quiet time rocks

On the last morning the team was here, we took them to the village rocks to spend their last focused, time with God while in Africa.

I still cannot think of anywhere I would rather be than up on top of these rocks and just look out and see all that God has created.

We talked about what God was doing in us and through us and then we all found our own space and just allowed ourselves to be quiet before the Lord.

For the first thirty minutes it was perfect environment for solitude and then near the end of our time some children in the village spotted us and they proceeded to climb up the side of the rock mountain and play with us. I personally think the team wouldn't

have wanted to end their trip any other way. "Let the little children come..." Jesus said that, didn't he.......

The first picture on top is where I was sitting. I don't know if you can see the tops of some of the children's heads in the fields, but it was beautiful. Then you have our staff member, Will, with one of the boys that he and Theresa connected with when they came for a visit last year. Near the end, the team was swarmed with the children laughing and playing. Probably their highlight. The last picture is of one of the women on the team having her time alone with God. These rocks are truly beautiful. I hope you can see that.

Have a great Sunday morning.

last full day

Well, yesterday was the last full day with the team. It is always a bit sad when a team leaves. You become accustomed with their personality and the way they add to the "bigger picture". I know however that the Lord will continue to use them as they leave different than when they came and go home different; therefore, them leaving actually adds to the testimony of who God is.

This top picture is just of the tribal dancers we hired. I don't know if you can tell but they did this really cool acrobat type of thing and I have to admit, I was impressed.

The group photo is at the children's home they served at yesterday morning. They worked hard all week, played hard all week and then we shopped hard as they searched for items to buy to remind them of their trip here and to thank those who helped them get here.

This last photo is of our souvenir shopping bus ride. I know it looks as if I am photo shopped in, but I promise I was there and enjoying every moment.

Have a blessed day.

FYI, the kids, we just found out have no school tomorrow as it has all of a sudden been declared a holiday because the president of Nigeria is staying in Jos this weekend. Maybe we will get to see him??? We do know where he is staying......

it's a battle

Last night in debriefing, the team and I were talking about "Ah Hah" moments. I was sharing one of my defining moments with them that took place about 16 years ago. A time when the Lord literally grabbed my face and changed the course or direction of where I was heading.

I wasn't able to sleep last night as I started thinking so much about that time in my life (summer in Albania showing the Jesus film) and how God was opening my eyes to New Testament, Acts church type of christian living. My mind kept drifting on and off to the idea that life is a spiritual battle. Maybe I am oversimplifying it by communicating it so matter of factly; however, isn't that the truth?

Here, or in any third world country, it can seem more apparent because there is nothing to mask the battle, it is a real, felt need daily. When I lived in the USA, I know the battle was just as real there, but I was not able to see it sometimes for I could cover it up.

I don't know why I was up thinking about it, but I feel an urge to realize this in my own life. The enemy is out to seek and destroy..... and the battle is real..... and I need to be armed in the spiritual realm.... by the Word of God.... Amen and amen!

pure and faultless

"...to look after orphans and widows in their distress..."

James 1:27

Occasionally our ministry takes a moment to just focus on the widows in our midst and to love and care for them by prayer, playing with their children, helping with some food basics, etc...

Yesterday was such a day. We took the team to the village and found about 40 widows in the Kisayhip Village waiting for their moment to be recognized and found important in the bigger scheme of life. As they moved through different stations, our prayer is that in one of those provisions (whether it be the food, the prayer or the rest while some one else cared for the children or maybe even in the photo taken of them) they experienced the love of Christ through someone who a week ago wouldn't have even been aware of them.

Religion to be found pure and faultless is this: to care for the orphan AND the widow.... according to the book of James. It sounds easy doesn't it? Yet, I find in the schedule of my day, these moments are more rare.

These photos are of different aspects of the afternoon. Overall, the team was amazing and ready for any task given to them. I love how God allows us to serve yet in the meanwhile we are being served. We are grateful there are people here this week to join us in the service.

a new boy

Rainy season is pretty much gone and with that comes some hot weather again.

Gus came home yesterday wanting all his hair cut off. He said he was too hot with his longer hair. I love his practicality.

This is him before his hair cut....

AFTER! He looks like my little boy again. and yes, he would not like hearing my say that!

joy in giving

I wake up this morning with a mellowness (I am sure that is a word, right?) that is unusual for my morning spirit. I am not sure of the root of the emotion, but it is running deep. I actually think it started yesterday morning.

We currently have a team serving alongside of us and yesterday we took them to our village church. The photo below is a great picture of the different instruments that are used during our morning worship. But what this "snap" doesn't reflect is the joy that is expressed while they are being used. I definitely can say one of my most favorite times of the week is the morning "offering" at church. I know I have expressed before to you how I love that people dance forward as they bring what they have to offer to the Lord and to each other.

But I think when a group is here, I can start all over again with the "newness" of things here in Jos. I also think that maybe my "pit" or mellowness is stemmed with yesterday during the tithes and offerings. Currently, I wonder if I have lost some joy. Until you see it in someone else or you begin to feel it return, you might not even know it is gone. What a bummer to see something that the Lord freely gives can be so quickly pushed aside.

I also think that the key is found in the expression of giving. Maybe I am holding back and don't know it? Maybe I have lost the intimacy of giving, the intimacy of a natural, deep connection with God that the natural overflow of my heart is giving.

Either way, I realize it is connected with my Lord and my loss of connection due to my side of things. I also realize He is still there waiting to joyfully give to me Joy. Hah, I should follow his example. Hmm, there must be something in the joy of giving. I think I might try today to offer myself to the Lord and see what He does with it.

I do wish you could hear this music and fellowship live and in person. You can't help but jump up and give in anyway you can.

This is a picture of us in church before others got there. It was raining, so the attendance was sparse as most everyone walks a while to get to church. That is also majority of the team that is here this week. As the service went on, the small, humble building became full and the energy in the room multiplied. I would imagine that is why their is strength in numbers.... the desire to keep on, keeping on is strong when others are locking arms with you.

Yesterday was a great day.

birthday dinner

As I was on my way home from running yesterday we saw this Independence Day parade going on and it seemed really fun and very spirited. Parades are rare, so I was glad to experience this one.

It is my dad's birthday today, but since we have a group arriving this afternoon, we had my dad over for dinner last night to celebrate. We couldn't remember the last time we celebrated with him in person. It has definitely been many, many years. It was a gift to have them over.

As a present we gave him Hershey's Special Dark chocolate chips. It is funny how gift ideas change depending on where you are living. I knew he would really, really appreciate this gift living here since you cannot buy chocolate chips in this area.

I think that I love my parents and I am grateful for this year. As I was waking this morning, I heard my children get up (6:30am...) and sneak over to grandpa's house to wish him Happy Birthday. How often do grandkids get to do that to their grandparents? Well, for the Guckenberger family, it doesn't happen that often, so we are grateful for these moments.