We watched a video about the AIDS pandemic in Swaziland today as a part of our AIDS awareness training. This training is important for us so that we are prepared to give answers to the multitude of questions that we will undoubtedly face in the next few months. So anyways, I watched the video. I cried. (silence)....(deep breath)....I just don't understand, and I know that it's not for me to understand. Weird thing about the crying is that it was the third time I'd seen the video. But I can tell you know that if I watched it ten more times in a row I would lose it every time. It's stuff that I can't explain in a blog, especially since I only have 4 more minutes to type this. I guess all I can ask for is prayers...that we will be able to shine some light into this very dark region of the world. There is a lot of confusion going on in Africa, and this pandemic is growing everyday....So, if your reading this, just think about this: life is sacred. There's something about a soul and a body colliding through God's grace that makes life and breath a divine thing. What makes my life more important that another's life, let's say a 13 year old girl that was raped by her uncle who has AIDS and thought he might be cured by sleeping with a virgin? Now this little girl is pregnant with a child who will undoubtedly contract the disease as well. And the cycle just keeps going and going. The only thing I know to do is to offer these children hope, through a Father in heaven who will never let them down, unlike most of their earthly fathers who chose to orphan them.
1 in 7 people in South Africa have AIDS. I know statistics are hard to grasp without a face, but i get to see the faces and hold the little fingers, see Jesus in the most distressing disguises (as mother teresa used to say).
thanks to all who have been praying for me.
in love and tears,
kyle
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Love
That's such a crazy word in English. One second I love cheeseburgers, the next second I love my mom. And then we throw in the old "I love God." Just think about it. I love Taco Bell, but I also love God. Is that normal? It is for me I guess. I say stuff like that all the time. But maybe I triple love God and only single love my favorite shirt. Anyway, I guess the point is, what is love? I was reading the other night and I learned that God is love. He is the epitomy of the truest form of love. I also learned that we should love each other, and not just our friends, in fact. Hmmm...so, I should love my enemy, too, and even pray for them. I'll admit, I didn't pray for Sadaam, and i don't think ever prayed for osama. i guess they're supposed to be our enemies right? well, most people in the world would then have to pray for George W. because he hasn't made many friends lately either. but that's not the point. the point is, God showed us love by giving up everything He had for us. Paul from the Bible says to treat people as more important than ourselves, to prefer on another. could i even say to love others more than myself? so, would God ask me to do something He hasn't done. does He expect more from me than He does from Himself. I don't think so. so what does that mean? could God actually prefer us more than Himself? could He even love us more than Himself? I don't know for sure, but i do know the love He does have for us is huge, bigger than we could ever imagine. I don't know why He loves me like that, but it makes me smile and even laugh sometimes - and yes, even weep. i do know, though, that i want to love like that. supposedly my life isn't my own anymore. a call to follow jesus is a call to die. so i guess i died a few years back.
i'm not in africa yet, but i'm already anticipating the love God will show people through this human called kyle. i'm even excited about the love He will show kyle through other people. remember, we find Jesus in the "least of these." but the hard thing is, will i show love when i finish typing this to the lady at the front desk who yells at me for something because she's having a bad day? will i love the guy who pulls out in front of me at the gas station or even act like he's more important than me? I hope that i dont use africa as an excuse to love, but that i can love where i'm at right now. God did.
kyle
p.s. i still love cheeseburgers
i'm not in africa yet, but i'm already anticipating the love God will show people through this human called kyle. i'm even excited about the love He will show kyle through other people. remember, we find Jesus in the "least of these." but the hard thing is, will i show love when i finish typing this to the lady at the front desk who yells at me for something because she's having a bad day? will i love the guy who pulls out in front of me at the gas station or even act like he's more important than me? I hope that i dont use africa as an excuse to love, but that i can love where i'm at right now. God did.
kyle
p.s. i still love cheeseburgers
Thursday, January 11, 2007
The Book of Hope
Sanctify them with Your truth; Your word is truth. (John 17:17)
One of the main things our group will be doing in Southern Africa is distributing the Book of Hope. The Book of Hope tells the life story of Jesus in the age-specific language a child or youth can understand. It also contains important sections that concentrate on the issues most vital to the students at different age groups.
So you might be asking why we would go all the way to Africa to distribute a little book to children. Good question. First of all, for some of these kids, this book will be one of the only things that they get from someone all year. It won’t be thrown away like it might be here in America where kids have so much stuff, but it will be cherished and read and even read again. Another thing that makes this book so special is that it is the eternal, truth-filled Message of Jesus Christ! Paul, one of Jesus’ early followers, said that the Message of Jesus is the power of God for salvation. The Bible also says in Hebrews 4:12 that the Message is living and active, so overwhelming that it pierces to our soul and spirit. I mean, that’s incredible to think that the Bible, the Message of Jesus, is actually alive! It grabs us, sweeps us off our feet, takes us into places we’ve never dreamed of. And while most of us will probably come back without any of the clothes we took over, having given them all away, and even though we will definitely try to feed the hungry when we get the opportunity, we realize that clothes wear out and that food is short-lived. We all get hungry again only hours after we’ve eaten, and we all have to find new clothes every once in a while. But there is a Message that tells us where to eat and drink so that we will never be hungry or thirsty again. That Message is found in the story of Jesus, the Book of Hope.
After fasting for 40 days, Jesus said that man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. We believe that the Message of Jesus and the love that we show the children because of this Message will have an eternal impact in lives all over Southern Africa. Kids today in Africa are faced with so many lies concerning violence, AIDS, other sexual issues, and family roles. The only way for them to understand these lies is by being exposed to truth. Father, Your word is truth.
There are many stories about how whole families have come to know Jesus by the kids taking the Book of Hope to their homes and sharing it with their families. Please pray that this will continue to happen, and that lives will be changed through this Message of life, hope, and truth as we travel to Southern Africa.
P.S. Less than 3 weeks until we leave!!
One of the main things our group will be doing in Southern Africa is distributing the Book of Hope. The Book of Hope tells the life story of Jesus in the age-specific language a child or youth can understand. It also contains important sections that concentrate on the issues most vital to the students at different age groups.
So you might be asking why we would go all the way to Africa to distribute a little book to children. Good question. First of all, for some of these kids, this book will be one of the only things that they get from someone all year. It won’t be thrown away like it might be here in America where kids have so much stuff, but it will be cherished and read and even read again. Another thing that makes this book so special is that it is the eternal, truth-filled Message of Jesus Christ! Paul, one of Jesus’ early followers, said that the Message of Jesus is the power of God for salvation. The Bible also says in Hebrews 4:12 that the Message is living and active, so overwhelming that it pierces to our soul and spirit. I mean, that’s incredible to think that the Bible, the Message of Jesus, is actually alive! It grabs us, sweeps us off our feet, takes us into places we’ve never dreamed of. And while most of us will probably come back without any of the clothes we took over, having given them all away, and even though we will definitely try to feed the hungry when we get the opportunity, we realize that clothes wear out and that food is short-lived. We all get hungry again only hours after we’ve eaten, and we all have to find new clothes every once in a while. But there is a Message that tells us where to eat and drink so that we will never be hungry or thirsty again. That Message is found in the story of Jesus, the Book of Hope.
After fasting for 40 days, Jesus said that man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. We believe that the Message of Jesus and the love that we show the children because of this Message will have an eternal impact in lives all over Southern Africa. Kids today in Africa are faced with so many lies concerning violence, AIDS, other sexual issues, and family roles. The only way for them to understand these lies is by being exposed to truth. Father, Your word is truth.
There are many stories about how whole families have come to know Jesus by the kids taking the Book of Hope to their homes and sharing it with their families. Please pray that this will continue to happen, and that lives will be changed through this Message of life, hope, and truth as we travel to Southern Africa.
P.S. Less than 3 weeks until we leave!!
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
Oh yes...it is the first entry
My very first blog entry. Where do I begin? I will begin by saying that I have graduated from college, written my final college paper, and now will no longer use grammatically correct statements or maybe even write in complete sentences (you might have noticed that the very first sentence has no verb). It feels pretty good to write without having to worry about it being graded.
So I have 20 more days till I head down to Ft. Lauderdale. I’ll go through a few days of training with the team I’m going with and then fly (by airplane of course) to Johannesburg, South Africa around the 26th of January. I’m becoming more and more excited as each day passes. I still have some things to do, but God is helping me out so much. I also want to thank everyone who is supporting me financially and prayerfully. I couldn’t do this without you! I’m over 2/3’s of the way to my goal in raising money, so I still have a little ways to go. But I know that it will come in as God puts it on people’s hearts to give.
So, I think that should do it for my first entry. Check back for more information on what I’ll be doing and who I’ll be going with. Peace.
So I have 20 more days till I head down to Ft. Lauderdale. I’ll go through a few days of training with the team I’m going with and then fly (by airplane of course) to Johannesburg, South Africa around the 26th of January. I’m becoming more and more excited as each day passes. I still have some things to do, but God is helping me out so much. I also want to thank everyone who is supporting me financially and prayerfully. I couldn’t do this without you! I’m over 2/3’s of the way to my goal in raising money, so I still have a little ways to go. But I know that it will come in as God puts it on people’s hearts to give.
So, I think that should do it for my first entry. Check back for more information on what I’ll be doing and who I’ll be going with. Peace.
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