Your life matters...

A successful life is grand. A significant life is awesome! Invest your time with those around you. Your life in the Father's hands will be the greatest gift you can share with your family and friends. He will touch their hearts through you. The best part of this faith thing is that you get to see the Almighty God on the move as He reaches out to a lost world.

A Mission to Ukraine 2008

In July I had the privilege to be part of a mission team to Ukraine. My half of the team worked in the villages of Andrushevka and Yaropovichie while the other team members worked in two other villages.
The children captured our hearts. They soaked up the attention we gave them and eagerly participated in every activity of Vacation Bible School. One of their favorite games was entitled I Love You but I Just Can’t Smile. It was one of those stare down games. The one who is “IT’ must stare into the face of someone standing in the perimeter of the circle and repeat 3 times: “I love you but I just can’t smile” without smiling. Some of the boys cracked up trying to spit out the phrase while trying to keep a straight face. The children were easy to love. I am hard pressed to say who was blessed the most the team or the kids.
In the afternoon on the final day something strange happened at both camps. It was the day the gospel was presented. At the first camp, right at the most crucial time of the story, a little boy came running into the room yelling, “Someone is locked in the bathroom!” At our camp there was a little girl sitting on the front row holding a baby doll. Its head was as big as a grapefruit. At the worst possible moment the doll’s head fell off, hit the floor with a thud, and rolled to the feet of the translator. She just kicked it aside and kept speaking.
I was reminded that this was more than Bible school; it was war. A war in the heavens.
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12

Sight Seeing in Kiev, Ukraine

It is hard to believe just a few short hours outside the city there are families who do not have running water or indoor facilities.

I will share more in a day or two. Right now I want you to enjoy a taste if Kiev.

On foot in Brazil sharing the Gospel.

Just thirty minutes from downtown Rio these photos display the poverty most Brasilians know as a way of life. They welcomed us into their homes. They won our hearts.

Children at Itacaja, Brazil

One part of our mission to Brazil was to minister to these children housed at the orphanage in Itacaja, Tocantins Brazil. This orphanage is fifteen hundred air miles north of Rio in addition to 6 hours by bus. Pr. Fernando Brandau expressed the importance of our mission to emphasize the dier need to bring these children to the city of Palmas. Six hours away from modern medical facilities was too far away to insure proper care for the children. The immediate need of each child is important, however, the Brazilian Baptist want to provide for the future of these dear ones as well. Palmas is a new city and will provide medical, educational and economic opportunites for the children. The tiny town of Itacaja could never meet such needs.

Brazil 2008

Next week a group from my church will leave for Brazil. We fly to Rio and then to Palmas later in the trip. I have never been to this part of the country. In the past four years we have always worked near Brasilia. I think this will be a great adventure. We leave May 1. My prayer is that the Lord will use us in a mighty way to reach the lost.

This is my favorite time of year. The beauty of God's creation bursting with color and the sound of the birds is a refreshment to my spririt. I love each season but Spring is my favorite.