evening we made up for the morning's disappointment by preparing dinner for the guests of Baltimore's Ronald McDonald House.

We brought turkey and all the fixin's. Enough to fill everyone's stomach and many of the refrigerators at the house.
My favorite part is when serving and goofing off look interchangeable. I thank God for a church that recognizes this is how we're meant to spend ourselves.

"Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight..." -James 1:27 MSG

Bolivia Update

Bolivia's, and potentially all of South America's, water supply is endangered by a ruthless businessman and major force in the criminal organization Quantum. No wait, that's just the plot for the new James Bond movie. Well, at least Bolivia's getting a little screen time.

But more negative press is not what the country needs right now. Bolivia has been making many headlines in the past few months as U.S.-Bolivia relations have soured dramatically.

In late 2005 Evo Morales, the leader of the political party - Movement Toward Socialism and spokesman for, and former farmer of coca (the raw material for cocaine), was elected as Bolivia's first indigenous president. Since the election, Evo's alliance with Venezuela's president Hugo Chavez, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's unwelcomed crackdown on coca production has caused much strife between our government and theirs.

In September Evo expelled the U.S. ambassador to Bolivia, Philip Goldberg. Angered U.S. officials responded by kicking out Bolivia's ambassador, Gustavo Guzman. Martial law was declared in Bolivia after a number of deaths occurred during street riots brought on by the social and political unrest. Days later all U.S. peace corp volunteers were removed from the country.

This month Evo suspended U.S. anti-drug operations. In turn the U.S. added Bolivia to it's anti-narcotic blacklist, causing a cut in trade preferences that could cost South America's poorest country as many as 20,000 jobs. And most recently in the back and forth, Bolivian officials are calling for the U.S. to extradite their former president Sanchez de Lozada who currently resides here in Maryland.

All this to say, Bolivians are facing difficult times of potentially increasing poverty, possible civil war and continued national uncertainty. The more their situation deteriorates the more I look forward to sharing with them veterinary skills to stabilize their financial situation and enhance their quality of life, and Jesus who offers a peace that surpasses all understanding.

"...by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 4:6-7

A Little Sentimental

I was thinking about sharing a story that moved me yesterday, but in reflecting on it, other recent gestures that have touched my heart came to mind. So, I'll share them all.

• The compassion of a co-worker who was bit in the face so badly by a dog that we spent six hours in the emergency room, but her questions continued to focus on the dog's well-being.
• The obedience of a couple who gave to the church sacrificially in the face of daunting medical bills.
• The sovereignty of a case of Mosaic water bottles I took to my apartment's office two months ago just now reaping fruit in a way that clearly looks like God's perfect timing.
• The love of a friend from Jefferson Street Baptist Center, a homeless shelter in Louisville, that has contributed to my Bolivia fundraising not once, but three times!

And finally, a connection on the drug-infested streets of Southwest Baltimore yesterday. As we ventured back out to share the gospel and cookies with the ladies (refer back to my blog entry from Oct. 13th), one in particular stuck with me. Wearing only one shoe and proudly displaying an "I Voted" sticker she proved to be gentle, but not wholly lucid as she answered the question, "Who'd you vote for?" with the unprecedented running mates, "Biden and Palin." She then told our group that we should run for something; she'd vote for us. Later, she walked up to a couple of us talking and praying and complimented my necklace and asked if she could have it. Quickly, before I could talk myself out of it, I took it off and put it around her neck. She gave me a long hug and came up with tears in her eyes and with more clarity than I'd seen from her she said "Thank you, you touched me." As she continued to hobble around distracting others asking for anything: money, a drink, climbing into our van for a ride, I refused to let myself regret my hasty decision.

And this morning I'm still glad I did it. It makes me think of a friend who has trouble denying money to beggars, and my recent critique of his unwise use of funds. Even if we're being used, our loose grip on these possessions is admitting they're not really ours to begin with. Maybe she won't be reminded of Christ's love when she wears the necklace, maybe she's already lost it, but its absence will continue to remind me of God's unfailing love for her.

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." -Matthew 6:21

A Good Problem To Have

Problems never feel very good, but I can't deny some are better to have than others. For instance, when we realized we needed more programs and connection cards at Mosaic last Sunday because we had by far our largest attendance since the launch service, it was a good problem because it came with a simple solution; print more cards and programs and open up more rows in the theater.

A more vexing problem came up today when I found out Mosaic's enthusiasm for serving on Thanksgiving has now breached capacity. Yesterday I actually had a girl who works in my apartment complex's front office ask if she could join us with a few friends. She's never even been to Mosaic, but she heard about our plans through her assistant who came last Sunday for the first time. How could we say no to a request like that?

But, it turns out the Ronald McDonald House can only accomodate a mere 12 volunteers. Mosaic's ever-growing list now holds 24 eager servants. Getting people excited about serving is one of my life's passions, turning them away once they've shown interest is tragic. So, it looks like we'll have the opportunity to spread God's love through even more venues this November by contributing to Bea Gaddy's 27th annual Thanksgiving feast for the homeless. And now with possibly 2 different serving times we may be able to accomodate even more volunteers who had conflicting plans for the Ronald McDonald House schedule. It's so nice when problems turn out to be God's way of reminding me that He knows what's best, and He can do immeasurably more than I can ask or imagine.

Ignited

In science an experiment is successful if it is repeatable. I tend to lean toward a similar measuring stick in serving. Every Christmas when we put together a team of short term missionaries for our Mexico veterinary trip, the number of repeat customers warms my heart. If this many people are finagling their schedules to go back, we must be doing something right.

For this reason, among others, I consider Mosaic's first church-wide service project last weekend a success. Since Saturday we have had people asking when we're going back to The Samaritan Women's House (TSW), requesting the director's contact information so they can volunteer on their own time, and our growth group is already starting to plan its own trip to the Regional Institute for Children and Adolescents (RICA), to challenge the kids to some more contests.

Now, right on the heels of our first activity we have started moving toward November's service event, making and sharing Thanksgiving dinner with the residents at Baltimore's Ronald McDonald House. And last weekend's enthusiasm is spreading like wildfire as we're already receiving interest, some so dedicated they're changing their own holiday plans, even as far as rescheduling flights to help serve with Mosaic.

Maybe it was the thrill of using sledgehammers at TSW. Maybe it was the adrenaline rush of the the kickball, pumpkin painting, and basketball competitions at RICA. Or maybe it was the joy of spending ourselves in the way God created us to be spent...

I get so excited when I see people's attitude about service change from volunteering when asked, to taking initiative and personal ownership. Lighting Mosaic on fire for serving has been the plan all along, but I never dreamed God would ignite us so fast.

Serving Up Grace

One of my new Mosaic friends came into my veterinary office today with her daughter and puppy. We chatted about her Sheltie, her work, her move, and our excited plans for Mosaic's first official day of service coming up this Saturday.

Afterward, the nurse who had been assisting in the room said with genuine surprise and awe, "Your church really does that kinda thing?" Of course I replied, "Yeah, wanna come?"

This was the same woman who recently asked why we were starting a new church in Arundel Mills. And to my response that there aren't enough here, she said her Catholic church had plenty of room.

On Monday night at our Growth Group while studying Philip Yancey's book What's So Amazing About Grace, we had discussed the public's impression of the church. Concepts such as hypocrites, rules, and judgemental often come quickly to people's minds when asked to play the word association game with "Church" or "Christians". Our group agreed that we hope Mosaic will be first and foremost associated with grace. And this Saturday we want to continue to sow that seed of unconditional love, mercy and forgiveness that only God can offer as we branch out into the community with our new body of believers.

Against the odds of finding anything the State would allow us to do and the kids would enjoy, we'll be playing kickball, tossing some beanbags, and painting pumpkins with the residents of Baltimore's Regional Institute for Children and Adolescents. Weather permitting, or not, we'll also be tearing down some of The Samaritan Women's House and rebuilding other parts of it.

Maybe there were some churches here already, but there's always room for a little more grace.

"Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord." -Romans 12:11

Whoops!

For those of you who received my prayer letter by mail this week, I wanted to correct an error that was edited into the fourth paragraph. It was meant to say "There are so many people due good in this world." That's why according to Proverb 3:27 I should not withhold good from them.

The corrected version can be found here: Prayer Letter, October 2008

For those of you who haven't received my prayer letter but would like to, by all means, let me know!

Baking Cookies for Prostitutes

Tony Campolo once threw a surprise birthday party for a prostitute he'd never met. At the end of the celebration, standing on a chair in a hole-in-the-wall greasy spoon in Honolulu he prayed for her. The owner of the diner's response appeared somewhat betrayed, "Hey, you never told me you was a preacher. What kind of church do you belong to anyway?"

In one of those moments when just the right words came, Tony answers him quietly, "I belong to a church that throws birthday parties for prostitutes at 3:30 in the morning."

Harry thinks for a moment, and in a mocking way says, "No you don't. There ain't no church like that."

My heart quickens with excitement every time I hear this story, my heart was overjoyed when Carl shared it at a launch meeting this summer in reference to Mosaic's future as a church that could throw birthday parties for prostitutes, and my heart was in awe as I experienced this concept lived out yesterday through Bethel Church's HOPE Ministry.

In an area of Southwest Baltimore where nearly 90% of the residents have a crack and/or heroin addiction, the women support their $100/day habit by turning cheap tricks. I had heard about the HOPE ministry a couple weeks ago and waited eagerly to join them on their next outreach to these women, assuming that I had full knowledge of what I would experience.

What I had heard about the girls and the situations had been true. The women ranged from teenagers to grandmothers. They were almost all visibly high. They walked the streets in a bit of a daze and approached our van as we offered them a gift. We gave them a bag with a hamburger and drink, some homemade chocolate chip cookies, some toiletries, and some literature on recovery centers and safe places. We listened to them, prayed with them, cried with them, hugged them, and shared Christ's love with them.

But no amount of head-knowledge could have prepared me for what I experienced. I had been warned that they might jump in the next man's car that drove by as soon as we walked back to the van, but when it happened the first time it knocked the wind out of me. I knew they might be strung-out and aged far beyond their years, but I think in the back of my mind I still held a somewhat glamorous, Pretty Woman, idea of prostitution. There was no glamour, there were no red lights, there was barely makeup, barely shoes. There was no shortage however, of hurting women who knew they had a problem and desperately wanted to fix it.

I prayed, and continue to plead with God to release them from this bondage, and allow them to return to their estranged children, their sobriety, and their dignity. But I have no illusions that God doesn't want His church to be involved with their healing, and I look forward to my next encounter with my new friends, and the block party where maybe Mosaic will take its moonbounce and snowcone machine to share with God's precious children in the streets of Southwest Baltimore.

How can one church Contribute?

That's not a completely rhetorical question. As Mosaic settles in and becomes the church, the people who take meals to each other after a baby is born, we are now faced with what the details of that look like.

Mosaic is committed to Celebrate, Connect, and Contribute.For the past month we've been celebrating who God is and His awesome gift of Jesus each Sunday morning. Now we add the Connect piece to the mosaic. This Saturday we're having our first church picnic to get to know each other, and next week we start our Growth Groups to dive in and start doing life together.

But the question remains, how will we contribute to our community, and the world? For years I've envied the directors of service and missions at Southeast Christian Church. What could be more fun than to organize and serve with all of your time, instead of just your time off work? Now holding this position for Mosaic I see the hardships. For instance, on Monday preparing desserts at Our Daily Bread, Maryland's largest soup kitchen, I couldn't lick the icing off my fingers because it would be unsanitary. But seriously, there is a huge amount of discernment needed to wade through the opportunities. Should we serve the urban poor through the Maryland Food Bank, Our Daily Bread (ODB), or the West Side Homeless Shelter? Should we serve the prostitutes with the HOPE ministry? The underprivileged or abused children through The Samaritan Women's House, the Regional Institute for Children and Adolescents, or the public school system? The sick through the Ronald McDonald House? Or the affluent by gift wrapping their Christmas presents at the mall?

As you can probably guess my answer to all of these is an emphatic "yes!" From the beginning Mosaic has strived to have serving in its DNA, now we hope to perfect that model through intentional partnerships that use serving as a way to share Christ's love. There are many physical needs to be met in the greater Baltimore area but the greatest of these is the need for Jesus.

My uncle was visiting the day I served lunch at ODB, and as I was touring him around Baltimore that evening I shared some of our plans for Mosaic. He said, "I think what you're doing is great, but the problem is just too big, the church can't do it all." Our political views vary in his opinion that the government should have a greater hand in solving these problems. But that's also where our faith in God's church diverges. The church is big enough! Now let's just get out of the pews and start doing something about it. It's always nice to prove Kenny wrong.

Petting Lions

Does everybody else enjoy the story of Daniel in the lion's den as much as I do? Maybe I'm so enamored with it because I love big fluffy cats. Tell me you aren't wishing you could be in the lion's den running your hand through Aslan's mane or riding on his back? Okay, maybe I have an inadequate respect for these hungry lions, as is demonstrated when Daniel returns from their presence unscathed, but King Darius throws his accusers into the den and they don't even reach the floor before their families are devoured.

But what struck me last night when I read chapter 6 of the book of Daniel was the impression he left on the people around him. Look at how he impacted his co-workers:

"Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself among the commissioners and satraps because he possessed an extraordinary spirit, and the king planned to appoint him over the entire kingdom." -Daniel 6:3 NASB

" Finally these men said, "We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God." Daniel 6:5 NIV

"The king said to Daniel, "May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!" " Daniel 6:16 NIV

Talk about work-place ministry!
"When he came near the den, he (King Darius) called to Daniel in an anguished voice, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?" Daniel 6:20 NIV

It makes me question how set apart I am. Can people recognize me as a Christian? Does my attitude reflect 'the God whom I serve continually'? They're definitely not calling me 'extraordinary'. Plenty of room for improvement I suppose.

Success!!!

How to quantify a win for Mosaic’s launch?

• I could tell you how diverse our first congregation was.
• I could tell you that we had no children in need of parents during the service, in fact we had some cry when they had to leave their children’s ministry.
• Or that the Southeast Christian Church mission team made it possible for every Mosaic volunteer to attend the service, instead of taking care of the kiddos.
• People were singing with Josh and the band.
• People were laughing with Carl, he even got a few “Amen”s, which he had no idea what to do with.
• I could share that we had at least one person from every form of advertising that our summer mission teams helped us with.
• I could say that people were so compelled by the service and convinced of our expertise that they thought it was intentional when we blew a circuit and the projector went out in the middle of the sermon.
• I could use the more traditional measuring stick of numbers and tell you that we had 186 people in attendance and over 100 of them were people we didn’t know.
• Or I could tell you that people indicated on their communication cards that they were interested in small groups, membership, service, and Jesus!
• But what I really think is important is that I couldn’t stop smiling and praising God the whole day. He was truly worshipped with our love poured out through Mosaic and glorified by our sharing His name.
  

-Video thanks Dan Skinner and Carl Kuhl

“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

I nearly moved to Vegas

Last weekend, in spite of impending Hurricane Hanna, my friend Amanda and I took off for Virginia Beach for one last summer getaway. Among the many highlights of the trip were the friends we visited, playing on the beach in the tropical storm, rock climbing, flying a kite and the Fried Oreo Delight. But what surprised me most was how excited I got on Sunday by Forefront Church's service.

I was already riled up by the very professionally done mission video, so when Vince, the pastor gave a motivational sermon about buts (yes, I spelled it right) I was moved into action. In a sermon series called "World Changers" he focused on Dwight Moody with the theme of how we often let buts, or excuses, keep us from totally selling out to Jesus. Dwight Moody did not allow these to get in his way, and consequently made a huge impact on the world for Christ. By the end of the lesson I was all but packed to move to Las Vegas to help Vince with their next church plant. But I reminded myself of the yet-to-be-launched church I had at home and settled back down. He said his close friendship with Carl and Lindsay Kuhl would have prevented him from taking me from Mosaic in good conscience anyway.

I attributed all my excitement to Vince's words and Forefront's passion until Monday night when I visited Frontline, a ministry of McLean Bible Church in Arlington, Virginia. As Lon Solomon laid out the vision McLean has for reaching 6 million people in DC I started to feel it again. When he described Access, their huge disabilities ministry and Jill's House, a therapy and respite center for special children, I was once again ready to sign on the dotted line.

In my delight I recognized a similar feeling from the previous day's experience at Forefront and realized these were not two isolated incidents. Yeah, these were both inspiring services, but the underlying connection was my eagerness for a church home. I'd been quite content church-hopping all summer, or so I'd thought. But now it's clear, and the timing is impeccable, that I'm desperately ready for a family to call my own and a place to serve regularly. In two days Mosaic will be just that!!

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!" -Ephesians 3:20-21

Countdown to the Launch!!!

Get this widget!

September 4th not only marks 10 DAYS left till Mosaic Christian Church's official grand opening, but also my last scheduled fast for the church. For a year up to the launch Mosaic has had someone fasting and praying for it everyday. I don't believe it makes a difference in God's plan whether we switch shifts exactly at midnight, but I do think it's been a cool gimmick to encourage people to have very focused prayer time for the church.

I know it has reminded me to lift up the details, the mission teams, the community, the staff, and mostly just surrender it all to God's sovereignty.

My monthly day has also allowed me to concentrate my prayer on other timely matters. The 4th of February was the day before the first Post. The 4th of June I was in Bolivia seeking to understand God's will. The 4th of July our Post mission team was helping us reach out at a local Independence Day event.

Recognizing hunger pains, like we so rarely really do in the U.S., allows me to empathize to a small degree with so many around the world who experience them everyday. It has shed a whole new light on our common phrases, "I'm starving!" and "I have to get something to eat."

But most of all fasting has reminded me that "man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord," Deuteronomy 8:3, and that "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me," Philippians 4:13.

I've really enjoyed this experience. Maybe you should pray about fasting regularly, maybe even fast about it. Hehe.

Heroes of the Faith

In the book Crazy Love, the author Francis Chan moves one step beyond the surreal inspirational figures of faith commonly referred to in Hebrews 11 by describing current day Christian celebrities and some yet-unknown amazing servants of Christ. Assuming that it may be hard to relate to and be motivated to take risks by characters from thousands of years ago, he details stories of everyday people from this generation. People like Shane Claiborne of Irresistible Revolution, and Rachel Saint of End of the Spear definitely inspire me to dream big, but they're still so far away that it's easy to distance myself from their radical lifestyles.

Last week, however, I traveled to Kansas City, for a Christian Veterinary Mission conference. I was so blessed to be surrounded by my own 'heroes of the faith', missionaries to Thailand, Haiti, Ethiopia, Mongolia, Nicaragua, and Bolivia, with up to 27 years of service on the field in long-term veterinary missions. It's hard not to be moved into action by these undeniably real and huggable superstars. Not only did I get to practice working on pigs, goats, calves, horses and chickens, I also got to relish in the first hand experiences of my heroes. My faith was encouraged by the lives of worship and service these men and women have enjoyed and my dedication was challenged by the pungent (and lingering) aroma of goats and the deafening squeals of the pigs. I think I'll be investing in some earplugs soon.

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." -Hebrews 12:1-2

Predicting Forgiveness

I've arbitrarily assigned significance to the number three. If something happens once it's random, twice probably a coincidence, but three times and it grabs my attention. So, Sunday morning when the pastor started his sermon on the book of Philemon I sat up a little straighter in my chair, as this was the third in a string of forgiveness themed messages I'd been hit with in two days.

Friday night I watched As We Forgive a documentary on the post-genocide reconciliation of Rwanda. A remarkable story of the unthinkable forgiveness being asked of the Tutsis as over 40,000 Hutu murderers are released from prison back into their communities.

That same day I had finished the wildly popular, yet mildly controversial new book "The Shack" by William P. Young. A compelling novel that invites you to re-evaluate your intimacy with the Father, and reconsider your understanding of His expectancy, not for performance, but for a relationship. In the book, the main character is faced with the opportunity to forgive wrongs done to him the likes of which I cannot imagine.

In both of these stories forgiveness is counter-intuitive, counter-cultural, and seemingly impossible. But in the non-fiction as in the fiction forgiveness once granted, brings reward not only to the recipient, but also peace and healing to the giver. What less would you expect from an act so closely resembling the love portrayed in the ultimate act of forgiveness God lavished upon us through Jesus' sacrifice?

So, Sunday as the lesson in church unfolded I began to put 1 and 1 and 1 together and wonder, "hmmm, am I supposed to be learning something about forgiveness?" After some consideration, I realized I don't have any torn relationships in need of this new found radical grace. And then it struck me that maybe I'm being prepared to forgive in the future. An alarming thought, but as much as I've been forgiven by my Papa, it shouldn't be asking too much of me to imitate His mercy on such a minor scale.

A Tribute to Mosaic's Mission Teams

Summer Volunteer Accomplishments:
2,800 pounds of food collected for the very grateful Maryland Foodbank
~3,000 Packs of gum distributed in our community
~4000 Mosaic-labeled water bottles handed out to thirsty locals
~50 "Mosaic is Coming" signs posted around the neighborhood
~35 hours put in serving at the Samaritan Women's House

This list is not meant to focus on the numbers, but to emphasize the enormity of the blessing that the financial and time sacrifices from each of our guests has been to us. And there's no way to quantify the prayers, the hugs, and the laughs they have also brought to our ministry this summer. In an area where we sometimes become disheartened by the reaction people have when we tell them why we moved here, it's been such an encouragement to know that so many people are supporting us. Ultimately, each of Mosaic's core members knows that God is the only one with any power over our impact on this community, but He seems to be using His servants to remind us of His involvement in this work. It sure doesn't feel like work with servants as humble as these:




Connection Point
(our guinea pigs)
Thank you for your flexibility!

The Post
(our firecrackers)
Thank you for your enthusiasm!

Okolona Christian Church
(our whippersnappers)
Thank you for your energy!

Not yet pictured... Cornerstone Class (our sages) Thank you for your wisdom!

Forefront Church
(our ladies)
Thank you for your compassion!

Side Hugs-the real reason I love mission teams!

P.S. Our first preview service, Sunday the 10th, was amazing. Seconds before we were supposed to start, as the chaos of preparation was winding down, I looked around the theater and saw many faces I didn't recognize. My heart jumped at the realization that it's all really happening... and I'm not the only one excited about what God's doing here!

Retraction/Reprieve

"Actually, I don't have a sense of needing anything personally. I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am." -Philippians 4:11-13 The Message

Whether in Bolivia, Florida, Oregon, or Baltimore this summer God has given me a great peace and almost a supernatural lack of homesickness. Whether Mosaic's interim Children's Minister, a veterinarian, or a weekend Bed and Breakfast host, the Lord has been teaching me to be content in all circumstances.

After an emotional roller-coaster of a week since my last post, Mosaic has hired a permanent, qualified children's minister, Lisa Molite. My tenure was short and sweet. I didn't have time to do any harm, and just barely had time to grow a little fond of the position. Thank you for your encouragement, thoughts, and prayers this week, they meant so much to me.

One may wonder what God's purposes were for the events of this past few days, and I could never be sure. But would venture to guess He was asking me just how flexible and use-able I was really planning to be when I joined Mosaic and said 'use me in whatever way you can.'

I may not have mastered the secret of being content in every situation, but I appreciate the lessons God has had for me in this area and the serenity that feels as if it only could have come from Him.

For those of you wondering where this leaves me as a volunteer with Mosaic, I'm heading back to my comfort zone, behind the scenes. It looks like I'll get to work with tech during the service, and then mingle with our guests in the First Steps area afterward. But I hope not to get too attached to any one position, so I can hold true to my purpose for being here and serve wherever most needed.

With Fear and Trembling

All children are as sweet and innocent as my cousins, right?

Having served with a church plant for four years in the past, I thought I was signing on to the Mosaic Christian Church team with something to offer them. I think God finds it very amusing when I feel that I have anything to offer anyone.

"The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know." 1 Corinthians 8:2 NIV

I really thought I was ready for whatever they could throw at me: bookkeeping, the tech crew, service or missions teams, shepherding small groups, assisting on the Sheet Cake and Punch Committee, serving breakfast to 25 hungry high schoolers, allowing my car to tow loads two-three times its weight, Worship Leader, Choir Director...

But when presented, last week, with the offer to lead the children's ministry, I had to admit 'now there's something I wasn't ready for.'

"You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail." Proverb 19:21 NLT

It will be an awesome challenge and an invaluable learning experience. As my mom said the other day, "there are kids everywhere." Technology, budgets, and bands may be important to the American church experience, but no matter where God takes me to serve Him next, there will be children.

Don't worry parents, there's one guarantee that Mosaic's children's ministry will be great; Reagan Kuhl will be there every Sunday!

"(Jesus) put a child in the middle of the room. Then, cradling the little one in his arms, he said, "Whoever embraces one of these children as I do embraces me, and far more than me—God who sent me." -Mark 9:36-37 The Message

Causes I Care About

"No, this is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people. Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help." Isaiah 58:6,7

I stumbled across some definitions recently that made me stop and think twice. Thought I'd share them with you in case you're due for some thinking.

• Stewardship is the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care.

• Compassion is not sentiment but is making justice and doing works of mercy.

I've never considered myself a very compassionate person, but this is a definition I can work with. Using this view of stewardship as a filter while making purchasing decisions can help us manage the resources God has blessed us with to contribute to justice and mercy. Here are a few of my favorites if you're looking for a great opportunity to be responsible with the resources entrusted to you:

SOZO International - Recently in a refugee camp in Barek Aub, Afghanistan inflation increased the cost of feeding the people from $30,000/month to $60,000. Consequently, many are currently starving. It costs only $94 to feed a a family of seven for a month.

Compassion International is well-known for its outstanding global child sponsorship program. But recently I learned of their AIDS Initiative through a heart-wrenching book called Red Letters. Every 14 seconds a child is orphaned by AIDS...

Christian Veterinary Missions - Nearest and dearest to my heart, this organization is empowering veterinarians to live out their Christian faith by serving others through their profession.

Samaritan's Purse is more than just Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes, a relief organization that is often first on the scene around the world in disaster situations.

"When a poor person dies of hunger, it has not happened because God did not take care of him or her. It has happened because neither you nor I wanted to give that person what he or she needed. We have refused to be instruments of love in the hands of God to give the poor a piece of bread, to offer them a dress with which to ward off cold. It has happened because we did not recognize Christ when, once more, he appeared under the guise of pain, identified with a man numb from the cold, dying of hunger, when he came in a lonely human being, in a lost child in search of a home." -Mother Teresa, Red Letters

Hugging the Post

Last night after lots of hugs, I put the Post back on a plane to Louisville. A group of eleven college age/20-somethings from Southeast Christian Church's Post ministry joined Mosaic this weekend in an attempt to reach out to our community.

They were a blessing to the thirsty 4th of July crowd in Columbia, MD as they handed out over 3,000 free waters and 1,500 packs of gum. They were a blessing to The Samaritan Women's House and its future residents as they left their fingerprint on the rehab of that work in progress. They were a blessing to Community Christian Church of White Marsh, MD as they served in the children's ministry for three services. They were a huge blessing to our Mosaic team as they helped us with many things that would have taken so much more time without them. But most of all, they were a blessing to me. I wonder if God sent them just to encourage me, and the other blessings were a bonus.

Someone asked me this weekend if I've had that "Oh no, what have I done?!" moment since I moved here. Without hesitation I was able to say nope. I remember daydreaming about a job that would allow me to go on every shortterm mission trip that caught my eye. This summer I have that job, I get to join every mission team from Mosaic, it's amazing!

I've never felt more at peace about where I am, than right now. I wonder if this is what the center of God's will feels like...

During the last hug at the airport, one of the guys said, "I'm a little jealous of you right now." You probably should be.

Cracker Jacks and Fresca

When making friends on the streets of Baltimore it is crucial that you take Cracker Jacks, and maybe some Fresca, but never cheesy fries.

Reading the book Under the Overpass by Mike Yankoski recently left me staring at my ceiling from my comfortable bed craving homeless fellowship.

Against my own better judgement (only because some people have yet to fully recover from the picking-up-hitchhikers incident of months ago), I opted not to traipse through the city alone at night, thus prolonging my withdrawals. But finally, last night Josh, the Mosaic intern, and I made it out to get our fill of the streets of The Salty Balti. After sharing some Outback leftovers, some stories that nearly made me cry, some laughs that nearly made me cry, and some prayer we had made new friends, and I had gotten my fix. But I'm sure the addiction won't let me rest long, I'll need another shot soon, wanna come?

Here are some words from Mike's book that may leave you staring at your ceiling tonight:

"We hear a Christian assure someone that he will 'pray over' his problem, knowing full well that he intends to use prayer as a substitute for service. It is much easier to pray that a poor friend's needs may be supplied than to supply them." -A. W. Tozer

"What's worse? To not do dope or to not love your brother?...Why do we reject the loving, self-sacrificing, giving, encouraging, Jesus-pursuing drug addict, but recruit the clean, self-interested, gossiping, loveless churchgoer? Which one do you suppose Jesus would rather share a burrito with under a bridge?" -Mike Yankoski

"Christ died for men precisely because men are not worth dying for; to make them worth it." -C.S. Lewis

Baltimore Update

To answer the most common question asked of me lately, 'Yes, I am getting settled.' Thanks to the help of my genetic family and my Mosaic family I am moved into the new apartment and mostly unpacked. In the 2 weeks I've lived here I've had 11 different guests stay with me, including Mom above and Uncle Byron below. All the support has really helped smooth out the transition. God has been so good to take care of me through such generous friends and family.

We had our first mission team up last weekend. Southeast Christian Church's Connection Point class joined us to serve at The Samaritan Women's House below. We had a great day demolishing, landscaping, and painting. Mosaic hopes to continue this partnership as TSW prepares to open in the spring of 2009 to serve recovering troubled teen girls.

With the team from Connection Point we also did some outreach for the church launch. Some ideas were more successful than others, but overall we managed 1,514 touches to the community through passing out gum, Gatorade, snowcones, etc. The team was fabulously flexible as they were our guinea pigs for the many other groups that will be serving with us throughout the summer.
Here is the future site of Mosaic Christian Church. The most well attended movie theater in the US last year will soon house our new church family. Keep us in your prayers, there's so much left to be done!