in the flow

More than any other example, the river has helped me most to understand abundant life. Rivers aren't tame and it is pointless to try and fight them. By diving in, you accept the power and ultimate purpose of the water and submit to it. You only position yourself in flow and hang on for the ride! At this point you and the river have become one, when you give up the struggle and give yourself over to be moved as the river sees fit. The freedom we all long for is found in this release!

In the past few weeks we have made multiple journeys to the river that hindus consider "holy". In each conversation I am told that the Ganges water will wash away my sin. Each time my expression communicates disbelief and then I ask, "do you REALLY believe this water has the power to cleanse your soul?". Most will admit that salvation won't be found at the river bank and then I get to tell of the One who can fullfill their desire!

I have written before about the place we take new comers to get their feet wet (ha, ha) in the culture. This most recent trip was special because I got to spend the day with Joe! We ended up hanging out with the spiritual leaders of the community and having some incredible conversations.



These guys had given up everything in search of truth. I was challenged by their simple way of life, but it was obvious that they were in desperate need of the One we follow. It's in the eyes that you can tell life from death and truth from lies and these men were open books.


We also got to visit some of the group we lead in their location. It was incredible to see what they are doing and how the community has accepted them. In between our travels we even found a familiar hotel to stay at.


The next day we joined a larger gathering of our group for a weekend campout beside the river.



This location was near the Himalayas (from which the river begins). The water was clean enough to swim in, but left us trying our best to forget all the cremated bodies that are dumped upstream.


I even got to do my favorite sport! It had been a long time and the water was cooollllld, but I only had to swim out of the kayak once and it was an experience I will never forget.



B helped his daddy and it didn't hurt too bad!


Not long after getting to the campsite, our tent was raided by monkeys who we assume were American, because they ate all of our special stash of imported goods.


After T recovered from this loss (and I must say she did quite a bit of mourning) she had a wonderful time. The group represented teams who are living all over the country and in some really hard (lonely) places. We enjoyed the opportunity to be with them away from the chaos of the day to day grind!


Then it was back on the train and back to the city. It was something to have all of those foreigners in the train station at the same time!


When we returned some major decisions had to be made. Our current position has been a dual role in which we have our personal work while also supervising/supporting teams all over the region. For some time we have felt a pull to hand off our support responsibilities and to focus all of our attention on our relationships in the city. It is looking like this desire is going to become reality! This will mean our moving to a new apartment (because the place we are in now is primarily used for training newcomers) and several other changes. At this time we are involved in a couple of weeks of focused language study in the mountains and will make the shift when we return.

We are confident that this adjustment needs to be made, but it will not come without some head and heart aches. Please remember us over the next few weeks. We love you all!!

holding on tight!

Do you ever feel like your body is attached to the end of a bull whip that is your life? It has been way too long since our last update. We try to make a new post every 2 weeks, but the last 2 months have been so full of activity that we haven't come up for breath.


We got to take our trip to the US and it was amazing! The clean air, incredible food, and department stores where hypnotic at first. Of course the jet lag didn't help and B even fell asleep while eating a donut!


We got to spend really good time with family and friends. Of course we communicate with our computer, but it was a whole other thing to really be together.


It thrilled our hearts to see the boys playing with their cousins and friends. They don't normally get a lot of this and it was so nice to let them go, not having to worry about the added dangers we usually deal with.


One of our goals for C was to remove the training wheels from his bike. We thought it would take a day or two, but he jumped on and took off like he had been doing it all along.


Grandparents got to make up for lost time and found all kinds of things to do together. C is always talking about building things, so he and his Pop did some real construction work.


Lots of folks stopped by to hang out, some a little braver than others!


We were able to get all our medical visits up to date and everybody was so good to us. We were absolutely amazed by the way people loved on us over these days!


We were able to share our stories and challenge the Body in one to one meetings, small group studies, medium sized luncheons, and large group events.


T and I also got to catch up with friends. One night we found out how many guys like us it takes to build a fire.


T jumped in and ran with a group of girls who were training for a marathon. I thought she was crazy, but enjoyed seeing the smile on her face after every visit with her friends.


The trip home went pretty smooth, but we found out that jet lag going east is even worse than traveling west. Once again B used his dinner plate for a pillow.


C had his final soccer game a few days after we arrived and made the game saving stop at goalie! We were so proud of him and the team who scored their first victory.


At the last game we had to clear the field before we could begin play. We were quickly reminded that we weren't in Arkansas anymore.


Soccer provided a great opportunity to make friends here. There are two families we plan to continue spending time with even now that the season is over. The games provided some time to talk, but we really look forward to going deeper in our conversations.


B enjoyed the soccer season also. He always found some hill to be king of.


We returned to find out that our closest co-workers are leaving the country. This has resulted in added workload, but more than anything we have just been bummed about losing our friends. However, G really blessed us last week with a new couple whom many of you may recognize. We are so excited to have them here and working closely with us!


Last weekend we celebrated Easter in a big way. If you aren't careful the holidays slip up on you here because you don't see the section dedicated to the celebration at Wal-Mart. We knew Easter was coming, but it just didn't feel like it (if you know what I mean). Saturday night everything changed when we received three boxes filled with Easterness!!! Peeps and all!!!


We also got to attend a sunrise service at a park. It was really cool to worship together! The park was full of worshippers. Most were giving themselves to the created (rather than the Creator), which made the event all the more meaningful.


We have a new group of 8 people who just arrived. This was their first Sunday here and they were really taking in all the sights and sounds. It was surely and Easter to remember.


The best part for me was a conversation I got to have with a passer by. I got to tell him the reason this day was so special and why the One we were worshiping was unique. He had already been asking these questions and I was able to help him understand the sacrifice and the resurrection. It felt so right and good to proclaim His story to such listening ears. Please ask that this man and I would meet again and that next year he will be added to the number of those who worship the risen King!

hop, skip, and a jump

The picture above is from an overnight passenger train we were on this week. The last month has meant some traveling for us and our longest trip has yet to come. In a few days will be making a brief journey to the good ol' US of A!!!! We will be speaking in DeQueen on Feb 22 and in Russellville March 1-4. Our time will be short, but we would love to see everyone. Please check your schedule and see if you might be able to attend one of these meetings.

Our other recent adventures have been connected to a river that is the center of hindu spirituality.


Four times a year we welcome and train new people to join us here. The latest group was our largest yet (in more ways than one)!


This was a pack of 16 people (14 of them stayed in our home for the 10 day training). One of the highlights of the time was a trip to a city north of us (at the base of the Himalayas) where the river is just begining to pick up speed. This city is a place of pilgramage for many and a perfect place for us to immerse our friends in their new culture. In 2010 a big event called the Kumbh Mela will take place here. The last one was held in the city we use to live in and 60 million people attended. Here is a picture to give you a sense of what that will be like.


This place is beautiful and horrible all at the same time. The river and the mountians surrounding it are incredible, but everything is set up to give worship to the created rather than the Creator.



This massive statue of the one called "destroyer" stands at the entrance to the city.


Unlike most that we have visited, this temple houses very few idols. When we entered, we were immediately taken to the edge of the river and told to give our worship to it. It was a great opportunity to talk of the one who made the river and how He offers living water to all people!



We broke into small groups and I got to spend the day with two really cool girls. We were making new friends all day long, but spent the majority of our time with the two girls and two guys in the pictures above.


We joined them on their pilgrimage to a temple overlooking the city. They had come to tie strings to this sacred tree. It is believed that if you make a wish while doing this you will get what you ask for. You can imagine the conversation this led to as we sat together in a tea shop afterward.


The training was an overall success and our house felt very different when after about 20 days we had waved good bye to almost all of our guest. Each one traveled to the location they will spend the next 2 years. A few in the group are assigned directly to us and we get to be more involved with them. The team above will be living in the north and we will be their "coaches".


A few days later we made our way east to another city on the same river. This one is the most famous and to be honest the most crazy! Our journey had two purposes, I had a meeting to attend and we wanted to see some girls there who arrived and went through our training in October.



We took them out to a nice dinner at an amazing hotel and spent the day getting into what life has been like since they moved out of our house. We got to see their apartment and we got to help them think through what they are doing. It was altogether an incredible trip!


Our travels are putting a cramp in our soccer career, but C is really begining to pick up the game and we are really getting to know some of the parents of the kids on his team.


So, we have been busy here. We took a hop north, a skip east, and now a leap west! Please ask that all of our efforts would be used to advance His kingdom on earth! Thank you!