Planning for a Volcano

We have been developing another "business" course for our students who are in skills training at Made in the Streets - this one is about PLANNING. Bill Rider of Mt. Vernon, Iowa, created the basic materials, and Darlene has tailored it for our current students. Part of planning is seeing the potential obstacles and possible pitfalls of our plan of action.

Darlene and I always try to plan ahead when we travel. But we didn't plan for Iceland's volcano, even though we had read that is would erupt someday. So we flew through London and stopped off for a couple of days in Athens -- which turned into several more days, as we couldn't go back through London. Our favorite travel agent, David Jack from the Conejo Valley Church in Thousand Oaks, CA, finally got us seats on a Turkish Airline flight through Istanbul to Nairobi.

If you have to be stuck somewhere because of a volcano, Athens is a mighty good place. We watched the sun set from the Areopagus, where Paul preached to Greeks about the unknown God who is known in Christ (Acts 17). The picture is of the Areopagus taken from the Acropolis with the Parthenon in the background. Note the new stairway they put in to make it easy on older people!! The old stairs are still there, down below, and still a bit slippery, but that is probably the way Paul got up there, so we went ahead and climbed up that way. We ate gyros and feta cheese and spinach pie (and Darlene ate baklava). Dino Roussos graciously invited us on a bus trip with Christians from Tennessee to Corinth and Mycenae (remember Agamemnon and the Lions' Gate with the oldest sculptures in Greece??). It was a sentimental trip to Corinth, because we remember well one of the last trips we made with Darlene's Mom, who would come to Kenya and teach street kids to read for 6 months a year during her 70s. She loved Crete and Nikos Kazantzakis, whose tombstone reads, "I desire nothing, I fear nothing, I am free." She also loved Corinth, and she put a foot on every paving stone of the ancient city so that she would step where the apostle Paul did. So Darlene and I went down the street that way this time too. Now Darlene's Mom cannot go in the flesh to any place, but in the spirit she can still walk the walk with the Lord, and some day she may again step where Paul has stepped before her.

Happy Easter

We have been "on tour" with two Kenyan Team members at Made in the Streets. We have taken a break for Easter weekend. We had our "family Christian seder" Thursday evening with 28 people over! On Easter morning we were singing in church, and our grandchildren were singing the hymns -- lovely sounds to a grandfather. Then came time for the offering. One grandchild had a 2-dollar bill in hand, and it was not one handed over by the Mom. Then a small hand reached into the child's own wallet and pulled out another 2-dollar bill and put both in the plate as it came by. Then a smile for the Grandad.

I love everything in my life. I love seeing children do good things out of the heart. I love helping street kids get off the streets and into our family. I love being married. I love all the advances of modern technology and knowledge of the world. I love the ever-present Spirit.

Moments of Joy

It was with great joy that we presented a "thank you" to John and Rosalyn Bailey at the MITS fundraiser at Legacy Church. The Baileys received a book chronicling their relationship with Made in the Streets titled "Tell Us Your Story." Life stories of three of the MITS girls are in the book as well as historical pictures. The woodworking boys at Kamulu made a wooden plaque with "Asante" (Swahili for "Thanks") engraved on it.

After the fundraiser, the Coulstons and family, along with Jackton and Irene and some Legacy Church members, went to DoubleDave's for pizza and fellowship. Jackton told us he had been praying for snow, since he has never in his life seen any. As we sat down to eat, a strong wind was blowing outside, and it began to snow. So Irene went outside to dance in the snow and was joined by the little girls in the group. Such fun to be with people experiencing parts of life for the first time, just as we rejoice when a street kid experiences having a bed of his own, or 3 meals a day, or a new pair of shoes, or an understanding of the God who loves him.

How Are You?

Our "base" is now the Dallas/Fort Worth area when we are in the USA. From here we go out to Tennessee, California, Iowa, Arizona and any other place where we can visit people and churches who will love street kids and us. And we arrived in time for the Texas Snow Season of 2010. We had a white Christmas and a white Valentine's Day. Then our two team members arrived from Nairobi; neither of them had ever seen snow, and Jackton was praying that God would let him see snow.

So after the fundraiser at Legacy Church, we went out for pizza at DoubleDave's with some people who helped us. And it started to snow, with the wind swirling it all around. Irene went out and danced in the snow, and Jackton went out and let it blow in his face. Delightful!

As we travel around, we see people whom we know and love. And they say "how are you?" And often my answer is, "I'm happy to be here with you." And it's true. And then I reflect on the question - it turns me inward to examine my heart and feelings and my true state.

And I have found inside myself that I am doing the very thing for which my life was created. That is a welcome joy for one who spent many years feeling inadequate and a bit restless, one whose teenage daughter painted a sweatshirt for him at Christmas one time with a lion and a lamb and the words, "May you find your peaceable kingdom."

And I have.

Showing Off

I like to show off.

I like for people to see Made in the Streets. Visitors come to see us now and then, and they go out on the streets and alleyways with us and meet street kids. And they hurt inside, because they have never seen anything that touches their hearts like this. Then they visit our Centers and see the former street kids who are with us and how they have "cleaned up" and how good and smart they are, and they are impressed. I love showing off the ministry.

I like for people to meet the people I work with. The Kenyan Team that runs Made in the Streets - these are special people. This month two of them, Jackton Omondi and Irene Otalo, are in the USA traveling with us, visiting churches and friends. And people love them and listen to them. I love showing off my friends.

I like for people to know I am a Grandad. I taught two granddaughters how to ride a bicycle last month, and I'm still glowing with excitement as much as they are. I love showing off my family.

I like for people to know about the church -- and about the churches that are a rich part of my life. Eastside and Redwood and Campbell and Palo Alto and Conejo and GCR and Mt. Ave and Simi and Otter and Central and South Mac and Singing Oaks and Prestoncrest and Legacy and Hamilton and A&M and.... I love to show off the church.

I like for people to know that I respect Jesus. I confidently sing "He is here, He is here, He is moving among us, and He is here." I love showing off my Jesus.

Snow Think

Watching the snow pile up and thinking of deeper things. What a creation water is! Made of relatively simple and common atomic structures, water is itself fairly simple molecular structure. Maybe that accounts for the incredible flexibility from ice to liquid to vapor in the cloud. There are so many forms of water, and all are beautiful in their own ways. Perhaps snow is the most amazing, though Crater Lake has its charm.

God knew we would enjoy all the forms of water. And that means He had our enjoyment in mind as well as the utility of water's functions. And that makes we appreciate Him all the more.

Winter Wonderland

Yes, we are at Fort Worth/Dallas! It continues to snow today. We stood outside and watched the biggest flakes I have ever seen, and it was wonderful. Of course, we lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for 20 years and only saw it snowing once. And the last 18 years in Nairobi we have NOT seen it snow! So for us this is just great, and this afternoon when granddaughters come from school, we'll play in it and make snow ice cream and have lots of fun. The pic is of the house we are having built for our happy use when we are in the USA. Our hearts are in Nairobi with street kids, but being here with family and friends is also our joy. Let it snow!