There's a lot of plagiarism involved in this piece. I hope you enjoy it. For starters, the title. Ever since I've read the book, The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning, I've been itching to use the word ragamuffin. I only hope it fits well with the context below. "In going where you have to go, and doing what you have to do, and seeing what you have to see, you dull and blunt the instrument you write with. But I would rather have it bent and dulled and know I had to put it on the grindstone again and hammer...
U&I
The Rundown
You know the feeling you get when you see something appealing in a person, and you want it? You know it when you see it. Maybe not at first, but gradually it penetrates, awakening desire for you to be someone similar. It may be a certain characteristic that stands out - something you admire. And you start seeing it as you come into regular contact, sharing in the person's good company. The very aura this person gives off is reflected in the way they go about every day activity - a combination of settledness, contentment and overcoming. The notion of...
What is the motive behind the model? Recently this question surfaced with regard to the Church Planting (CPX) model and Discovery Bible Study (DBS) tool we implemented in Uganda. Oftentimes I would connect with a person with a premeditated DBS checklist in mind. To get full marks I would religiously implement the ministry tool as though implementing the tool is the great commission. What are you thankful for? , tick. Prayer requests , tick. Share a story , tick. What does the story say about God, you and other people? , tick, tick, tick. Who are you going to share...
One of the first leads when we dreamed of what the Silk Route journey might be at the latter end of 2018, was the 2020 Olympics in Japan: “If we traverse the Silk Road from West to East, or from Turkey to China, we could extend it to Japan and serve as volunteers at the Games!”, or so we fantasized. I remember still adding, “Nations across the globe all in one place at one time—what better opportunity to reach out to so great a diversity of people groups than this?” Needless to say, this plausible idea fizzled out as the...
Don Miller recently released a book titled, 'Scary Close'. I didn't read it. Still, I was fascinated, intrigued by the sound of it, "scary close". Here is my own summary of what I think/feel about these words. It hasn't really got anything to do with the physical journey we are on, but spiritually and emotionally - those boxes are pretty much ticked. In my previous blog I quoted Hosea 4:6, "my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." My own understanding of this verse has since progressed. In Hebrew context the word 'knowledge' is translated to 'intimacy'. In other words,...
"Sometimes you find yourself in the middle of nowhere, and sometimes in the middle of nowhere, you find yourself." Now, in case you have the idea that this is about me finding myself, that's funny. I simply felt this quote to be appropriate with regard to the experience we recently had in Egypt. We were there for 2 weeks of which we spent 2 days in Cairo, indulging in the ancient mysteries, and avocado and mango juice, in regular intervals. The remainder of our time we spent at Anafora. 'This place is weird.' Weird in the sense...
Painting the picture: " Slowly, desolately, the fist of what we'd done unclenched the clawed palm of what we'd become. Anger softened into sorrow, as it always does, as it always must. And no drop of what we'd wanted, just an hour's life before, was as rich in hope and meaning as a single teardrop's fall." (Shantaram) . I imagine this to be the state and feel of Rwanda in 1994 after the genocide. Maybe not entirely at first but slowly, desolately, in time. Thus, a re-awakening of a once tender heart, now marred with bitter resentment. One can't help...
Tanzania needed to deliver something special to come close to the engraving Rwanda left on our hearts. Not that it was ever a competition, but the impact does linger. Some slow start it was to get anything going in Mwanza, located on Lake Victoria. We actually took off well, engaging with the coastal villages and it's many children. From games thought out never to be used, to playing the games unplanned when the situation demanded. This sums up a great deal of our time in Mwanza. Besides the games and children, we lingered, waiting for the next opportunity, occasion or...
The market of Marrakech. The brawl of the barter and triumph in the trade Searching for gems, the only honest crave In between alleys buzzing with scooters Swerving the peoples, hustling like looters Crafty leather, a most distinguished scent Local delicacies rousing, how can one neglect The authenticity and atmosphere of market Marrakech, Though Bursting and striving, still longing to express The rainbow within that will not show in part An honest expression of only a colorful heart. Fes: A game of shadows. Veltie has done it again. This time 'round, there is more to it...
7 weeks. The time we would have leftover once leaving Zanzibar, of which 2 weeks were likely to be dedicated to travel. Not much time.Mozambique. Here we connected with Iris Ministries forming a bond with the other visitors, together engaging in a variety of ministries. Through outreach we visited a village. Labour saw us load and deliver bricks. Widow and hospital ministry had us meet up and pray with the beat and broken. And children's ministry. Many an orphan, infant and older, warmly embraced us and we did our best to return this welcoming. Singing songs and playing games, Iris and...
