Servolution Day one

Wow! What a blast! Who knew that handing out water could be so fun, and create so many great interactions. It is completely unnatural to role your window down at an intersection and take a free bottle of water from a stranger but thousands did it tonight. They were surprised, thankful, inquisitive, and even made commitments to come to church on Easter. One lady said, “I’m coming just because you people are so Happy.”

Our teams at Stilwater, OKC, Edmond, and Midwest City, all had great turnouts of volunteers and handed out a lot of water. First day was big success.

Its interesting, how a generous act opens the heart of people. How just being Kind, with no agenda makes people smile. When we would say would you like a free bottle of water they would say “really?” They would ask, “why are you doing this” of course the answer is showing the love of Jesus In a practical way. Just want to serve the community. The response was amazing.

We had way more than enough volunteers, so we just grabbed garbage bags and started picking up trash. It felt so great to truly be contributing to the community.

I love servolution, our people Love servolution, and we are taking it as a mandate to live out servolution every day.

7 days? How about 70 x 7?

Jesus loves people, and we get to show them. Its awesome!

David

“Recieve”

“Receive”….blog I wrote in 2006

If we’ll notice there are times in life that we’re more receptive than others. This should really be a lesson for us. It seems that all people are more receptive when life is brought to its basic simple reality. We live and we die, and then life after death. When people are brought face to face with mortality it’s amazing how receptive we become. I have very distinct memories when I was 20 years old, watching George Bush Sr. Declare war in the gulf coast to save Kuwait from its impending doom at the hands of Saddam Hussein and Iraq. The very next weekend our church which already had great attendance was at full capacity. In our church we could seat about 700 people including the balcony. We usually ran in attendance around 400 adults. That weekend every seat was full including the balcony, it was amazing. People we hadn’t seen in a while were at church, we had many first time guest and they were there to connect with God. People who were once a month or twice a month people all of a sudden became faithful attendees. It was a moment where we were faced with our mortality. Faced with the fact that our lives could change drastically, faced with the question are we safe? The sad part is that although we did grow overall, after a few weeks, slowly but surely people began to go back to their normal routines, God was no longer as important as He was in those moments that we desperately needed Him. I see this every time I preside over a funeral, every time I counsel someone who is in a moment of reality. I saw this Friday night, as I stood on the front lawn of Mitchell Hall on the University of Central Oklahoma Campus, as we honored the memory of an incredible young woman who was a member of our church, Hannah McCarty. They were unveiling a beautiful piece of art in her memory and to honor the scholarship that has been established in her name. What a great honor it was for me to be able to share in that moment. The head of the arts department Dr. Clinton presided over the ceremony, The president of the College, Dr. Webb was there and addressed the crowd, Jack and Pam sent out a clear message with their speech that Hannah’s life was so meaningful and continues to have meaning because of her relationship with Jesus Christ, as they say and I’m sure you’ve seen on city buses, “when you know Jesus the dance never ends.” Hannah was a prolific dancer, more importantly though she was a prolific Christian. I had the wonderful privilege of being the last speaker and had the opportunity to close in prayer. I hope that I represented Hannah and the McCarty’s and our church well in that moment, but most importantly I hope that I represented Jesus well. I simply told the truth. I told the crowd of it seemed like a couple of hundred people, how Hannah lived. She lived life with Passion and on purpose. I said to them she lived life to the full. “Many of us thinking living life to the full is filling our lives up with busyness and things, but she superseded that by living her life as busy as it was, with purpose. It wasn’t just about doing things but it was doing things on purpose.” I said.
I told them, “she looked her obstacles and problems and sickness in the eye, without complaint and simply said, I’m going to live anyway. The reason she had this Joy, the reason she had this peace, the reason she had this purpose, was her relationship with Jesus.” It was a great moment.
The context of this event was interesting, I’m sure that there were several Christians there, but there were also many very secular people there, but it was amazing how receptive everyone was. I didn’t feel a resistance at all as I spoke very clearly about Jesus Christ, I looked out on the crowd, and saw some smiling faces, some somber faces, and some faces caught in the act of introspection. Thinking over their lives, seemingly asking “am I living, really living?” It was a great moment. I am very proud for Jack and Pam, that Hannah was recognized in this way, but more importantly that they have taken a personal tragedy for them and turned it into a day to day ongoing outreach to people, who are getting saved and their lives changed. Pam told me that Hannah always said, I want to be responsible for at least one person going to heaven, and as Pam says, she has impacted many more than that.
It is very telling on us as humans that we are receptive at certain times more than others. It is very revealing when things are going well how easily we forget, how much we need Jesus and how unreceptive we become to His desires for us, and His purposes for our lives. If we could only find a way to tap into those moments of decision and understand how important it is for us to constantly and consistently be receptive to His spirit and His word.
We have been taught to be so cynical. Question everything, don’t believe anything, or believe everything. I don’t suggest that anyone go around blindly following others with no discernment. I think everything we see and hear and are a part of should be ratified by the word of God in us. Let us today make a commitment to God and to ourselves and to our church that we will be receptive. Receptive to the voice of God to His word and to His purpose for our lives. Why do we need to go about our own way until forced by circumstances to change our perspective, lets just keep a holy perspective and reverence for the things of God and watch Him use us to profoundly change our world. I am so grateful that even in our inconsistency and wavering God’s grace is sufficient, and He is not angry with us but longing for an close relationship with each of us.

15 miles and counting…

2 days ago i did something that I use to believe I could not do.  I ran 15 miles.  WOW, what a challenge.  It was very difficult.  If you have read my blog before you know that I have run up to 12 miles, and thought that was quite an accomplishment.  When we ran this 15, i was doing great until we got to about 12, the furthest i had gone to that point.  My body just wanted to quit, but my friend and coach Andrew just pushed me and kept running in front of me to get my body to just come along.  It hurt, and was hard, but I’m so glad I did it.

This is why leaders are so important to our lives, because when we are struggling we can look out front, and there is someone who has been where you have before and knows you can make it.  Just keep running they say, come on you can do it they might say, but the thing that helped me, was the fact that andrew did not stop or slow for me, he just kept running, so when i wanted to stop, i couldn’t because he was out in front leading me on.  When I wanted to give up, I would look ahead and he would just keep going, so I felt compelled to keep moving.

I encourage all of us to look to our leaders, and be encouraged and keep going, even when it hurts, even when its hard, and even when you don’t think you can.  look out in front, and see the example that you can do it, because someone else has.  Then look behind you, there is probably someone on your heals.

David

American Christian…

After our trip to Cambodia last august, where we witnessed an extraordinary group of Christians who live their entire life for Christ.  He is truly the center of their existence.  They don’t have him i a compartment or say this is my “God Life” and “this is the rest of my life.”  It really challenged us as Christians to ask ourselves are we truly committed to the cause of Jesus Christ.  To His love, His grace, and to His Gospel?

A young Friend of mine, made this statement to me after we returned home.  He said, “I have realized that American Christians are more American than Christian.”  What a profound thought.  Have we allowed our culture as Americans to become more important to us than our Christianity, have we become the epitome of the Christ words when he said the Gospel could be choked out of our lives as a result of the deceitfulness of riches and the cares of this life?  I Know that some have, many for that matter, but I believe that God is raising up a new breed of believer, who really cares more for the cause of Christ than any other thing in their lives, and its this Cause that informs and influences every other area of life.  Jesus, let us be as Christians what you intended, that is my prayer.

David

12 miles and counting…

Saturday morning was quite a work out…we took a step up to twelve miles, with the humidity, and the distance it was a challenge let me tell you. I have to say however I am very excited to have completed it. To be able to say I am almost half way there is a big deal, to me anyway. I am training for a marathon on November 16. So we are getting there, we are going to be ready.

I was very inspired when I went to run, because when we got there, there were a couple of guys who were taking a break, that had already run 24 miles and were running 25 more. I cant imagine what kind of condition you must be in to do that, they were training for a 100 mile run, I didn’t even know there was such a thing. WOW, 100 miles. It was truly inspiring to think that you can get your body to do that. It just takes consistant discipline and major mental drive to do it.

I have to say there were a couple of times I wanted to say I can’t finish, but my friend, kept me going, and I begin to imaging the young ladies that we are raising money for. Their little faces are forever etched in my mind, and not only them but the thousands who I haven’t seen, that we will reach in the future that are currently captive in the sex trade, one of our objectives in this run is to help fund our global reach efforts next year, which all will either directly or indirectly combat human trafficking. We want it to stop, and we are doing what we can, and this is a way to raise money. When you think about what they go through, what they contend with day in and day out, let me tell you it will keep you running.

Secondly its a goal I set that before I turn 40 I will run a marathon. I will do it. I’m believing for God to keep us healthy and strong to continue our training, and get it done so we can run and raise the money needed to do what needs to be done.

What is it that inspires you to go beyond where you think you can?

David

eyes wide open…

It is hard to imagine that there is a world out there, a coordinated, systematic, organized network of pedaphiles who prey on the innocents of little girls.  It’s hard to imagine that there are people in this world who would sale their own children into this ring of perversion for a little money and the relief of the responsability of another mouth to feed.  I know, we want to keep our eyes shut, if I just don’t see it, then I don’t have to deal with it.  If I act as if it does not exist then to me, it doesn’t and i have no responsability. 

Do not be decieved, this world does exist and it is based on two things, perversion and unadulterated greed.  Men, getting out of convictions because the grease the right palm.  Men not being prosicuted, becuase there is money to be made and no one cares about the lives it is destroying. 

My problem is I have seen the lives face to face.  The beautiful little innocent, precious lives.  Little girls who love to play, and to be appreciated and to be treated like a princess, have been taken into the depths of perverse abuse, not just molestation, or even rape, but sado masicistic abuse.  There are those who have been rescued or made it back home out of the nightmare only to be sold again.  I can’t stand it, I can’t tolerate it.  I won’t.  I have made up my mind to have my eyes wide open.  I am so excited, there are many great organizations who are doing something about his problem.  Attacking it head on to stop it.  They are directly rescuing girls, sheltering girls and give them after care. 

We are proud to be part of helping to stop human trafficking.  We were able to spend time and resource to give the girls in a rescue “a week for a princess”  Our way of showing them how special they are, and how God has a purpose for them and what has happened to them can not stop what God can do.  It was our first one and it was phenominal.  I couldn’t believe how great it was.  I could go into all kinds of detail, but lets just say, it was life changing for them and for us. 

We are getting involved, in rescue, in after care, and in foster care.  Not only around the world but right in our own back yard.  Someone has to speak for those who can not speak for themselves, someone has to stand in the face of greed and perversion and say thats it, no more. 

I dare you to look into the face of these little ones, from 4 to 14 years of age, who are so resiliant and realize what has happened to them, and then try to keep your eyes shut.  If you can, somethings wrong with you.

We all need to be aware, we all need to resource and help those who are on the frontlines like ICA, like Hager, Like the IJM.  Jesus said suffer the little ones to come to me, he said it would be better to tie a heavy rock around your neck and through yourself into the river then to hurt one of these little ones.  If he was so passionate about kids, His heart must be for his church, and people everywhere, to love beyond their denial and open wide their eyes, and see the reality, realize its not a nightmare, its happening right now, and then act to stop it.

Stay tuned, and I’ll give you some ways you can help.

thanks

David

Headed home.

The week that changed our lives…update from Cambodia…

I don’t want this to be long so I will try to be concise.  However, it is hard to describe all that we’ve done in the last week.  I haven’t written sense last Sunday before we left the capital City to go to the province.  What a great trip it was.  It has been non-stop action.  We planned this trip well and it has gone according to plan.

I don’t need to review what we did last week because you can read the previous blog and it will get you up to speed.   We left Phnom Penh last Monday morning and headed to the Kampong Cham.  Last year our team held a huge festival in Kampong Cham, and thousands of people came, we also built a hope center.  The hope center is headed by a wonderful Pastoral Couple, who love God, people, and children.  They have a church they pastor, and oversee several others equalling about 400 people.  Last year his home was functioning as house, church, and orphanage, and there was not near enough room.  So we built the hope center to house the orphans.  He has taken in 15 so far.  15 little cambodian children, who would otherwise be on the streets, prey to all kinds of vulchers.  Instead they are receiving love and care.  They are being educated, their medical care taken care of, and the spiritual lives are being encouraged.  We went to the hope center and really didn’t know what to expect.  I wondered if it would be as nice as we left it or would it be worn down over the year.  We were pleasently suprised they had taken great care to finish it out and make it a wonderful place to live.   They had recently put a playground with swings in the back yard, however it gets very hot and certain parts of the day the kids can’t go out and play because of the heat.  So we built them a nice overhang shade.  They were so excited, and we had a great time with them.  We bought the materials and built the shade, it looked great and was fully functional when we left.  We also saw that they needed a walk way between the buildings so we built one and it is beautiful.  We also landscaped the back and front of the buildings and truly made the place beautiful.  We took each orphan a back pack and filled them full with school supplies.  We gave them painting sets, and coloring books, and instruments and soccer balls.  It was truly a blessing to them.  We also were able to get them several bibles that Pastor Hong could give to believers in the church that cant afford to buy a bible of their own.  Once our mission was complete there, we had dinner and invited pastor Hong and his wife, and lavished them with gifts and appreciation for the hard work they do in the ministry and watching over these kids.

After a good nights rest, we got up, and began our journey to Kampong Thom.  We arrived just in time to meet with Pastor Sochan and Esther and their brand new baby girl Christina Joy, and went out to one of their feeding sites.  Pastor Sochan is a young pastor who has a real heart for orphans or impoverished kids.  He has 5 Churches that he oversees.  each of them have orphans and each of them have a feeding program.  We went with him out to the feeding program.  The way it works is they feed the kids, while they are there they tell them bible stories and then sing Christian songs with them so they are learning the word of God constatnly.  They also teach them a practical health lesson.  How to clean up, how to brush their teeth, etc.  The reason he does the feeding programs, is because many of these poor village kids, would like to get an education but they can’t because their parents need them to work on the farm or as a vendor, they need the kids to work to make enough money to be able to eat.  So if Sochan feeds them for free then they don’t have to go to work with their families because they don’t need them for extra money, so the kids can go to school and get their education.

We fed them, gave them stickers, they love that, and sang songs and told them stories.  They were beautiful kids, and extremely poor.  Sochan is doing a great work.  We then went back to the hope center and met with the orphans there.  We gave them all their presents (back packs, school supplies, and toys) The older kids led us in praise and worship and then we presented Pastor Sochan and Esther with a gift basket that was put together just for them.  We were also able to resource them to help finish some construction that need to be finished.  They want the kids to be able to play out in front, and Destiny Church in st louis brought a team and built them a beautiful fence, but they needed a secure gate, so we were able to help with that.

After we left the Hope Center, we met with Jenn Garrett, Our International Crisis Aid representative and great friend, she introduced us to the coordinators of the after care program for Hagar.  We went through an orientation to preapare to minister to these precious girls who have come through such extreme abuse.  They are great women, doing a great thing for the Cause of Christ. I will blog about hagar later and about what is being done about the sex trade.

We went to the home, and because they knew we were coming they were so excited and prepared a dance for us.  It was incredible, it was a formal, traditional Khmer dance, we were very impressed and moved that they were so talented.  We met them and intereacted and then went back to our hotel. We met them in the market and bought each of them a new set of clothes, they were so happy and excited, it was a beautiful thing to see. The next day we all got up and headed to Siem Reip, where we took the girls to the “cultural village”, this is a great place where they do several programs that show you how different cultures do different things.  It was a lot of fun and the girls really warmed up to us. Many of them had never been able to go to anything like this, it was a huge blessing for them.  Next day was angkor wat, one of the 8 wonders of the world.  It was amazing and the girls and the team loved it and continued to cultivate a relationship.  We truly were having a week for a princess.  After this day, we came back and a banquet with different dishes that the girls never get to eat because of budget.  At the end of the banquet several girls wanted to tell us thanks so they thanked us for the trips and for the clothes and for all the food.  They were so grateful, so precious, it really was a great moment.  The last girl said, I would like to give my testimoney.  She talked about  how her life used to be really bad, the story is that she was sold into the sex trade by her aunt, and was severely abused, she went on to say that she had the opportunity to join Hagar and get an education and food and medical care.  While she was at hagar she was introduced to Jesus Christ, and she said that becuase of her past at that time she was unable to trust people, but after knowing Jesus she said God changed her and she knew that God is always there for her, it was so sincere and so powerful it left us in tears.

The girls stayed at the hotel and ate ice cream and the team went to prepare to receive hem.  When they were finished they came to the house.  When the bus pulled up, our team was out on the porch with glow sticks and balloons and crowns to put on them.  The house was decked out for a princess party.  We had several stations, one to fix hair, one to do nails, one to make crafts and one to color.  The girls and staff got off the bus and literally ran into the party, it was one of the greatest moments of my life.  It may not seem like a big deal, but if you knew the circumstances these girls have come out of, and the fact that they rarely would get any of the things that we did for them it was a huge deal.  They sang and danced and enjoyed all of the stations and we had a grand time.  After the party settled down, we all took a picture together, and then sang some songs, after the songs we sat down, and I told them the story of Esther, and then prayed with them.  They prayed for us, and we for them.  It is hard to explain what a bond was made in those few days, but it was heart wrenching for them and us to part ways.  I can honestly say that we truly made an impact and i believe that God is going to raise these girls up and bring beauty from their pain.  They will be great leaders in the future.

Be watching for a future blog about sex trafficking and what is being done about it.  Thank God that there are many organizations attacking this problem.

David

Guest Blogger….Nicoli Newsome…”Problems becoming Opportunitites”

It is hard to put into words what I am getting from this trip.  I am seeing a church that takes problems and turns them into opportunities.  Something as simple as creating an english and computer skills class, has brought many souls to Christ.  My prayer is that I come back seeing, that God has given us the solution to the problems around us, if we just trust in Him, and let go of personal agendas.

Love Nicoli

Guest blogger….Amy Raunborg…”There are no Words”

There are no words to describe what we have done in only 3 days.  We’vetaught english classes, prepared sacks for street children with water and small meals, we washed their hands and feet, we gave them first aid, tried lots of Cambodian food, have had great fellowship with Students in the new life dorms, and some of us visited the slums of Cambodia.

We all have so many stories to share with you when we get home!  Cambodia is truly amazing.

Thank you for all your prayers and support.  We will see you soon.

Amy

Second day in Kampuchea (cambodia)

Our second day in Phnom Pehn, has begun with a bang. Before I share about today, I want to recap yesterday. One thing I love about working with teams is to watch different team members grow and develop, and stretch themselves beyond their comfort zones. The great thing about harvest teams though, is they all seem to be consummate pro’s when it comes to relationship. They all act as if they have never met a stranger. It is so easy to love harvest people, but I wish everyone had the opportunity to see how our culture truly translates everywhere we go.

We believe in servant leadership, and it shows when we work in these type of settings. We believe that relationship with Christ and relationship with other believers and even those who do not know Christ yet, are very important. This team of Andrew, Allison, Amy, Kelsi, Shane, Jennifer, Jenna, Nicoli, Terry, Travis, Jordan, Kerri, Kelly R., Kelly K, Hannah, and Autumn simply put, are a collection of superstars. They are flexible, inspiring, compassionate and caring people. I respect each of them deeply; I also respect those responsible for sending them. Family, friends, loved ones and people inspired about changing the world. You would be so proud if you could see them in action.

Yesterday, we connected with our friends at new life church and jumped right in to ministry. We Toured their facility, and ministry offices and began to interact with students, with teachers, with church staff and with people just wanting to learn English. Different ones of the team had the opportunity to use their gifts and skills to help in areas that were a good fit. Travis, you guessed it, is doing his best to get all the “IT” kinks out of their system; yes it’s an issue everywhere. Jenna was able to help in the admin offices of the “at risk kids dept.” With her knowledge she was able to do some things in 30 minutes that will literally save them 100’s of hours over the long haul. Shane had the wonderful opportunity of traveling into the village with a couple of pastors from “New Life.” A couple of years ago they planted a church in this village. The village is with all handicap people. They were a part of the Khmer Rouge and in the process of the government telling them to lay down their arms, and giving them amnesty, they became outcast, banded together and live in this village. New life has gone there and started a church and now has a great work there. Shane was able to go, and do a leadership session with the leaders and then a church service in the afternoon. His testimony of the stories when he returned had us all in tears, as he had an awakening and God used him to touch others. Terry and Nicoli went to one of the pastor’s homes and did some work, that was needed, they were having issues with flooding and we were able to solve a major problem for them with minor difficulty and little money. It is amazing how far, our knowledge, our money, and our skill sets will go in this culture. We are able to help them and then educate them on how to continue that new skill. They were having flooding issues around their septic tank, with a bit of money and effort Andrew, Nicoli, and Terry were able to get a sump pump, hose, and solve their problem. Then educate them on things that need to be done to keep the problem from recurring. They also trimmed back some trees, “had to create their tools.” But did a great job.

Shane, Kelsi, and Jenna, set in a “youth party” meeting which is their major outreach and weekly bridge from the English classes to the church. They prepared for our team to do it, which is right down their ally and will be a lot of fun.

The rest of the team and many of the people already mentioned were a part of the “joy club” which is basically like a weekly vbs for street kids. They literally wash their feet clean up cuts, play with the kids, and make sure they are cared for with certain supplies and ministered to with music and teaching. No worries, they took every sanitary precaution, realizing, many of these kids are hiv positive, or have some type of physical problem.

We wrapped up the day with dinner with Pastor Jesse and Soar, and their Baby Girl Jessica. He spoke to us about the value of what we are doing, it was a great moment. We ate lunch and had a great cultural experience with Pastor Pisit and his wife Sei ha.

Then we had a team meeting to prepare for today. We are teaching English classes all day long. This is a great contribution to society and is also the major outreach to getting people into a relationship with Christ and the church. Our team put together a dynamic, interactive program, that develops basic English language skills and tons of great relationship, and then we invite them to come to the youth party with us Saturday night, this process is truly genius.

We will eat lunch with all the regular English teachers and develop relationship with them, as well as hear their testimonies and how they came to faith. Many of which were saved through this process. We are having the time of our lives, and the people of Cambodia are getting deeply engrained in our hearts. It is so incredible to see the faith of the Christians of this country and their dedication.

As the day continues, we will continue to teach English, some of the team will run for supplies for another ministry opportunity, and a small team of four will be going with the outreach team to minister to children in the slums. Tonight we will eat at the dorms, 30 men, and 30 women. This is a place they allow people to live, if they commit to come to church. Many of these people are orphans, once they reach the age of 18 they are made to leave the orphanage, so they literally have no place to go, and need help learning how to take care of themselves etc. So this is a ministry they have begun. We are having dinner with them tonight to fellowship and witness, and invite them to the “youth party.”

Then we start again tomorrow. I will be introducing guest bloggers to write some experiences they’ve had to give you a personal look at the affect of being in this atmosphere.

Again, let me say thanks for helping us, to help them.

David.