Zaydaya's Dad

Cyclone hits Myanmar hard - Give help

Bill is  a friend who is a doctor and serves in Mynamar giving free medical care to 50 plus orphanages -  A cyclone recently hit the nation hard - Please pray and donate to Bill here

www.asiaheartbeat.org

Dear Friends,

As if things couldn't get any worse for Myanmar, the country was struck by a powerful cyclone yesterday.  In the words of one witness, "The whole of Rangoon has been devastated.  I have never seen anything like this in my life". 

I am currently in Thailand and was scheduled to fly back to Myanmar today, but cannot because all flights into and out of the country have been cancelled.  I hope to fly tomorrow or Tuesday.

This disaster is worse than hurricane Katrina because Myanmar has no reserves, no emergency response capability and negligible outside assistance.  Food scarcity is a very real concern.

I believe that it is incumbent upon us to respond quickly and with tangible action, particularly in the areas of food and shelter assistance.  It is my hope that we can raise $30,000 to provide for these critical needs in the orphanages and homes with whom we are connected.

Thank you for praying for Myanmar and for the ministries of MCP during this time of crisis.

In Christ, Bill

Elise's birthday bash! Hummus and balancing swords on belly dancers

We had a grand time celebrating Elise's birthday last night at the infamous Cairo Cafe in Indianapolis!    Amazing food, great group of friends, and grooving with arabic music!   not to mention a belly dancer balancing her sword!

Happy Birthday sweetie.  I love you! 

Spring is here

Spring is here for us, finally!   the colors on the trees, bushes, flowers are amazing...after months of cold weather, snow...life is evident before my eyes... my prayer is that new birth and awakening will be within my soul this spring!

alex thomas family

Alex Thomas and his amazing wife, Debbie, came to spend the weekend with us with their 2 kids, Karen and Prea -   Alex is an old friend from Baylor and was my first contact in India back in 1992.     He is a doctor now living in Columbus, OH -  It was wonderful to talk about India and all miss it. 

My Grandfather Online tribute: Dan Vestal, SR

This is me with my grandfather in 1976.  He died in 1980.  I have had this idea for several years to do a tribute to his life and ministry service for many decades and now have some office help to do it.  Please pass on this info to people you may know who were impacted by his life.

He blazed the trail in churches preaching the hope of Christ for many years.

Click here to read more, see images, and listen to some of his messages - here is a photo of him in the 1950's

in houston for book release of CALLING

Elise and I were in Houston this past weekend for a release party for Elizabeth Hankins and her new novel _ THE CALLING -

Elizabeth is on the ServLife board and you must order this book - Proceeds help with work in Sudan.   

read more

Sharing our Travelling Stories with others & God one day

I know far too well through the years of my travels through 70+ nations the numerous encounters, conversations, and moments that I was eager to share but ended up not being able to share or felt limited in sharing them..  How good this reminder is of the day we will be able to share with our loving God and the host of those who have gone before us (Hebrews 11) all of the moments that we feel no one else knows about...

Henri Nouwen says it so well..

"Travelling - seeing new sights, hearing new music, and meeting new people - is exciting and exhilarating. But when we have no home to return to where someone will ask us, "How was your trip?" we might be less eager to go. Travelling is joyful when we travel with the eyes and ears of those who love us, who want to see our slides and hear our stories.

This is what life is about. It is being sent on a trip by a loving God, who is waiting at home for our return and is eager to watch the slides we took and hear about the friends we made. When we travel with the eyes and ears of the God who sent us, we will see wonderful sights, hear wonderful sounds, meet wonderful people ... and be happy to return home"

Maybe Hope for Zimbabwe

My wife and I were in Zimbabwe a month ago and this past weekend's elections were very crucial in the possible change in the local gov't that could hopefully mean improvement on many levels.  Please pray for this nation -

It would be best if Mugabe does not continue as the leader..   Currently, the nation experiences 80% unemployement and 100,000% inflation rates annualy

Reflecting on what we value

Came across the words of Basil Pennington and how he defines unhappiness - "a result of not being able to do something I want to do, have something I want to have, or concern about what others will think of me"

Do we value what we have, can do, or merely what others think of us?    Indeed this is true and the struggle with anyone who is honest.  How true for anyone in any sort of public leadership type of vocation.   

N.T. Wright's throughts on Easter

“The Resurrection says this world matters!  That the injustices and pains of this present world must now be addressed with the news that healing, justice and love have won…Easter means that in a world where injustice, violence and degradation are endemic, God is not prepared to tolerate such things, and that we will work and plan with all the energy of God to implement the victory of Jesus over them.” (N.T. Wright)

Easter Wishes

I hope that this weekend of Easter reflection will be a time of renewal in your body, spirit, and mind.  Wherever you are and whomever you are with, be grateful for the gift that God has given in Christ.     There is much to be grateful for and rejoice about!   

Have joy-filled celebration!

numbers of interest

A few interesting stats I read today from a missions journal i get...

• Total number of denominations worldwide - 37,000
• Percentage of the world’s 6.6 billion people who call themselves “Christian” – 31.4% - 2.2 billion
• Ratio of “white” to “non-white” Christians - 44% are white, 56% are non white
• Number of evangelical Christians in the world – 259 million
•   Number of languages worldwide with at least a portion of Scripture translated – 2,238
• Number of women in full-time Christian ministry serving around the world – 4.4 million
• Total number of Christian foreign missionaries currently deployed worldwide – 443,000 in 4,340 agencies
• The six countries that receive the greatest number of foreign missionaries – USA – 35, 100; Brazil – 26, 400; Russia – 20,100; France – 16, 900; Britain – 15,800; D.R. Congo – 15,800

• Number of Africans who are serving as foreign missionaries on other continents – Almost 19,000

Recent Zayd quotes

Our little Zayd is 5 1/2 now and getting more and more curious and talkative -  Here are a few items of recent days

"Daddy, I don't like love a lot, I just like it a little"

"Daddy, how old you are is close to 100?"

"Daddy, do you know who my best friend is?  Jesus and the 2 boys I just met outside!"

"I want to go to school everyday"

"Can Jesus run faster than Dash?"  (from the Incredibles)

"Resist Cynicism" says Mariane Pearl

Last night, Elise and I went to hear Mariane Pearl - the widow of Daniel Pearl - The film, Mighty Heart, was made about their story and her husband's death/murder/kidnapp in pakistan -  Amazing stories and very inspiring - TIME interview

A Buddhist who had a few great thinks that have been a take away

1. Resist Cynicism -  It is easy to become cynical and crash -  As she recalled her living in Mumbai as her husband worked with the Wall Street Journal,   they refused to fall into cynical outlook of the surroundings, poverty, abuse to women, being cheated.  What a message for us all and especially for cross-cultural workers.    I remember Jack Nicholson saying in the movie Anger Management, "Cynicism is the cousin of anger"

2.  Dialogue -  We must foster dialogue and conversation to survive and thrive.  In all relationships, peronally and between nations/religions

3.  If you are not moving forward, you are movign back and not progressing, growing, changing

Chicago beat the Colts in super bowl XLI?

if you know me, I am not a big football fan but I did enjoy seeing the Colts win last years superbowl and pulled off some great games and finally beating the bears in Miami.

do you ever wonder where the t-shirts end up that are no good?  They end up in orphanages like this one in Zimbabwe... This boy did not know but was sure proud of his T-shirt..We were told that it came from World Vision....

2 Different worlds of suffering

Last week while I was in Zimbabwe, we were discussing the difference in 2 realities within Africa and many parts of the world.  This issue is true for 2 regions where ServLife is engagin (Sudan refugees and Zimbabwe)  What  condition is more hopeless?   People who have experienced a society of abudance and prosperity but the economy collapses and people live with little certainty of the future/stability  OR   a society that has only known harsh and extreme poverty and has never lived within a society of prosperity or opportunity (Sudan Refugess)?

Each place faces hopelesness and despair, but can you measure one place in a better position or worse position than the other? this contrast has puzzled my mind in recent days...

back from africa

We have returned to Indianapolis from our journey to Zimbabwe and south Afirca. Thank you to Steve and Amy Nicholson for hosting and guiding us.   We returned from summer in the southern hemisphere to cold and snow in the mid-west.     The couple in this photo are the pastor and his wife who hosted us in Zimbabwe.  We are hoping to pick up some children in the region in ServLIfe's sponsorship in the months ahead -

Thank  you for your prayers for Elise and I. 

ahh Africa...

        More to come...

$133 bottle of Coke

No wonder that Zimbabwe is in a major plight of confusion.  If you were to fly into the country and know no better, you would exchange at the airport banks and get 30,000 Zimbabwe dollars for $1 US.  Go and by a bottle of coke and you pay 4 million Zimbabwe dollars.  Yes, that is right --  The economy has collapsed.   Most do go to the “black market” and exchange $1 US for 7.5 million Zim dollars

Applause for the King's soldiers around the world..

The plane erupted in applause from Indy to Atlanta... We did not know why but when asked the person in front of us why, they said that their were US  army soldiers heading to Afghanistan. ..The plane celebrated and cheared them on.

I thought of all the soldiers in the world not fighting for a gov't but for the King of Kings who are never encouraged, affirmed, and applauded for.   A host in Heaven applaud for our brothers and sisters who are laying their lives down and proclaiming the gospel in word and deed and being a voice to the voiceless -

Off to Africa

The past few weeks have been pretty full of travel.   Today, Elise and I head to Africa.   We value your prayers. We will be with ServLife staff in the region and be going to Zimbwawe and South Africa -  Much ground work has been done to expand the work of ServLife in the region.

We request your prayers

a temple is not a completed edifice

i preached this past weekend at our home church in Indy on we as the TEMPLE of the Holy Spirit -  It really struck me that we are a temple in process.    As the Spirit resides in us, our temples are still being formed, shaped, and molded (Eph 2:21-22)  We so often see other believers and churches as a completed structure/edifice and not a work in process.  Peter said we are living stones (1 Pet 2:5)   

How this should move us to see others as who they can become and not for merely who they are. Jesus did this so beautifuly.  Zacheaus, woman at well, etc.   

Augustine said, "We stand in awe of the ocean, the thunderstorm, the sunset, the mountains, but we pass by a human being w/o notice even though the person is God's most magnificent creation."

acceptance is not tolerance

i have been thinking through the whole idea of acceptence -  We think and practice that acceptance is just like tolerance (putting up with someone) it is not.  Acceptance is proactive and demands action to others.  Acceptance is the ability to communicate value, worth, and respect to others.  It demands that we make people feel honored and esteemed.   

As Jn 3:16 is to the unbeliever,   Rom 15:7 is to the believer "Accept one another, then just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God."

the gospel as central

i have been ever reminded that nothing can become more central than the good news of the gospel in the life of an indivdual, church, or family.    It seems that other efforts and priorities have taken the place of the gospel...service to the poor,  generous giving of resources,  our ministry activity, etc.  When Jesus Christ is central in our focus and attention, these aspects of devotion will be an overflow but they must not take a priority over the centrality of the risen Lord who lives and reigns.   We must be captured and re-captured by His love for the world and plan of redemption to all nations and tribes. 

asian wisdom

"If the relationship is strong, then the truth will be accepted."  Burmese proverb

Daya is our singer and performer!

success vs fruitfulness: Being Fruitful in 2008

Elise and I did an overnight prayer retreat at a local catholic prayer retreat here in town - It was a fabulous time to pray, be still, share coversation,  be guided through instruction....one of the key areas for me coming into the new year was to reflect on the issue of being fruitful.   How contrary the fruit in our lives come to how the world says to be and become successsful -  Here are reflections that I recently read...

"There is a great difference between successfulness and fruitfulness. Success comes from strength, control, and respectability. A successful person has the energy to create something, to keep control over its development, and to make it available in large quantities. Success brings many rewards and often fame. Fruits, however, come from weakness and vulnerability. And fruits are unique. A child is the fruit conceived in vulnerability, community is the fruit born through shared brokenness, and intimacy is the fruit that grows through touching one another's wounds. Let's remind one another that what brings us true joy is not successfulness but fruitfulness."  Henri Nouwen

Celebrate this holiday...Jesus has come...is coming..and will come again one day

..God in his mercy sent his own son to leave the comforts of the familiar to step into the maze and messiness of the unfamiliar. Jesus left his home to become homeless through his life and ministry on earth. This advent season we celebrate the coming of our Lord and Savior. The word advent comes from the Latin word, adventus, meaning “coming”. We also must celebrate how Jesus is still coming today and revealing himself and changing lives through His Spirit working in and through the church around the world. We are His hands. We are His mouth to speak life. We are His feet to walk to places and nations to offer healing. We are the body of Christ...

Read the entire artile here

cancer removed...14 stitches..

i had the carcinoma skin cancer removed yesterday -  A size of a nickel of my skin was removed with the tumor.   I came home with a big scar and the kids are still trying to figure out what is going on.  Daya keeps saying,  "Boo Boo Daddy" -  Zayd likes the idea of me having a lot of scars and wants me to have more...

Thank you for your prayers  --

Zayd's School choir reminding us what Christmas is about...

Harvest TV interview

I am going to be on Harvest TV tomorrow being interviewed about Dangerous Faith and ServLife -

go here for more info and if can view it

Dangerous Faith Video Promo

A new video of people/friends sharing about my book Dangerous Faith -  Order now

fly baby fly

you have to see these guys base jumping video --- Adrenaline kicks in merely watching

Click HERE

the discovery of skin cancer on my face

I have not put this on my blog but this is an email I sent out just before I left for India on Nov 9 -  My surgery is December 21 here in Indianapolis to remove the cancer - 

EMAIL ON NOV 9, 2007

"My doctor's office called me as I was driving to the airport today.  I am on my way to India for our 10 year anniversary and leadership conference where 60 church planters.  The call contained some sobering news.

This week I went to the dermatologist where a biopsy was done on a spot on my face.  I have basal cell carcinoma spot on my skin which a form of skin cancer.

I am told it is the most common form skin cancer and it does not spread into your organs like melanoma ---   The doctor says that this does not spread.

As I am sure many of you know, whenever the word "cancer" enters into conversation it is humbling and causes you to face your own mortality in the face and reflect on what is eternal and most important.

2007 has already been a full month of health issues from my disk-replacement surgery -Leaving for another journey overseas with this news has been a shock for all of us..."

Planners vs Searches: Easterly's book worth reading

I am reading a book that I suggest for anyone interested in the cause of making a difference among the global's poor and forgotten.  Easterly is a economics prof at NYU and involved in other things as well -  He is not too high on the "big plans" of ending poverty and offers a fine critique of even

"Sixty years of countless reform shemes to aid agencies and dozens of different plans, and $2.3 trillion later, the aid industry is still failed to reach the beautiful goal.  The evidence points to an unpopular conclusion: Big plans will always fail to reach the goal"

Easterly draws 2 different kinds of people when they look at global poverty: The 'planners' vs the 'searchers' -

"The Planners:  determine what to supply,  Searchers find out what is in demand.  Planners apply global blueprints, Searches adapt to local conditions.    Planners at the top lack knowledge of the bottom, Searches find out what the reality is at the bottom.    Planners never hear whether the planned got what it needed, Searches find out if the customer is satisfied...."

This is what I really like --

"The Planner thinks he already knows the answers; he thinks of poverty as a technical engineering problem that his answer will solve.  A Searcher admints he doesn't know the answers in advance: he believers that poverty is a complicated tangle of social, political, historical, institutional, and technological factors...".

just returning from asia

was just in asia for the past 11 days.  lots of travel, speaking,and meetings.  Got sick on the road which is not fun -   However, God was good and sustained me throughout - a few images

Kevin Sites Book of 20 global wars

I was recently speaking in Texas and picked up this book at an airport. I had seen some blurps online about this guy but really enjoyed reading his book and life as a journalist -  Sites goes to 20 wars in the world as a "solo journalist" -   Hotzone site of his travels

He goes to a London based group that acts as a clearinghouse of info/news of armed conflicts raging around the world - International Institute of Strategic Studies - A GREAT SITE!   He takes off to cover stories of 20 conflicts in 1 year.  There are so many great stories to tell you about but his reflections after returning to the USA were so excellent thoughts..

"We in America have unparalled acces to information, yet on the most important matters of our responsibility as global citizins, we live in information poverty. America is a third-world nation in its per capita knowledge of the people, issues and events outside its borders..One of the reasons I wanted to do the Hot Zone project was to help educate the west about places they barely knew existed. My expectations were unrealistic, but when it ended and there was no miracaculous wellspring of newly aware Americans, I felt defeated - then angry. It has yet to subside.."

Sites gives his expressions of his anger to the oversimplication of news media of war, the political baggage, economic interest ---

The book is an excellent read and something for your library as it gives an objective (in most places) overview of many war torn regions - 

Youtube of Darfur rally in Indy

Here is a short, edited piece of the Darfur rally i spoke at this past Sunday -  You can hear my voice at the end of the video -   and see clips of the Holocaust and Darfur survivors, dancing, music....

speaking at Darfur rally in Indy

This past Sunday I had the honor to speak at Save Darfur rally -  See the article in the Indy Star  -  There were 2 holocaust survivors and a few survivors from Darfur - It was amazing - The dancing, music, stories -  I was the last speaker and felt rather out of place hearing these amazing stories -   One 9 year old boy from Darfur read the most amazing poem / story of his journey and call to China to aid in stopping the genocide that has claimed 400,000 lives.  - It was downtown at the IUPUI campus and a great turnout -
I wish to comment on this issue in another post and offer some honest reflection

an image that speaks

I love this image as it raises questions in my mind and gives answers to me.  what does this image speak to you?    are we attempting to accomplish and progress in life in vain?   do you ever feel what you do leads to little impact or fruit?   could it be that the evident and clear instructions are often ignored or neglected?

korean hostages have been freed

i have just come to find out that the hostages from Korea have been freed -  Read more here

powerful video of korean hostages held by Taliban

pray for the Korean Christian volunteer group still held as hostages by the Taliban in Afghanistan -

review on Dangerous Faith

i was encouraged to read this review on my book, Dangerous Faith,  by Byron K. Borger in central Pennlesvania who owns a book store -

"Joel Vestal (NavPress) $13.99 First this: this is the first in a great new series called Deliberate, an imprint of books that seem to speak the language of emerging evangelicals, with the tone and passion of newer generation voices, somewhat in the mold of Donald Miller, say. (It is, happily, also a line that is committed to a green approach to book manufacturing, with the vital Earth stats listed for each book. Way to go, NavPress!) This book is seriously evangelical, very wholistic, profoundly cross-cultural...." 

Read All of the Review

more info on the Oromo

Thank you Steve Knight for more info on the Oromo of Ethiopa  here

Oromo, Yejju of Ethiopia

  This distinct ethnic group is known as the Oromo, Yejyu -

Population:	74,000
Language:	Oromo, West Central
Religion:	Islam

They are 100% Muslim with no known believers among them and live in poverty with many dying with lack of food, medical care, and water Learn more and pray for these people

Indiana connected to Myanmar Crisis

I trust you have been following recent events of injustice towards Buddhists in Myanmar.   I just learned of something and an event in Indianapolis this week -

"Some day, perhaps soon, a democratic Burma will bear the faint stamp: “Made in Indiana.” Burmese dissidents and constitutional scholars are drafting a new constitution in Bloomington. Ties between the state and crisis-ridden Burma will intensify if things turn badly, too: Indianapolis is the major destination for refugees from Burma, and we will get a lot more if the goons in Rangoon respond as brutally as they have in the past.

When: Thursday October 4, 3:30-5:00 PM
Where: International Center of Indianapolis 32 W. Washington St. Indianapolis

In recent days tens of thousands of Burmese Buddhist monks, students and democratic activists, and ordinary citizens have taken the streets to protest an oppressive government. Why are they risking their lives? Will the Burmese government respond as brutally as it has to previous challenges? How might this crisis be resolved? What should the US government do? And what can we in Indiana do to help? Join Burmese activists and scholars from Indiana University’s Center for Constitutional Democracy in Plural Societies, US foreign policy-shapers, students and refugees from Burma, and concerned Hoosiers to discuss the current situation.

Foks in Indiana may not appreciate just how closely connected our state is with Burma. Burmese are becoming part of the fabric of our daily lives. We are one of the leading destinations for Burmese refugees, mostly Karen and Chin ethnic minorities who have been huddled in refugee camps on the Thai border.

Read and Learn More

hugging the other team

I am having a great time coaching Zayd's soccer team of other 4 - 5 year olds.  Our 3rd game was today.  Most of the kids care more about the snacks after the game and if they can play on the playground.

But you know that the game needs to end when you have to break up the kids hugging the other team -  It is great fun, indeed to watch them.

servlife's first women's conference

chrck this photo out of 200 women that servlife brought together for the 1st conference we have completely hosted, planned, and sponsored by our own staff. thanks to Lazarus thulung, who did most of the organizing.  my wife is on the top row towards the left (know the FIND WALDO books)    pray for the women of nepal

i have joined FACEBOOK

several friends have suggested I join Facebook - Here is my profile - Come by and visit if you are a part of the community

plane crash in phuket, thailand

a plane crashed in phuket airport (where my family and i have lived) we have flown this route from bangkok dozens of time -  1-2 GO is a discount carrier - 

Read more