Drilling Diary - Day Two

Day two of drilling went better than day one…even though it didn’t really start off that way. The fix to our day one problems did not work as well as we had hoped. The new connections we manufactured were not as secure as we had hoped and the round pipe that we wanted to use was actually too heavy for what we were trying to do. We tried a new idea and it didn’t work.

At this point, our team has three options: 1) go back to the inferior metal and find a way to make it work, 2) try to come up with a new solution, or 3) give up and quit. Well, #3 really was not an option and with the limited material resources available to us neither was #2, so that just left us one option.

In order for the inferior metal to work it would demand patience on our part. We could not put as much stress and strain on the metal as we would like, so our progress would end up being slower than we would like. It would be a time consuming process as we would continually have to change the size of the tool that we were using to drill the hole. It was not going to be an ideal situation.

But guess what? We worked the plan, we stuck with it and we were able to dig down an additional 17’ today. Praise God! While we have not yet struck water, we have been able to overcome every obstacle thus far. Obviously, we would have loved to have found the water by now, but even so, our spirits are still high.

In my own life, when I encounter a difficult situation, I often try to bullrush my way to a solution. Patience and finesse – the two qualities most needed by our team today as we dug for water – are not usually in my arsenal. The end result is that I end up even more frustrated than when I started.

Yet in those Spirit-led moments of lucidity, when I choose to be patient and wait on God, situations tend to resolve themselves or solutions to problems become apparent. Often the key to moving forward is to be patient and gentle, rather than putting your head down and pushing forward with all of your might.

What obstacle are you facing in your life right now? What roadblock has been put in your path that you are finding difficult to navigate around? Have you prayed about them? Have you made demands on God for a solution? Whose schedule are you on? Yours or God’s? A friend and mentor of mind once said: “I know God’s timing is perfect. I just wish he would loan me his watch.” God is always faithful and if we are listening to the Holy Spirit and we are obedient, then the solution that brings God the most glory will be revealed.

Soli Deo gloria.

Michael

Author’s note: I probably will not be posting for the next day or so. We are traveling to see some of God’s beautiful creation and creatures within Malawi and I will not have access to the internet until at least Sunday night. My next post will probably be after we resume drilling on Monday.

Drilling Diary - Day One

Well, we made it.  We were a little bedraggled as we made our way off the plane, but at least we were still upright as we made our way off the plane. Out of the 25 total pieces of checked luggage, 24 made it all the way to Blantyre, Malawi. While there was nothing critical in the missing bag, it would still be nice to have everything. Please pray that the last bag arrives soon, safely and intact.

Our primary objective in Malawi is to drill water wells and install the Access 2.0 hand pumps. Our primary well site is at the Bodza Feeding Center. The Bodza Feeding Center is a ministry partner of the Gregorys and it is financed and operated through Bridge to Malawi. Our team that came in November led some VBS-type activities for the 200 kids who are fed each day by the camp’s director, Jordan Dowbush, and his staff.

Just eight months later and the feeding center now feeds 303 orphans. With so many children, access to fresh water becomes even more critical when preparing and serving so much food on a daily basis, not to mention hygiene and sanitation issues. So, we’re digging.

The first day did not start so well. We had some issues with some poor grade square metal tubing. It’s not that there is better square tubing to purchase, it’s just that what is available is poor quality. In the course of about five hours of work we dug about seven feet. We certainly were not setting any speed records.

After some discussion, we decided that we would have to go back to Blantyre and manufacture some solutions on our own. So, after dinner, the five guys on the team went out to the garage and cut pipe, drill through galvanized steel and just have some male bonding time. Most everybody else on our team is quite skilled and proficient on power tools…I am not. And yet everyone used their unique skills and giftedness to accomplish as a team the task that had to be done.

Now at any point, all of this could have come to a screeching halt if even one person had allowed their ego to get in the way. But that didn’t happen. Everyone shared their opinions, we discussed the best solutions and everybody agreed on what must be done and the division of labor. We humbled ourselves to one another and set aside our own agendas for the accomplishment of a greater goal.

As I observed what was going on – I had been asked by this point to stay away from the power tools – I realized that I was watching in microcosm how the body of Christ was designed to operate. None of us are identically gifted. Everyone is gifted with different abilities, strengths, and weakness, all to be used in harmony with one another for one task: to glorify God and proclaim Jesus as Lord.

Just like our little work team, the work of the Kingdom can often be derailed by our egos. We decide that we want to have positions of greater prominence within our church, we may have our feelings hurt and sulk if we don’t receive the recognition that we think we are entitled to, we put our own personal agendas ahead of the purpose and mission of the church. Unfortunately, there is no church, small group or ministry that is immune to this type of distraction and conflict at some point in time.

Examine your involvement in your local church. Ask yourself why do you serve? Out of a need to appease your own guilty conscience? For recognition? Are you even serving? If not, why not? Jesus clearly teaches us that one of the traits he desires most to see developed in his followers is servanthood. Serving others because we see people as Jesus sees them. We serve others as a means of serving Christ and being obedient to his teachings and commands. But a close second is unity among the body. Jesus also teaches that the world will know that we are his disciples by our love for one another.

So, are you a team player? Do you swallow your pride so that Christ will get the greater glory? What are your core beliefs about your role in the body of Christ? Maybe it’s time for you to examine why you do what you do.

Soli Deo gloria.

Michael

Are we there yet?

As a parent, or supervisor/guardian of children on any type of trip, how many times have you heard that question? It's the universal code for: "I am tired of traveling and I just want to get to wherever it is that we are going." Well, that's the very question that we find ourselves asking.

Following our 9 hour flight from DFW to Heathrow, we had a 9+ hour layover in London. So we did what most Americans would do, we arranged a day tour of London. Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Piccadily Circus, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben, Parliament, 10 Downing Street...we managed to squeeze most of it in. As we boarded yet another airplane for our 11-hour flight to Johannesburg, I was amazed at how many sights we were able to cram into our brief tour.

That in turn got me to thinking about a comment made by one of our lead volunteers in missions ministry. She and I were having a conversation this past week about how many tasks and projects a person can accomplish in the days prior to vacation or a long time away from the office. Think about it. How many times have you worked like an absolute fiend just to make sure that every i is dotted and every t is crossed at work before you leave for vacation? You can end up so exhausted that you're too tired to enjoy your vacation. (And don't get me started about needing a vacation to recover from your family vacation. That's a subject for another blog entirely).

As my stream of conscienceness thinking continued, I began to examine my spiritual life to see how this sense of urgency applied to me. Am I as intensely focused on reaching my neighbors for Christ? Am I so keenly focused on serving those in need? Why am I so driven at certain times but not at others? I am sad to say that I came up lacking in my self-evaluation.

Just think of it. Christ-followers around the world passionately committed to the cause of Christ - in whatever form that may take - on a daily basis. What if we (I) were as willing to feed the homeless as we (I) are about helping Africans who don't have clean water? What if we (I) were as intentional in sharing our faith as we (I) are in making sure that we have our Starbucks every morning?

So, as we prepare for the last leg of our journey to Malawi - a two hour plane ride - I ask you to please continue to pray for our team. Pray that we will be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and that we would each be intensely focused on fulfilling his purpose for us in Malawi. But don't stop there. Ask God to keep us passionate and focused even after we return. And while you're at it, if you dare to truly be an imitator of Christ, to be the world-changers we were called to be, make the same prayer for yourself.

Soli Deo gloria,
Michael

On our way

Well, it has begun. The first leg of our journey is underway and it has not been without its share of unforeseen circumstances already. The fare that we purchased for our airline tickets is called a missionary fare, and carries with it a baggage allowance of three checked bag (rather than the normal two). Considering that our team of seven is taking a grand total of 25 pieces of checked luggage, every bit counts.

Unfortunately, our domestic airline from Oklahoma City to Dallas chose not to honor the missionary fare and charged us for anything over two pieces of checked luggage. There was some consternation on my part during this exchange. I was prepared for this eventuality but I was holding out hope that our domestic carrier would do the right thing. Alas, they did not and my frustration began to mount.

Then I remembered one of the verses that I read in my quite time this morning. Philippians 4:6 says this: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. As I was meditating on this verse I remembered what our Senior Pastor, Marty Grubbs said in his sermon yesterday about living in the moment. It takes faith to live in the moment, to focus on the here and now and to trust that God will meet all of our needs.

All of this rapid introspection left me with two choices: I could choose to focus on the disappointment of having to pay the excess baggage fee, let it spoil my mood and generally be unpleasant to be around OR I could that God for providing the resources to meet the inconvenient need, be pleasant to the people who were just doing their job and realize that if this is the worst thing that happens on our trip then our trip will be an incredible experience. (In case you are wondering, I chose the latter option).

We all do it. We become so focused on a minor inconvenience, a perceived slight, an unintended wounding that we completely miss out on the bigger picture of what is going on around us. We are so wrapped up in ourselves that we miss the opportunity to be fully used by God as an instrument in his hand. Life can be hard and it is filled with disappointment. As followers of Christ, how we respond to life's difficulties and disappointments determines whether or not we are choosing to honor God with our lives.

Our team fully anticipates encountering unplanned obstacles and sudden changes in plans. Seriously, can you go on a mission trip to a developing nation and NOT experience these things? How we daily surrender our lives to Christ, choosing to pick up our cross and live for his glory will ultimately determine how fully we are used by God. As the Executive Director of the Water4 Foundation, Chris Cotner encouraged me: be like mercury, fluid.

Ready to go with the flow...

Soli Deo gloria,
Michael

Pray, pray, pray.

As our team prepares to depart on Monday for Malawi, I am constantly being asked by well-wishers: "What can we do for you?" "How can we help?" "Do you need anything?" The answer to all of these questions is the same: You can pray.
When I was in music ministry I had the chance to sing under the direction of Dr. Bill Green as a member of the Singing Churchmen of Oklahoma. As our group prepared for a choir tour to Hong Kong and the People's Republic of China, he had a mantra that  he repeated to us over and over: "No prayer is no power. Some prayer is some power. Much prayer is much power." It is an axiom that I have carried with me ever since because I know first hand that it is true.

In his letter to the Romans, Paul wrote:
     I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. (15:30)

Maybe you weren't able to go with us to Malawi this time. Maybe you were unable to contribute resources to help one of our team members go. But everyone can pray. Anytime, any place, anywhere. There is no wrong time to pray. So I want to personally invite you to join us on our trip by committing time - the more the better - to pray for our team.

To aid you as you pray, here are some specific requests that you can pray for:

• each team member: Allan, David, Richard, Kemp & Kim, Michael & Deanna
• safe and uneventful travel
• our luggage arrives in Malawi when we do
• there will be no holdups with our 400 lbs of drilling equipment in customs
• we will have all of the necessary local supplies when we need them
• the quality of the local supplies will be adequate for their required purpose
• God will strengthen us when we are weak and tired
• everyone on the team would daily surrender their will to God's perfect plan
• God will keep our spirits flexible
• we will see the people as Jesus sees them
• the safety and well-being of our families that we leave behind in the U.S.
• Our missionary hosts: Danny & Natalie Gregory, their children: Sydney, Gabriel and Hope (see picture below) and fellow missionary, Tammie Tregallas

We desperately, desperately need your prayers. We are depending on you to hit your prayer bones (knees) and go before the throne and ask God to bless our work and protect us. James 5:16 promises us that the prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. Can we count on you? Will you join our team?

Soli Deo gloria,
Michael

Back to Malawi

In just a few days another team from Crossings Community Church will be winging our way to the southern African nation of Malawi. Our team of seven will be digging fresh water wells (it could be as many as three) and doing some women's ministry in the villages where we are digging. Our team is: Allan, David, Richard, Kim & Kemp, Deanna & Michael. Most of us will only be gone two weeks but Kim and Kemp will remain in Africa for an additional four weeks continuing to work with the Water4 Foundation.

Invariably, in the time before we leave, I am often asked many questions with similar themes: "Why are you going?" "Wouldn't it be better to just send the missionaries the money that we will actually spend to go?" "Is it safe?" "Don't we have enough need right here in Oklahoma City?" These are all valid questions and I want to answer them by drawing on one of Jesus' most familiar parables.

We all know the parable of the Good Samaritan. A traveler was walking alone on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was attacked by robbers, beaten and left for dead. A priest came upon the man and passed by on the other side of the road without stopping. A Levite soon came up to the beaten traveler but he also passed on by without stopping. Finally, a Samaritan came by and stopped to help. He treated the man's wounds, took him to an inn and made arrangements for the traveler to be nursed back to health at the inn. Most of us also remember that Jesus told this parable in response to the question: "Who is my neighbor?"

But look at the story through the lens of missions. The traveler might represent an unreached people group in the 10/40 Window that has never heard the gospel. Or the traveler could symbolize the people of any impoverished and developing nation that struggles to overcome abject poverty, preventable diseases, deal with the impact of HIV/AIDS, or natural disaster. Just how do we as followers of Christ, as a body of believers we call the church, respond?

We could be like the priest, who avoided contact with the beaten traveler. In fairness to the priest, he did not know if the traveler was dead or not. If he had been dead and the priest had touched him, then the priest would have become ceremonially unclean. He would have been unable to perform his priestly duties at the temple for seven days. Surely he could not let his devotion to God prevent him from reaching out and helping someone.

To me, when a church says that they cannot do global missions because they are so focused on local missions opportunities, it is basically the same attitude as the priest. To be certain, there are plenty of needs for any local church to meet in their surrounding community and those are needs that a church should work to meet. But my reading, understanding and interpretation of Matthew 28:19 - 20 and Acts 1:8 tells me that local missions is only a part of our mission field, not the totality of it. Any missions philosophy that focuses solely on either global or local missions - to the exclusion of the other - demonstrates an incomplete understanding of the commands of Christ.

A second type of missions philosophy is like the Levite who passed by the robbers' victim. He was no doubt a prudent man who understood the strategies of the robbers on the road between Jerusalem and Jericho. It was not uncommon for one of the thieves to play the role of a beaten traveler and when someone stops to offer aid, the rest of the robbers jump out to beat and rob the unsuspecting do-gooder. The Levite was merely being practical and safe. And what church, especially in light of today's economic condition, shouldn't be concerned with the stewardship of God's resources and being prudent?

I am all for fiscal responsibility and accountability, but missions and the life-change that occurs in both the one who serves and the one who receives goes far beyond dollars and cents. In my mind, this is where the eternal significance of what occurs far outweighs the monetary cost. Look at it this way: suppose that your family plans a trip across the country to visit some relatives. But once you start weighing the cost of the trip you decide to take the money you would have spent on the trip and you just mail it to the relatives...as a substitute for your family actually being there with them. Your family would miss the chance to get to know their relatives better, there would be no shared and lasting memories created, and everyone - both your family and the relatives - would miss out on the overall experience. That was the purpose of the trip to begin with.

But now let's look at risk avoidance. I do not think that the call of Christ is a call to be reckless, but neither do I think it is a call to be safe and comfortable. When I consider all that Jesus was willing to sacrifice for my sake, am I truly willing to let the reporting of civil unrest in some part of the world prevent me from going to that same area if that's where God has called me? Please show me in the Bible where it says we are only supposed to serve in places or at times when it is safe or when there is no risk involved. Do Christians in the U.S. genuinely believe that this thinking honors and glorifies God? Heaven help us if we do.

The Good Samaritan had the ability and opportunity to help the wounded man. Most importantly, he had the compassion to act on the need he saw before him. These same traits exist in most churches. The church in North America has the resources to help people in need. Most of the time we have the knowledge of where the needy (physically, economically or spiritually) are located and how their needs can best be met. But do we have the compassion to allow ourselves to be stretched beyond our comfort zones? Are we willing to look to the people of Malawi, India, Honduras and the 10/40 Window as our neighbors? When we have the means and opportunity will we choose to extend a hand to our neighbors on the other side of the world? Who live in dangerous places? Who will die separated from God (from malnutrition, HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis) unless we act?

Why do we go? Out of our devotion to God and our desire to serve him wherever and whenever he calls us. Out of obedience to the teachings of Jesus so that we might live as imitators of Christ. We go because we are so filled with the love of Jesus that we must share that love with our neighbors who live eight time zones away and who do not have clean water to drink. We go because we have the means to bring them clean water, we have the opportunity to go and because Jesus commands us - as he commanded the expert in the law - to: "Go and do likewise."

Soli Deo gloria,
Michael