Archive for July, 2008

Power Blackouts

July 29, 2008

Some of you may roll your eyes at this analogy I’m about to propose, but the power situation I experienced in Nepal, India and Bangladesh over the past few weeks flooded into my mind as I was sitting with one of my in-country partners at Dhoni Restaurant in Dhaka my next to last night in Bangladesh. The power in our hotel and restaurants went off at least 4 times each day, leaving us in the dark, and without access to the ability to get much done.

As believers, the presence of the Holy Spirit gives us access to all the power of the Father at all times – so, in theory, we should never experience “blackouts”. But, my experience says I do experience “blackouts”. Do you? I think this exhibits a lack of faith and succumbing to the enemy’s strategy of making us think we have to work within our own power. When I experience a “power blackout”, I’m limited in my ability to be productive for the Kingdom – but it’s all a mirage. I truly continue to have access to all power – I just choose to believe that I’m helpless.

So, from here on out, I’m going to be more aware of my “apparent power blackouts” and recognize that I have a choice to be able to continue to function at full capacity. Will you join me?

Posted in Ed Weaver, Travel | Leave a Comment »

You know you’re in Dhaka when…

July 26, 2008

The markets, people, rickshaws, and refuse collide.  The picture is not that great – but if you stop in Dhaka, 100 vehicles will get in front of you!  12 million people live here – 30 million work here.  Rush hour is not limited to an hour on either end of the day, as you might imagine.  Bangladesh has 150 million people in the country and 20% live/work in one city?

The four hour drive down from Moulvi Bazaar is an education in the reality of the country.  Rice patties, rubber plantations, markets, water everywhere, every mode of transportation possible, houses, shacks, lean-tos.  A people and a country that is tough, hard working and creative in how it works around the weater.

Posted in Bangladesh, Ed Weaver, Travel | Leave a Comment »

The Church

July 21, 2008

If you drive around Lexington, KY (world headquarters of T4 Global) you’ll see some enormous church buildings.  Some of them are lovely buildings, some are just big.  One looks like an airport with multiple terminals.  The same is probably true in most American cities.  The fact is, we often forget that the church is not a building, it’s people.

The gospel is exploding in Africa, typified by churches like this one.  No building, just people and the gospel.

Posted in Kenya, Kyle McClellan | Leave a Comment »

Cross-Cultural Communication

July 21, 2008

At an International Orality Network seminar, the speaker made a point of reminding us that if our indigenous friends laugh at appropriate times while talking with us, we’ve bridged the cross-cultural communication gap.  Thankfully, we’ve done a pretty good job of communicating in Kenya.

Posted in Kenya, Kyle McClellan | Leave a Comment »

An Update

July 18, 2008

The work in Kenya is going well.  Roughly 4000 folks are listening to the devices each week.  Elders from a village that didn’t receive the “redio” walked a great distance to ask one of the distributors when the “redio” was coming to their village.

A great problem in ministering among the Samburu is the separation of men and women.  As Pastor Simon explains, “The “redio” has no gender and therefore ministering to both men and women.  In normal cases it’s hard for a man to witness to a female and vice versa.”

Simon notes two challenges as the work moves forward: first, it’s rainy season and hard to recharge the solar cells to replenish the batteries.  Second, folks are asking for more devices.  The second challenge is the kind we like.

Posted in Kenya, Kyle McClellan | Leave a Comment »

Western Euphemisms in play

July 15, 2008

The more I travel, the more I’m confronted with the mixture of western culture in the 3rd world, which is where I travel most of the time.  Some euphemisms that have struck me as funny coming from the lips of friends and strangers here are as follows:

  • Nepalese using the phrase “I don’t/they don’t have a clue”  (first heard by my ears in late 70′s early 80′s in college)
  • Indian boy on TV last night in Delhi “I told him, Dude – you didn’t know…..?”
  • The new term in the US that I’m noticing and just waiting to hear “Not so much….”  which I guess is a more sophisticated modification of SNL’s “Not!!”

On a more serious note, in India, one of our partners is writing his doctoral dissertation on what it means to be an Indian Christian – how to maintain the Indian identity while being part of the body of Christ.  He feels that Western culture has added much to the definition and I’m agreeing with him the more I see.

Posted in Ed Weaver, India, Travel | Leave a Comment »

Uncle Jesus

July 7, 2008

Derek Eggers is at work with the Nigerian International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (NIFES) HIV/AIDS Program Director, Bola Lawal. His name among the Nigerian students is now Uncle Jesus – for obvious reasons. He could easily be cast for the next Jesus epoch for the big screen, and the Nigerians love him. Derek’s work with Bola will evaluate the effectiveness of the NIFES program, SEX, POWER AND RELATIONSHIPS: What you always wanted to know about HIV/AIDS, but were afraid to ask.

Derek, Brittany Madinger and Colin Willis traveled to one of the university sites where the pilot project will unfold in October. They collected additional audio content that included interviews with faculty and students as well as some excellent drama. For more on their trip you can read Brittany’s blog at: http://www.mynigeriatrip.blogspot.com/

Posted in Chuck Madinger, Nigeria | Leave a Comment »