Strange Fire

So it is no mystery that I have been feeling a bit disconnected from the vine for the past few days. There has been something gnawing at me. I have been a little short with people, which is not my character, so I had to do a little soul searching this afternoon and try to dig out the cause. 

I spent some time alone with God, and I still didn't feel like I had totally gotten to the bottom of the matter. I am doing a Bible study on the Tabernacle, so I picked up my work book and started doing my homework for the day...and wham...I was reading the "strange fire" account. 

Dig way back into the crevices of your mind, or flip to Leviticus 10:1-11, and unearth the story of the sons of Aaron who where consumed by fire from the Holy of Holies because they offered strange fire as an offering to the Lord. Pretty harsh, you may say...but then the study begins to show us the importance of worshiping the Lord in the way He intended. 

You see the offering that the sons of Aaron were bringing to the Lord had specific instructions. They were supposed to take coals from the altar of sacrifice and use them to burn the special incense in the altar of incense. What is so special about coals from the altar of sacrifice? They were covered in the blood of the burnt offering...they represented the blood of Christ which atones our sins. 

You see we can't approach God without Jesus. There is no getting around our sinfulness and God cannot abide sin of any kind. Since he is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow...He couldn't abide the sin of the Israelites either. So they offered blood sacrifices on the altar and then used the coals from that fire to burn incense as a form of worship to the Lord. The incense represents our communication to the Lord...our prayers our worship, everything we say and do for Him. 

So the blood of Christ covers us allowing us to worship, Jesus sits at the right hand of God interceding for us - which means he is telling God everything we are telling Him and we are praying from the spirit inside of us, which God gave us.

OK so I say all of this to show you that I was kind of bypassing the rules. John 4:23 says for us to worship the Lord in spirit and truth. What does that mean? I was worshiping with my body (singing, raising my hands), and I was worshiping with my soul (my emotions) but my spirit was kind of disengaged. So I was missing the mark. I wasn't getting through. 

So it is incredible that we are accessing the whole Trinity when we worship or pray to God. Beth Moore says this in the study, "The incense of our prayer and worship is the Holy Spirit and the fire that enables the fragrance to rise is Jesus Christ. The One who deems the fire and incense acceptable or unacceptable is Father God." 

Whoa...worship is such a privilege. To come before the Creator of the Universe and offer Him anything less that what He asks for is detrimental to our connection with the Living God. We may not be burned alive by holy fire like the sons of Aaron, but we could have some serious communication problems with God. 

So I will tell you one thing...I don't think those sleepy prayers whispered in bed before I am really awake count as worship. I don't think that it makes the "in spirit and truth" cut. I had to ask for some major forgiveness, and then make a covenant with the Lord that I would enter his court with reverence and a healthy fear of his awesomeness.

How about you? Have you been offering Him strange fire?

 

Rest

The Lord in my Shepherd, I shall not want 

He makes me lie down in green pastures 

He leads me beside still waters

Part of Psalm 23

Today was a still water kind of day. There were definitely green pastures (dunkin donuts and an espresso coolata). I laid down (in my hammock...2 different hammocks actually).

There was one point where I was relaxing in my hammock...or trying to relax, really...and then I realized...I don't know how to do this anymore. I don't know how to rest. Don't get me wrong, I know how to sleep, but I have lost the art of resting while awake. 

I remember when I used to spend an hour of time every week with God. No reading, no writing, no music...just talking. Today I realized how much I miss that time of solitude and how uncomfortable it is to just sit there now. I feel like I should be going, doing or planing. 

I need to relearn how to rest. 

My Address and Mailing Tips

I just wanted to post my mailing address on the blog with a few tips for sending items. I do love getting mail down here...it is really special to get a letter or a small package from so far away! Don't get me wrong I LOVE emails and blog comments too, but there is something different about holding a letter in your hand.

My address is:

Heather Stewart

C/O Martin or Wendy Williams

APO 354 

La Ceiba, Honduras

Central America

A few tips on the sending:

• Letters and puffy envelopes are best as boxes tend to invite the curious minds to pry inside.
• It is very expensive to ship boxes to La Ceiba so make sure you ask your post master how much it is going to cost before you start filling up a box...most of them are charged by the pound.
• If you do want to send something that won't fit in a big envelops I recommend using Rapid Cargo, is very reliable and inexpensive. It is a Honduran run company that charges ~1.25 per pound to ship. They service the South East USA. If you are interested let me know and I will send you their phone number and other shipping information.
• Please do NOT send cash, if you want to send a donation please go though Go Global or send the check to my mom and she will deposit it into my bank account. (Just shoot me an email and I will hook you up with the address.)

FAQ

• How long will it take to arrive? --> Letters: about 2 weeks, Boxes: 6-8 weeks.
• Why do boxes take so long? --> The US Post Office waits until the ocean liner bound for Honduras is full so sometimes it takes a very long time to receive a package.
• How will I know if it ever got there? --> I will be sure to send you an email letting you know it arrived safely! (If you have sent something in the past and haven't received an email, it means that I haven't received it yet.)

 

I am sure there are tons of things I am forgetting but this will give us a good start. I am so excited about the items that are already on their way here! I pray that God keeps them safe and they arrive quickly!

Wanna Be an Intern?

Have you ever felt God calling you to do something different with your life? Has there ever been a time where you thought about going into ministry? If so, now is the time to think about Healing Place School of Ministry (HPSM).

HPSM is the incredible intern program I got to be a part of last year. It has prepared me so well for what God has me doing in Honduras, that I really wanted to let you all know that enrollment for the 2010 internship is starting soon. 

If you are interested in applying for the full time accredited internship visit their website by cliciking here, and check out their online catalogue at: http://www.healingplacechurch.org/media/HPSM_Catalog09-10.pdf

Guard Your Heart

"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellsprings of life." Proverbs 4:23

There have been so many times that I have needed to hear this truth. Sometimes I have to repeat it to myself...

Guard your heart, Heather. Guard your heart.

I think of a cave, with the most exquisite treasure inside...compassion, loyalty, love. Our hearts are the very dwelling places of the Lord. They are His home. 

I think of all the good things that come out of a home...wonderful smells of home-cooked meals, story times and lullabys, comfort and encouragement, correction and discipline. 

I don't think that I should let my heart run wild, or rather I should let it be free to love as God would love but guard it with scripture and truth. 

Guard your heart, Heather. Guard your heart. 

I think about a life on the mission field and I think about life anywhere else, and I remember what Jack Dyer said to me once..."Heather, if you can do anything else besides being a missionary, then do it." He was implying that if you are called to be a missionary then you will be completely and utterly miserable doing anything else. 

Sometimes I remind myself of that conversation. I remind myself of what it felt like when I found out I was coming to Honduras...of how my spirit lept inside of me and I couldn't contain the joy, it just bubbled out of me. 

I also think of the life that awaits me when I return to Louisiana in September. I think of my family and friends. I think of my church. I wonder what I would be doing if I wasn't here in Honduras. I wonder what life will look like in the future... marriage... kids... jobs... missions? 

I know that God has carried me here on His wings and I wouldn't trade that for anything. If I would let myself, I could plan out the next 5 years of my life very easily. But the problem with that is...that it is my plan and not God's. 

So I will guard my heart...even against myself. I will sink into Him and let Him guide my course as He always does. Above all, trusting that His ways are higher than mine and that maybe He will bring me back to this beautiful place one day.

Cluster Map Woes

Well...maybe I had gotten too attached to looking at my cluster map. I really did love seeing where all of you live and seeing new people stumble onto the blog. 

BUT...

Alas...my cluster map has been reset. Tis sad but true...apparently every year the map resets itself so that you will be able to see your dots more clearly. 

I likes the cluttered look of my map. It made me feel special and loved by people all over the world. Why would they call it a cluster map anyway if they are going to keep it all neat and orderly?

I guess this is just one of those questions we will never know the answer to. 

So lets give it another go...now that we know the rules of the game we have approximately one year to fill that puppy up again! Ready. Set. Go!!!

20 minutes of one woman's life

This is a picture of me with Jose and his mother. Jose is 9 years old and he has epilepsy. His story is a sad one...but he wouldn't know it. I met him and his mother last Thursday at the medical brigade in Uracco. As I sat with them and talked to his mother, I found out that his father left them when Jose was only 6 months old. They live about 6 hours from any relatives, and I think that they like it that way. 

They have lived in Uracco for a year, but I don't think that they get out much because of Jose's condition. It was a really BIG step for his mother to bring him to the brigade and bring him out into the public. 

We had chicken and rice that day for the patients and I was able to bring them some food and sit with them for a while. I held Jose while his mother ate her lunch, and I wondered how it would feel to carry him around everyday like she does. I mean, I held him for about 30 minutes...she holds him all day long. 

We are going to try and help them. Jose was able to take some medicine while he was at the brigade...which is the first time in his whole life that he has received medication for his epilepsy. I want to go see them this week and bring some clothes and diapers for him. I want to get to know his mother.

This is really why we are here. To break the chains of oppression that are strangling the people of this community. To be a light in the darkness and to offer comfort to those who are in need. This picture, although bittersweet, will be carried around in my mind's eye forevermore. 

I think about his mom, and wonder if she ever feels like the woman at the well. That Samaritan woman was an outcast in her community...nevermind the reason. I wonder how strong she must be to care for Jose on her own. She was so quick to smile...and I think I am still processing all of the things I learned from her by sharing a few minutes of her life. 

Honduran Father's Day

So today is Father's Day in Honduras. The kids at the school invited their dads to attend a special program and lunch at the school. It was a really cool day. I got to see the creative side of my kids as they participated in dramas and songs dedicated to their fathers. 

This was a little bittersweet for me though. There are quite a few kids in my class who either don't know their fathers, they are working in another country to support them or they have passed on. I held one girl named Maria as she cried because her dad passed away last year and this was the first Father's Day she spent with out him. 

My heart is hurting right now. I am blessed to not only have my father and step-father but also countless father figures in my life that want the best for me. I was so sad today as the kids explained that they did not want to eat the lunch they had prepared because their fathers weren't here to eat it with them. 

I am supposed to be working on group schedules right now but my heart is just so heavy. 

Samaritan's Purse

What an incredible honor! Today I got to be a part of handing out the Operation Chrismas Child boxes from Samaritan's Purse. This is the second time I have had the opportunity to be a part of this (the first was last year in Swaziland) and I don't think this will ever get old. 

It is incredible to see the kids faces and to share in opening their presents. 

One boy received a photo of the church that sent his box. He was so excited and ran around showing all his friends. I told him that the people in the picture had lots of love for him and then he gave me the biggest hug.  

It was incredible to be able to talk to the kids about their stuff and the people who sent it to them. And then talk about the love of God and the best gife we could ever get...Jesus. When I was in Africa I couldn't speak the language at all, so being able to talk to them today was the best gift I could have received. 

Making Progress

We are making progress daily on the dorm. The guys are almost done putting the stucco on the outside of the building...and that means it is almost ready for ... you guessed it...painting! haha

Here is a picture of the front of the building. You can see the cool columns and the stone parking area and the porch (which are all crutial in the rainy season). 

This is a great place to hang out...check your email and take off your shoes so you don't get sand inside the dorm!

Feeling Full

I know that most of you know the verse Malachi 3:10...

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

This verse directly relates to tithing and is an incredible promise from the Lord. When we tithe to Him we give of our talents, time and treasure. We give back to the Lord for all of the the things He has given to us. 

I realized this morning that we are living in Malachi 3:10. We are busting at the seams here in Rio Viejo. Our dorm is full of people, our calendar is full of groups, our store houses are full of supplies and things to give away...we are feeling quite full. 

The beauty of this is that we have never stopped giving things out. We continue to distribute baby clothes and medicines and diapers...everything that comes in...goes out! 

In the next 3-4 weeks we are expecting to receive a 40ft ocean liner full of equipment, supplies and necessities to make the outpatient clinic fully functional. We will have everything from filing cabinets to an x-ray machine! 

This is an incredible feat! So many organizations have worked together (including the Church of God, Bay Community Church and Healing Place Church, to name a few) to get the container packed and ready to ship. The rains have finally stopped and we are ready to try and get it up the mountain! 

So now...we have to play musical store houses again! With the Williams family still living in the back of the hospital, because their house isn't finished yet, we have to find creative ways to  get all of the stuff in here. The game goes like this...you take suff from one room and move it into another room...and then you take what was in that room and try to get it into another room...all in an organized fashion so you know where everything is. It is really very challenging. 

I think this is probably the best "problem" you can have. I think one translation of Malachi 3:10 says that God will bless you so much that you will be embarrassed because you won't have enough space to take it in. Well I think we have reached the embarrassed level. Our cup is about to run over, and I am so grateful to God and all the people who have been obedient to Him and helped make this happen.

We are soooo close to being a fully functional facility...and you know...I am so glad I get to be here to see it happen! 

Whew!

So we have made it through the 2 teams at once week! What a stretch! Today I am trying to relax. Claire and I came down to La Ceiba to buy some groceries...since we haven´t had time to make this trip in a while...we have been scavenging at the dorm for food :)

We rode the chicken bus down with the Canadians and made sure they made it to church on time. And now Clair and I have a belly full of Dunkin Donuts (don´t hate...they are such a treat) and I am sipping on a capiccino! Ahhh....

It ia a beautiful day in La Ceiba and we are going to meet up with the Canadians after we hit up the grocery store and ride back up with them on the bus.

Thanks to all of you who have been pulling for us in prayer! I know that God gave us some extra grace this week. There were things that almost slipped through the cracks but God helped us on such a practicle level this week. He really held things together for us while we were running around like crazy people.

I wouldn´t trade this past week for anything!

Last night we all watched Craig Grochell`s One Prayer Message...Make Us One. I absoluetly love that message and I wanted the Canadians to really see just how important unity in the church is and what a special thing we have here in la cuenca with 4 different ministries working hand in hand. I hope and pray that the Holy Spirit moves in their lives and that they leave here changed!

Community Education...Canadian Style

So the Canadians went with us to teach at a school last week...these guys are so much fun. They don't know much Spanish but that doesn't stop them from having a good time!

After we did the education in the class and gave out all of the goodies, the sang almost the entire Lion King soundtrack off the cuff! Here is a picture of them with the elementary school students from Uracco.

The Landscape

This is what Honduras really looks like

.

These pictures were taken at the first medical brigade of 2009 with Bay Community Church, Alabama on March 8th.

I Heart Honduras

Four Days of Brigades

So I was finally able to see what it is like to be a part of a medical brigade. I have been honored to serve with Bay Community Church this week as we brought medicine and hope to over 500 people in the Cuenca Cangrejal. 

Participating in the brigades this week has been a very important piece of the HHIM vision. This whole medical complex is designed to be run by teams. It is an incredible feat...a God sized dream. Think about this for a minute...we run an outpatient medical clinic with a skeleton staff of 4 volunteers and we normally see an average of 30 patients a day. We were able to see 5.5 times more patients than we would normally see in one week! That is incredible! 

This week I really got to see first hand the type of impact this hospital, clinic, and outreach center is going to have on the community. This place is designed to have people coming and going. It is designed to facilitate relationship building between the local people and practitioners. It is a networking hub for medical professionals. It is a center of hope for the people.

Once the construction is complete here...there is going to be a huge infilling and outpouring. People will be blessed whether they are coming in or going out. 

All day today God was speaking to me. I play the receptionist so when all the patients are signed up I am able to hang back and watch what happens, talk to the people and play with the kids...sometimes I translate (which is really scary for me). So today I was able to fly under the radar a bit and just observe. I got to see over 24 volunteers pouring themselves out for the people. Every person on the team gave their all. None of them had anything left to give, and for that I believe they will be truly blessed. 

Something incredible is happening here. The people who come to serve here are changed forever and hopefully the people who come to be served are changed forever too. 

I am exhausted, but very alive. My heart is growing...I feel like someone is grabbing at my insides...I think it is called compassion. Christ had compassion on the people who came to him for healing. Even when there were so many and he was already tired...he still healed them. I pray that we are all filled with the compassion of Christ. I pray that we are challenged by his willingness and that we respond to the call he has placed on our hearts. 

Is God calling you? Is he asking you to have compassion for his people? How can you show the compassion of Christ in your life, in your marriage, in your home or at your job? 

Take a look...Matthew 14:14.

Weird

You know how weird it sounds when you hear yourself on the answering machine? Well now just imagine hearing yourself on the answering machine while speaking a different language! Double weird!


Here is a video of me "teaching" (I use that word loosely) a class on hand washing for a school in Uracco. This village is about 20km farther up the mountain from Rio Viejo. We are implementing programs to reach our goal of visiting all of the 31 schools in the area 3 times a year to keep the children covered by antiparasitic medications.


We took the Canadians to this school and had them teach part of the program! It was really cool to watch them play Simon Says (Simon Dice) in Spanish and yell out all the names of body parts for the game.

Now if you do speak Spanish you will probably laugh out loud when you hear me...because I use the right words but they are in the wrong form and in the wrong order all the time. My friends here love to hear me speak Spanish because I am all in all the time but I am also all wrong all the time. haha

Dorm Picks

Tonight we had a the BCC team cutting pounds of carrots, onions, celery and snapping green beans for chicken and rice!

The dorm is deifnately multipurpouse...we use the dining room for all sorts of things. Here a team from Georgia is cutting pills for the pharmacy.

Applicance delivery! Wendy and I bought all the appliances for the dorm the day we got back from our trip to the states! We had a few hours to spare in San Pedro Sula so we made every minute count and outfitted the dorm with appliances! Claire and I showcasing the chest freezer.

The dorm dining room right before the first team. We can feed about 25 people here at a time.

Duct-taping table cloths to our new plastic tables! 

Allison and I before the first group...making up the bunk beds for the first time!

Brigada Medica y Comida Gratis

Medical Brigades and Free Food...a beautiful combination! 

This is definitely not about the numbers...but we served 150 patients today medically and  350 people left with full bellies...I don't know how many of those left with full spirits. 

The wait was long...the first patient checked in at 7:30am and the last patient left at 3:30ish...but everyone of them left with a smile. 

OK so I am pooped...and we are off to Los Limpios tomorrow morning at 5:30am, for a 2 hour hike. It will be interesting to see how they get the giant CFC pot up to the village! I can't wait to blog tomorrow and share with you guys!

This group is amazing! They remind me so much of HPC and I am just getting more and more excited about the HPC trip in May. 

The Canadians are doing well...they are staring their second week of rotations. Out clinic "miniterns" as we affectionately call them did an amazing job today and I can't wait to see them in action tomorrow in Los Limpios. 

Brenda's Bags

Brenda with 2 of her creations.

A friend of mine here in Honduras (the mother of my favorite twins) is an excellent seamstress. She has a great talent, and I thought...what a great opportunity to share Honduras with the people at home! So Brenda and I got together and designed some messenger bags and purses. Each one is handmade by Brenda and they are all made from different kinds of fabric and buttons...no two are exactly alike. I pick out the colors and purchase all of the materials in La Ceiba and then Brenda works off of a basic design adding her special touches and style. 

It is one of the coolest things I have done here. I would love to continue to build relationships with the women in the villages, discover their talents and then be able to share something tangible with you. If you are interested in knowing more about Brenda and her family or would like her to make a bag for you...just send me an email! 

Sweet Peace

There is something very comforting about the peace of the Lord. You know...I should be a little stressed right now, but I am not. 

Today has been one of the best days. The weather is just beautiful, the Canadians are on an adventure in La Ceiba, the medical team is getting settled in and it is so nice to have some southern people here for a change!

I am getting my "ya'll" fix...and we will have sweet tea at supper tonight! YES!!!

A little bit of Heaven here on earth!

Thank you for your prayers. I know that you are all lifting me up and I can feel it. 

I really believe that God is going to move this week. I keep hearing the word harvest, I can't get away from it. It is on my lips in prayer and in my heart...so I believe these are the days of the harvest! Please agree with me on that, let's unite in prayer and believe that God is going to do the unexpected this week.

I have such an anticipation about the brigades this week. I don't really know what to expect because I haven't seen a brigade before...but I do know to expect God...and expect the unexpected.

Double Trouble

So the TD Christian High kids have officially been here for a week. They have lived with us, ate with us, sang with us, swam with us and of course...worked with us! Now that they think they have the routine down...we are shoving them out of the next to see if they can fly...literally.

We have another team coming in for a week so we had to move the kids across the street to stay in the dorm at the IER high school, where I teach English. This is going to be a stretch for sure. Our facilities are bursting at the seams, our staff is stretched thin and we have more projects going than we can count.

Am I allowed to panic? Just a little bit? OK, I guess I will have to keep it together. 

I am excited, nervous and anxious all at once. I guess we can throw a little worried in there for good measure. 

I am worried about the kids going across the street...our friends have extended us tons of grace and are letting us use their facilities for the week. They are good kids but you know teenagers.

I am worried about managing two different schedules for about 55 people.

I am worried about transportation, groceries, project supplies, and medicines.

I am worried about making a 5 star impression on the visiting team, while keeping the Canadians rolling and maintaining a good relationship with Earl and Sharon across the street. 

But you know...in all of this worrying...I am so glad that I have a rock to lean on. I am full of joy because I know my steps are ordered by God and that He will never fail me. Yesterday I read a scripture...Gal 6:9 "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest, if we do not give up."

That verse doesn't say "reward" it says "harvest" which I think is really cool. I think about a big party with a lot of food, when I think of a harvest...no one going hungry, and there are plenty of leftovers. So if I don't grow weary because the joy of the Lord is my strength...then I will reap a harvest at the proper time (not a second early or late)...if I don't give up.

As you remember us in prayer this week, please pray that we will find strength in the Lord. That He will give us supernatural energy to complete the tasks ahead of us, as well as giving us time to build relationships with the team members. I don't want this week to fly by so fast that we don't have time to invest in the lives of the group members...all 55 of them!

So I think I named this post wrong...it's not double trouble...it should really be double harvest... cause I stand on the word of the Lord! 

Honduran Equations

Hot La Ceiba Sun + Sunburnt Canadians = Ice Cold Orange Juice in a Bag

Questions on the lips of the Canadians...

1. Is it really in a bag? (yes, it is really in a bag)
2. Can we eat the ice? (yes)
3. How much longer are we going to walk around? (I don't know)
4. Do you have any sunscreen? (nope...try to stay in the shade)
5. Where is the shade? (haha)
6. Is it always this hot? (it's only 78 degrees)

Oh Canada,Oh Canada

Those are the only words I know to that song...and I think I am actually singing them to the tune of "Oh Christmas Tree" and I am sure that can't be right. Today is the 3rd day of the next 8 weeks of my life...and I have to say that every day is better than the last. It really is true that our best days are ahead of us.

I am really trying to get every drop of what God has to offer in the next few days. It is really cool to be surrounded by teenagers...a bit loud at times...but cool none the less. They definitely know how to have fun and I have already seen growth in some of them...and it is only the third day!

We are trying to make this an eye opening experience for the students...not only culturally but spiritually as well. Tonight we had our first of 7 Wednesday night church services. It was really fun to put together a service for them and it reminded me so much of my own church. I really think these Wednesday nights are going to be a special time for us to come together and be with the Lord.

We sat in plastic chairs, on the unfinished veranda of the dorm...our projector sat on top of a saw horse and we had acoustic worship provided by the students. There were bags of cement and tools everywhere but there was something else there as well...the presence of the Lord. 

As we sang and worshiped the Lord I pictured the Holy Spirit just flowing out of the opened windows...and following our voices...he began to open the hearts of the people all around us. It was really incredible to be there...this was the first of many services to come!

I can't wait to get to know the students better and really see God develop their relationships with each other...with the Honduran culture...and most importantly...with Himself. Thanks so much for your prayers and I am just so thankful to all of you for helping to get me here and for helping to keep me here, in prayer. 

Canadians Everywhere!!!

We have managed to fumble our way through the first few days of the Canadian group. They arrived Saturday after a long day of traveling...with out any luggage and with out the group leader! haha...thank God, Rachael, the TD Christian leader came in on a later plane that night!

The kids are great so far...I think I had forgotten what it was like to be in High School. It is kind of scary to think I have been out of high school for 9 years...agggggg...so my 10 year reunion is just around the corner. Weird!

OK...on a serious note...something really special is happening here in la Cuanca Cangrejal... UNITY. That's right...multiple ministries, representing multiple denominations are working together for the glory of one God. wow. 

Yesterday we had a party in the dorm so the kids could meet the other ministry leaders and get to know them before they had their first day of work. It was really amazing. I don't think the kids really got it...how cool...and how rare it is for things like this to happen. 

I thought about Papa Jack and the work he started here over 25 years ago...and how he is the common thread that ties this whole place together. It is because he answered God's call to missions that we are here serving today. If he would have ignored God, then someone else would have come and then someone else would be writing this blog now. 

My heart just leaps when I think about the unity on this mountain. It keeps me going when I get frustrated. It keeps me pushing forward when I feel overwhelmed. This is what it is all about... people loving other people and working together...just like Jesus said. 

Man. This is really cool.