zimbabwe itinerary

Last night, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, nearly everyone at church walked to the front to share what we were thankful for over the past year. After sharing, each person lit a candle, and slowly, no artificial light was needed. The room was glowing.

I immediately flipped to the Gospels in Matthew 6, where Jesus talked about the birds of the air and the lilies of the field; how God knows and supplies our needs. I’ve experienced the deep truth of Jesus’ words in these Scriptures, and again, with this trip to Zimbabwe, God has used his people to provide in amazing ways.

I am so thankful for God’s provision and the people He’s placed in my life.

A simple thank you falls desperately short, but it is sincere. Your prayers and financial support for this trip are greatly appreciated; it would’ve been impossible without you. Below is the itinerary for the trip; please continue to pray for our team that God would accomplish his work through us.

Vital Connections Zimbabwe Ministry Team Itinerary

11/28: Depart Grand Rapids with team of six.

11/29: Arrive at Harare around 9 p.m. to be met by Simon Smith. Staying at Meikles Hotel.

11/30: Drive to Chinhoyi early—Youth Conference at Hunnington Retreat Centre starts in the afternoon.

11/30 – 12/2: Youth conference with 100 young leaders ages 18-25 expected.

12/3: The Calling team rests and fellowships with local leaders and prepares for upcoming ministry. Kentwood Community Church Global Outreach team arrives in Harare-met by Aspher Madziyire.

12/4: The Calling team meets up with GO Team in Harare and departs for Chivhu to lead Children’s Outreach Program, conduct evening services and see feeding program.

12/5: Total KCC team together in Chinhoyi for fellowship and preparation for weekend.

12/6: Children’s outreach at Alaska feeding center and Good Shepherd Orphanage.

12/7 - 12/8: Church leaders conference at St. Peters retreat center with Craig and Teresa speaking.

12/8: KCC GO Team departs for home.

12/9: The Calling team ministers at local Chinhoyi services.

12/10: The Calling team departs Harare for Victoria Falls holiday, while Craig returns to U.S.

12/13: The Calling team arrives in Grand Rapids!

Dear God, I Am Scared

“Dear God, I am scared.”

These are the words exiting my mouth as I jog around the corner near the Catholic grade school, where swarms of bundled up kids await a string of station wagons and SUVs, like mini-celebrities waiting for their chauffeur parents.

I remember times when life was simpler, when perfecting the multiplication tables was the biggest event of third grade, when baseball cards were turned into rumbling motors on rubber bike tires, when summer vacation came every year.

“Dear God, meet me here.”

In the movie Stranger Than Fiction, Will Ferrell plays Harold Crick, an IRS tax agent whose life is narrated by a novelist who always kills her characters. Crick wonders if he’s starring in a tragedy or a comedy.

If it’s a tragedy, he dies. If it’s a comedy, he falls in love.

Three months ago I sat on a beach with change all around me, wondering what just happened to my life. Days later I signed up to go to Zimbabwe, and now, today, nine days remain before lift off.

And change still surrounds me. The unknown is on my doorstep.

Like Crick, I wonder aloud what all this is about. Not necessarily life or death, or comedy or tragedy, but the greater meaning behind what lies ahead. But I guess we have to move forward in order to look back.

In God’s own words, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Thank God He hears us. I have no reason to be scared.

lunch with a widow

There are people who amaze me; my parents top the list.

Early yesterday morning, at 3:15 a.m., they got dressed and started driving. 475 miles later, they were eating lunch with Florence, an elderly woman who used to attend their former church. She moved to the land of the trolls; I imagine she is lonely.

My parents promised they would visit Florence in the fall, and yesterday was the only day it was possible. After visiting with her for a few hours, they got back in their vehicle and drove 475 miles back, arriving home at 10:22 p.m.

Florence was my first employer; I used to cut her grass in the summer and shovel her sidewalk in the winter. She has been widowed as long as I can remember, and my parents still care for her, nearly 500 miles away. Florence has already made arrangements for my father to officiate her funeral; it is important to her.

And my parents, deeply rooted in church and tradition, are living the perfect religion James wrote about: “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” (James 1:27)

Most wouldn’t drive 1,000 miles to have lunch with a widow. But my parents would.

home run

jogging through the park on this day
(aka-ed as devil’s night)
toward a tree the color of hot coals

i pass through the baseball field
and kick up some dust
for old times sake

i remember little league
me; the little guy
five-foot-one at age sixteen
but even smaller then

yet speedy on my tip toes
accurate from the mound
doubles: my forte
second base: my ground

but on that day
the bases were loaded
dad in the stands

the pitcher throws
the batter swings
the bat dings

i scurry the bases
like speedy gonzalez
inside the park

grand slam

i arrive safely at home plate
my giant of a coach scoops me up
the crowd goes wild

and the feeling is electric

redeemed (song lyrics)

part one: tunnel park

october on the beach
with my favorite things
God and guitar
Word and Spirit
books drenched in ink

within seconds the wind
erases evidence of my existence
footprints in sand; gone

the waves sing a chorus
first stirred in the deep
while the city sleeps
waiting for winter

but i come here to breathe

to sing
to lament
to dream

about upcoming continents
with confidence
that He is in control

like my brother once asked:
“how do you make sense”
of all this?

birth
and
fall
and
death

then birth again
into a new creation
where wheat and weed
from the same seed

begin

yet in different places

end

part two: adventure

men on skateboards with no wheels
riding the lake with a kite
seeking michigan’s adventure
and finding it

a jet soars in front of my eyes
dancing the line of land and sea
seeking michigan’s adventure
and finding it

like a castaway with everything i need
i rest among the dunes
seeking michigan’s adventure
and finding it

part three: beauty

beauty is found here
in all forms
seeping into callused fingers
calcifying in restless bones

stretching our imagination
blowing up our boxes
we create to put life in order
to keep God

where we want Him
how we want Him
when we want Him

but the where and how and when
are exposed like plastic men
when we remember

He transcends place and form and time
an omnipresent, omnipotent Creator
who loves and loves and loves

but control in the hands of fallen men
is like a child behind the wheel
with no way to reach the pedals

part four: california (a song)

Heard a lot about California
But I’ve never really been there
Except the time in my mother’s belly
On the beach in the winter air

Wonder if things would be much different
If we moved to the West Coast
But I didn’t really want to leave then
Miss the things that I loved the most

Guess I probably would’ve found a wife
Bought a house, moved in and made some kids
But I guess life’s not the way it was
I guess life’s the way it is

And I learned it’s not where you’re at
But who you’re with
The people you love
And the time you give

To rejoice and to mourn
Through blessing and scorn
Through the seasons that we all live

Cause life’s not about how much you get
Life’s about how much you give

part five: dreams

dreams, like footprints
can be swept away; forgotten

remember
look ahead
eyes closed
listen
to the One
who made this lake so great

bradley hathaway

Last night Dan and I went downtown and saw Bradley Hathaway (www.myspace.com/bradleyhathaway), a poet/musician who tours the world doing spoken word poetry following hard core rock shows.

We felt like elderly giants in a sea of teens, a completely different experience.

We talked to Bradley—he had only been writing for a year before going on tour (he’s now in his fourth year), and picked up a guitar a year ago. He’s just going for it.

His band assembled 12 days ago—a drummer, bassist/guitarist, cellist/stand up base/accordion player and Bradley on acoustic. Dan said he was born for the stage—he’s captured a vision combining different elements to create something special.

After three rounds of screaming hardcore bands, he had teens swaying back and forth to blue-grass music with spoken word poetry. To see him reel in the crowd in was amazing.

His lyrics are often light, but he hits kids’ hearts with truth they need to hear.

the gift of food

My father and I share the gift of oven preparation alertness.

What I mean by this is that something woven deep in our intuitive mind-body clocks alerts us when the oven is ready. For some reason, it doesn’t work as well when the food is done, only the pre-heat. This fuels my distaste for burnt frozen pizzas. Weird.

My father punches in times like 3:37 to cook popcorn in the microwave. He’s like a microwave scientist.

Today I celebrated successfully opening the croissant roll container. Last time was a violent disaster that harmed the ascetic value of the rolls. Thankfully, I had two containers this time, so when I ripped the directions off container #1, I went back and read them on #2. They were delicious.

Now I know the secret of the rolls. Dad would be proud.

I called last year, “the year of Hamburger Helper without the hamburger,” and perhaps this year will be, “victory over croissant rolls.”