This is Joel's Old Blog

KL airport and a funny story

A French philosopher said, "Architecture, of all the arts, is the one which acts the most slowly, but the most surely, on the soul."    I have to say that the architecture at the Kuala Lumpur airport is quite stunning.  Actually, it is spectacular.    I have flown in and out of the city a few times and have always marveled at the creative genius of whoever designed it.  I have been to many airports in the world and this one ranks up there among the finest.    Enjoy the photos above!   One of our board members, Chris Bryan, emailed this to me.  I have not laughed out loud while reading an email as I did while with this story (maybe ever) -- Mind you, my wife is 4 months pregnant and we did have a midwife during the birth of Zayd! Enjoy! 

"It is 'show and tell" day at school. One day this little girl, Erica, a very bright, very outgoing child, takes her turn and waddles up to the front of the class with a pillow stuffed under her sweater. She holds up a snapshot of an infant. “This is Luke, my baby brother, and I'm going to tell you about his birthday." “First, Mom and Dad made him as a symbol of their love, and then Dad put a seed in my Mom's stomach, and Luke grew in there.  He ate for nine months through an umbrella cord.”  She's standing there with her hands on the pillow, and I'm trying not to laugh and wishing I had my camcorder with me. The kids are watching her in amazement.   “Then, about two Saturdays ago, my Mom starts saying and going, 'Oh, oh, oh!'... Erica puts a hand behind her back and groans. “She walked around the house for, like an hour, 'Oh, oh, oh!’ ”  Now the kid's doing this hysterical duck walk, holding her back and groaning.   “My Dad called the middle wife. She delivers babies, but she doesn't have a sign on the car like the Domino's man. They got my Mom to lie down in bed like this.” Then Erica lies down with her back against the wall. ”And then, pop! My Mom had this bag of water she kept in there in case he got thirsty, and it just blew up and spilled all over the bed, like psshhheew!” This kid has her legs spread and with her little hands are miming water flowing away. It was too much. “Then the middle wife starts saying 'push, push, and breathe, breathe... they started counting… they got past 10 - all of a sudden out comes my brother - he was covered with yucky stuff.  They said it was from my mother's play center so there must be alot of stuff in there.”

Family Update - arrival into Indy

Thank you, Adam Nevins, for the great photos of my family arrival into Indy. See more photos by clicking here --I surprised them with emailing and asking them to gather a small welcome party. Also, thank you to Lynn and Synthia/Tatiana in Los Angeles who welcomed them in LA airport!   I just got this message from Elise who went to the doctor:   "i am very tired so sorry this will be short. i saw the OB today and she said the baby looks great.moving lots and very active. The baby is due august 13th, so mark yor calendar!! i am still nauseated and have bad headaches. i love you!"

Thank you ALL for your prayers and emails during this time. 

My Book: WANTING MORE (sneak peak)

I am happy to share the front & back cover of my book, Wanting More, with you.  Thanks to my good friend, Sky Dimond, for his hard work in getting this done. I am very glad to be here in Malaysia getting this printed. For some of you who are not aware, this has been a project that has been in the works for several years. It is wonderful to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  After talking to several publishers, I have decided to self publish for several reasons.  The main is that there will be potentially more proceeds go towards our mission. Further, as a matter of not putting more money into the million dollar bank accounts of the profit-driven Chrisitan publishing world will me make sleep better at night.  Order information coming soon- Probably be ready to order by April 1 (hopefully)  I am hoping that my friends and readers of my blog (that would be you) would help get the word out to your churches, friends, and family to buy the book.   We are really going to be pushing the book as a great book to do with your small group for discussion on issues of justice, service, simplicity, prayer, compassion.. Stay tuned

IN KL getting my Book printed

  I am in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Known as KL) to get my book printed.  My friend, Sivin Kit is the pastor of Bangsar Lutheran Church here in Kuala Lumpur. He is helping me connect with the people to help me.  I was going to print the book in Kathmandu, but since the political situation I decided not to. I then looked around Thailand and had a very difficult time communicating with folks.  Here in KL most everyone speaks english so I came here. Last night in our meeting I said to myself, "This is the best decision I have ever made!!"    We had a great Chinese dinner last night at Sivin's moms house. Sivin and I are the same age and our sons are about the same age and we are expecting our 2nd child about 6 months apart-   Sivin's brother, John, was showing me some of his magic tricks [photo above]. John is a magiciian and clown trying to get a career going - I showed him a few of my tricks, too. 

Elise & Zayd return to USA

We arrived at the airport yesterday and Zayd was in such a playful mood. He ran through the airport like crazy, I pushed him around on the luggage cart, and he was mr charming to all the Thai airlines desk staff.  As Elise, Holly, and Zayd approaced immigration, I could not go with them. He turned around and yelled out, "Come on Dadda! Come On!"   I told him I could not and Dadda had to stay here. He looked at me with unbelief and then confusion.  He threw his stroller down that he was pushing and started to cry. A very hard moment, indeed. Finally, Elise had to get him.  After much prayer and counsel, we decided that it was best for Elise to get back to the states. After 4 months of pregnancy, she is not gaining weight and is getting more and more weak physically. Not to mention the stress and strain it is in on her emotionally.  It was a hard decision and something we had not emotionally prepared for but we feel it is best for her and the baby to be.  Please pray for her, Holly (Elise's good friend from Seattle who is travelling back to the states with them) and Zayd - They should be arriving into Los Angeles right about now where they spend the night and then fly to Indianapolis on Monday.  I am staying back in Asia for a few weeks to complete the printing of my book and transition a few things with our ministry here before I return back to the states in mid-March.  Your prayers are vital!  These are the last photos of my family from here in Asia.

Friends leaving and friends coming

Here is a photo of our friends from Denver at our place here in Thailand. They all left on Monday - Elise's father, Jim, also was here with us and he left out on Monday as well - Pete Larson shares some stories on his  blog about their journeys in Nepal and Thailand that changed every moment - I took Zayd over to the house next to our last night to clean it and he was all excited and began saying, "Ba Ba" (what he calls his Jim) He was very sad to see no one inside and kept looking around for all his new friends!   If any of you are reading this .. You guys were great and were able to really adapt well and make a difference and encourage many despite the constant change in your journey!  Well done! Please come back.   One of my wife's old friends, Holly Linquist, from Seattle is here with us for about 1 month!  She was in our wedding and Elise was in her and Daniel's (who is a navy pilot and on some ship now in Asia)  Just 10 minutes after coming back home today, someone knocked at our door.  I looked up and saw Holly. She lost our phone number and made it to our home from the airport to our house w/o even calling.  I was really impressed that she made it our house w/ little english spoken among the taxi drivers here! It will be great to have her here!   

Living Water

This weekend we had another distribution day. We had about 35 Thai believers, 6 ServLife volunteers in town, and about another 20 Thai people who joined us who are interested in the claims of Jesus and coming to the cell groups at people's houses.  We purchased and distributed water storage tanks for Tsunami victims. It was a great moment to stand and tell the Thai people what Jesus said , "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,  but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." There was a time during our distribution to share with them why we are doing this.  We also distributed milk powder and water boilers to mothers and their babies and a few other items.  Zayd went with us and as I held him along with other mother and their babies, I thought of how many of these mothers lost other children in the Tsunami and lost all the means to care for their children. I know the effort Elise and I go to ensure the care of Zayd. His food, liquids, cleaning him. I could not fathom loosing all of my ability to care for him.

 

The Power of the Cross

Images carry meaning.  1 Cor 1:18 says," For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." The meaning of the cross is central to the message of Jesus.  A ServLife volunteer from Denver was in the settlement camps a few days ago and she was wearing a cross around her neck.  A Thai man, Budhist, noticed. "What is that around your neck? A cross? Are you a CHristian? "   "Yes! I am a follower of Jesus." She said.   The Thai man told that just a few days before the Tsunami a Thai family who were not CHristians all began wearing crosses around their neck.  He said that the entire family was not killed and he lost his own children in the Tsunami.  He began to wonder why this was and what is the meaning behind the cross. He realized their was power behind this image and had many questions. A story like this makes you ask yourself many questions that are impossible to answer. God is indeed working in this man's heart and giving him a curiousity to the message of the cross.  I believe many in southern Thailand and other regions hit by the Tsunami are asking similiar questions as these.  Indeed, it makes me stop, reflect, and ponder.   Do Pray for this man and for doors to open that the simple, clear message of Jesus can be shared that offers hope!

joseph from sudan's blog

Have you ever felt frustrating or concerned that most blogs that seem to be are from younger, white, American males? I have. (atleast in many church circles)     I am working on recruiting different ServLife staff and other non-western friends to start blogging, sharing their perspective, stories, and wisdom with us from the west. I am happy to announce: Joseph Oloya Hakim, a ServLife worker in Africa has a Blog. .  Read more and stay tuned: Read Joseph's thoughts on the following

SUDAN PEACE: CHAMELEON PACE BUT YIELDED SUCCESS

WHAT COULD 3 PIGLETS DO TO MERIT APPRECIATION OF THE OWNER

CHURCH AND POLITICS

IS SUDAN PEACE DEAL OBSTACLE OR SAVING PLAN OF GOD?

"Is George W Bush Saved?"

THE TWO VOICES: SOCIETY AND GOSPEL

Turn The Tide in Costa Mesa, CA will benefit ServLife

A friend, Ira Lippke, (the guy with no hair) in southern California was one of the first Americans to go to Banda Aceh in Indonesia just 2 days after the Tsunami.  On February 25 in Costa Mesa, CA, 2005 . He is putting on TURN THE TIDE.  Proceeds from the event are going towards ServLife!  If you are in the area, go check it out.    Email Ira for more information   Here is a little more about the evening

“TURN the TIDE,” an arts & culture event that will document the untold stories of the first Westerners to provide assistance in Banda Aceh.   Cinema Social will present a documentary short film which captures the experiences of the three Californianatives who arrived in the heart of the Tsunami devastation days before other Westerners were permitted to enter.  Despite threats from local rebels which eventually prompted an early morning escape from Banda Aceh, the men found themselves in an Indonesian hospital, performing amputations as pseudo-doctors, bagging bodies, and administering antibiotics to patients.  For the very first time, the three men share their stories through professional photography and journals which capture the emotions surrounding total devastation.   Ira Lippke, an accomplished photographer, was volunteering for a few weeks at a Bali orphanage in the city of  Kutawith his brother, Samuel Lippke, and their friend Scott McAlvany when the tsunami struck on Dec. 26. They had planned to spend their month-long trip helping the Bali Street Kids Orphanage in Kuta, Bali, and use some vacation time surfing and exploring Bali. After hearing about the disaster just two islands away, they gathered supplies and boarded an Indonesian government plane to the most devastated area, Banda Aceh. "We just looked at each other and said, 'We need to go,'” said Ira Lippke in an ABCNews broadcast with Peter Jennings. “We put all of our money together and we bought about $500 worth of medicine and filled up two big duffel bags full of medicine, and bought plane tickets."  Although they had no medical training, the three men showed up at a traumatized hospital and spent nearly a week caring for patients. Working 16-hour days alongside hospital doctors and nurses, the men removed the deceased, amputated limbs, de-bred infection, and distributed antibiotics to the patients in need. They left Banda Aceh on Jan. 2 after receiving threats from local rebels, and returned to the Bali orphanage to continue their volunteer work, and regain sanity. The three avid surfers had hoped to get a taste of the surf along  BalI's beautiful coast. See more photos and stories from Ira and his friends at my friends' Sky Dimonds blog in Seattle on January 13, 2005