Letting down in Egypt

Greetings from Cairo, Egypt.  Well, it's been a while since I've written.  That's mainly because upon arrival in Cairo to visit I just completely checked out.  Whenever we come here, I leave it up to Jamie to organize and do everything since it's her old home.  And now with the Oldhams here and Keli and Ken taking care of everything, I felt myself just completely check out.  Eventually, I stopped reading email and getting on the internet altogether.  So...now it's time to re-connect.

We actually arrived here a little bit late.  We were supposed to arrive shortly after midnight last Thursday.  But our flight from Frankfurt, Germany couldn't take off because there is now a strict curfew on planes taking off at night.  Each night at 10PM, the flights come to a halt.  Our flight was literally the last flight on the runway line up and we got on the runway and turned around.  It' was 10:01PM.  So that was it.  They put us up in a nice hotel and we arrived the next afternoon.

It's been great to be with the Oldhams.  They are very settled in here and doing a great job.  The house looks lovely and they were such great hosts--it was very easy to just led down and relax right away.  Marco has had a blast hanging out with Zeke, Titus, and Grace.  And we've really enjoyed our time with Ken and Keli.  We tried to get the work stuff out of the way as much as possible, so we could just focus on some family time.

On Sunday Jamie and I spoke about Three Worlds at the Cairo Christian Fellowship where Ken and Keli are pastors.  It was great to see old friends again and to see the Oldhams in their new position.  We've spent a lot of time talking, playing some basketball, and enjoying each others' company.

On Monday, we went to a place none of us have ever been to called El Gouna. It's on the Red Sea.   I knew nothing about it but found a place with great rate for families like ours so that's why I chose it.  So we set out Monday morning on a nearly 6 hour drive across the desert to the shores of the Red Sea.  It was not at all what I was expecting--but it was very cool (not weather wise, it was scorching hot).  El Gouna is this artificially constructed town on the Red Sea with hotels and activities for tourists.  It's like a big Club Med or a tiny Dubai.  It's a restricted area so, unlike the rest of Egypt, it was always clean, safe, and looked immaculate.  I had thought it was a harbor town close to another famous resort town.  Alas, it felt a bit like being at Disney's Epcot Center, but it certainly was relaxing having everything close to you in this easy, compact little "town" which is apparently owned by a Christian businessman.

Yesterday (Wednesday) we went snorkling in the Red Sea.  It's something that Jamie used to do a lot as a kid.  I'm not sure any of us had ever done that before (except maybe Keli?) so it was a steep learning curve.  They just took us out to reefs in the middle of the Sea and we were supposed to put on the snorkling gear and just dive off the boat.  I've never put on flippers or snorkling gear (the mask and the tube-thing..I have no idea what it's called), never been off a boat, and really can't technically swim.  But it was too good an opportunity to pass up.  So while the others swam around the reefs, I just had to hang on to the boat and look down.  It was very cool and I can see why Jamie always raved about it.  It would be nice to try it sometime somewhere where being a skilled swimmer isn't so necessary.

I got one of my deep chest colds and sore throats on Day 2 of our beach outing so that has zapped me of some energy.  And yes, it was hot out there. It averaged between 104 degrees and 109 degrees but the humidity was only about 30%.  So it didn't feel as oppressively sticky as Hong Kong, but it certainly was hot.  All three of us got sunburned.

Along with my week of letting down, came my usual batch of idiotic pictures.  It's hard to believe how few pictures of the Oldhams there are in my photos.  And then we actually went to the Red Sea (Yes, as in Moses parting the Red Sea) and  I got zero photos of that.  Yup, zero.  I think Jamie got some photos, and I'm sure the Oldhams probably did, but I did my usual AWOL photographer routine.  So behold, my usual blurry, nearly useless photographs:

More Photos from the Ukraine

Hello, Goodbye at 3W

Aaron and Nicole Varner are on the way back to the USA today.  We saw them yesterday in Berlin and said our final "goodbyes"......at least for now.  I'm sure our paths will cross many more times in the future.  You guys have been great to work with and we'll miss all that you do.  Enjoy that direct flight to Miami. Meanwhile...is it possible that our new 3W Team members Daniel and Christy Kihm are becoming parents at this exact moment?  We'll keep you posted as we get ready to say hello to baby Kihm.

And as for the 3 of us---we are off to Egypt today to spend some time with the Oldham family.  So hello, goodbye.

From Ukraine, with Love

I just got back from spending a week in the Ukraine.  I was there to speak at the dedication of the new church building as well as to be the speaker at the 18th annual conference of Russia and the Ukraine.  People came all the way from the far reaches of Siberia (5 days away), from our church in Chelyabinsk, from the Russian Church of God congregations in Southern Germany, and from various parts of the Ukraine.

I have to admit, I went into this one completely depleted.  Year 2 of Three Worlds has been emotionally exhausting--and as you know if you follow the diary---has been one big travel-a-thon.  I also felt that my 6 speeches (which actually turned out to be 7...surprise Ukrainian-style!) were among the  worst I've ever done.  The night before I left, Jamie helped to give them more structure, but I still felt massively unsettled as I boarded the plane.

Once I landed in Donetsk--Ukraine's 5th largest city and recent site of Euro Cup matches--it was back into work mode.  This is what I do for a living. I manned up.  I made my way to a hotel located next to Donetsk's new stadium which they are very proud of.

The next day I was picked up by my host Pastor Vassilly and Pastor Wallentin (from Germany) and taken to the little village of Kamenka--population 700.  The drive was on bumpy roads and we passed nothing but open fields.  Eventually we arrived in the village which seemed to have one main street....and that's about it.   And it had one store which I mistook for an empty abandoned warehouse.  Ukraine is not a wealthy country and years of living under the Soviet Union's economic system has not been exactly good.  Their transition to democracy has not been exactly smooth and outside of Kiev and a very few major cities most people live very simple lives.  In the van with me was Stefan, the pastor's son and his awesome wife Luda, as well as Fritzlar Bible College student Rudy.

Nobody spoke much English at all, so it was a great thing when the interpreter showed up the next day.  Anya was the best interpreter ever, and was such a fun person to hang out with.  The strange things about the Slavs---Russians, Ukrainians and others is how cold and distant they can seem on the streets, in the subways, ..basically everywhere.  But when you get to actually know them and become friends with them----my goodness---they go right for the heart.  As I got to know everyone in Kamenka, I absolutely fell in love with everyone.  They were so kind, so fun, so hospitable, and just so wonderful.

My speeches were not much better than I had prepared---yet they miraculously seemed to be exactly what the people needed to hear.  This is something that has happened to me before and it is pretty miraculous.  You say exactly what someone needs to hear at that exact moment in their life. It's supernatural.  And it's obviously supernatural when it happens from yourself--and you know you are not doing it because you suck.

There is such a thing as prophetic words---words that come from God at exactly the right time, that say things that no one could possibly know, that are special messages that give direction, affirmation and penetrate the heart.  Apparently God was using me to do that despite the fact that I felt none of it.  It was the least comfortable I've felt going into something.

We had lots of meals...not the kind of meals you are having today...and lots of time together.  We visited some homes in the village, joked a lot, and had a lot of church.  There was communion, a foot-washing service, and more of me yapping away.  I felt like I had a special helper...a girl name Masha who absolutely stole my heart.  She is roughly Marco's age, and like Marco she was quite the little confident director.  Masha was adorable, and seemed to be my very own personal assistant.  I'd love to hire for her Three Worlds..now! It wasn't easy to not just steal away Masha from her 2 brothers and Mother and Father.  They were a lovely family who gave me 3 dead fish as a gift (that's a first).  We spent some evenings at their homes late at night, drinking tea with honey and laughing.

Little did I know that someone had a prophetic word for me.  Luda, who was just the nicest, sweetest young lady was a joy to get to know.  Her English was pretty good and we met on that first van trip when she and her husband Stefan rode up with me to Kamenka. Stefan has served as a missionary to other parts of Russia and Ukraine.  Over the course of the week, every time I would see Luda, I just felt that she had a deep, intuitive, prophetic spirit.  An E.Q. off the charts.  There was just something about her.  So finally one day I told her that she had a special gift of discernment and that I could sense that.  I was right, because she said she does have that kind of gift.

The week went on and it was just great to be around everyone.  On the final Sunday, we had the dedication service of the new church which was open to anyone in the community as well as other churches.  There were special music performances including from other churches and words of greetings and congratulations.  Pastor Wallentin shared the history of the 18 years of this conference as well as the history of the construction of the church building which is completely paid off.  Then I got up to speak and we had a final meal time.  "That was my favorite pig that we just ate"  little Masha said wistfully at one meal.  The Bagmut family was wonderful and every time I was in their home I genuinely felt like I was in my home.

Saying "goodbye" was really difficult.  It was especially hard to say goodbye to Masha.  "You'll see him in heaven" people kept telling her.  "That's not making me feel better", she replied.  Actually, I hope it's a lot sooner than that.

Before Anya and I left to head back to Donetsk, Luda handed me a letter in Russia.  It was a message God gave to her specifically for me.  I couldn't imagine what it said, but I knew that it it came from Luda it would be real and profound.  We said our goodbyes to everyone and got on the bus and then Anya translated the message Luda had transcribed.

It was absolutely penetrating to the very core of my being. It was prophetic.  Only I could understand what was written in that letter.  There's no way Luda could have known what she was writing and what it meant to me.  It's private and I won't be sharing it here.  Suffice to say that never in a million years did I expect that gift on this trip to Ukraine.  It was miraculous.  When I got back to Donetsk and checked into a hotel for the flight out the next day I looked at my pictures and letter and just wept and wept and wept.

I'll never forget Kamenka, the people, the experience.  It was life-changing for me.

The small plane that was to fly me back to Munich had to abort the take-off at the last second.  There was a flock of birds the plane would have collided with.  We sat there for 45 minutes waiting for the breaks to cool.  I missed my connecting flight to Berlin and was put on a later flight and got back to Jamie and Marco.  Now we're together for a couple of months with no interruptions.  Finally.

Back in Berlin I looked up Kamenka on google earth and couldn't find the village of 700.  That's okay.  I'll always know where it is.  It's right here in my heart.

Off to Ukraine

Last week was very exciting as we commissioned our newest 3W team members Daniel and Christy Kihm (The Netherlands) and Zach and Audrey Langford (Liverpool, UK).   A week ago, we had a fun evening over at the Kihms house in Anderson, Indiana---it was us 5 3Wers together for the first time.  Great chemistry and a great team. Now I'm off to the Ukraine to visit the CHOG there, speak at their annual meeting, and dedicate a new building.  This is my first time to the Ukraine.  I'm flying to Donetsk, one of the host cities for the Euro Cup Football tournament that just concluded last night with Spain's monumental win over Italy (4-0).  From Donetsk, I guess we will be traveling 3 hours into the rural countryside to an area I've probably never heard of.  It should be an adventure.

I'm not sure what internet will be like, but if there's the opportunity to get online and post pictures, I certainly will.

I got back on Friday and have got to spend Friday through Monday with Jamie and Marco.  That's been great, but alas too short  (I also  have massive jet-lag.  I never like going West to East.  That's always much harder for me). This is my final trip without them for a while.  So if I can just make it to next Monday (one more week), we'll be together for a good long time.  Overall, I'm going to start scaling back my travel as year 3 of 3W goes on.  It will still be crazy, but the days at home will get longer and longer and the trips shorter and shorter.  And once we're fielding a full team, hopefully it will get even better for me schedule-wise.  Here's hoping.

Okay, so now it's off to Ukraine.

What's Up With Egypt?

It's been silent around the diary lately as I've been attending the N.A.C. (North American Convention) events.  That hasn't left much time to write.  I fly back to Germany on Thursday via Miami---and then will have only 4 days at home before heading to Ukraine.  After Ukraine, then, I will be with my family for a good long while, and I'm really looking forward to that. We've been monitoring what's going on in Egypt quite closely.  The President was elected and it's a guy from the Muslim Brotherhood as opposed to the military.  The more progressive parties fielded too many candidates and the votes split.  It was better that the Muslim brotherhood guy one as opposed to the military left-over from the Mubarak era.  But of course there are a lot of questions about what happens now.  How moderate will the Muslim be? Will the military truly allow the President to rule? What about the new constitution that needs to be written?

Quite often, it's better for the Muslim parties to get into power because then they have to do more than play the role of the critic.  Nothing disillusions people on religion faster than a religious political power.  So I'm not panicking yet.  Egypt does not seem to have the population of radicals that Iran had in 1979 when they had their Islamic Revolution which has been a complete failure from top to bottom.

The new Egyptian President is a graduate of U.S.C. (He's a trojan) and is considered moderate.  Fox News incorrectly has been reporting that he declared that Jerusalem would be the capital of Egypt???  What?  No. wrong.  The Christian Science Monitor caught that one.

Reuters' article today mentions what is on the line at the moment:

"The Muslim Brotherhood has reached some agreements with the army on the powers that Egypt's first Islamist president will hold and the fate of the dissolved Islamist-led parliament, Brotherhood officials said on Tuesday.

The newly elected president, Mohamed Mursi, toured his palace on Monday. But after savoring the victory that installed him in place ofthe Brotherhood's ousted enemy Hosni Mubarak, he immediately went to see the generals in the Defence Ministry in a visit that seemed to underline who really calls the shots.

Mursi, seeking to fulfill a promise of inclusive government, will name six vice-presidents - a woman, a Christian and others drawn from non-Brotherhood political groups -to act as an advisory panel, said Sameh Essawi, an aide to the president.

Mursi has resigned as head of the Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party to be a "president for all Egyptians" but critics question his independence from the movement's opaque leadership."

Lots of questions lingering.

Our 3W teammates on the ground in Egypt have a lot more at their blog and are the best source of information for all things Egypt.

Jamie, Marco,  and I head to Egypt July 11th.

6 Ways Three Worlds Speaks to Millenials

The jury is out on the Millenials (the generation born between 1982-2000 roughly).  Some people are calling them slackers who spend all of their time with their heads in their phones, texting, glued to computer screens, and devoid of social skills. They are highly dependent on their parents, now (because of the economy) often live at home, are socially very liberal, and need to be programmed to be effective. Other's say that they are great multi-taskers, inherently global, have a wide array of knowledge having grown up in the google/wikipedia internet world, and that they have a strong social conscience and are likely to be great innovators (think of Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook).

So which is it?  Well, there seems to be truth in both of those things---as early descriptions of Gen-X (the slackers) seemed to be pretty accurate about our sensibility.  But in the end, rumors of Gen-X (my generation) being total losers didn't hold up.  Our generation has turned out to be pretty responsible, great at family, and were part of the revolutionary tech boom that has transformed our world.  In other words, some of those weaknesses disappeared as we grew up.

Each generation has its strengths and weaknesses.  Although I've heard of the Millenials weaknesses---I have to say, I haven't encountered them very much.  Our millenial 3W interns and emerging leaders have all been extremely sharp, responsible, and brave.  They have a strong Christian social conscience, they seem to be very globally minded, and they have a lot of knowledge at their fingertips.  The Christian millenials that I meet with that are interested in missions tend to be extremely sharp, have had a lot of experience overseas, and in general, just kind of blow me away.  I've really had nothing but good experiences with this generation.

While it is true that as a generation they are less religious, more socially liberal in their beliefs, and are having a tough time getting a job--when they are serious about their faith, they seem to be very serious.  They dislike division and superficiality intensely.  They like to see leaders be authentic.  Status seems to mean less to them.  I don't detect that they are out to make a name for themselves as with one generation I can think of (you don't know who you are).  So while there are Christian commentators out there panicking about the drop in Christian millenials, I for one, am not panicking.  The ones that are out there seem to be high capacity--with the power to influence many.

You don't have to be a Millenial to be on the Three World Team.  The bulk of our team is currently made up of Gen-Xers and Boomers.  I'd say, overall, the team has a Gen-X sensibility to it.  But we have structured Three Worlds in a way to really appeal to the Millenials.  Why?  Because the mission-field can't afford to lose this young generation.  They are the ones that have stayed away from missions and ministry in droves.  If we want a future, we have to gear ourselves to be open to Millenials.

I think at 3W we have done this in a number of ways that millenials are responding to.  These are:

1) Unity:  We value team unity more than anything.  Millenials hate in-fighting between Christians (so do I) and so we've created a team of people with people-skills and E.Q. (Emotional Intelligence) that are high enough that we avoid the kind of conflicts that bring other teams down.  Millenials love that.

2) Teamwork:  Millenials really value working on teams.  At 3W we process together.  Just because Jamie and I are the leaders, doesn't mean that we just sit removed from the team.  Quite the opposite, through our 3W Staff Meetings and the 3W Roundtable we seek to bring as many voices to the table as possible.  Even just today with one issue I'm dealing with, I wrote to two of our families for advice on how to handle a particular situation.  Nobody is out to make a name for themselves at 3w. It's all about team.  We want others to succeed more than us.  It's always been my dream to work at a place where that was really the case. Real Selflessness.

3) Open System: Much like teamwork, 3W is just open.  We're open to working with other non-profits, with people for a short time, for a long time, and to get advice from multiple people including mission-pastors and donors.  We don't feel we know everything. On the contrary, we are always looking for good advice.  When we size up a new project or mission-field, we take outsiders with us to offer a fresh perspective; and that is also what the 3W Roundtable does.

4) Clear Leadership: Millenials don't like organizations that are poorly run, unclear, or just have no vision and guidance.  They have grown up with coaches, teachers, and parents that were very pro-active in leading them.  Three Worlds does have a very clear vision, clear DNA, and clear leadership coming from Jamie and me.  But it's not authoritarian which stifles innovation. That would defeat the purpose of having a tight team.

5) Freedom to Create: Millenials are creative.  At 3W our missionaries are part of a system that has a common DNA, with strong leadership---but all of our missionaries are able to configure their mission-fields in a way that fits them best.  As they work with people they will come up with all sorts of out-of-the-box ideas and provided that they are not damaging to the country or the team, we are anxious to see them move forward.  Pretty much all of the super cool ministry successes that 3W has had have come from the inventive ideas of our 3W missionaries.  We love inventive people.

6) Authentic: Sometimes missionaries are idolized or put up on a pedestal.  Actually, that happens a lot.  But nobody on our team buys into that.  We are all open about our struggles, our deficiencies, our pains.  We're just real flesh and blood people with all the usual limitations.  We have a high level of transparency and everyone can feel free to express how they really feel.  I think we all admire each other, but also realize that we're all the same. No heroes on this team. Just people trying to make it in what is an unusually stressful job.  Yes, it is unusually stressful for a number of reasons.  And that's why it's so great to have a team.

While we are open to all generations, we do hope to see the millenials be the one that take Three Worlds to next level in the near future.  It's what has to happen if the church is to remain strong and relevant.  We're so excited to be adding our 2 new millennial couples:  Zach and Audrey Langford and Daniel and Christy Kihm.  The four of them are all very emblematic of what makes this generation so special.

In the USA--the food is big

Hello friends.  I'm in the USA having arrived in Miami a week ago Monday.  I spent that week criss-crossing the state of Florida thanking some (not all) of our supporters.  Then I flew to Indiana this past Monday and am staying with Jamie's mom in her cozy house--and watching ESPN any chance I get. Actually, it's been busy since the semi-annual Regional Coordinator Meetings began the very next day---Tuesday.  We have met for 3 days of strategizing, reporting, and hearing from other departments at the Church of God headquarters here in Anderson.  On Sunday I will be at Church at the Crossing in Indianpolis, I will be making  a quick visit to Ohio on Monday, off to Northern Indiana on Tuesday, and then back here for the North American Convention.

I've been watching my weight like crazy.  It's not hard thus far, but it will get harder as I have all these meetings (at mealtimes) over the coming two weeks.  It's always such a shock to go into American restaurants and see the serving sizes of the food.  Thus far, I haven't been able to finish many of my meals in restaurants.  It's just too much.  It takes a while to adjust to these enormous, American-size helpings.  America---everything is big.

Last summer I discovered sweat tea--which McDonalds has for $1--as do many other restaurants.  It's so good--but I'm sure it is so bad for you.  I'm proud of myself for only ordering 1 so far in 9 days in the USA.  But that will end tomorrow.  As I visited my friend Jen Cox and her 1 1/2 year old husband Randy, I couldn't help but look at his cup of McDonald's sweet tea with envy, so I will probably break down pretty quickly tomorrow.

Oh America...you saucy temptress!

The Certainty of Black Preaching

I'm in the United States now, visiting some of our Florida supporters this week.  I rented a car in Miami and have been criss-crossing the state to say "Thank You" to our supporters.  With 57 churches, it takes a long time to get around to all the churches and I'm not even going to make it to all of our Florida churches this time.

For the most part, I enjoy driving across the United States (I do prefer some regions to others...ahem...) and nothing passes the time faster in the car than listening to ESPN radio or FOX sports news radio.  But the other thing I like to listen to if possible is black preaching.  It's not always on the radio, and it depends which part of the country you are in, but especially in the South it doesn't seem to hard to get a black preacher on the radio at some point during the drive.

Black preaching is a worthy topic for a Three Worlds post because African-American Christianity has some roots in the non-Western (ie. Africa).  Whenever I hear black preaching I always feel considerably uplifted.  I asked myself "What is it about black preaching that almost demands that you yell "Amen" when listening to it?" There are a few things:  It's powerful, it's often funny, it's often common-sensical, and it's often rhytmic.  True that.

But what I feel is really special (and non-Western as opposed to traditional or post-modern) about black preaching is its tone of certainty.  It is unapologetic.  It's not shy about Biblical truths and sermons are not constructed in a rational, heady way as they are in the traditional euro-centric church.  The preacher almost starts from a standpoint of:  "Jesus is the way and  you're crazy if you can't see that?? We all do."  In that sense it really is very similar to non-Western Christianity found in Asia, modern day Africa, and Latin America.  There's little room for doubt.  The preaching itself radiates authority.

One of the most interesting books I read in graduate school was a book by scholar Albert Raboteau called "Slave Religion: The "Invisible Institution" in the Antebellum South.  The book traces the history of African-American Christianity.  African American Christianity is very interesting in that the slaves became Christian and developed their own African-American orthodox denominations.  This is very different than in Latin America and the Caribbean where many of the black slaves hung onto their tribal African faiths:  Haiti and Brazil being two good examples of where African based religion still exists full force.

There were many traditions from Africa, however, that were preserved in the style of African American Christianity (as opposed to the mixing of African religions and Christianity--sycncretism).  The call and response, the ring shouts, the rhythmic music and dancing, and even the way the pastor has more of a role of honor and plays more of a community chieftan role in African-American communities than an Anglo pastor (the anglo church being more compartmentalized and individualistic).

The slaves often had to meet in secret away from their slave masters and needed to find a way to celebrate their weddings, births, and mourn their deaths as they would in Africa.  Christian rituals and traditions became the way to do that.  And much like the Non-Western world today, the African-American church was a persecuted church and the descriptions of the prophets in the Old Testament had a significance for them that they don't to most of us.  Those Old Testament stories about exile, enslavement, and exodus had a deeper and more real meaning for the slaves than they did for the masters.  The negro spiritual was the sound of the African American community adopting the Bible's promises and scriptures of liberation.  Consequently, it seems to me, it's a tradition of certainty.  It does not have the post-enlightenment skepticism of the Anglo-European Christian tradition.  It couldn't afford that luxury.

It's fascinating how the African-American faith became orthodox despite the fact that there was such a need for the early slaves to preserve or return to their African traditions.  Raboteau suggests that this is because there were many new arrivals that kept arriving from Africa into Latin America and the Caribbean after they did in the U.S.

I don't think it's an accident that so many non-Christians found the worship at Whitney Houston's funeral so moving.  It was a prime example of the rhythm and certainty of the African American church.  In a world addicted to skepticism and superficiality and at the funeral of a fallen celebrity no less--, that worship seemed mighty transcendent and mighty certain that day.

Marco Nachtigall: The 3W Interview

Q: Marco, where are you from?

A: Hong Kong.

Q: What are your favorite counties?

A: Probably Greece, city of Rome, city of Paris, and England.

Q: What is one of your favorite tourist sights?

A: Eiffel Tower because I like it's design of how it's a bunch of poles connected to each other and it's really tall.

Q:What is your favorite song?

A:"Eleanor Rigby" by the Beatles.

Q:How about your favorite toy?

A:Legos because I like how you can make anything you want.

Q:What's your favorite Bible Story?

A:Probably, the story of Balaam and the talking donkey (Num.22).

Q:What movies do you like?

Avengers, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and Batman (1989 version), and Top Gun.

Q:How's your new school?

A: Really good.

Q: What's your favorite class?

A:Art because I like the teacher and it helps me relax.

Q:And What's your favorite book?

A:That would be "Warrior Cats."

Q: What do you think of Three Worlds?

A: I think it's a really good organization.