It's Official!

A picture from the last outreach team that went to "C"


   Well, my request to go to Asia for about 2-3 weeks in December has been officially approved!  I'll be heading out for that big country that starts with a "C" right around the second week of December.  I'm joining up with our DTS outreach team to help them minister to the people of that country, and my other major goal is to put together some fundraising materials for our long-term team that will be moving there next fall.

   I'm really excited about this trip because there is such a push in missions in this part of the world, and it's exciting to be a part of it.  Well over 1 billion people live there, and the church is growing by leaps and bounds from what we've been hearing.  Although the government has opened up a little economically, they are still very much opposed to Christianity.  I'm beginning to do some research on the history of the church in Asia, to find out a little more about the underground church movement there and how Christianity has started to spread rapidly even without an "official" church.  My friends Will and Pete got the opportunity to go to an underground church with over 3,500 members in the city I'm visiting earlier this year, and I'm hoping to visit the same church while I'm there.  

   My schedule isn't set yet, but it looks like I'll be leaving the third week of December.  If you want to know more details about exactly where I'll be going, feel free to give me a call anytime (after about 1 p.m. eastern time) at (404) 213-3740.  I wish I could put more up here, but because the government of the country I'm going to likes to spy on people who are applying for visas, I can't.


I don't get the chance to appreciate it often enough, but the sunsets here are truly beautiful. 

   Things are good here in Maui, but I think I may have shot myself in the foot by putting a picture of my surfboard on here!  Just in case y'all are wondering, the only times I get to go surfing are on the weekends, or if I want to get up at 5 in the morning (which I never want to be up at 5 a.m!)  So here's what I've been working on Monday -Friday 8-5:

   I've been working a lot on learning the ins and outs of our website so I can be well versed in every aspect of it.  We are starting to make a big push on our website redesign, so look out for that in another two months or so.  Redesigning an entire website is a lot more work than I thought, but we're moving ahead steadily.  Also, I've been meeting with our Leadership Team to discuss our plans for expanding our base, and how exactly we are going to fund that.  In addition to the two houses we have now, we're looking at buying a couple of houses down the street from where we live, but we need to raise about $750,000 to make that happen.  We're in the planning stages of starting a large fundraising campaign that I'll be in charge of, which is a scary but exciting thought.  


   Caleb, one of our DTS students, helping clean out Waipuna Chapel's basement.


Finally, my community outreach projects are also going really well.  On Tuesdays, I've been taking students to Waipuna Chapel (where I go to church here) just to help serve the church and help out with anything they need.  For the next few weeks, we'll be helping a lady at Waipuna start a 2 acre garden to help feed the homeless here on Maui.  It's a really cool project and she approached me to help because we have so many people that can easily help with plowing, planting, weeding etc.  I think it's a great chance to help the community and get our DTS students more involved with the local churches here on the island.




2 comments:

  1. Unknown said...:

    I don't understand the issue with the surf board. I know how hard you worked during the summer to save money and know that you got a great deal on the board. Keep running the good race. We are proud of what you are doing.

    Dad

  1. Anonymous said...:

    I was on the 2008 Winter "C" team and was pleased to read that you are heading out that way and helping the movement of sharing the gospel to that nation. It is a truly wonderful place! God bless you in all your adventures! Angie