Healing the Lepers

Luke 5:12-13

"While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, 'Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.'"

"Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. 'I am willing,' he said. 'Be clean!' And immediately the leprosy left him."

Under Jewish law, lepers were deemed unclean (Leviticus 13). They were to be separated from society ("leper colony") and never to be touched. It is significant that Jesus broke this law and reached out and touched this man and healed him.

Does society have "lepers" today? In some areas of the world, the church is afraid to reach out to people with HIV/AIDS. There is a strong social stigma that surrounds those with the disease, regardless of how they may have contracted it. There are myths about how to contract it, how to cure it and how to prevent it that are devastating people's lives.

As Jesus's example here shows, it is imperative that Christians lead the way to reach out to these people - to heal their physical hurts, to help their families grieve, to offer grace and forgiveness where it's needed. This is an opportunity for ministry - to show the love of Christ around the world through this overwhelming need.

Dr. Bruce Smith, an HIV doctor from Redlands, California, and an elder in his church is dedicating himself to this work. Dr. Smith served as a medical missionary from 1982 to 1990 in Central America and has since worked in the HIV clinic of the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health - one of the largest health departments in the U.S. His main work is in Maternal-Child Health, working to improve the lives of women and children. Since 2003, he has worked to equip African church leaders to deal with the problem at hand.

Dr. Smith and his wife Beth accompanied our team on our trip to Malawi and we worked with them to hold the HIV/AIDS Seminar on July 5. They are working towards the goal of doing this type of work full-time.

If you would like to contact Dr. Smith to learn more about his efforts or get involved, you can email him at cbsmith4@gte.net.

I will post updates to his ministry here as I get them. It's an awesome issue - so BIG that only GOD can help us address it.

The Wife of Noble Character

Proverbs 31 gives us an explicit and very detailed example of a day in the life of a virtuous woman.

It takes more than reading this to understand it - it takes life experience and for me, many, many mistakes! And it will take a lifetime of practice for me to never perfect it!

(The most challenging part for me: "She gets up while it is still dark.") :)

I KNOW, though, that living by this example pleases God, my family and my friends. And we can all strive for it!

This is a woman we would all respect:

• She works with eager hands
• She ensures her family's needs are met
• She owns property
• She has physical strength
• She manages resources wisely
• She supports her husband's reputation in the community and establishes her own
• She participates in the local economy and can earn her own money
• She has a positive outlook
• She is wise and shares her wisdom with others
• She manages her household well

Because of these things, her children "call her blessed" - her husband "praises her" - her community respects her.

The Value of Stuff

One of the primary lessons anyone would expect to learn by visiting Africa is how wealthy we as Americans are. We may understand this conceptually, but the power is definitely in the details.

Things I'd never even thought of as luxuries certainly are.


Fashion is a luxury.
Being literate is a luxury.
Extreme cleanliness is a luxury.
A varied diet, medicine, leisure time, hobbies...

But I think the bigger lesson is how worthless all of our STUFF - the things we think we need to "survive" - the stuff we "need" - really is!

The gap between what we truly need and what we have is even larger than I thought. Objects we consider useless because they no longer look perfect are still perfectly useful.

I've realized how much of the same thing I have - in my kitchen cabinets, in my closets - spare bowls, pots, pans, drinking glasses, shoes, shirts, pants, towels, bed sheets. What would we do without a month's supply of all of these things!?! It seems truly ridiculous in comparison!

Limited resources necessitate the value of Function over Form. But Form is still valued. Art and creativity abound with the kids at Mtendere.

I loved seeing how the kids re-use objects in creative ways - such as the wire used to form these "galimotos" (pictured, left) that the Mtendere children make to sell.

I got to know Halodi (Hallo-dee), a twelve year old boy living at Mtendere, during one of the evening devotionals. Hopefully I will have a picture to share of him soon. I am posting pictures of a few drawings he gave to me as gifts. These have more value than anything else I brought back with me!

I would love to hear from others - I know many of you have had similar experiences. How has an experience like this changed your perspective on the value of our stuff? Has it changed what you buy, the utility of what you have, or what you give?

Thank you, God, for showing me what is valuable. I will need constant reminders of this! Please help me make the most of the all of the resources I've been blessed with - family, friends, health, education, skills. Help me be mature enough to resist the temptation to "keep up with Jonses'" for true happiness lies in helping others - not in hoarding stuff. It's Your stuff, anyways!

“I have come that they may have life and have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

Why You Should Go on a Mission Trip

I'm back from Malawi as of yesterday....WOW, what a trip! For those who don't read much, don't miss this: doing a trip like this is a MUST - and here's why:

1) Spending two weeks wholly dedicated to the service of others is extremely fulfilling

2) Seeing the diversity of God's kingdom firsthand shows you how BIG God is and how much LOVE there is in the world

3) Living in close quarters with a team of people fosters incredible brother/sisterhood and friendships - and is a lot of fun!

THANK YOU to all who prayed for the team and those who reached out to Jay, Brantley and Parker while I was gone. Your generosity and thoughtfulness is amazing! It was very comforting to know they were well taken care of. I missed them so much!

I will post stories from my trip over the next several weeks. It's great to be home!

Ready or Not!

We sang this song at church last week and it was especially moving in light of what our team going to Malawi is about to experience! We must surrender to God and be READY to be the vessels of life and love that He needs us to be.

I posted Desperation Band's performance below - here are the lyrics:

You come like you promised you would
I want to surrender for good
I know that I need you
And I dont want to keep living life alone

So take my heart
and make it new
make it true
And make it like You
Take my hands
I lift them high
They're Yours not mine to do
Do what You will
Do what You will
Do what You will

I feel like a blind man in Your sight
I know that I'm wicked in Your eyes
So wash me and make me shine like the sun
I want to tell everyone
that You're the only one

So take my heart
And make it new
Make it true
And make it like You
Take my hands
I lift them high
They're Yours not mine to do
Do what You will
Do what You will
Do what You will

Im ready now
Im ready now
Im ready now
Do what You will
Im ready now
Im ready now
Im ready now
Im ready now
Im ready now
Im ready now
Do what You will
Im ready now
Im ready now
Im ready now

Ready Now

the Mission in Malawi

In an earlier post, I mentioned Wes Gunn, my step-brother, who is coordinating the group mission trip to Malawi. Wes is the Missions Minister at the Landmark Church of Christ in Montgomery, AL. He coordinates the short and long-term works of this church, including the incredible work being done in Malawi.

I wanted to learn more about how the work there got started, so I asked Wes to respond to a few questions to post here. Thank you, Wes!

Summer: Wes, you are involved in missions around the world. How did you come to be involved in Malawi?

Wes: The Malawi work came about through an article my wife was reading in Christian Woman magazine in 2002. We emailed the author on the off-shoot they may be interested in a short-term team. Our first team went in the summer of 2003 and we’ve continued to be involved heavily ever since.

Summer: What is the core mission of the work being done in Malawi?

Wes: The core of our work in Malawi has centered on Mtendere Children’s Village just outside of Lilongwe. Our mission has been to minister and provide a safe, godly environment to children devastated by the HIV pandemic and the recent famine. We have provided housing, education, food, medical care, and spiritual teaching to more than 130 children. Mtendere opened in February 2005 with 16 kids.

Summer: How would you characterize the people there?

Wes: Malawians have an amazingly gentle and loving spirit. Even in poverty, we are always received as honored guests and showered with love and small gifts of affection. Malawi is one of the only countries in Africa that has no history of war.

Summer: How can people get involved and what kind of impact can they have?

Wes: One of the best ways is to become a sponsor of a child at Mtendere. We usually have a few children who are needing sponsors. You can become a sponsor by visiting http://www.100xmissions.org/.

Wes lives in Montgomery, AL with his wife, Amanda, and their three year old son Taylor, who enjoy traveling with Wes when they can. Wes and Amanda are both alumni of Auburn University (note the color scheme!).

Just be ordinary!

"This is the Day" was my hastily chosen title for a web log that was yet to be. I've changed it for two reasons: (1) I think I'm actually starting to enjoy writing this and (2) I want it to be meaningful and actually encapsulate what I want to convey here.

I've been thinking about ordinary people for the past few months. The "heroes" in the Bible are mostly ordinary - commonplace; nothing special; sometimes they start out less than ordinary - ready for redemption. We've been taught to place them on a pedestal, but really, if we look at them closely, it's all there - their faults, challenges, character flaws. That's the beauty of the story - that something ugly, tragic or wrong becomes the foundation for something unexpected, wonderful and transcendent. That's God at work.

We all enjoy hearing the story of the underdog; someone who achieves something extra-ordinary despite overwhelming difficulties. I am going to share some stories like that here.

Mighty to Save

Essence

es·sence - the basic, real, and invariable nature of a thing
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Essence)

The heart of it all is found in my favorite Bible passage, I John 4. Go read this! It's amazing.

"...Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." I John 4:11-12.

It is up to us to be love, which is God. This is what it's all about!

"...God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him" 1 John 4:16

Meet the Team

Last weekend I spent Friday evening and half the day Saturday with the majority of the team of people that will be working in Malawi together this summer. Several of the team members I know from growing up at Landmark and I am excited about getting to know new people as well.

Phyllis and her daughter Robyn Collins will be leaving in just three weeks to spend two months in Malawi. Phyllis is a teacher who has a great love for the people she's met over there in the past and has relationships with. She is looking forward to seeing everyone again. Phyllis's husband, Ken, will be going along with our group on June 27.

I met Taylor and Betsy Pendergrass, a couple from Jackson, TN. This is their first mission trip, also. They are also leaving their three children to make the trip. Betsy mentioned something in one of our meetings that rang true for me: leaving our children for two weeks is nothing when you consider we are going to show love and support for children who have lost their mommies and daddies. Share the love!

I also met Joe Donaldson and his daughter, Kathryn, who opened up their lakehouse to all of us for the retreat. This is the first mission trip for each of them. They will be a lot of fun to work with - they are enthusiastic about the mission and have a lot to add to the team.

I shared a bunkbed with Christina, a Malawiaan who is currently a college student in Montgomery. Christina provided a lot of insight into the language and culture of Malawi and helped us understand what to expect. She is a sweetheart and I wish she was going on the trip with us!

Last, but not least, Wes Gunn, the team leader, and his wife, Amanda were there. I have known Wes for 20 years (Wow!) and they are now family since my mom is married to Wes's dad. Wes is the Missions Minister at Landmark Church and is making his 8th? trip to Malawi. Wes has everything so organized - it will really help the team be more effective and allow us to stay focused on the people we are there to love and help.

Several other critical team members will be joining us there and hopefully I can share information about those team members later.

I am really looking forward to spending more time getting to know the team - it's a very impressive group of people with huge hearts for what we are doing.

New Uniforms!

Malaria and Dengue Fever

Two major mosquito-bourne illnesses are prevalent in Malawi: Malaria and Dengue Fever. Everyone is familar with malaria, but I had not heard of Dengue Fever until I visited Passport Health.

Dengue Fever is a potentially life-threatening viral disease that is characterized by sudden onset high fever, severe headache, joint and muscle pain and rash.

It is sometimes called "bone break disease" or "bonecrusher disease" because the severe body aches and joint pain feel like your bones are breaking. Wow.

There is no treatment and no vaccine. Most recover within seven days. Imagine suffering this with no access to pain reliever or fever reducer!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dengue_fever

The Luxury of Preventative Medicine

Affordability, Access, Technology and Training are all luxuries for many people around the world when it comes to medicine. For me to be protected from diseases I may be exposed to while traveling in Malawi, I simply drove down the road to a franchise of Passport Health where a registered nurse read off pre-printed information on what I needed for my destination. I was administered a shot for Hepititis A, picked up some Typhoid vaccine pills and antibiotics, swiped my credit card and was on my way.

As the nurse read off some of the symptoms and long-lasting or fatal effects of diseases like Malaria, Dengue Fever, Rabies, Typhoid, Tetanus...imagine having to suffer these diseases with no access to any treatment. Preventative medicine is a luxury that we take for granted. In fact, I think I've even COMPLAINED about having to take Parker to the doctor! I now have a greater appreciation for how absurd that is when so many mothers around the world have no means of protecting their children from extreme suffering and death.

Gratefulness

"I waited patiently for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.

He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God."

Psalm 40:1-3