Unshakable Hope

The Unshakable hope, what does it mean in our time. I was leaving the movie theater (I had promised my son that I would take him to the new Transformer movie) and heard people on the phone saying, "No way! Michael Jackson is dead!" I could not believe it myself, Michael Jackson who spent million to try to hold on to youth dies at such a young age. When I opened up my yahoo news, I was shocked again that Farah Fawcett also died. They were 50 and 62 respectively. I began to think, how much time do I have left? But more I thought about it the more anxious, worried, scared, and hopeless. The lie and the deception of this crooked and depraved generation (Phil 2:15) is that somehow with money and technology that death can be cheated. The truth is when we live in fear of death we miss the chance to live. Romans 14:8 says that we live and die for Christ, and no matter what we belong to Christ. That is powerful words of Hope, to hear that no matter what we belong to GOD, the creator of heaven and earth. We live with an eternal perspective of HOPE through Jesus Christ who became the extreme voice of hope on the cross.

Nothing can kill faster than hopelessness, So, how will you live today? With the Spirit of Power, Love and humility? (2 Timothy 1:7) or in fear of life and death? As Pastor Bob from Grace retreat declared, "We need to become a Force for hope in this generation."

True Fast

Have you ever fasted before the Lord? As our Nashville summer outreach team prepares for its 33 hour fast and fundraiser, I began think, "Why do we fast?" Why does God desire a fast? Is it simply a symbolic act of saying, "God you are more important food?" (that is saying a lot, food is pretty important in my life) Has a fast simply become another religious practice that really does not seem have a practical connection with our lives? or has it become a tool for fund raising? (such as World Vision's 30 hour famine and our church's 33 hour fast for outreach). The heading for Isaiah 58 in the NIV version says, "True Fasting". This chapter tells us that a fast has deeper purpose than simply humbling ourselves before God. (verse 3) It is not a tool for me to look holier than others by showing "humility" before others. (verse 5) God has chosen the fast "to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free..." (verse 6) In Luke 4:18, Jesus also declared his mission purposes , "...to release the oppressed.." The fast helps us to realign our lives with the mission of our Lord, Jesus.

Someone said, "We need to live simply so that others may simply live." (Not Jesus, but I read this in a book but I cannot think of the book right now) The fast is not simply a day of reflection on our needs, but it is a time of reflection and realigning our life practices to look more like followers of Jesus. The fast is lifestyle readjustment. It is a time when we share our food with the hungry, provide shelter, clothe the naked, and not to turn from the needs of our neighbor. (verse 7) In the midst of our own hectic lives, a fast allows us to reposition our lives, attitudes in thanksgiving to the Lord, so that we may live as Jesus lived, love others!

We ask for your prayers as 22 youth and 4 teachers begin their 33 hours of fasting. I pray that it will be a time of great thanksgiving. We will pick up garbage in the streets, we will cook, serve, and fellowship with the homeless, we will pray for our friends in Nashville. We will give our time, food, and money to the Lord. Joel 2:15 says, "declare a holy fast" and "afterward, I (God) will pour out my Spirit on all people." I believe this is the "Holy Fast" God is asking us to declare. Then He promises in Isaiah 58, "you will call and the Lord will answer, you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I."

Practical thought: Our youth group has try to have a "true Fast offering", We challenge our kids to fast from a drink ($1 to $4) or a meal (@$2 for school meal). I know what can $2 do? It is not what you do alone but what the body of God does together in unity. For us if everyone fasted and give it is over $200 a week..Close a $1000 a month... hmmm get the picture.. When we do little things in unity God can do great things through us. If you would like to fast and donate and join our outreach send checks payable to: KFPC 318 Stage Coach Trail Greensboro NC 27407.. We will be leaving for Nashville on June 30th

The miracle of the rainbow!

Genesis 9:13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.

Often we dismiss the works of God in our lives as coincidences. But as we become more sensitive to the voice and the presence of God in our lives, we become aware that nothing happens by chance with our sovereign and loving father.

Our God who created the universe loves us so much that he knows us by name. He has set us side from all creation to have a relationship with Him.

A few weeks ago in Nicaragua, we were returning from a day of ministry in a small slum neighborhood ironically named, "La Paradiso" (the paradise, it does not look much like one with human eyes). God must have felt my dejection over the condition of that small community, because he placed such a beautiful double rainbow in the sky for me to see. I have never seen such a clear rainbow and on a sunny highway? My heart felt God saying, "Everything will be ok! Trust me!"

The following week I was on a highway in Mexico returning from an amazing week of God's lavish love. Suddenly up ahead on the highway a single rainbow became visible, then amazingly a second. Coincidence, I think not...

Shaggy & Buddy

1 John 4:11-12
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 met Shaggy and Buddy (Real name: James and Buddy is his three legged cat) about three months ago on a cold February evening in Greensboro. James lives under an overpass over the train tracks down in Greensboro. Our family was out with the Salvation Army Night Watch team (they go out on Friday nights to serve hot meals, hope, and love with the homeless in Greensboro, if you want to join them). Although I had driven over and under the overpasses in the city hundreds of times, my eyes never saw the dark crevices where many of the city's homeless had made their homes. James is one of them. James came down the steep ramp of the overpass greeting us with a warm smile. We offered him some hot coffee and a pizza. We also had some new winter jackets that a friend of ours had donated. But when we offered James these brand new jackets he simply said, "I am good in these overalls." I had expected something like, "Sure, can I have 2?" (I had heard about how many will take new stuff and sell it and use the money for other things.)

However, James did not want a jacket. He just wanted to talk with us. I could sense such genuine appreciation and joy in him. He simply enjoyed our visit. I was blown away by how humble and simple his life was. He shattered and smashed my preconceived prejudices of homeless people. Honestly, I must admit I was (and maybe still am) little cautious when approaching the homeless. I had this attitude that I am somehow better off (or simply better) than the homeless; I was there simply to do charity. I did not realize that God would challenge me with a great friendship.

About a month ago, I took James and Buddy (his three legged cat) to the Veterinarian. We had a great time talking about Buddy and just about life. I shared with him my plans to go to Mexico. He shared with me his plans and hopes for planting some tomatoes. So while Buddy was getting all his shots, we went and bought some tomato plants. After I dropped him off, I promised to come back before I left to see Buddy and to see how the tomatoes were doing.

1 month later:

It has been a busy month. Our family traveled to Nicaragua to lead a small mission team from Texas followed by a busy week in Mexico finding a base camp. But this past Friday night, James kept coming into my heart. So at about 9PM, I headed downtown to James' "home" under the bridge. I shouted, "James!" He answered, "Who is it?" (a little disturbed, he does not get many house visitors) I yelled back, "It's Kyle!" He excitedly shouted back, "Let me get my shoes on, I thought you were in Mexico!" He ran down putting on his shoes. We embraced and shared our greetings. Then he led me to the Tomato garden. He was so proud of them. Three plants looked healthy. He said, "It looks like the harvest is going to be staggered!" (Each plant although they were planted at the same time were growing at different rates. We shared our adventures from the past month. I asked him if I could bring some of my youth kids to meet him. He was very gracious and said, "So many people have given me so much I wish I can give something back." James was simply so happy to see me.

James has taught me much about my shortcomings as a Christian. I had bought into the classism, materialism, and all the rest of the cultural "norms" of America. James has reminded me that God has called us to love one another. A love that shatters through classism and materialism. A love that crosses over racial differences. A love that crossed over from the Divine to the Human because God so loved the world. When God began to shatter my faults I discovered brothers like James, who simply wanted my friendship and not my money. He gives me his unconditional trusts and asks for nothing in return. I will have my final dinner with James this Friday night. After that we will be on the road for about three weeks making our way to Mexico. I pray that God will allow someone else to experience the genuine friendship of James while I am away. If you want to meet him, he hangs out at the library downtown.. Or call me maybe I can introduce you...

Will and Caludia

John 1:3 "Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made."

Have you ever wondered the very intricacies of the universe. I recently saw a video showing what the earth look like compared to the next galaxy. The earth looked almost invisible. Yet, God designed every little detail of all of creation. He dressed the lilies more beautiful than all of Solomon's splendor (Luke 12:27). And look at us, who can design such a system, it is too wonderful for me to consider. The to know that God is sovereign and knows all of our actions to the very detail of even our thoughts, is too much for me to fathom. (Psalms 139)

If you read our first blog you can just imagine the statistical impossibility of finding the most perfect base camp in Sacalum. Imagine finding a perfect 3 bedroom house that is gated, has covered parking for a minivan, and has a large concrete play area for Ethan in the backyard. Not only that, the current occupants will leave the place on June 30th just when we needed it (We begin our journey to Mexico on June 30). For most of us that is more than enough to be grateful. But God is God who simply stops at "Good enough". He says, "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him." (1 John 3:1) Guess what? In the middle of this small town he places the only internet cafe 15 feet directly across from our house. Coincidence, I think not! (I burrowed that line from my friend Sam Chang who is in Afghanistan).. Meanwhile the statistical impossibility of all these events are getting higher.

The next day's task was finding Ethan's school. Rick (The missionary in Merida that pastor Chip had put us in phone contact with) had told us there was a man named Will who teaches English at a school in Ticul who could help us with Ethan's school. We made contact with Will and made an appointment at Ethan's future school. The school could not be more beautiful. At the end of our tour Will invited us to his house for dinner, what hospitality and love. We accepted.

The dinner:

When we arrived at Will's house we were welcomed with fragrances of local cooking enticing our hungry noses and stomachs (They eat dinner very late, dinner at Will's was set for 9:30PM, Will works double shift at the school as a Toursim professor at the University side of the school). We spent our time hearing about Will's journey with God and some of the struggles his family had when they served for a year in Belize as missionaries. They were finally settling back to life back in Ticul. After hearing their story, Will asked if we had found a house. I began the unbelievable story of how God placed us in Sacalum. But as Will listened to the story his face expression changed to wonder as he asked, "Who is your mother in law?" (If you remember it was the comment about her visit 10 years that opened up the memory for our House for the "el presidente") Will began to cut in and say, "I was the interpreter for that team at that House 10 years ago." WOW! (The statistical possibility just went to impossible.) We told Will she is a short lady who was cutting hair and giving perms. Then Will's wife Claudia began to understand our conversation (we were speaking English). Caludia became a little excited and said, "I think she was the one who give me a hair cut! Not only that She gave me her watch." What! My wife exclaims, "Yes, I remember I had to buy my mother a new watch because she came back without her watch that year." My wife remembers that the watch had brown leather straps. Claudia runs into the house and brings back a watch with new purple bands and tells us she had to replace the brown band due to wear. Unbelievable! God is so amazing! He has brought us all around to the point of our "First Love". So much had happened in 10 years in all of our lives. Yet, God who knows the past, present, and the future aligned all of us back in the place where all of this story began.

Will who was still healing from some tough experiences in the mission field says, he is ready to help us with anything. I think God stirred something in his heart. I am so excited to begin our journey and Mexico and to find out more of God's "good, pleasing, and perfect will." for all of us who have been called to be the children of God.

Thank you again for joining our incredible journey and story.. I believe that as God's sons and daughters we have been called out of darkness and into the light as full heirs with Jesus. We are created to have intimate relationship with God. We are called to be His friends. We are called to experience God's lavish love. We pray that you will find the finger prints of God in the everyday small miracles of God in your life...

The Beginning

To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lamp stands, says this: I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. (Revelation 2:1-4)

Couple of weeks ago, I was asked to lead the last mission team training at our church. I had just returned from leading an amazing mission team from Austin Texas in Nicaragua. I asked God, “What do you want them to know about missions?” Strangely He did not point me to the usual places. I kept hearing, “Love”. Love in 1 Corinthians 13; love in 1 John 4:10 and 1 John 4:12; the First Love in Revelation 2. I was thinking, “God Revelation 2? Wouldn’t it be much easier God, if I encourage them with the “Great Commission” or Acts 1:8?” I realized as the next week unfolded that God was not simply preparing a message for the mission teams but also for my family as we prepared for our first “longer” mission trip to Mexico.

How we got here:

A few years and eight trips to Nicaragua ago, God started to open up a call in my family’s heart for missions outside the United States. A friend of mine sent me a note saying, "You can tell how close you are to the Kingdom by how you respond to injustice, because it is the responsibility of the Kingdom to care for its people." My heart broke when I held a homeless girl name Kati on the streets of Nicaragua knowing that she will go to bed on a small piece of cardboard fearing the uncertain possibilities of the dangerous streets. My life has been changed by my encounter with the “poor” (I say poor in quotes because although they may be poor in material wealth they are much richer than me in Spirit). In my eight trips to Nicaragua, I have experienced God’s promises come true. When, “we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.” So, after eight short term mission trips, we are making a longer trip to Mexico on June 30.
It may be strange that we are heading to Mexico rather than Nicaragua. At least that was the question we asked God. Last December, I was sure that God was opening up doorways for us to intern for the mission organization, “Hope Nicaragua”. We had been working closely with missionary/pastor Matthew Jun for several years when he offered us an amazing opportunity to work with him in his homeless ministry. Everything was set. We were ready to go! But, God had other plans. There was one stipulation to the offer from Pastor Matthew; “Get your church’s blessing.” The church had different plans for us. About 11 years ago, our church began its first mission work in Sacalum, Mexico (In the Yucatan Peninsula, @ 2 hours south of Merida). We built a beautiful church yet the church was still struggling to grow and sustain itself. The local pastor and his wife who had been watching over the church from the “mother church” in a nearby larger city were being rotated out of the area in July. Coincidentally, that is the time we were available. It seemed clear, the church would not stop us from going to Nicaragua but they REALLY wanted us to go to Mexico. I was a bit confused and frustrated; we had never been to Mexico; we had no friends in Mexico; we did not have the finances to go to Mexico; and I can continue to list reasons against going. The toughest thing was hearing God say, “This is my will and not yours.”
The Affirmation of First Love in Mexico:
Even with all the panic and delay of swine flu (we were scheduled to visit in May) and the uncertainty of going into a strange and new land, my wife Jong He and my son Ethan (6) boarded the plane to Mexico last week after sharing the final message to the mission teams; “It is not about the projects, it is about the FIRST LOVE!” With less than a month before we make the long drive from North Carolina to the Yucatan, we were praying simply for one thing, “God let us find a base camp (strange I don’t know why we didn’t simply ask for a house, my friend Leon thinks it is the Marine in me).” In the hectic rush God simply said, “When you see it, you will know it.” Although, I believed that I should live in Sacalum, we decided listen to the advice of people who had visited the area and to look for a base camp in the bigger (and more convenient) city of Ticul. However, every house we viewed in Ticul just did not seem right; this one had no windows, that one did not have enough rooms, and another seemed a little dangerous for Ethan. Our house viewing was cut short by an appointment we had made with the “el president” (that is what they call the mayor) of Sacalum. As we were driving into Sacalum, we were taken by the beauty. I heard a soft voice saying, “You will live here.” As on cue my wife said, “This is beautiful, I think we can live here.” Excited the first thing we asked the mayor of Sacalum was, “Is there any houses in your town for rent?” The answer was disappointing. There were no houses that met our needs. But why did I hear that voice? Was that you God? I told the “el president”, “Thank you anyways, I am so glad to finally visit my mother-in-law has told us so much about your town. She was here about 10 years ago with the first team of Korean missionaries.”
God prepares the Base Camp:
The “el presidente” suddenly remembers something. He says (through a translator as I catch about 50% of his excited speech), “I remember that team (he had grown up in Sacalum), and actually I just remembered that an ample house will possibly opening up for rent. The house is currently being rented by construction workers and that is why I did not think of it.” More shocking was what he said next. The house was the first house rented and used as a church and mission base by our church over 10 years ago. FIRST LOVE! My heart began to race with excitement. I wanted to see the house. But the elder who had come on this vision trip with us was not as eager as us to see the house. When we had told him we were thinking about living in Sacalum, he had other plans in mind. While I was up and ready to go, he asked the mayor, “How much will it cost and how long will it take to build a house in on the church property?” I was thinking, “Yes, in the future it may be nice to build a house, but we need a house for rent right now.” But, the elder persisted for an answer. Pastor Alex (our local Pastor guide), asked him, “How many rooms?” Then he picked up a light blue marker off the table and began to outline a floor plan. After receiving an adequate answer we finally got under way to see the house.
We began to weave through the small narrow roads in the village. My wife and I were thinking of a house more in the center of the town…All of a sudden we popped out on to the main street of the town. The “el presidente’s” car came to a stop in front of a light blue house. Soon as I saw the house, I simply knew; this is it! The house has a gated port for our van, a large cemented backyard for Ethan, and three bedrooms (enough room for visiting friends and mission teams, we are hoping for a few). Beautiful! The rent is an amazing 1000 pesos per month; that is about $90.00 (most places in Ticul was @$250.00). WOW! God also placed an internet café across the street from the house (pretty amazing for a little town in Mexico). God is truly amazing! He gave us a base camp and not simply a house! This is not the end of the confirmations of what God is preparing for us. If you would like the rest of the story on the house please feel free to call or e-mail us.
From the Base Camp, our mission:
Our heart in missions is to live and share our lives with our brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ. We truly believe that mission is as Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 2:8, “We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.” Often as my friend who has much more experience in missions than us says, “In the past the missions have been undertaken with a colonialist impulse.” In simple lay terms it is the view that somehow our way of life and our culture is somehow superior to those who we encounter in the place that God is sending us. I must say, my first few trips to Nicaragua this is exactly how I felt! How can these people live this way? I felt like somehow I needed to teach them to live better. In the midst of that I encountered a living God in the people I was trying to help. They were closer to God than I was. I was so caught up at doing church and charity well, I forgot that God simply wanted to know and love me well. He showed me through the unconditional trust and love of the poor that he loves me, and all his people. He reminded me “this is love, that I first loved you.” It is not about the works or projects; it is about the “first Love”. I am going to Mexico in part that I may learn to be faithful to God’s call for us to experience his love. I am going to Mexico that I may know it is all about loving Him and loving one another. This is our mission as Jesus prayed in John 17 that I and them may be one! That we may find complete unity that those who do not Jesus Christ in Sacalum may see that the Father has sent the Son for the redemption of the world.
Our Prayer Needs:
The rest of the story will be posted on our blog. (you are probably saying thank you!) We want to ask you to partner with us in this next season of experiencing God’s love for us and His people in Mexico.
1. We feel God is asking us to surrender all to his will. Pray for us that we may continue to hear the voice of the shepherd and follow after his plans. We ask that we may not seek safety but to be in the will of Father. (John 10:14,Matthew 26:42)
2. We ask for the confidence of Luke 12 promise to guide us in our attitude in our finances. (Luke 12:22-24)
3. We ask that you would pray for new beginning in our relationship with the local church. (Some healing is needed from past relationships) (2 Corinthians 5:17)
4. We ask that our hearts and lives will be open as much as the hospitality we have already received from the people of Sacalum. (1 Thessalonians 2:8)
5. I pray that God will lead us to great friends and partners in ministry. We want to raise up Timothy(s) in the area to partner with us and to continue the work of the Gospel even when we might have to leave. (1 & 2 Timothy)