TrueU Adventures

Nos Vamos

2008-07-12T13:56:00.003-06:00

We're leaving tonight. So sad.

We're packed up and getting ready to go. We have our last group meeting in a couple of hours and then my team along with one other will head to the Lima airport. We'll fly through the night and arrive in Miami at about 5 a.m. Most of us will sit in the airport for hours, chatting on the phone, playing games, reminiscing and waiting for our flights that will take us home.

It's been a wonderful trip. Last night our team talked about the trip and what it's meant to us. Most of our teens expressed their thankfulness for this opportunity -- how it has been life-changing. They came thinking they were going to minister to others, and they leave with hearts that are full from being ministered to.

We performed the drama countless times, we ate gazillions of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, we washed hair, gave out toys, went to people's homes, and played games with children. We shared the message of the gospel, but hopefully we showed the people of Peru what that message looks like when put into practice.

Adios, Peru. Hasta pronto.

Last Day in Juneau

2008-07-12T01:23:00.005-06:00

Well, folks: Today is my last day in Juneau. We’ve done our shopping downtown, moved out of our apartments and shuttled the last of our students off to the airport. I fly out at 1 a.m. this morning — from rainy, two-sunny-days-in-three-weeks Juneau to bone-dry, sunny-so-often-it-gets-annoying Colorado Springs.

I feel so blessed to have been a part of the first-ever Alaska Transformation project. We had a truly remarkable group of young men. I already miss our guys.

I’m proud of them, too. Every single one of our 10 young men took significant steps of faith. They shared the gospel with the Juneau community. They jumped in feet-first into a Native Alaskan community and spread the love of Jesus by simply being there. And they delved deep into each other’s lives. So yeah, I miss the guys. But I’m excited for them — excited to see how they implement back at home what they learned during their two weeks up here.

The goal of the Juneau Men’s Summer Project — the summer-long project and now the two-week AT project –- is to set young men on a path that they will follow for the rest of their lives. That path includes being what we call a “lifegiver.” I pray our 10 men will stay on that path, and bring others along for the journey.

Here’s a parting picture for you. I think it captures the essence of my time here with Alaska Transformation, along with one of the Juneau Men’s Project’s primary goals: never walking alone.

Thanks.

Blessed by the Church

2008-07-10T22:08:00.004-06:00

Tomorrow is our very last day of ministry! I can't believe it -- in some ways it feels like we've been here forever, and in other ways it has just flown by.

Lots to update. On Tuesday we went to a school and the students performed the drama there. It was so fun to see all of the children in their uniforms. There were hundreds of kids there to watch us -- definitely our biggest crowd so far. The students performed the drama and gave their testimonies -- the gospel message was given and many children accepted Christ. Imagine that happening in our public schools in the United States! One of the speakers at our nightly group meetings gives talks in tons of countries, and she told us that the only public schools in the world in which she is not able to mention God are in the United States and Canada. Lovely.

Today we went to a neighborhood outside of Lima and connected with a church there. It was awesome. When we arrived, the members were there with signs to greet us. The pastor said he was so excited to have us there and the church members were blessed by our arrival. They told us that as soon as they had found out we were going to be coming, they had begun praying for us. I think it was kind of a shock to all of us -- we hadn't thought about how people had been waiting for us to show up. We thought we were just going out to do our drama a couple more times, but these church members had been looking forward to our arrival for months.

The students performed the drama twice today -- once we just set up our "stage" on a dirt road. A few people walked through and a van even drove through it once. The students handled it so well though; they never broke character and just continued on with their parts.

Our students really were blessed by the church members today, and I think they're ready to work hard tomorrow. We're going to a poor area to wash hair, play with the kids and perform the drama one last time. (I've seen it so many times that I now know it by heart. I know all of the music queues -- if any of our kids get sick, I think I could fill in.)

Anyway, I encourage all of you to pray for the churches of Peru if you think of it. They have tiny churches with no frills, no indoor coffee shops, no bookstores, no big programs. But they share the truth and they do so with joy.

Neighborhood Visits

2008-07-07T14:53:00.004-06:00

We just finished ministry day #3. Today we went door-to-door in a village and invited people to come see the drama. The kids performed it twice today, and we had lots of kids and a sprinkling of adults at both of them.

Walking around and inviting people to spend time with us was an interesting experience. Most of the houses are quite a bit smaller than a two-car garage and are made of tin or wood. The "nicer" houses are made of brick or have real glass windows. The women wash their clothes by hand and hang them out to dry. They tend to tiny gardens of aloe vera plants and bright red geraniums. They knit clothes and dress their babies. They are like all the other women around the world, except they live in poverty.

Stray dogs run around everywhere, stopping to bite at their fleas every few feet. There is usually one bathroom per neighborhood -- they consist of four walls and a hole in the ground. I was lucky enough to experience one -- and I hope to never have that privilege again.

Today one of our translators asked me if we have poor people in America. I told him that we do, but our poor would seem very rich compared to these people. It makes me realize that it's all about perspective -- our attitudes and opinions are shaped by what we are used to.

I have had to remind our team of guys and girls to be careful about voicing their astonishment about the poverty they see. Although we are not used to it, these people live like this every day and many of them are happy. The children have joy -- they play and laugh just like American children. In fact, they pout much less and appreciate much more. We Americans can't come in and point down our noses at the way they live -- we are here to love, to serve, to show Jesus to those around us. That is what He has asked us to do -- whether we are talking to our blessed American friends or the impoverished of Peru.

I have realized lately that when Jesus berates the rich in the Bible, He is talking to me. I am the one who has ignored the poor and needy. I am the one who taken and taken without giving back. Now I need to figure out what to do with this knowledge. Going to Peru is a good start, but what should living simply and giving more look like in my day-to-day life? I'm still not sure.

Tomorrow we'll be going to minister at a school. We're excited for a new adventure. Ciao!

p.s. I obviously haven't gotten around to posting any pictures, but you can check some out at www.briomag.com.

Our Weekend in Kake

2008-07-07T14:08:00.004-06:00

I arrived back from Kake yesterday afternoon -- after a fairly turbulent, but not entirely nerve-wracking flight through a lot of rain.

In Kake our students and I saw poverty. We saw people were just scraping by. We saw the effects of addictions and abuse. We saw the community with the high suicide rate in Alaska. But we also saw a community doing its best with the hand its been dealt.

Our goal in going to Kake was not to do typical Campus Crusade-style evangelism. The people of this small community are probably some of the most evangelized in all of Alaska, with four or five churches in town. Instead, we just wanted to "love on" them. (I'm not a fan of the phrase "to love on," but quite frankly I didn't get enough sleep last night and my internal thesaurus isn't firing on all cylinders. So I may use it again. Bear with me.)

Instead, we wanted to communicate by our actions -- not by our words -- that they are a people God cares deeply about.

Here are a few highlights from the trip:

Lap ball. Thursday evening we learned (or we think we learned; there were so many rules) to play this crazy combination of baseball and cricket. The local kids are ingenious -- they created the game to fit one of the only open, grassy areas in town. It was a fun time, and a great way to meet some of the younger kids in the community

4th of July festivities. Friday was, for me, the highlight of the trip. All nine of us from Alaska Transformation participated in their five-mile "T run" – a race all the way back to town from a "T" in one of the logging roads. We also competed in three-legged races and watermelon eating and pop drinking contests. And last, but certainly not least, was what we've been calling the "polar plunge," which involved jumping 20 feet off a dock and then swimming about 40 yards through the breath-stealing-cold waters of the Inside Passage. Now that was awesome.

3-on-3 basketball tournament. We hosted a basketball tournament, with $50 going to first place, and $30 and $20 to second and third. It was a hit, as far as we could tell, with about 12 teams entering. And roughly 50 people showed up to watch. My team took third.

Sunday morning Salvation Army service. Scott and June, the couple who heads the Salvation Army corps in Kake (also the couple we stayed with) asked several of us to speak at their Sunday morning service. It was a great opportunity to encourage some of the local believers.

All in all, it was an amazing trip. Definitely one of the highlights of the time I've spent here in Southeast Alaska.

Pray for the people of Kake today, if you think about it.

Peru: Of Dust and Dramas

2008-07-04T21:55:00.004-06:00

Well, we all made it to Peru safe and sound. And tired. We got to our hotel at about 7 a.m. on Thursday morning. There were teams coming in all day, so our team was blessed to have the day to catch up on our sleep after our overnight flight to Peru.

Peru is filled with dust, Spanish, colorful clothing, dust, beautiful brown people, dusty mountains, poverty, good food, busy streets, playful children and ... dust. Seriously, my clothes will all be brown by the time I leave. I like it here, though. I love traveling to new countries -- it is so good to get outside of my own normal and see what someone else's looks like.

Today was our first ministry day, and it was amazing. We loaded up our bus and went to a small village on a mountainside. The kids flocked to us instantly. We played games with them and then set up stations to wash their hair. The parents were so grateful -- water is fairly cheap for them, but their barrels only get filled about three times a week, so they have to conserve it very carefully. It was tough to get the soap out of the children's thick, shiny hair, but once we did, we combed it out and added a barrette or two.

Our teens then performed the drama they've worked so hard on, and they did great. They talked with the children afterwards -- asking them if they understood the message and praying with some of them.

We spent the rest of the afternoon playing games with the children and visiting the homes of the villagers. They were so friendly and excited to have us there. I played with some boys -- they taught me their marble game. I wasn't very good.

Our teens loved the day and so did I. I was very excited to see some of my Spanish skills come back to me -- I talked with people without a translator the entire day. I guess my education was worth something.

OK, I have to go to bed. I'll try to post in more detail sometime soon. Perhaps I'll get some pictures up as well. Night!

p.s. Happy 4th of July!

Piece of Kake

2008-07-03T10:50:00.004-06:00

In fewer than two hours I'm leaving for the Alaska Native village of Kake (it's sounds like it's spelled). It's predominantly Tlingit (pronounced "Klink-it"), the most populous Native tribe here in Southeast Alaska.

We have a few contacts in town, but no set plans ... for almost four days. It should be an interesting time. A good time.

I'm helping lead a group of nine guys. This trip will totally take me out of my comfort zone. Not so much because we'll be spending a few days around Native Alaskans (I'm really looking forward to that, actually), but because we have pretty much zero plans. And let's just say I prefer situations where things planned out.

I'm also the "face" of our group. Which means I'm the diplomat. This trip, and my role in it, will be a great chance to actually use my degree in cultural geography. I know the need to be culturally sensitive -- to listen more and speak less.

Pray for us. This trip is totally new territory -- literally and figuratively -- for all of us.

I'll have an update come Sunday.

Fabulous Dramatics

2008-07-01T21:33:00.004-06:00

So, all of our kids arrived. There are hundreds of teenagers clogging the halls of the Embassy Suites in Fort Lauderdale. Hundreds of teens who are excited about missions and sharing God's love with those around them.

I am on team 3 (creative name, eh?) with six other adult leaders. We have 33 teens on our team, and I'm still working on their names -- I'm learning them quicker than I thought I would though. Today the kids spent most of the day working on the drama they'll be performing in Peru. It's set to music with a bit of Spanish narration throughout. It's about 20 minutes long, and it's an allegory of the gospel message. There's a toymaker, the toymaker's son, the first toys, an evil magician, evil cats, and lots of other toys and mimes. (10 points to the person who can figure out who these characters are supposed to represent. :-)

Our kids are learning the drama along with one other team and it really is amazing to see how quickly it comes together. I've also been impressed with the way the teens have really worked to learn their parts. I was unsure about how serious our 14-year-old guys would take it, but they've done an excellent job.

Tonight we had our large group FUAGNEM (Fired Up And Going Nuts Every Minute) meeting. Susie Shellenberger, the editor of Brio, spoke and then we had a concert by the band, Carried Away. All the groups that come for FUAGNEM while we're in Miami do so for free -- as a ministry to us. Pretty awesome.

Anyway, my team flies out tomorrow night. Like at midnight. Like, we arrive to Peru at about 4 a.m. Flights will be coming in with our students all day Thursday, so please pray that we arrive safely along with our luggage. Also that we do not lose any passports. And that I get a window seat ... fine you can skip that last one.

Next time I update I'll be in Peru! (I've heard it's much less humid there. My hair will be so very grateful and less giant.) Hasta luego!

Soul to Soul

2008-07-01T18:52:00.005-06:00

Most of us men today don't allow others to truly know who we are. Precisely because we fear that who we really are just doesn't measure up. And goodness knows every man wants to know, needs to believe, that he measures up.

In order to addres this pattern of isolation, we took our Alaska Transformation guys on a three-mile hike to a Forest Service cabin where we had a "Soul to Soul."

A Soul to Soul is an opportunity for people to share who they really are—their life history, their successes and struggles. Each person has 25 to 30 minutes to share their story. And then their fellow group members have the opportunity to ask the sharer any question they choose, with the understanding that the sharer has the right to refuse to answer.

At first, most guys are really nervous at the prospect of being truly honest about who they are. I mean, what if someone thinks less of me for what I'm telling them? people think. What guy in his right mind is going to open himself up to the potential for that kind of rejection.

But that fear is so often trumped by the desire—the human need—to be known. So few of us are truly understood for who God made us to be. It's so easy to hide. But when given the opportunity, people—men, even—usually take it.

During a Soul to Soul, you get to see the truth of 1 John 1:7:

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

So often, sin sticks to us because we're not willing to tell others about it. We're tempted to believe we're the only one who deals with something. In some mystical way, bringing it out into "the light" often dispels the power that sin has over us.

And as a result of a Soul to Soul, not only do we bring our sins out into the light, we receive deep, intense fellowship. I'm not sure how it works, but just as the verse says, when we walk in the light—when we allow ourselves to be known—we receive a deep, abiding fellowship with one another.

It’s an exciting thing to see.

If you’ve never done something like this before, I recommend you try it. Find some people you believe you can trust, and be honest—brutally honest—with them. It may seem overwhelming at first, but I think you’ll agree with me that it’s worth the risk.

Bienvenidos a Miami

2008-06-30T06:11:00.003-06:00

Well, I managed to pack. Way too much. It was tricky meeting that 50 pound limit at the airport. (In my defense, there was a lot more than clothes that I was required to bring.)

Anyway, I traveled all day Saturday and finally made it to Miami after three flights, two carriers, a missed connecting flight, a missed ride to my hotel and a lost bag. The joys of traveling. And, seriously, the joys of finally receiving the suitcase that contains your only possessions for the next two weeks.

Let me tell you something. It is hot here. No -- really -- I don't think you're understanding. It's not just hot. It is also more humid than you would think possible. Whenever I go outside, I feel the weight of the hot, wet atmosphere pressing on my shoulders, trying to crush me or make me melt. It's oppressive -- I feel the need to be freed from this muggy tyranny. I don't understand how people can enjoy living here. But maybe you get used to it???

All of us Peru leaders have been here since Saturday. We've learned a lot more about what we'll be doing, what our teams look like, and how to transfer 500 teenagers to another country. Big World Ventures is the group organizing the trip, and they do an amazing job. At first I was skeptical about how successfully hundreds of people would be able to do a trip like this, but after getting here and learning how they have things organized, I am fully confident that this trip will run smoothly.

The teens get here today. I am about to eat breakfast and then help with registration. Pray that everyone gets in with no flight trouble and no lost baggage. The teens begin their full training tomorrow, and will start to learn the 20-minute Spanish drama that they'll be performing on most of our ministry days in Peru.

I'm excited to be getting started -- I'll try to update again soon!

Day of Evangelism

2008-06-29T10:05:00.004-06:00

Hey everyone! I haven't posted in a little while because our schedule has been crazy full. And I've noticed that when I'm up here -- or away from home in general -- I'm "all here." It's hard for me to pull away and attend to my normal, day-to-day responsibilities at home. But hopefully I'll be posting some pictures from this past week's activities.

Well, up here in Juneau we're doing our first evangelism initiative. We're going downtown to chat about faith and Jesus and His gospel with anyone who's interested.

And that's a fairly scary proposition for most of our students. Uh, and for me, too.

Evangelism efforts like today's definitely make me ponder what Jesus truly meant when He uttered the words found in the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20. What does it mean to make disciples? How seriously do I, in my own life, take the Great Commission?

I like to think I'm fulfilling the Great Commission by working for TrueU and Focus on the Family Institute: I write articles that (hopefully) help students grow in their faith, and I mentor students who come through the Institute every semester. I like to think I'm making disciples.

But the whole "of all nations" thing? Well, I don't do that so well. Very rarely do I step outside of my decidedly insulated life at the Institute and with my Christian friends and share my faith with anyone. I tell myself that evangelism isn't my role, that discipling is. But I'm not entirely sure it's my place to make that distinction.

So, today I, along with our students, am praying to be filled with the Spirit so that I can go out and share the gospel. Not by my own effort -- that would be so incredibly futile. But by the Spirit's power. Hopefully, someone I talk with will see not me, but God in me, and think, "I want that."

If you think of it, pray for us.

Catch you later!

Failure to Pack

2008-06-26T09:39:00.010-06:00

I felt like posting a picture. This is one of a globe and a Focus on the Family Institute Nalgene. Very exciting. If you look at the globe, you can see South America and the country of Peru, where I'll be in a few days. Pretty sweet.

While I'm looking at pictures on my computer, I'm busy not packing for my trip. I went shopping earlier this week and bought the things I needed for the two weeks I'll be in Peru: snacks (obviously most important), Pepto Bismol (better safe than sorry), hand sanitizer, travel-sized things (they're fun cause they're tiny!), and more snacks.

All of these things are sitting in Wal-Mart bags on my bedroom floor. My big, blue suitcase is also sitting -- empty and neglected -- on my floor. I keep not putting things into it. It's becoming a problem.

This is usually how I do things. I stress all week about how I should be packing, and then the night before I leave, I finally get around to it. It'll be a flurry of laundry and double-checking, but I'm confident that it'll get done.

Here at work, I'm all alone in the TrueUniverse. I've pretty much finished getting things ready for the weeks we'll be gone -- that's right, you'll still magically have sweet articles and hilarious thoughts of the week while we're away. We published some new articles today, so you should read them. Lindy's got a great one about dating that I think everyone will enjoy.

OK, I should go now. I've got packing to worry about.

2008-06-26T02:11:00.004-06:00

I'm really busy today, but here are just a few thoughts from my first few days here in Juneau.

It's cloudy here. I live in Colorado Springs, where we get about 300 sunny days a year. Juneau probably has that many cloudy days per year. I can tell I've gotten used to the sun. The clouds, though they make the mountains look that much more majestic -- can get just a little bit overwhelming. But strangely, you get used to it. Or I do, at least. And beautiful evenings, where the sun shines for an hour like it did tonight, make all the gray weather worth it.
Thank goodness for wool socks. I'm not sure what I would do without these things. Wool socks have this magical power that allows them to get wet, but still keep your feet warm. Juneau is not only a cloudy place, but it's rainy, too. It's wet -- a lot. Wool socks, especially when hiking, are a must.
Extended daylight = more energy. Maybe it's not science, but it seems like I have a lot of energy at night when I'm here. The sun doesn't set this time of year till around 10:15 or 10:30. And the sky is never completely dark. At 1 a.m. I could have taken a walk on the beach next to our campsite -- our staff team did an overnight camping trip, preceded by some fishing and crabbing -- without any trouble.

OK, so those thoughts were mostly geographical in nature -- but what can you expect from a guy with a useless social science degree … in geography. I gotta use it sometime.

Well, that's all for now. Hopefully, I'll be posting some pictures from yesterday's fishing expedition. I caught my first fish ever yesterday.

Oh, and here's something: a link to what it looks like where I'm living -- the University of Alaska Southeast campus housing.

Juneau, 2.0

2008-06-24T00:35:00.001-06:00

I arrived in Juneau today. This place is so beautiful — as amazing as I remembered.

After we arrived, we did the customary thing — we waited for our luggage. And waited, and waited. Everyone but me did not get their stuff. The other four people I flew with today changed airliners when they arrived for their layover in Denver. Unfortunately, their bags did not make the transition. As we speak (or as I type, rather), they’re back at the airport retrieving their (hopefully) recently arrived luggage.

After figuring out that all their belongings would be arriving later tonight, we drove from the airport to the student housing here at the University of Alaska Southeast where we are staying. It was so surreal, driving by such familiar places. We passed several of my old haunts: the now-empty lot that used to host the plant nursery where I worked; the Safeway store where I took my lunch breaks; Auke Lake, where my friends and I would go swimming after work on the unseasonably warm days, of which there were many during the summer of 2004.

Immediately, I was flooded with memories of all the good times I had that summer — of all the amazing people I had the pleasure of spending two and a half months with. For a moment, I felt an almost overwhelming sense of melancholy. I realized how badly I wanted all those people to return with me. And I realized how that won’t ever happen. Ever. Because life moves on and people get jobs and college summer turn into memories.

But I soon snapped out of it. Because as much as I wish it were, this trip is not about my reliving my glory days as a carefree (however spiritually floundering) college student spending a summer in the Alaskan wilderness. This summer is about investing in the lives of the young men who arrive here in a few days to participate in this thing we’re calling Alaska Transformation. It’s about drawing from the transformation God began in me four summers ago and turning it inside-out so that others can see that yes, God does change lives, actually.

Basically, this summer is about giving back.

So, I’m a little sad, because I’m missing a lot of really special people right now. But I’m also looking forward to the adventures, both the literal and spiritual kinds, that lay ahead.

One Week to Peru!

2008-06-20T15:01:00.008-06:00

Peeps, I leave for my missions trip a week from tomorrow. As Matthew mentioned, I'll be gone for two weeks to Lima, Peru with Brio magazine. I haven't been on a missions trip since my senior year of high school, and during that one I spent lots of time hand-mixing cement, helping with VBS and drinking Mexican soda. This trip will look a lot different than my last one, but I'm pretty sure it'll be awesome. Here's why:

1. More than 500 of us are going -- lots of teen girls and guys and some of us adult leaders. I get to help lead a team with my friend, Ashley, so that should be great. Also, I'll get to meet lots of great students -- I'm hoping they can teach me what's cool and how to tell the Jonas Brothers apart.

2. Drama, drama, drama. The students will be performing dramas in the streets, which will attract lots of Peruvian children who will hopefully want to be our friends.

3. Español, people! I majored in Spanish in college and haven't practiced since. I pretty much only remember the words, "hola," "no," and "vaca." This will be an awesome opportunity para practicar la idioma.

4. Putting faith into action -- we'll be doing work projects and serving the Peruvians while we're there. We'll spend time simply washing children's hair and combing out the tangles. It sounds simple, but I think it will be profound. I spend a lot of time writing articles about how our faith is demonstrated by what we do. I figure it's time to quit blabbing and start doing.

Anyway, I'm excited for the trip; it should be pretty cool. Maybe I should brush up on my Spanish this next week...

TrueU Heads Out

2008-06-19T10:41:00.007-06:00

Hello, everyone out there in TrueU Land!

By now you've probably heard Denise and I talk about the mission trips we're going on this summer.

Denise leaves June 28 for the Peruve It trip with Brio Magazine to -- you guessed it -- Peru. Lima, specifically.

While Denise heads south, I'll be migrating north to Juneau, Alaska, for three weeks with Campus Crusade's Alaska Transformation mission trip. I'm leaving Monday, June 23. (I have got to get packing.)

We wanted to set up this temporary blog so we could keep you posted on what we're up to. Be sure to check in for the latest happenings. We'll post stories and pictures as often as we can.

We'd love to hear what you're up to this summer, so be sure to leave us a comment and let us know.

Bon voyage!