praise

We had an Africa team get together yesterday at Jen's house. It was good to see those who came. I have missed them.
Yesterday something amazing happened at church. I was talking to my friend Darla about whether I should go on the March Panama missions trip. I was expressing my concern about whether it was to soon to try to raise support again, especially since I will need to do so later in 08 for Africa again. This friend shocked and stunned me when she proceeded to write a check for the whole amount of the Panama trip and gave it to me saying "you need to go". I still can't believe it. I thanked her over and over again, but words can't express the gratitude for someone who believes in you and what you're doing so much. She believes I'm on the right path and has shown me that she believes. I am so grateful to have people like this in my life. It is such confirmation that this new season in my life is really where I'm supposed to be.
Thank you Jesus for the friends you have given me! I so don't even deserve them, or your grace. I am humbled continually.

some candlelight photos from Africa

while we were having a wonderful outdoor dinner of wildebeast and impala

more Africa photos

Wade took this awesome photo

still sick

So I've had this horrible cough/cold thing pretty much since we got home from Africa ( love ya Wade:) ) and I kept thinking it would go away... well, while I was having lunch with Ronnie today I just about coughed up a lung and she looked at me like I was insane when she asked how long I had let this go on and I told her at least 10 days. So she got me seen at her clinic when we got back from lunch and I'm now on antibiotics, so I should be closer to my normal self by the weekend...

Merry Christmas

to all my friends and family, old and new, here and in Africa. I love you all.

annual Christmas party

thanks goes out to Lesa for taking a few photos for me!

love

food

oops

This shot almost got me arrested. We took this little propeller plane from Joberg to Swazi and Jen and I were shooting photos when the stewardess came to us and informed us that what we were doing was highly illegal and we could be jailed. Yikes! I had forgotten about the strict photo rules in Africa, but she was gracious and let us go with a warning.

one day

It was like 2 or 3 pm , we had just finished our big party for like 3 or 4 thousand kids. I was standing at the back side of this field collecting trash and I stood up and looked out over this valley. I was physically exhausted, wet, dirty, sticky, hungry, dehydrated, dizzy, lonely, a little bit scared, frustrated with people.. but at the same time I had peace and contentment, and I felt like I was right where I was supposed to be; right at the place God wanted me. If only for a moment, I got a glimpse of Africa. It just felt right.
Since I've been home I've been searching for that feeling again, trying to figure out what to do to get it back. I feel weird. I have to find my groove here. I'm kind of walking around in a daze.

beautiful


can you imagine living here?

Swaziland is such a beautiful country

one of the carepoint volunteer cooks

celebrating my birthday in Amsterdam

Wade, at one of the Swaziland malls :)

an African dance team performing for the kids

on the ground in Joberg after a full day of flying..just ever so slightly delirious..

ask Danielle about our hotel fire :)

yeah, I did that to them, but hey, they let me!

don't try this at home..

one of our Christmas parties..


this is John, his church needs $40k for a bus to get people to their church on Sundays, because it's too far for most people to walk..


here's the team after church on Sunday

how do you leave

these kids? At the airport coming home when I watched Patrick (our host) walk out the door to go back to Swaziland and we had to get on the plane, it was heart wrenching for me. I wanted so badly to follow him out that door. I know I have family here at home that need me, but why do I feel that draw? I read on someone else's blog that Africa has that effect on you; you don't want to leave. It's the simplicity, the basics, the serving, the getting your hands dirty, the Africa smell, the beautiful land, the joyful people, the way they sound when they sing, the smiles of the children, the incredible missionaries living there, the non commercial Christmas, driving on the other side of the road, it's wildebeast stew, and the red soil... all these things call to me to come back... and I know I will.. maybe next year?

miss it

I miss the kids. They're so sweet and loving. They can make you smile.

home?

I'm back. Thank you for all the prayers and support. It was an incredible, life altering trip. I wish I could have kept you updated but my phone did not work in Swaziland.
Our mission was a success and thousands of kids were blessed with wonderful days of just being a kid thanks to Childrens Cup. We met the most amazing people there in Africa. The full time missionaries living there are now friends that I will love forever; and the children will be fresh in my mind in everything that I do now here in the states. We come home with a different vision from which we will view the world, and now that we have seen, we are responsible to help. Africa is now our burden to carry. Pray for us as a team now as we decide the best course of action for each of us. I will post more later after I catch up on some laundry and bills and sleep.
Love to you all

Day 1 in Swaziland

this is Josh again... likely until at least 12/14 I'll be updating the blog.

When I talked to Shileen today, it was like we were 19 all over again. I watched a documentary about Herbie Hancock today and also did a little bit of music writing, but the best music I heard all day was the sound of her voice.

Anyway...

She said tomorrow they have their biggest Christmas party at a location where they expect 4,000 kids. I just can't imagine a crowd of children that large. So please keep praying for the team, for those kids, and also for the mission of Children's Cup. Specifically, she says it's been raining like crazy and their Christmas party events are outdoors so they really need a break from the rain. They all worked out in the downpour all day today and were pretty much wiped out. Shileen gave me some teasers of some of her stories but I'll let her get back and tell them and just stick to status and prayer points.

-josh

Africa update

I just talked with Shileen earlier today. They have finished their visit in Mozambique and were very tired and heading back to the hotel for a quick night's sleep and then drive back to Swaziland tomorrow AM.

They did a Christmas party for one of the Care Points in Mozambique and had over 400 children there. I didn't get a lot of other details. We will have to wait for Shileen to get back and provide a full report. Sounds like a much bigger thing than I expected.

Rusty is doing much better and Shileen says she has also been a little bit sick but got some medicine and is doing better. I am not surprised as I am still sick myself so I bet she has my same cold.

Continue to pray for the team, particularly their health and safety during travel. I'll post as I hear from Shileen. She says mobile blogging doesn't work and text messages are only intermittent at best. There is a pretty good chance there will be no cell phone coverage in Swaziland so I may not hear from her again until she makes it back to Johannesburg on the return trip.

-josh

Josh again

I talked with Shileen earlier today, at about 1:00 am in Johannesburg. She said Rusty was feeling better since they found some medicine for him in Amsterdam and he wasn't coughing for the entire flight. The team was very tired having been awake for about 34 hours and eager to get to bed.

Please keep praying for Rusty's health and also for the rest of the team. They will be flying to Swaziland in the morning (before sunrise in the USA).

-josh

This is Josh ...

Just filling in blogging for Shileen until she can get mobile blogging working.

The crew has left for Swaziland by way of Detroit, Amsterdam, Johannesburg and Mozambique. I talked to Shileen earlier today while they were laying over in Detroit and she asked me to post a prayer request for Pastor Rusty. He is very sick and is in leading the team so he needs to be well!

I hope to hear from Shileen when she reaches Amsterdam sometime in the middle of the night and report back. Please keep this team in your prayers!!

-josh

LEAVING FINALLY!!

Thanks for all your love and support! Pray for us! I should be able to make blog entries by cell phone so keep checking back for on the ground updates :)

arggg

We just found out that we're only allowed ONE suitcase on South African Air. I had an entire extra suitcase full of school supplies, and the other team members had stuff to take as well. Now we have to find a way to cram as much of that as we can in our personal suitcase without going over 44 pounds...

Isaiah

³¹ but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint