The Hand of God

Ella usually wakes up for nursing throughout the night. Usually around 2:30am is the first time she stirs. After she get done feeding is when we have trouble getting her back to sleep. What we have realized is that if we put our hand on her and apply slight pressure it will help her remain calm and fall back to sleep. Last night I found myself waking up to Ella's stirring every hour. I extended my hand over to her little bed and applied slight pressure and each time she fell back to sleep.

I thought about Psalm 23 and how Jesus comforts us as our shepherd. I began to imagine God's hand upon me as a loving Father helping me get through my day. I began to see God's character in a new and fresh light because of my new role as a Father. As a touch Ella I pray that she would experience the love and comfort that can only come from Jesus.

Check out the Mission in Rwanda!

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Moving Day

Today I drove down to Casa Grande this morning to help my brother-in-law move to a new house. I realized a couple of important things....first, I am not as young as I use to be and my body hurts tonight. Second, strangely, I began to think about the concept of moving or being displaced in the Bible. I thought about the call that Jesus put on the disciples to "follow him". They dropped what they were doing (their careers) and made an incredible no holds bar commitment to do something totally different than what their lives were like. They moved from their comfortable lives and began to live a very challenging uncomfortable life.

How many of us are willing to do the same thing in our commitment to Jesus? After Pastor Dan's sermon last week I was struck by how much of an "entitlement" attitude we have. We somehow think that we are given the right to live a certain way because we live in a great country. We have a right to a nice house, car, job and other things that make life comfortable. But what I read over and over again is Jesus calling us to sacrifice and surrender....giving up all entitlements and "moving" to a new station in life-of surrender and sacrafice. What we have mistaken as a call of provide comfort is not what Jesus talks about at all. If anything our faith should make us very uncomfortable. Our faith should be like that of the early disciples which was risk-taking and brash. It flew in the face of the local politicians and religious leaders.

Of course I have a new perspective on all of this having myself moved to a new country and home in Rwanda. It has given me a new way of looking at life. I look at the children in our neighborhood and I realize that they didn't choose to be born into poverty. Aren't they entitled to the same possibilities in life that I have: job, house, family? How is it that just by where you are born comes God-given rights and opportunities? It doesn't seem fair.

So moving or relocating has become part of our commitment as Christ followers. As Jesus called the first 12 disciples to a commitment that required mobility he called Andria and I to that same path. It's a call to bring the gospel of hope and joy to people that need a little extra of those things today. It's about sharing the blessings that we enjoy in the States to people who haven't experienced those blessings. I think of Abraham who moved across the earth and was called to be a blessing to those he encountered because God first blessed him.

Radical commitment in the Bible always was risky and it should be today. A radical commitment to Jesus should cause us to want to move and to share the blessings that God has given us. It should cause people around us to question our sanity and should be some of the wildest, risk-taking behavior that people have ever seen. We have lost our moving ability because we have sanitized our faith to a nice neat package that shows itself only in Sunday worship at 10am. Let's get out and move!

Providing for Ella

During our talk to the 30's & 40's group at North Phoenix Baptist one young man asked if we were concerned about providing opportunity for Ella's (our baby daughter) future. He flushed out the question even more as he explained that as a parent himself he wanted to provide the best future for his child and living in Rwanda would be difficult to imagine that happening.

His question was a good one and it has made me think even more since then about what is "providing for Ella's future"? I don't think there is an easy answer and I probably didn't answer his question very well but let me summarize my thoughts here. I really wrestle with the idea of how Americans see themselves and their pursuit of the American dream. I struggle because I see some of what we hold to be true as contrary to my beliefs as a Jesus follower. When I read about Jesus life and the early disciples I read about sacrifice, surrender and commitment to serve.

When I listen about those pursuing the American Dream I hear about self belief, wealth, leadership and entitlement. Now I know what you are thinking...Todd's lost his way living in Rwanda! You are probably right. While I don't think that the being a Jesus follower and pursing the American Dream are necessarily mutually exclusive I do wonder if we are missing the mark in thinking that they are completely harmonious.

So my struggle continues. The Bible seems pretty clear. This life is not about "us". It is about God and His Kingdom. When the focus becomes more us than Him we have a problem. Some how the world has become an "us" and "them" type set up. There are "haves" and "have-nots". Americans, regardless of how little your income is, are by far the "haves" in the world. Comparatively, most Rwandans are the "have-nots" when it comes to economics.

Jesus clearly showed that the gospel or "good news" was for both groups. And in fact Jesus also made it clear that the "good news" was geared for the poor and the "least of these". Time and time again Jesus had harsh words to those who were rich in earthly standards. Not the wealth was bad in and of itself but because of the temptation that comes with materialism. Things become our god.

So if we are Jesus followers we must be what Jesus dedicated his life for..namely turn upside down the notion of what this world values and strives. To bring the good news of Jesus to those who need it most. The disciples gave up everything to follow Jesus..job, status, family, money..why do we think that being a Jesus follower should be any less now?

So back to the question posed to us at NPBC. I am confident that "providing" for Ella in Rwanda may be more easily attainable than if we lived in the States. The distractions of the American Dream will be, I am sure, replaced by other challenges but in the end God's grace will be sufficient where ever we live and raise our family.

Lillian goes to school

Lillian, with the red shirt under the yellow, never finished high school. Her family is poor and they could not afford the fees (approx. $50). We didn't realize when we hired her to work on the Women's Community Center that she was a high school dropout. When it came to our attention we asked her if she wanted to go back to school. Tears welled up in her eyes. She knew how important an education is to her future. We have paid for her way and she is now in school!

New Sewing Class to Start

We are so excited! The local government has identified the next group of boys and girls for the sewing class! The first class has now formed a sewing coop. We are helping them establish themselves in the community and will hopefully make enough money to support their families. The new group will start as soon as we raise enough money for supplies. They need around $25/week for the first 3 months to get them going. Notebooks, pens, fabric, thread, etc. will get them started on their exciting new adventure. In April both groups will move over to the Women's Center to have class and run their coop. But for the time being they will meet next to our house in a couple of the rooms.

The Manly Reunion

Yesterday we had a lunch at the Ricker's house. We invited some friends we hadn't seen in a while. It was so nice to reconnect after so many years. In the picture above is Tyson, Todd (me), Mike, Elli and Jeff; all of us plus Chris and Leland were part of a men's group that started meeting around 2001 or so. The men's group was an important part of my life. They helped me navigate through a divorce and other ups and downs. It is amazing to me that God has kept such incredible men in my life for so long.

Living Hope Community Church of Tucson

Living Hope Community Church
Mari, Casey, Andria and Ella
(Dave Lynn, Todd, Pastor Dave)

Yesterday we drove down to Tucson to speak at Living Hope Community Church. My good friend Dave Lynn (well known author and writer) is on the leadership team and has been our connection with them. LHCC bailed us out last year when we needed a church to collect donations for City of Joy. We are so appreciative for their help this past year. Now we have www.joytotheworldfoundation.org working with us on donations.

I shared stories of lives being changed in Rwanda. I showed how Jesus is alive in Rwanda and he is bringing great hope for a better future. After the worship service we had breakfast and small group discussion. The questions were so good! LHCC worships around 70 people on a typical weekend. They meet in a school. They are small but their is a feel of what you read in the book of Acts of the house church movement. God is using Living Hope to do some incredible things in this world.

Andria's cousin Casey and our college age friend from New Covenant Church, Mari, were both there and we had a great time after church getting burgers at In and Out Burger. Mari was part of the team that came over to visit Rwanda when we first moved their 2 years ago. She is thinking of doing something in the public health field and is very interested in visiting us in Rwanda for a long term visit.

How to Donate to City of Joy

We have a new partnership with an incredible company to help us manage our donations. You can now donate money to City of Joy by going to www.joytotheworldfoundation.org and receive a tax deduction for every donation.

Just choose "City of Joy" as the operating project. Put a note of where you would like your donation to go and leave us your email if we don't have it so we can thank you and send you information on your donation.

The company charges 3% to manage our funds and to send letters to donors for their tax preparations. Credit cards are an additional 3% in merchant fees. Checking account transfers are the most economical way to donate because the additional 3% is not charged. You can also specify automatic reoccurring gifts.

As soon as we get our website up and running we will try to streamline the donation page even more.

Generosity in any language

Lately I have been blown away by people's kindness. After living in Rwanda for the past 21 months I didn't know what to expect in the states. Would I be disappointed with Americans and the way we live while we visited from Jan. to April? Not at all.

Yesterday we were at Paradise Bakery and the manager gave us all a free lunch because she felt like we waited to long in line for our food. If she only knew that restaurants in Rwanda take 3 hours to serve food to you. If she only knew that we weren't at all bothered by the wait (we did tell her that).

Today my good friend Don Reddy gives Andria an extra phone he had to use for free! We were given a beautiful house to stay in while in Phoenix. The house is located in picturesque Fountain Hills. From the drive way we have a magnificent view of the Four Peaks and Superstition Mountains. Every day we can relax and feel the beauty of God's creation as we listen to his voice.

Every speaking engagement and luncheon we hear stories of commitment and sacrifice that followers of Jesus are making. Today I listened to leaders at NPBC share how God's Spirit is moving in Phoenix. I certainly am not disappointed but encouraged!

Check out the Mission in Rwanda!

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Mother-in-law to the Rescue

Being new parents means lack of sleep. Because of the medication that Andria was on for mastitis it has made Ella even more fussy at 2 months of age. Nights are good if we get 3 or 4 hours of sleep at any given span.

My mother-in-law has been such a blessing to us. She has stayed with us so many nights and days. I give up my spot in the master bedroom and my mother-in-law helps Andria through the night (and day). I know it is exhausting to her so we try to give her enough days "off" so that she can get some rest to..but she is so giving! Thanks Michele!

Community Church of Joy

Yesterday I went and spoke to 450 K-8 children at the Joy Christian School. I saw so many people that I knew it felt like a family reunion. Jane Coughlin, Ginny Wheeler, Bev Altop, Linda Swanson...to name a few. In some ways it feels like we never left America to live in Rwanda. Community Church of Joy has been financially supporting us from the beginning and we are so appreciative for their prayers and financial support.

Ginny Wheeler has been a dear friend for over 20 years and has been waiting a long time to see me as a daddy. It use to be an ongoing joke because of how old I was getting and hadn't started my family. Unfortunately Andria and Ella were not with me but Ginny reminded me of this and I can't wait to let her hold Ella!

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