Africa Taxi Man - Do You Remember Me As I Remember You?

  In February, 2006, I was in Mali, West Africa, researching the Bankagooma people for the first time. Today, December 31 2011, on the New Years Eve to 2012, I am here, living and working in Mali, about to move among the Banka people.  I want to tell you a story back when it all started..... I first published this in 2006...I'll add the story here.

After days of exhausting village research 600 Km east of Bamako, I made the long bus trek back to the capital city. With some time to kill, I had an adventure in mind. So I quickly found a place to eat and began to set the adventure in motion. I waved to a dilapidated piece of junk, it's referred to as a taxi in West Africa, that had fenders and door panels that flapped like wings. I was not totally certain whether I should get into this rust can or not. But the driver gave me a reserved smile.

I threw caution to the wind and said to the taxi man; “I will give you 5000 cfa ($11) to let me sit in the taxi with you as you pick up other clients. I would like to see every corner of the city, and drive with you all day”. He smiled and waved for me to get in the front seat. That was the first of many conversations with him smiling and nodding, but not really understanding much of what I said, because of his sparse French ability; he only spoke Bamabra. However, I did get to see every back corner of the City of Bamako, and crossed the famous Niger River 5-6 times.

Mali taxi man eventually took me to meet his son at the moto shop where he worked as a mechanic. A quick stop to greet and meet his uncle at a road side shop. Later, I was taken to meet his sister and her children. More clients picked up and dropped off in various alleyways, all over the city, and then a trip home to introduce me to his wife and kids. 

Twenty stops on the road to meet and greet other friends we happened to encounter, and conversations with everyone he picked up along the way, as well. I kind of felt a little like a freak show. But on the other hand it was just what I came to Mali for – the people. It was nice. I smiled and gave genuinely sincere greetings, and warm thanks to each person to whom I was “presented”. I was very touched.

This taxi man did not know this strange white guy, yet he saw fit to share his time and use his expensive gas to take me home to meet every person he loved and cherished most. This Malian taxi driver did not merely give me a ride, he gave me part of his life. I had received something significantly more precious than the gas money I gave him. 

We separated, and there I was standing on the side of the road, having graciously been given a mind full of memories, and a heart full of mixed emotions. I was genuinely touched by this mans gesture. A precious man, who's name I don't even remember, so in my prayers I simply refer to him as "The Malian Taxi Man". How I would love to spend more time sharing life with this Muslim man. Over the years since, I wonder if this Malian taxi man even remembers me? Does he remember the day he took this unknown Canadian to those he loves? I can't help but remember him, and what he did for me. I will never forget him the rest of my life.

The Africa No Author Adequately Describes!

Neighbor Girls, up since 5 am - preparing breakfast!

There are advantages to living in a section of town with no power. The car battery running the neighbors stereo last evening, eventually goes dead, and the LOUD "rave" style African bar music .... with the tinny electric guitar and the guy rapidly shouting Hey, Hey to the off beat..... will eventually fade, as it always does.

But then, we wake up to the 4 & 5 am calls of the myriad of Mosques around us, the roosters crowing, the sound of moto's with men going to the fields. We wake up, and the very first thing we see, as we venture out our front door, are the calm routines of real life in Africa. 

The African sights that no camera can capture. The African smells no author has yet adequately described.  And the feelings no one like me could pen to any satisfaction.

The break neck speed of the west has no place here, and would wound a new generation of humanity that, for now, still has time for life in community.

When Western Life Hurts..... In Africa!

Our neighbor getting her hair done, while we chat and giggle under the mango tree

Opportunity, adventure, possibilities; tempered by reality.....Bambara Language Study. Living as a learner first....... and last........ is a theme etched in the sands of daily life in Africa. 

Where knowing, greeting, being greeted, and sitting under the shade of a mango tree in the hot afternoon sun, is the place where the Malian people constantly remind you that being in a relationship, spending time, is one thousand times more important to them, than ALL the pre-planned programs of "things" that you, and the folks back home, feel you need to "do" to be "productive". 

They remind us that our western idea of "being productive", often means running by, or over, them. Remember "who" you came for, more than  the impersonal "what" you came for. 

Lesson #1 Malians are not nearly as impressed with our "stuff" as we are....and they really question the value we westerners place on our "plans", often over time and relationships with them.

Things Are Meant For Use!

I want to tell you about an old friend I had in my College days. I never saw him again after the day he left college. My Sister kept in touch with George some. I wish I had done the same. However, it's too late now. George died expectantly at the age of 43 a few years ago.

George was a typical “take life as it is” person from Cape Breton. I remember the day I bought my first brand new car – a shiny deep red 1990 Volkswagen Jetta with a 1.5L Diesel that got 55 miles to the gallon. I took the new jewel over to the student center and told George what I had done. Grinning ear to ear, he said; Let’s go to Tim’s for a coffee and try it out”. We climbed back into the fresh new smelling car and drove to Tim Horton’s for coffee and muffins.

We ordered, and George came out swinging his coffee cup and coffee was running down the sides of the cup as usual. He got into my new car and set the dripping coffee cup down on my new dash, with the coffee drops running in every direction. I bit my tongue. George then opened his muffin bag and took out the first muffin and tossed it up on the dash with crumbs flying everywhere, including down the defrost vent, and then proceeded to peal the paper off the second muffin. I finally blew! “George, take it easy on my new car will ya!”, I said. He looked at me and snorted; “What? Got a new car now and you can’t even use it?”
George was right. We enjoyed the old car better because we did not care so much how clean or dirty it was. We just did what guys do and enjoyed "out" time.

I know my friend George had a hard life. But you know, he taught me what it meant to value friends, and enjoy your day as it comes. Life, people, are more important than things.
I needed to be reminded of this more. Things are meant to be used, people are not.

Tell Your Story Before You Die!

This Story reflects the sentiment of the people in Mali very well...

"Two old African men were sitting on that bench, but there was room for me, too. In Africa people share more than just water in a brotherly or sisterly fashion. Even when it comes to shade, people are generous.

I heard the two men talking about a third old man who had recently died. One of them said, “I was visiting him at his home. He started to tell me an amazing story about something that had happened to him when he was young. But it was a long story. Night came, and we decided that I should come back the next day to hear the rest. But when I arrived, he was dead.”

The man fell silent. I decided not to leave that bench until I heard how the other man would respond to what he’d heard. I had an instinctive feeling that it would prove to be important.
Finally he, too, spoke.

“That’s not a good way to die — before you’ve told the end of your story.” 

By HENNING MANKELL The Art of Listening. Published: December 10, 2011 

(http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/11/opinion/sunday/in-africa-the-art-of-listening.html?_r=3&src=me&ref=general)

People Are More Than A Flash Drive!

We often have stopped short of the personal reality of discipleship. Spending time! Walking with, hanging out with, over an extended period of time like THE disciples did with Jesus.
Myself,  often approached those canned home personal Bible study studies with a lot of preparation and study so that I could wow people with all the information. Needed information, at some point. However,  they had a whole lot of Jesus stuff, but maybe not so much Jesus, as his person.

Read this statement today:

Jim Downing of the Navigators taught me that information transfer alone is inadequate; guided experience is also necessary to impart the skills and motivation for disciples to reproduce. Robby Butler

I think in the past we often saw "Sharing Jesus" more like an information giving session. You know, we are the computer with the processor and ram, and our job is to plug in the little Flash drive from time to time and transfer some little its of information on to it. Certainly, biblical information is always required, and helpful However,  I have come to see that people want to walk where this is all lived out, and weaved into a life that makes sense.

The Dreams of Distorted Leadership Leaders do not need to be "The Marlboro Man"

This is modern leadership- You're to be this rare, special, elite visionary, charting a path no one else has ever walked....and you need to bring the muddling masses of people along to that vision, as they will have noting to do without you.... 

Ideas and plans are great, and I have my share of them. However, I have come to realize I don't need to "create" an "sell" vision. The vision is Jesus, and the vision comes from Jesus. I need to do more pointing to him, as He can keep his children busy enough, if they are actually looking at him and listening.

CEO views of leadership- we have to go back to the OT, where we find these rare and special anointed figures. In the NT, we are all the anointed and our direction comes from him. What about accountability we ask,,,, Well, what about that in the NT? I'm not seeing what many are talking about.... Lately, I have been sensing that Jesus is enough. He will move us to serve others, if we are looking to serve. And we can nurture that in the body... But this "out to make a mark" smacks more of "in the eyes of men", than of Jesus. 

I want to get off the platform. I don't want people thinking I am such "Hot" servant. I think all new leaders wrestle with that, and its an ego thing, not a God thing.

I am just so glad to hear others are seeing a different path. My friends, yes, you with the huge Kingdom heart. You do not need to be this kind of leader to be "Sucessful". Share and live the vision of Jesus. His Yoke is easy, and his burden is light..... When the churches is not, you know there is a real misalignment.... Be you, as light, free to follow Jesus, and flow with him into the various relationships before you. And step out of the muddling crowed. How? By willingness to plant your light in the very dark place of this community, and world. That is the core of kingdom vision being the light of Jesus, where their is none.  You are released to be you, doing your part as you point others to His path... You need chart no path of your own. You just need to look, find darkness, and go there and love your neighbor, and keep loving God.

Your young family will thank you.

 Jesus and the Marlboro Man

Posted on November 27, 2011 by kinnon

I’ve been away from blogging for a little longer than I intended. More on that in a later post.
I originally mindmapped this post in the spring with plans to make it part of the Celebrity Driven Church series (which has multiple mindmaps but no prose as yet).

My decision to sit down and finally write this was triggered by a recent post from my blog world friend, JR Briggs. The post was about his response to the image on the right - you can see a much larger version of it at his blog. He wrote this,

I absolutely love this image.

It reminds me of the role of the leader, the visionary, the church planter, the pioneer, the entrepreneur, the kingdom fire-starer, the person with an apostolic wiring.

Visionaries do the hard work of going ahead, going before and creating paths that no one else has thought about or dared to travel . (Emphasis in original)

I asked, in the comments, whether he was being ironic. No response. So. I’m assuming he wasn’t.

The image he professes to love leaves me cold. It’s an image that fits with America’s love of the mythic super-hero. The one who saves the damsel in distress and by extension the world.

This is the myth of the rugged individual and it is one, I’d suggest, that has done more damage to the church in the west than we care to realize.

As I was lamenting JR’s post, an email from Leadership Network arrived in my InBox talking about the latest study by Thuma & Bird on Mega Churches. This bulleted point from the email reinforced the American Church Leader myth:

— The leader at the helm makes all the difference.
Seventy-nine percent say the church'€™s most dramatic growth occurred during tenure of current senior pastor.

It’s all about that one man at the top, now isn’t it. (The document tells us that these leaders are, on average, 51 and male.) As my friend Sonja said in an email exchange,

“ As I read that report all I could think was, “well, of course, most of that data is self-identified. I wonder if the surveyors did any kind of independent quantification of those markers?” That’s what you think when you’ve grown up with a statistician for a dad ”

And as I read the report, I was reminded of the saying popularized by Mark Twain, “There are lies, damned lies and statistics.” And yes, I have used that one here a time or two before.

However, the original trigger for this post was Darrin Patrick’s book, Church Planter. Note the image from the front cover. The mythic pattern persists. Darrin, a leader in the Acts29 network promotes the prophet, priest and king model of church leader.

Kings develop strategies for bringing the vision and mission of Christ-centered living to fruition. They tend to ask the question How? They function like executives of the church because they spend a great deal of time and energy building and executing plans to sustain and grow a healthy church. Church Planter (Darrin Patrick) Highlight Loc. 1464–71 (Kindle)

I don’t quote Darrin approvingly. In fact, I heard this same kind of language in my charismatic mega church days and witnessed (first hand and otherwise) the kind of damage done by this warped belief to both the “kingly leader” and his subjects. (Jesus’ powerful statements on servant leadership in Matthew 20 and Mark 10 are strangely missing from Darrin’s book. ) Darrin writes a lot about the need for and qualifications of elders - but then focuses on the single person church planter/senior pastor (with hopefully a wife supporting him.)
The full title of his book is Church Planter — The Man, The Message, The Mission.
The Man and thus my concern with those who buy this message and buy the myth that they are singlehandedly called to plant God’s next great church in whatever neighbourhood.
Believing they are called to be, in J.R.’s words, visionaries (who go) ahead, going before and creating paths that no one else has thought about or dared to travel. No wonder so many of them fail.
This is far different from the Matthew and Mark passages mentioned above, as well as the equipping and sending that Jesus does in Luke 10. A hint, he sent them out in twos "into the harvest" with no resources other than prayer. The single "harvester" on the front cover of Darrin's book runs counter to what Jesus teaches in this passage. How odd.
The American church (along with its global acolytes) has bought the myth of the rugged individual as conqueror and builder,€” represented well by the iconic Marlboro Man a character created by Ad Agency, Leo Burnett. It’s a fabulous marketing image… for selling toxic substances.
A final aside: A horrible irony is that two of the men who portrayed the Marlboro Man died of cancer from consuming what their images had been promoting. (http://kinnon.tv/2011/11/jesus-and-the-marlboro-man.html)

I Resign from Your View Of Leadership!

 This article so resonated with me. It addresses the warped practice, dialogue and view of leadership today. Leadership philosophies that are placing impossible burdens on people, crushing the spirits of men and women with a huge heart for Kingdom. Where the huge emphasis on management, and juggling the "Stuff", far out weighs any actual ministry to the community happening, other than a few token "projects' here and there.

If the sentiment resonates with your experience you may wish to also read How Leadership is like the Marlboro man...... (http://kinnon.tv/2011/11/jesus-and-the-marlboro-man.html)

Leadership is viewed as being, my vision - trumps your vision (Non "leader").... and it leads to manipulation because we will not allow another other "vision" to be voiced as we use people as tools to move our wheels, and pay for it too. But the avergae person is not really suppose to step out an live as a priest of the light, as God leads them.

I here by make it known. I tender my resignation from your kind of leadership....  

AJ

 

The People formerly known as The Congregation

Posted on March 28, 2007 by kinnon

Jay Rosen created the meme of The People Formerly Known as the Audience – those of us who are no longer content to be content consumers – but have become content creators ourselves.

The people formerly known as the audience wish to inform media people of our existence, and of a shift in power that goes with the platform shift you’ve all heard about.
Think of passengers on your ship who got a boat of their own. The writing readers. The viewers who picked up a camera. The formerly atomized listeners who with modest effort can connect with each other and gain the means to speak— to the world, as it were.
Now we understand that met with ringing statements like these many media people want to cry out in the name of reason herself: If all would speak who shall be left to listen? Can you at least tell us that?

The people formerly known as the audience do not believe this problem—too many speakers!—is our problem. Now for anyone in your circle still wondering who we are, a formal definition might go like this:

The people formerly known as the audience are those who were on the receiving end of a media system that ran one way, in a broadcasting pattern, with high entry fees and a few firms competing to speak very loudly while the rest of the population listened in isolation from one another— and who today are not in a situation like that at all.

Let me introduce you to The People formerly known as The Congregation. There are millions of us.
We are people – flesh and blood – image bearers of the Creator – eikons, if you will. We are not numbers.
We are the eikons who once sat in the uncomfortable pews or plush theatre seating of your preaching venues. We sat passively while you proof-texted your way through 3, 4, 5 or no point sermons – attempting to tell us how you and your reading of The Bible had a plan for our lives. Perhaps God does have a plan for us – it just doesn’t seem to jive with yours.
Money was a great concern. And, for a moment, we believed you when you told us God would reward us for our tithes – or curse us if we didn’t. The Law is just so much easier to preach than Grace. My goodness, if you told us that the 1st century church held everything in common – you might be accused of being a socialist – and of course, capitalism is a direct gift from God. Please further note: Malachi 3 is speaking to the priests of Israel. They weren’t the cheerful givers God speaks of loving. 

We grew weary from your Edifice Complex pathologies – building projects more important than the people in your neighbourhood…or in your pews. It wasn’t God telling you to “enlarge the place of your tent” – it was your ego. And, by the way, a multi-million dollar, state of the art building is hardly a tent. 

We no longer buy your call to be “fastest growing” church in wherever. That is your need. You want a bigger audience. We won’t be part of one. 

Our ears are still ringing from the volume, but…Jesus is not our boyfriend – and we will no longer sing your silly love songs that suggest He is. Happy clappy tunes bear no witness to the reality of the world we live in, the powers and principalities we confront, or are worthy of the one we proclaim King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 

You offered us a myriad of programs to join – volunteer positions to assuage our desire to be connected. We could be greeters, parking lot attendants, coffee baristas, book store helpers, children’s ministry workers, media ministry drones – whatever you needed to fulfill your dreams of corporate glory. Perhaps you’ve noticed, we aren’t there anymore.

We are The People formerly known as The Congregation. We have not stopped loving the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Nor do we avoid “the assembling of the saints.” We just don’t assemble under your supposed leadership. We meet in coffee shops, around dinner tables, in the parks and on the streets. We connect virtually across space and time – engaged in generative conversations – teaching and being taught. 

We live amongst our neighbours, in their homes and they in ours. We laugh and cry and really live – without the need to have you teach us how – by reading your ridiculous books or listening to your supercilious CDs or podcasts. 

We don’t deny Paul’s description of APEPT leadership – Ephesians 4:11. We just see it in the light of Jesus’ teaching in Mark 10 and Matthew 20 – servant leadership. We truly long for the release of servant leading men and women into our gifts as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. We believe in Peter’s words that describe us all as priests. Not just some, not just one gender. 

We are The People formerly known as The Congregation. We do not hate you. Though some of us bear the wounds you have inflicted. Many of you are our brothers and our sisters, misguided by the systems you inhabit, intoxicated by the power – yet still members of our family. (Though some are truly wolves in sheep’s clothing.) 

And, as The People formerly known as The Congregation, we invite you to join us on this great adventure. To boldly go where the Spirit leads us. To marvel at what the Father is doing in the communities where He has placed us. To live the love that Jesus shows us.
Addendum: This is a polemic. The first-person plural pronoun, “We”, is not used as Pluralis Majestatis (the Royal We) but rather is based on the post-charismatic/post-evangelical conversations that are occurring in the blogosphere. I have no more right to speak in this voice than any other person living in the liminal reality of the church in 21st century.
Please note also that I have many good friends who lead within a more traditional church context for whom I have great love, as well as deep respect. They are doing their very best to be missional within their worlds.


(http://kinnon.tv/2007/03/the_people_form-3.html)

Fonio is a Lost Crop of Africa

Great sustainability potential for the health and wealth of Africa. Look it up Fonio on Wikipedia.

 Found this little cultural tidbit there too.

According to the mythology of the Dogon people of Mali, among whom it is known as pō tolo, the supreme creator of the universe, Amma, made the entire universe by exploding a single grain of fonio, located inside the "egg of the world".

Oh, Baby Baby!

My Fried George Smith died in his mid 40's, in the fall of 2008. I want to share a few stories about him.

While we were attending College, “Oh, Baby Baby!” was the phrase George would say to a passing flock of good looking young ladies in the mall. I use to die of embarrassment every time.

You have to understand George. George could not whisper. He was a jolly short big man, with a deep voice. When he said something, everyone heard. However George was convinced that the flocks of young ladies NEVER heard him say; “Oh baby baby!” Let me tell you they almost ALWAYS heard. George was always a free spirit, and not very self conscious about much. I liked that about him.

The College we attended was in my young brides home town. My greatest fear became this; Being introduced to some 21 year old friend of Lynn’s from earlier days, and having this young lady remember or recognize me as the guy who “Oh Baby Babied” them in the mall. Guilt by association – know what I mean?

How many times had I made George promise he would not do this? Before I would agree to go to the mall with him I would threaten him about it every time. However, “Oh, Baby Baby!” would slip out of this training preachers mouth at the most embarrassing times. I realize he meant nothing insulting by it. He was just saying to himself, so he thought, they were pretty and God creates some very nice things in this world. But they always heard him say it to "himself", and it was wearing thin with me.

One day George “Oh Baby Babied” a group of 4-5 young ladies passing by. Immediately after the young ladies passed by I elbowed George, HARD, and said; “George, will you please lay off? They hear you saying it every time.”

Right out loud George bellows; “What? They did not hear me say Oh, Baby Baby! What are you elbowing me for?”

I said; “Yes they did hear George, they are looking at us right now”

The 4-5 young women had already stopped 10 feet away, turned around, and were laughing as I chewed out my friend for “Oh, Baby Babying” them, and giggling as George insisted at full volume that they did not hear him “Oh Baby Baby” them, and that I had no right to elbow him.

I have often found myself using this phrase very endearingly for my wife over the years. She knows the story behind it, and she likes the sentiment I give with it as well. When I know she needs a compliment, when I just "notice" her, or maybe she asks me how a new outfit looks; at times there is only one phrase that really says how I feel. I say to her; "Oh Baby, Baby!" and she smiles a big grin back. When I haul that phrase out, she knows full well that I really really mean it.

Mali, West Africa for next 5 months

All I wanted to do now was get back to Africa. We had not left it yet, but when I would wake in the night, I would lie, listening, homesick for it already.
~Ernest Hemingway

What are We Doing To Help The World?

Then something happened last year that changed my life. I stood in a city dump in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. I saw men, women, and children who were living in a dump where they scoured for food and shelter.
Humbled by the reality of parents raising their kids in a dump, I reached my breaking point when I saw a woman eight months pregnant walk by me, looking for food. I couldn't decide which was worse--the fact that the baby was conceived in a dump or that it was going to be born there. In the middle of this scene, God asked me, "What are you going to do with what I have given you? How are you going to use your influence, your leadership, and your resources in the world around you?"
Business mans speech to his company managers
((Radical, David Platt, kindle line 1139)

Church Has Become A Meaningless Word!

It's here!

How The Church Helps Us Loose The World

Church as It Should be!

This describes what we "Actually" do very well. And it describes what we "Desire"  to be as a Church very well too!\

What is the Church?

What else can I say? It says it all!

Who's To Be on Mission?

“The calling of the missionary to the heathen is a glorious high calling. He who thinks himself above it, ought not to call himself a follower of Christ” – Samuel Mills, 1806

Poverty - A Child Who Never Pealed a Bananna!

A Story from a fellow international Worker. In The Burke's in Burkina Faso. It's a story worth repeating. 

It's a powerful story. October, 2011

Hey Mr. Tally Man, Tally Me Banana

Posted: 26 Oct 2011 08:42 AM PDT

I have to admit that one of my guilty pleasures is Harry Belafonte (What?  You don't know who Harry Belafonte is?  Where were you in the 1950's? See video below).  I sometimes enjoy dancing around the living room holding my 5 year old son, Dylan, in my arms and listening to Harry Belafonte.  Dylan is getting to where he’s almost too big for me to do that.  He’s getting so heavy.  My oldest graduated from that years ago.

Other pleasures I really enjoy are enchiladas and tortilla soup, spinach lasagna, chicken parmesan, pepperoni pizza, and a number of other things laden with fat and rich sauces.  My wife has become too good of a cook during our 9 years here and I always have to be careful not to eat too much.

In the song “Day-o,” Mr. Belafonte is actually portraying the plight of a poor laborer who only gets paid in bananas. I don’t remember saying this to my parents, but I probably did say at one point, “ You just don’t remember what it’s like to be a kid.”  If I did, my parents probably laughed at me.  However, what if the poor, the truly poor, could say to us rich Americans, not only do you not remember being poor, but you’ve never even experienced what that feels like.  Can you imagine getting paid in bananas?  What would you ask for as a raise?  “Come on, boss, I’d like to try apples this month?”

We are saturated in poverty in Burkina Faso.  However, the poorest of the poor here are orphans.  Orphans in Burkina are often treated like non-persons.  They do not eat meals together with their host families, if they even have someone who will take them for a while.  If a mother dies in childbirth and the newborn survives, it is assumed that the child has a curse and is left unattended during the mother’s funeral.  If the child somehow survives this ordeal, then the nearest relatives debate who has to take the cursed baby.  Unspeakably sad.

We are blessed, however, through outside donations and a relationship with a local medical organization here in Burkina to be able to assist them in doing medical clinics for school children about once a quarter.  A team of doctors and nurses and other volunteers supplied with rapid malaria tests, urine testing equipment, eye charts, stethoscopes, thermometers, and trunks and trunks of medicine, and a children’s program about hygiene come to serve these children.  Many children at these clinics suffer with disease for months because their families cannot afford to spend the $1 for a consultation at the local nurses station, or the $10 or $15 maximum it might take to pay for medication.  At the last set of clinics we saw almost two hundred children in two days and we collected 136 positive malaria tests (some of them were accidentally thrown away - so the final count was more than that).  

Saan-ba-ire

I’d like you to meet one of the boys we saw.

Meet Saan-ba-ire (pronounced saw-n bah ee-day).  He is seven years old.  He lost his Dad when he was two and his Mom left him at his Dad’s brother’s house and moved to Ivory Coast.  He has been living with his uncle ever since.  

Are you sitting down?  He is 7 years old and he weigh’s only 23 pounds.  It makes you sick.  I wonder if his uncle has ever danced around with him like I get to do with Dylan?  I wonder what he feeds him.  I wonder if anyone has ever delighted in him?

I’m not a medical professional, but I was fortunate enough to be used as an interpreter for the doctor in treating Saan-ba-ire.  He had malaria like so many of the others, but his biggest problem was malnutrition.  We prescribed vitamins and moringa powder.  We had a sack of snacks with us because it was a very hot long day, so Dr. Peter reached in our snack bag and offered Saan-ba-ire a banana.  

Bananas are available in every market in Burkina, but Saan-ba-ire, for seven years, has never been offered a banana.  He didn’t know what to do with it.  He started to bite it without peeling it and I had to show him how to eat it.   

At first, I was shocked.  I think about all the rich foods I eat on a regular basis and my culture with entire television programs dedicated to people who are eating themselves into an early grave, and then I think about this child who for seven years has lived around vitamin rich fruit like bananas, but has never been offered one once.  It defies logic.  It doesn’t even seem real. 

Then my shock turned to anger at his mother for leaving him and at his uncle for neglecting him.  I chastised him (to the extent that I could in a culturally appropriate tone) and told him he needed to do everything he could to get some vitamins in his nephew.

Then I watched my two very healthy boys run around and play at the clinic, and my anger turned to deep sadness.  The difficulty is that there are millions of Saan-ba-ire’s in Burkina.  Sometimes I wonder if we’re doing enough, and I think of the starfish analogy.  You know the story where the adult laughs at the kid throwing starfish back into the ocean on a beach strewn with starfish?  The adult tells the kid, “stop doing that and go play. You’re not making a bit of difference.  Look at all these starfish.”  And the kid says, “I’m making a difference for this one,” and he throws another starfish into the ocean.  So, hopefully we made a difference with Saan-ba-ire on this day.

And then. . . then. . . sometimes I wonder whether we are any better than Saan-ba-ire’s uncle.  He does almost nothing to take care of this child, but we also do almost nothing.  Just because he’s closer to him does that make him any worse than we are?

Have you met any really poor people this week?  If not, why not?  What are you doing to help them feel more human?  More alive?  To let them know that you don’t think that you are better than them?  How have you shown Jesus love to a poor person this week?  I hope you've done so.  If you have please share your story here.  I understand not letting your left hand know what you’re right hand is doing, so if you want to leave a comment anonymously and even change the name of the person whom you helped to protect the (what shall we call it?) “separate hands principle,” then do so, but please share your story.  It would do my heart good to hear what’s going on that’s good for the poor.

YWAM's Beginning!

"The tougher we made the conditions, the more the kids volunteered."

Loren Cunningham, YWAM pg 67

(After sending out Hundreds of YWAM kids all over the Caribbean islands - here was his reception home by his churches leadership) 

"The Problem, I gathered as we sat talking quietly, was that new works like ours needed to be brought under the organizational umbrella - not outside and autonomous. He said that their was a place for me in the Assemblies, but of course would have to be a full team player. In the end I was offered a job. A good one, too, there at the headquarters, complete with a fine salary, a staff, and a budget. `You can continue with your vision, Loren, but you'd be taking out a more manageable number , say ten or twenty young people a year'.  My heart dropped to my knees at the very gracious offer he was extending to me. It sounded so reasonable, so secure. Only it was far from what I believed God had told me to do: send out waves of young people from all denominations into evangelism all over the world........It was much, much bigger than twenty kids a year, and larger than nay denomination. `Sir', I said, `there's another generation coming. It's different form anything we've ever seen.'

I floundered, for I could hear how foolish my reasoning sounded, Brother Zimmerman assured me he had worked extensively with young people for decades and knew them well. As he tried to explain his reservations about my plans, I could truly see his dilemma. If I had his responsibility of leading a large movement, I would need submitted people - ready to play by the rules for the good of the whole. But here I was, hearing a different drummer, out of step with my own denomination. That's more or less what Brother Zimmerman said, too. He was sorry, but I'd have to leave the team - resign - if I couldn't play by the rules. ...." p79

"Don, I said, we're finally getting the message, aren't we? God wants us to focus our attention on His call, not on His tools."  pg 186
(Speaking about YWAM mercy ship, and buildings for the University)

(Is that Really You God, Loren Cunningham YWAM. YWAM pub, 2010)

Don't Merely "Do What I Can"

"I will do as much as I can,' says one. Any fool can do that. He that believes in Christ does what he can not do, attempts the impossible and performs it........The unoccupied fields of the world await those who are willing to be lonely for the sake of Christ."
Samuel Zwemer

Abandon Retirement | VIDEO | Verge Network

Abandon Retirement | VIDEO | Verge Network

Nails & Ear Plugs

Was reading an interesting Passage in the NT this week. The Transfiguration of Jesus in Luke 9:28-36
As I read along, we see Jesus praying, the three men sleeping, and Jesus begins to glow in bright white light. Then two ancient men appear with Jesus, Moses & Elijah, and they begin a conversation. 

Peter and the others wake up to this scene. As the Men were leaving Peter shouts out, "Master, it's wonderful for us to be here! Let's make three Shelters (other trans- Alters or Tabernacles) as memorials."

Is that not the OT way? Set up a memorial, set up and alter, set up a tabernacle dwelling. Peter has a long history of such things in his Jewish history.Or modern church goes right back into the OT for our church building vocabulary. It is there we find, sanctuaries, alters, clergy,   and of course the Tithes to support all of this. None of which we see in the New Testament. In the NT we see the people of God as the building, and the Alter as our hearts and mind, and priestly duty open to all, as we minister by loving God and loving our Neighbor.

Build a Tabernacle is what the Greeks says Peter said.
However, God breaks in. God speaks, saying, "This is my son, my chosen one. Listen to him."

Building alters, and tabernacles is not the main thing. Listening to Him is the thing. Could it be that God is starting to have Peter and the boys realize the temple days are over, the sanctuaries and dwellings are no longer needed to be built by human hands. The simple, but amazing truth is that the church stands where there are people who "Listen to Him".  There the kingdom has been born.

Build church buildings if you like. I'm not into Right and wrong language on this stuff. It can all be good. My energy will be precisely directed to serve and influence people who "Listen to Him".
The Statistics, if they are correct, show me that my church, the ones I've lead and been apart of, unfortunately, at times, are not doing much of that.

Placating the Lukewarm??????

"...when i looked at how church ministry operated, i saw how high a priority it places on safety and routine. At the cost of distracting people from personal intimacy with Jesus, it clings to the status quo.
it placates the lukewarm and cools the zealous."

(The Naked Church. Wayne Jacobsen. Life stream, 1998, pg 12)

Where War and Peace Begin.

"Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed."
UNESCO Motto

Why We Will Not Move?

"Selfishness is the enemy of 'Leaving'.
Fear is the enemy of 'Living Among'.
Arrogance is the enemy of 'Listening'.
Expectations are the enemy of 'Loving'."
Hugh Halter Tangible Kingdom

AJR The Roaming Nomad

Changing Our Church Look!

This just about says everything about the direction of my life.

Stripping Away The Fluff!

Quote by a fellow international worker who like us, work where no one else will. This really resonated today. 

"The further you go into the devils territory, the more radical you become, because all the fluff is stripped away.

We Want Mercy, But No Mission!

"In the process we have unnecessarily (and unbiblically) drawn a line of distinction, assigning the obligations of Christianity to a few while keeping the privileges of Christianity for us all. In this way we choose to send off other people to carry out the global purpose of Christianity while the rest of us sit back because we're "just not called to that."

(Radical, David Platt, kindle line 1036)

Why, How To Do Mission

"There is not only a Spirit of truth but also a spirit of falsehood, who is able to delude, drug, bewitch & Even blind people" John Stott

"Misssional at its essence means sent. It's the antithesis of trying to attract them to us, our programs, our buildings.." Hugh Halter in Tangible Kingdom


"Risk more than others think is safe.
Care more than others think is wise.
Dream more than others think is practical.
Expect more than others think is possible "

Cadet Maxim West Point Military Academy

Working With One Who will also work with one!

"How long will it take to reach the world through multiplication? If any one Christian alive today were to lead just one person to Christ every year and disciple that person so that he or she would, in turn, do the same the next year, it would take only about 35 years to reach entire world for Christ!.... If every Christian alive today were tp reproduce in the same way, the world would be won to Christ in the next 2 to 4 years. What if all of us decided to put everything else aside and for just the next few years focus on truly discipling another in a manner that multiplies? We could finish the great commission in just a few years!"
(Neil Cole. Organic Leadership. 2009, Baker books, pg 278)

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Vote for Dispensable Leadership

"In a day when top leaders are seen as indispensable, I have ambition to be the very opposite. I have come to believe that the real role of a leader who has died to self is to equip others so that he or she is no longer necessary. If I do my job right, even my role will no longer be needed."
(Neil Cole. Organic Leadership. 2009, Baker books, pg 275)


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Life Support As A Church Witness!

"In every city of America there is at least one church with a building worth hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of dollars. This church meets every Sunday morning with only eight or ten silver haired women and one or two balding gentleman for a 'service'. They sing a humn or two, one of the stately gentleman shares a few opinions of things in the world today, they say a prayer, repeat amen, and then go home.
Empty parking spaces, silent pulpits, and dusty pews cry out for days of glory gone by. The church has been dead for years, perhaps decades, but has been kept alive unnaturally by an artificial life-support system. The soul is gone, brain waves of ceased, but mechanization keeps the lungs breathing, the heart beating, and the door opening every Sunday morning at precisely 10 AM
Why does this happen? We are so desperately afraid to admit failure that we will keep a church alive as long as we can. It is as if the continuity of Christianity depends on this one church staying open. If the church dies, God has failed, and we cannot allow back. Why are we so desperate to keep churches going?......

I don't know how it happened, but sometime in history we bought into a theology of safe. We think we should do what is safe, for ourselves, for our families, and for our churches. We are convinced that anything that is on safe must be inside of gods will and it's still early on American and Christian.

(Neil Cole. Organic Leadership. 2009, Baker books, pg 270)


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Safe Faith!

" I don't know how it happened, but sometime in history we bought into a theology of safe. We think we should do what is safe, for ourselves, for our families, and for our churches. We are convinced that anything that is on safe must be inside of gods will and it's still early on American and Christian.

(Neil Cole. Organic Leadership. 2009, Baker books, pg 270)


AJR The Roaming Nomad

Simple in structure and design.

I think this applies to all strategies and methodology used by NGO's Churches, and organizations.

"Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away." Antoine de Saint Exupéry


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Educated Beyond our Obedience.

"'Neo, sooner or later you are going to realize just as I did there is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path.' (Morpheus-The Matrix) Many of us in the Christian church today need to hear that there is a difference between knowing the path and walking. We are very adept at knowing the path, just not so strong at walking. Most Christians in the West are educated beyond their obedience. More education is not what we need. We need more obedience to what we already know. The problem is that we have convinced ourselves that knowledge is the key to maturity and growth....... knowing something is not nearly as potent as doing something with what you know.

"

(Neil Cole. Organic Leadership. 2009, Baker books, pg 208)
AJR The Roaming Nomad

Me!

"It is well to remember that the entire population of the universe, with one trifling exception, is composed of others." Andrew J Holmes


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Grudge!

"Holding a grudge is letting someone live rent-free in your head."


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Lip Service To Servant Leadership.

"We tend to think we need leaders who serve, but really we need servants who lead. Servanthood is not an adjective to describe a good leader, as if it is one of many qualities of a good leader. Servanthood what is what we need, even more than leadership. Leadership is just a function for the servant. The servant leads others in the path of being a servant....." Organic Leadership. Neil Cole. P 204, 2009, Baker books)


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Least Reachable

"I believe that we focus a good deal of our resources and efforts to reach the least reachable, rather than the least reached..." -- Neil Cole

Can Jesus Make Leaders Without our Leadership Development Program?

May it be said of me that "I took men to Jesus and left them there." George Fox

Examined Life

"The unexamined life is not worth living." Socrates

New Kind Of Christian Worker Required

"The kingdom of God is in desperate need of a new kind of Christian worker. A worker who is honest, non-legalistic, non-elitist, nonsectarian, nonreligious, and who refuses to play religious games. A worker who will not fold like an accordion under the pressure of insults, ridicule, criticism, false rumor, character smears, spin, and slander, but one who can survive the fire. A worker who is not in the ministry for money, game, or fame, but who serves the Lord day and night, spilling his insides, giving and dying for the kingdom of God."

(Finding Organic Church. Frank Viola. David C. Cook, 2010, page 314)

Needless Barriers!

"We can hold this goal as the minimal achievement within every people in order to give a realistic op-portunity for everyone in that people group to say “yes” to Jesus Christ and His kingdom, without adding cultural barriers to the already steep spiritual demands of the gospel."
Ralph Winter finishing the task. Perspectives Pg 538

Taking Heat Over The Mission!

"But when we rise up as the church of Jesus Christ and give ourselves urgently, sacrificially, and radically to taking the gospel of the kingdom to all those people groups, we can expect to be met with the might of hell. There will be divisions within us, distractions around us, diversions in front of us, deceptions tempting us, and disease and death threatening us. It will not be easy. And it will will cost. However, truly missional churches and truly missional Christians will set their sights on the world, and they will overcome the Adversary 'by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony' because they do 'not love their lives so much as to shrink back from death."
(Radical Together. David Platt, Multnoma, 2011,pg 89)


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Such a Hip Cool Big Church - At Least to our North American eyes!

Our Church through an Africans Eyes.  This church is meeting all measurements of success by our standards. Big budget, Big new sanctuary, new style music, and a kinda cool pastor too.

Not criticizing them. More power to them and the people they gather. But it all leaves me wanting more. Much more. And it seems Like African's think so as well. I have heard them say this many times myself.
So let's hear our Brother speak, and try not to get angry with me, or questioning my attitude, just because I shared it.
A Friend of mine share this with us in her journal. (shared with permission)

"Friday, Wassi, a Beninois guy i met at the language and culture discussion group at the university on Wednesday, called me. He was wanting to do something this weekend.  So I told him our program for the weekend and he said that he'd like to go to church with us.  I told him i didn't go to the official "service"  but then decided that i probably should go with him, instead of making him sit through two Sunday school classes or go by  himself  with Austin.  I had been thinking of trying it again anyway and thought that today was as good of an excuse as any to see if i am missing something i should be a part of.

This morning i went to pick Wassi up, leaving Damon and Austin at home because they weren't ready.  (And they say it's the girls that take too long!)  It made my heart smile when i pulled into his parking lot and there was his black face, dressed in his Sunday best with the pointy black shoes smelling all like powder and soap and cologne.  Then he got into my car and said "Bonjour soeur" and it just made me want to grab him and give him a big old hug.  I contained myself and didn't tackle him but replied "Bonjour frère" and we went from there, but i sure was happy.  We all chatted in French all of the way to church while Kate kept saying "Can you just talk American PLEASE?!"  It was a really odd feeling.  We've given zillions of rides to Africans where we all sit around in the car speaking French so that felt normal but the American houses passing by out the window seemed really out of place.  I was looking for Africa and could only find her in the front seat of my van.

So we went to church in our big old 4 million dollar cave.  As soon as everyone stood and started singing, (or not) Wassi leaned over and said "Aren't we supposed to sing?  Why is everyone just standing there?  They all look like they are dead."  I had to agree with him.  Nary a head or hip or hand was moving.  In fact, it was hard to detect a lip.  It was pretty humorous.  God love the stoic white people.  So he and i clapped and swayed together and everyone else just watched.  He paid me a great compliment though when he leaned over at the end and said, "Wow, you dance like an African." (I know i don't, but it was nice of him to say so and considering the lack of movement in everyone else nearby  i guess i wasn't too bad.  I just didn't want him to be the only one getting jiggy wid it.)

As soon as Tim started in preaching, i knew i had made a mistake by coming to church. The singing was blah and boring, with lots of key changes and guitar solos. A dandy concert but not great for congregational singing. The stewardship thought was read from a devotional book, long and dry and had nothing to do with communion which we took right after BUT they played a video during communion so you couldn't really even reflect and confess anyway.  They put the Bible verses on the screen with no references so it was hard to tell if they were the words of Jesus, Paul or Walter Cronkite and there was no way you could follow along in your Bible.  No one even lifted a finger to open a Bible anywhere anyway. Not even Tim.  But when he announced that he was preaching on Acts 1:1-11, you know "And you will be My witnesses in Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth."  i knew i shouldn't be there.  Of all the people to be preaching a "missions" passage and of all the Sundays to bring it up....uh oh.  Turns out missions was mentioned in 1 minute and 20 seconds of the entire 20 minute sermon so i needn't be worried.



I felt like i was on candid camera or the Twilight Zone or something.  It was the weirdest thing.  I'm sure after preaching for 30 years, one might run dry and not see things in a fresh new way, but that was almost like listening to an Alzheimer's patient preach.  Bless his heart.  It was great confirmation to me though, that i'm great right where i am in Myrlen's Sunday school class.  After it was all over, Wassi said, "I don't think i understood the preacher well because i don't know what his message was about.  It was also very short and no one here looked joyful or like they were praising God. I can see why you don't come here.  I can't find the spirit of God here."  ouch.  They are good people, but something is missing somewhere.  something big.

After church there was a dinner for the college students so Wassi stayed. We ate with him so he wouldn't feel alone.  It was during lunch that i really learned a lot about him, like the fact that he's married and has lived in Atlanta for 2 years and is 28 and is the oldest of 3 and that he does all of his cooking on Saturdays and freezes it for the rest of the week so he can study.  I learned that he thinks America is more messed up than Africa.  He said, "America is more corrupt than Africa and the bad thing is that Americans can't see it." I asked what he meant and he talked about the government and health care and how we have more than enough to take care of our poor and yet we throw food away instead of sharing with those in need because somehow we think that poor people deserve being poor. He talked about how expensive health care is and how we worship wealth and forget God.  It was interesting to hear his "outsiders" perspective and honestly, in some ways, he has a point.  We sat there jabbering away in French until well after everyone else had left.  People looked at us like we were speaking Jibberish from the planet Mars or something.  It was really funny and really fun."