Back Home. André Touched My Life

Pictures: #1. The six boys in our room and two Russian staff. #2. André, 9 years old. #3. Red Square.

Pri`vet (Hi in Russian).

Welcome back.

I'm home. Still getting used to the time change, something like 13 hours. André, a 9 year old boy who lives with his grandmother touched my life. He slept on the bed next to me and at night we held hands and prayed together before going to bed. His father burned himself with a cigarette while passed out drunk in bed. His mother died of AIDS. He's lived with his grandmother since age 3 and has spent time in an orphanage.

He's the one my tears were for on the last day of camp. As he got on the bus to go back to his home, to a life few of us can imagine, I broke down.

It's good to be home to my wife who was strong through this whole time. Our children did well. I missed them, they missed me. Russia needs Jesus. The need is great among orphans and city people alike. Moscow is a huge secular, glitzy city, masking an underlying problem with AIDS and alcohol. Everyone looks like they stepped out of a fashion magazine, a great contrast to the simple life of camp and orphans. But the need is just as obvious.

The Kremlin was amazing, so was Red Square. Joseph Stalin, Vladimir Lenin, Karl Marx, the Revolution Plaza, the arts theatre, it was all there and it was fascinating, especially for one from Nicaragua and our history with the Sandinistas, Cuba and Russia.

Please pray for our 1st week back. I kept a journal while I was there and will post more of my memories.

Thank you for praying.

Into the future,

davidT

Gone to Russia

I'll be back in 2 weeks...

To Russia with Love.

Just Getting Ready

Welcome back.

I love seeing our boy David Dennis (2) from the garage where I work out, standing on his step, looking at me through the family room window, his little head all that reaches up, his hands holding on to the edge trying to keep his balance, his unruly baby boy black wavey powdery hair sticking up, while wearing his orange and blue striped t-shirt with its blue collar, and looking at me with his big brown eyes, his wide smile and chubby nose, saying "papa"....I love that.

Thanks for praying.

Pray for:
1. Health, I'm feeling a cold coming on (Moscow, 80% chance of rain)
2. Final packing
3. Against Satan's final attempts (pre-trip). More to come once we're in the air.
4. For the Light of Jesus to fill my life and mind.
5. Rachelle and the children
6. The 40 children at the Russian camp

Let's do this.

Into the future,

davidT

Praying and Reading in Preparation

Welcome back.

The list is endless for Friday's trip:
1. DONE!Car to shop
2. DONE!Cut vines
3. PENDING.Return coat
4. DONE!Sunday prep for 5 Sundays I'm gone this summer
5. IN PROGRESS.Russia, Russia, Russia
6. ALWAYS IN PROGRESS.Time with Rachelle and children

So I'm taking time this AM to pray and seek the Scriptures for the strength I need this week and in the weeks to come:

From a devotional book "A Guide to Prayer". Today's reading is from Psalm 37:

23 The steps of a man are established by the LORD,
And He delights in his way.

24When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong,
Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand.

25I have been young and now I am old,
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
Or his descendants begging bread."

The Word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God!

Lord, I have been younger and now I'm in my mid to late 30's and I have never seen you forsake those who seek after you, and that seeking, is but a gift of your grace and love. Thank you Jesus, that You have established our steps this summer and you will hold our hand if we fall.

Into the future,

davidT

Photos from Russia camp, Previous Team

Welcome back.

Our Russia team (we leave this Friday) goes on the heels of another team that just left the same camp in Russia a few days ago. These are the photos from the last team's Summer camp June 2nd-15th - Russia Inland.

This is what our journey will look like. Just imagine a smiling brown face amidst this group shot. That'll be me!

This morning our church prayed for our team, as well as the team going out to inner city Chicago. We leave Friday for Russia.

And...My wife and three children are currently stranded 30mns. out of Palm Springs. The car overheated and blew a hose. I came home last night to do Sunday's responsibilities but they stayed behind to enjoy one more day in the sun. My father in law is with Rachelle. He drove to their aid from Palm Springs where he's been with the family. They got the car to a shop somewhere near the dinosaurs exit off the 10fwy. She's a good 2 hours away from home with our little ones in the car. Thank God for Dad. It'll be a few hours, but the mechanic said he can fix it..on a Sunday! God is with my family.

This kind of stuff makes me wish I was with her, not home, but I can't control that. I've spoken to Rachelle and she's as good as she can be, thankful that her dad was close enough to call. The week before I leave, coincidence? No way, this is how Satan tries to distract me, but he won't, God is with us.

Oh yes, and my neighbor got nasty with me today over cutting back our vines that are growing on his side. He's right, he was just nasty about it. The amazing thing is that I had already resolved to cut them tomorrow, pending Rachelle's car problems of course. Oh well.

The week before I leave for Russia, this happens. Again, coincidence? No way. Thank you for praying. I will keep you updated on the car situation.

UPDATE: My family is home safe. The children are all in bed. Rachelle is toast but glad to be home. The mechanic fixed the car, and the temporary hose (he cut the bad part out and tied the loose ends), held up the rest of the drive home. Tomorrow, we'll take the car in and get it done right. I'm thankful for all the advantages we have here. Soon, we'll be without many of these things and I'm getting ready for it. God is good.

Into the future,

davidT

Is Nicaragua for You?

Welcome back.

A Gringo (as he describes himself) who "escaped to Costa Rica from the U.S. in January 2001. Two years later he escapes to Nicaragua", writes about my country and our people. Funny, true. Parts of it even touched my heart.

In case you're thinking of going to Nicaragua someday: Is Nicaragua for You?

It is for me. Our church has sent missions trips to Nicaragua. Most of the people in our arts ministry have been to Nicaragua. Many more are involved in world missions, going to Russia (I leave this Friday), Peru, Ukraine, China and Chicago and other parts of the world.

If your church is taking a trip to Central America next year (Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama), you should think about going.

Your thoughts matter here.

Into the future,

davidT

The Emerging Church, Part One . Video

Welcome back.

Get part 1 of the PBS video at:Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly.:

Here is my favorite part of the transcript:

"TONY JONES (National Coordinator, Emergent): Is it more sloppy than what a systematic theology professor does, sitting in his tenured chair typing up a book on the doctrine of the atonement? Yeah, it's messier than that! But that's, I think, theology as it works itself out in the lives of human beings who are kind of scratching and clawing their way to try to follow Jesus on a daily basis. It's a messy endeavor, and I embrace that messiness.

LAWTON: Still, even sympathetic observers say the movement faces big theological challenges.

Prof. MCKNIGHT: I understand that many of them want to ask good questions, but for things to be Christian means that there are answers and there are limits to what those answers can be."

The movement I want to be a part of involves both Messiness and Limits.

Into the future,

davidT

My Tribute to Recent World Suffering

Welcome back.

I offer this song I recently wrote to support those in London and around the world who are wondering why, who feel God has forsaken them, who do not know what to say about this tragedy. I wrote this as a way to find God during my recent loss.

The song covers the entire Psalm 22. This is the psalm Jesus quoted on the cross, "my God, my God, why have you forsaken me."

There are three parts to the psalm. The song has the same flow:
1. The agony
2. Turning to God
3. Declaring God's goodness to the Nations

Psalm 22 (We Proclaim)
Be not far from me O Lord/I am poured out and alone/All my bones are out of join/But my heart has turned to You/Be not far from me O Lord/I am broken and alone/All my bones are out of joint/But my heart has turned to You/Don't stay away/There's no one to help but You/Don't stay away/Where else can I stay but You/But You/CHORUS:And to the nations we'll proclaim/All the wonders of Your Name/And we will sing of Your great fame/That You are good/That You are good/That You are good/That You are good.

Into the future,

davidT

Grief Report-6 months

Welcome back.

This is an email I sent my aunt up north who just returned from a trip to see our family back East. It allowed me to express my feelings regarding gramma's loss now six months later.

"Welcome home! Yes, I enjoyed the pictures, lovely area, lots of trees and greenery, so different than LA. Big homes, Victorian? style, very colonial/Boston like. How fun to see the family, cousins and the rest. Hope you enjoyed your visit with tio, it's amazing seeing his face, the elderly Guitierrez family look, not many left anymore, so sad, we're losing our center, the generation that taught us everything we know.

I feel so inadequate to continue their legacy, as if I have learned nothing! I needed so much more, I wish I had listened, written, recorded, video taped everything I ever heard from abuelita Amanda. I know I carry much in me, but you know the feeling. I want to enjoy tio and tia much more. Once I get back from Russia, that has to be on my priority list.

Six months last Sunday, Jan3rd - July3rd. Sad, amazing, hard, unbelievable. I cry less but harder. I am glad for the tears because they connect me to the pain, to the love. I feel her in my tears, I picture her face and hear her voice when I feel sad, when I feel my tears rolling down my cheeks, they make me glad, because they're tears for her. That's the least I can do, to feel something real and genuine amidst the daily life we all live. Pain is sometimes good, when it's for someone so deserving and giving as she was.

Much love,

David."

Into the future,

davidT

A Letter to a Friend in Germany

Welcome back.

I have a friend in Germany. I wrote him this email which deals with a favorite quote of his, "the future is Asian and Indian."

"Hi friend,

Greetings to you in Germany, I go to Russia next week, Tula near Moscow, at an orphanage, Im bringing my 'guitarra de nylon' to bless the Lord with those children, Spanish, Russian, English, it's all part of the new world.

I met an Indian friend yesterday at a 4th of July party, and I told him your quote, "the future is Asian and Indian"...I asked him, are you ready for the future? He said, not yet. I said, 'the now is ours, Latinos' but the future is yours, so let's become better friends.

I love international, quadrinternational conversations. They are so natural for me, I see no language or cultural BARRIERS, just HIGHWAYS. I get on your highway, your frequency and we communicate back and forth, your world comes to me and my world goes to you, naturally, effortlessly, wirelessly, this guy was of such 'lot'. Very fun. Very refreshing, compared to the homogeneousness all around.

Here's his wisdom for the day, we were talking about education, world poverty, helping the less fortunate, Benny Hynn and Nigeria and how he was an embarrasement to the Gospel on his recent trip, mind you, my Indian friend is not even a follower of the True God. He's Hindu.

He said, "how do we not feel overwhelmed by the need in the world, how do we not just say, I can't do it, it's too big" He said, "MAKE IT PERSONAL"....there it is. Make it personal.org. Im taking that and running with it. Make It PeRsoNal. Genius."

Into the future,

davidT

12 (13) Tension Points in the Emerging Church

Great list. I especially encourage our modern/contemporary/church plant churches to look at #1, #9, #11 and #13: TallSkinnyKiwi: "12 Tension Points in the Emerging Church."

#9. The Teacher/Pastor and the Apostle/Prophet
Teachers and Pastors have given leadership to the church in a Christian context - where safe-guarding the sheep is the most important thing. But as the church begins to form in a post-Christian context where there are more goats than sheep, those gifted with apostolic and prophetic gifts are more equipped to point the way forward.

Worship Ideas for 4th of July

If you don't celebrate the 4th of July (as in, you're in a different country, etc) this can still apply on your particular "independence day".

Here are some 4th of July ideas:
1. Set-up a lemonade stand and get to know your neighbors. Give away free cookies with a 'purchase'
2. Do a house project you've been meaning to do
3. Start exercising (maybe wait till tomorrow, after the the burgers and potato-salad.)
4. Read the History of the 4th of July together.
5. Recite the Meditation for World Peace.
6. Pray a Fourth of July Prayer in Congress from 1943:

"Save us from a freedom of speech so empty that we have nothing worth saying, from a freedom of worship so futile that we have no God to adore, from freedom from want and fear with no creative idea as to how to use our plenty or our security for the redemption of our social order and for the salvation of our own souls."

Being from Nicaragua and now living in the United States, inspite of so much good and bad history between our two countries, I am thankful to live here, to live out the American Dream which is the dream of every human being - to have a place to live, a family, a job I am passionate about, and to follow Jesus Christ and worship Him openly for the world to hear.

Have a Happy 4th of July.

The ONE Campaign, Signed It

Welcome back.

My wife and I signed the The ONE Campaign and are willing to give, wear the white bracelet, etc. The Live8 Concert is today (remember Live Aid?).

How can we cannot get involved in this in some way? It was Jesus who told us to "go and make disiciples of all nations..." Making Poverty History is part of what discipleship looks like today. It's the kind of mercy and justice that God speaks of. I like what the Pope said, "God intended the earth and all it contains for the use of everyone and of all peoples."

Nicaragua is on the 'cancel the debt' list.

I am just convicted that we (that I) as Americans live such a selfish life. We have so much and give so little. I know we all give, but we can give more if we take less for ourselves. 1% of your budget, that's what they're asking the richest nations of the world to do. That sounds like a good goal for all of us. So instead of giving 10%, give 11%, if you give 5%, give 6%, that sort of thing. The Bible tells those of us that are rich to give, not be arrogant and to trust in God not our riches:

1 Timothy 6: 17Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."

As far as rockers thinking they can change the world, I'm fine with their help. I wish I was a rock star so I could bring attention to these issues. As Dave Matthews said, "I don't care why artists show up, what their motivations are...the goal is what is happening right now, a crisis that is too often ignored is getting attention."

See the concerts live now via webcast.

Into the future,

davidT