The Final Days

I am sitting here in the shotgun seat of my friends motorhome looking out at the sun setting and driving towards home. Its a strange feeling that I am crossing north america yet again on my way home, but this time from a trip that has transformed my life. I cant explain all the ways that I have been changed but I for sure have a deeper sense that the God of the universe is just that. He is the God who holds everything in the palm of His hands, who is bigger and greater than I could ever imagine. Which is so exciting for me. He is not this god that I built and place in my home, something I understand and is tangible. Because why would I worship something I can understand. Before I left on this trip I was talking with a friend of mine who said that going and experiencing something like the world would surely destroy my faith. Well he was right. The immature faith that I had a year ago has been destroyed. I now have a faith so much deeper and more intense. Like nothing I have experienced before. I feel confident to step out, trusting that He will catch me, trusting that He is beyond my understanding and faults and that He loves me. I wish that I could put a years worth of experience and adventure and teaching onto this page for all of you to read. But the truth is, it takes a year. And reading it would not come close to the experience. Seeing the worship of idols in India and the secularism of europe, the freshness of Papua New Guinea all needs to be seen first hand for it to transform the soul. If you read this and your a person who does not know Jesus, I say start looking around, He is there in the places that rationale and western thought never look. He is in the eyes of the poor, the hands of the sick and yet fills the sky with glimpses of His glory! That is the God that I worship with excitement and awe.

Blend

Basking under the Italian sun with the Colosseum in the horizon and thousand year old ruins behind me was a memory to hold. As I shiver now in the damp cold of England I can hardly believe that only 2 days ago that was my backyard, then 2 days before that it was the water streets of Venice and a day before that it was giant statues of Hungary, before that, Romanian, and before that, Ukraine. You get the picture, its been a blend of countries in a blend of days. Looking back this morning it all seems to blend together in a mixture of culture, languages and confusion. It was hard to leave Josh's comfortable Polish apartment but with every new adventure comes a slight sacrifice. After a long night on a smelly hot bus of Ukrainians we arrived to the thriving metropolis of Le Viv. We soon found out that unlike the rest of Europe Ukrainians don't bother to learn English in their schools and the the Ukrainian alphabet unlike most world languages uses completely different letters so as we stood in the bus station looking blankly at the sign in front of us it was difficult to decide where to go next. Well as always the good Lord was looking out for us and we met a translator after some time and went back to the bus station to get our ticket to Romania. Then we spent the day eating authentic Ukrainian borscht and having our own personal Ukrainian tour guide who was also our much needed translator so thanks to Nadia for being a sweetheart to 3 homeless bums in our time of need. The days really did blend together now that I think back and I know looking back that it was all by God's grace of where He has brought us today. A bed become a luxury and a shower a weekly activity as we toured Europe in what seems like only a few days. 12 months ago I think the Dan I used to be would have whined and complained and wished for a bed but it seemed to be part of the journey and I wouldn't trade it. I remember one vivid night where we slept in a train station for lack of anywhere else and we soon found out that it wasn't really a waiting room for the train but rather a haven for the homeless. The smell quickly faded but the weirdo's came in and out. This one man sat next to me around 3 in the morning gave me a look and grabbed my hand and shaking it profusely he rambled on and on in Ukrainian. I tried to motion that I didn't understand but I soon learnt that he wasn't really talking any language and wasn't too understanding of most coherent things around him. He soon pulled out a deck of cards and would have played all night had I not finally refused and curled up on my wooden chair to make it through the night. He periodically shook me through the night and would try to tell me something but with time came the morning and we got out of there as fast as we could. Europe is beautiful and the time left is short, its hard to describe the emotion I feel being so close to the end, so many stories, so many lessons spinning in my head and heart. The anticipation of familiar soil fills my dreams but I thank God for every waking moment in these next days and weeks as I am filled with His grace to be here. Daniel

A Warning To Humanity

Auschwitz concentration camp has transformed from a place where people would never want to go, to a place where all of us should go. It is a reminder of what humanity can and has done to its self. Perhaps this plaque shows the vastness of terror and evil that took place here, but until I stepped foot in these two Auschwitz camps I wasn't aware of the horror that took place. The people who were brought here were not only killed they were tortured and stripped of the things it means to be human. Jordan and I did an extensive tour of the camps and Dan also saw a lot of what they show. We gained a little bit of perspective of why those men who fought in that war, who saw these horrors and then came home are not wanting to talk about their experience. I can't imagine wanting to tell people about the things that happened here if I was a true witness to it. There are rooms here that display some of the items taken from the prisoners: Shoes, suitcases, and toothbrushes. They even shaved their entire bodies and gathered the hair to be sold and made into socks for the Nazi soldiers. We saw a room with 2 tons of hair left behind not yet packed. We were also shown the gas chambers where the most killing was done. It would be an underground bunker with 3 major rooms, one would be a room that was where all the prisoners were told "to undress themselves, and remember where they left their clothes so they would not be lost after their 'shower'". They would then move into the next room where they could fit 700-2000 people tightly depending on which camp they were at. At this point when they were all tightly squeezed into this huge shower room, a few cans would drop through the roof into the room. The cans were opened and filled with crystals that give off a gas that stops the oxygen circulate in your blood. This caused the people to internally suffocate, causing a very painful 20 min death. Often they left a loud truck running outside the building, to muffle the sound of the screaming. Then the bodies would taken out of the room into the third room where they were incinerated. Several incinerators all very easy to use would burn the people quickly afterwards. Those last rooms even had tracks in the floor for carts to load bodies and push them with ease straight onto a metal table that could slide into the fire and out with just the ash remaining. All of this would be happening to about 80% of the people who got off the train their first day, because they were 'unfit to work', and that was decided in a three second glance. Those who were fit to work were doing jobs like shaving the new prisoners, sorting their things, and even hauling the dead bodies to the fire. Those who did that particular job were considered to be dangerous because they were the strongest and they knew too much, so as a result these workers would be killed and replaced every two weeks. The short life for these prisoners was very terrible, often working them to death, sometimes with that exact purpose. Even time on the toilet was limited to 10 seconds twice a day. The people in this camp were tested to see how far they can be pushed before dieing. Experiments were done to see how little air a person could live with in their concrete cell, or some were made to stand in a cell too small for sitting for the night, all while being forced to work the next day. Many were starved as experiments, or cut open to have their living organs examined. The horror of it all is sometimes more than I can comprehend. I find the more I hear about what happened here, the more I tend to separate myself from it. It doesn't seem real to the life that I life today. But just being here... seeing faces... looking at their hair, I see it's not a movie. Its very real. And the evil mastermind who put it all together, The King of lies, still wanders to and foe in this world causing pain and suffering. And it is only by God's grace that His power came through and has restored peace in this place. I imagine that Auschwitz concentration camp was very close to hell on earth, but one thing Satan didn't take from those people was that... 'to live is Christ, and to die is gain'. That's a promise we all have from God. Kenton

Adventure Outlook?

The intoxication of sleep deprivation had fully settled upon both kenton and myself. We arose from the well lit storage room that was accessible from a stairwell at the back of a catholic church. It was a room full of spiders, scorpions and other creepy crawlies I am sure we only imagined. But it also contained some hard Styrofoam that took the chill from the cold concrete and was the perfect setting for us to get out of the rain and spend the night. As we hit the road again to try and make it to Cieszyn and meet up with Dan and his brothers friend Josh we hoped for better luck during the early hours of the morning than we had the previous night which led us to that dungeonesque accommodations of the previous night. Until then our journey had been splendid, we were privileged with a ride that blessed us with twenty euro, an especially large sum of money for a backpacker on a tight budget and many miles still to go! But maybe what goes around comes around for real. Although as we stood on that road side in Poland now where the euro was not accepted and no one would exchange a dime with us or even point us in the direction of an ATM, our stomach's growling and minds still hazy from the lack of sleep we were blessed yet again. A chief prosecutor walking by stopped to help us, over coming the fear that had held so many others back from talking with us. He helped us to get to a ATM where we took some currency out and then helped our selves to a hardy breakfast from the super market before hitting the road again. This last short jaunt was cold but we thankfully did not have to wait overly long before a ride and then another getting us to Cieszyn in time for lunch! Now as I sit writing on this wonderful Mac laptop, smelling a wonderful meal cooking in the other room and having a bed close by to chill in for the night that's warm and safe from scorpions, I laugh! During adventure it can suck, but usually the greatest trials make the best stories and through them we can always look back and see what a rad God we journey with! Be blessed. Lehmann

Intimidation

As Karstin drove away in his German station wagon I stood at the gas station with nothing but the open road ahead of me, I wouldn't admit it then but I felt nothing less than intimidated. I walked around the gas station is hopes of finding English and friendly Germans which combined would get me a ride. I gotta admit I didn't want to leave my homeland of Germany. Staying in the home of Patrick and then Kathrin and Karsten was just a little too comfortable. Sleeping every night in my own bed, delicious German breakfast's every morning....mmmm. I had to chuckle as I stood at that gas station preparing to leave Germany, I just spent the last week with two amazing Germans and their families, people 11 months ago I didnt know existed. We met them 10 months ago in the tropical mountains of Costa Rica and now to cross paths in their home was almost sereal. Germany did indeed treat us well, from Suzie's cappaccion's to chilato's with Patrick followed by what felt like 2 sets of grandparents and a big brother and sister with Kathrin and Karsten, it was... about perfect I would have to say. It wasn't long until I found English and a friendly German and I was on the east bound road. I spent the day in a lot of random fast German cars driving whatever speed they were comfortable with on the famous Autobon. And when I wasn't in a car I was waiting, bundled up in everything I had; at exits, at gas stations and wherever I could find slow traffic. Eventually I made it to the Czech city of Prague, a beautiful city of rich Christian history. Unfortunately the only Christianity in Czech is just that... History. Being on the open although intimidating at times was a feeling like no other. Its the feeling of freedom, like I can do anything and go anywhere and no matter what happens it will be an adventure. There was times standing on that road with the sun going down that I didnt think I would make my destination but somehow I just knew that something bigger than me would get me there at just the right time. I got to Poland late Monday night and met the man my brother talked so highly of and I am thankful to find out why. Looking back on these few days of travel, of hitch hiking on the open Highway in a foreign country with foreign languages I know that the Daniel who left Canada 11 months ago could never have done it. There's something about stepping out that makes all of the following steps seem just a little bit easier, all of a sudden the world doesn't seem so big anymore, language barriers don't seem to matter as much and no matter where I go or what I do somehow I know that God is in fact leading my steps as I go. I think stepping out in faith will always be intimidating, but to let intimidation alone hold me back would be robbing myself and the world of what could have been. With only 4 weeks left I pray I will step boldly into the intimidating moments and to experience all that this small world and the Big God who controls it has to offer. Daniel (oh and this last pic, is us busking to make some extra cash... 1 euro 63 to be exact)

Arriving in Europe has been like waking in a fairy tale dream. The castles on the hills and the quaint little cafes on the street corners with well dressed students sipping their espressos and talking about philosophy. Having a stove that when you turn a knob it heats up instantly and you are ready to begin cooking. All of these creature comforts that but a year ago we took for granted, have become part of this surreal experience that is so enticing. Since coming to Germany we have been amazed with the efficiency and detail with which things here are done. But it has not just been a mechanical way of life but it has a great culture and history that fills the place with a certain brilliance. We have trekked to Cologne where we saw the wonderful Cologne Cathedral a wonder of architecture and God's majesty. The massive building is stained with the black smoke from the bombs of WWII and has a certain aura to it that captures ones imagination. On the inside the giant pipe organs haunting voice echoes throughout the hallowed place making it a magical atmosphere that tingles the senses. All of this has been just the beginning of our journey here. The struggle though has changed to an inward battle as opposed to meeting it face on in the day to day poverty that we have become accustomed to seeing. Beggars no longer seem in dire need, and we have become the ones looking shabby and forlorn instead of like the rich white people. That in itself has been a unique change, we are no longer celebrity status, but instead normal people living out their lives. So with that understanding we must begin to press into the word even more and realize just because Europe seems more like home, we cannot become comfortable and stagnant. With poverty slapping you in the face turning to God and asking why and what can I do and just seeking was a mandatory start to each day. But with practical room service some days here in Germany the need of a God who is bigger and guiding your every step almost seems quizzical at times. But its then that we truly need to press in the most. God has plans for our every day and that doesn't change depending on the continent we stand on. Lehmann

Holding Hands

Anyone who has been to Africa would probably know things are so different here it can make your head spin. The other day Jordan came walking home with our video store friend and had his hand held the whole way back. The joke has been that, if one of us is missing someone or feeling lonely, you just need to go for a walk with someone to remind yourself of those good times feeling loved. Now, I can't speak on behalf of ALL western men but, something about having a very prolonged soft grip with another guy's hand seems to throw off the rotation of the planets and life becomes different. When we began to first experience this holding hands phenomenon, initially it was just purely awkward. I began wondering how close this was to crossing over from being "different" and moving into "just wrong" or perhaps unnatural, as I liked to think. Each time it would happen my mind began thinking about the things that need to be done in Africa. The starving kids need food, the governments need accountability, the environment needs more respect, and men need to stop holding each others hands. I wonder if there are a lot of people who have thought about Africa and formed opinions, as I have, about what is wrong, or what needs to be done. But recently I was awkwardly holding hands with a man and had a thought. Maybe we have been treating these countries in Africa so much like charity that we have left them feeling less then us, and we feel like more than them. It's hard sometimes to get past the cultural differences and meet people where they are at. Where is the equality and the friendship? I feel challenged to offer more to these people. To stand with them, or even just to encourage them to love their own country, and to love themselves. When things get tough in life it's all about what you do in response. When hope is lost, your not left with much. In life we all want a HAND TO HOLD, someone who will stand and care for us, someone who will build hope in us. Its hard to miss that when you walk down the street here. The relationships I have here mean a lot to me and have challenged me heaps. Here is a few of our friends. The people we have met here are Awesome! Kenton (1) Our very funny friend, Moses. (2) Henry, who is looking for a wife. (3) Some of the youth, (between 13-45 years old). (4) Grace, our wonderful host.

Uganda's Greatest Memory!

It was a rainy morning, the thunder bellowed in the sky as we set out for the tournament. It was to be a day unlike any other here in Uganda. A day of blood sweat and muddy clothes! We approached the field to cries of muzoongoo muzoongoo, football!! The draft for players went out and three powerhouse teams were formed on that hallowed field. The first was Keno's which took the name "Barcelona" the second was Dan's who blazoned the crest of "Liverpool" and last but not least Jordan's team who were titled with "Manchester United" possibly the greatest football team to ever play the game! The first game was a battle between Liverpool and United. The rain was still soft and the condition of the field was slimy but playable. The teams took their positions and the fight began. It was back and forth, slide tackles, fancy footwork and finally a goal by United! The crowd went wild with cheers of Man U, Man U! Liverpool left that game heads hanging low. Next the mighty Barcelona charged the field against the leading United team. The rains became heavy and the thunder roared as Barcelona took up the champions cry and annihilated the United firm. It was a hard loss, but the game was fair. So with that loss United left the turf to be replaced by Liverpool. This game was invigorating. Liverpool had a fire in their eyes and wanted victory at all costs. Barcelona scored first, and the crowd cheered! But within a matter of minutes Liverpool's strong offence retaliated scoring their own brilliant goal!! The crowd was split, half chanting for Barcelona and half for Liverpool, fights broke out, tears flowed from children's eyes! The air grew thick! As the time ran down Liverpool with an amazing feat of footwork blazed a trail to the net and scored to win the game! The crowd went wild with excitement! The last game of the day was for all the glory. Manchester United pinned up against Liverpool! The rains were hard and the field had turned into a terrain of rivers and mud. The officials tried to call the game on account of bad conditions but the players would not hear of it. They took the field as if warriors of ancient Greece, not backing down, no fear in there eyes, only the thirst for victory engulfing there very soul! The whistle blew and the teams collided! It was back and forth neither team could gain an inch. The crowd's cheers were lost in the heavy rain and pressure of the game. Just as it was looking to be a draw match, Manchester United put it all out on the field pushing towards victory, and in one grand assault they took the win 1-0!! The fans rushed the team raising them to the air and shouting victory chants as the rains poured down. It was a spectacular event one for the history books of football! The tournament ended with photos of the teams. We all were covered in mud and tears, some of joy some of sorrow! But as we walked off that field, we all knew in our hearts that something special had taken place that day. A time of playing in the rain, fighting for victory and enjoying the crowds and chants of the stadium. A memory to be cherished. Lehmann

Moments in time

Well Africa is filled with those moments in time where you gotta stop and shake your head to make sure it is real. I went for a walk the other day through the dirt streets of our small village. I passed many small vendors along the way, each one selling their 2 or 3 items of either banana's and pineapple's or old refurbished shoes or maybe they were deep frying something. All the while I am being yelled at from all directions, "Mzungu!" Some little kids look up at me with a smile of pure excitement, like a child seeing a monkey in the zoo for the first time and giggling at how funny it looks...that's how I usually feel and seeing as how they always want to pet my arm hair I kinda feel exactly like a monkey in a zoo. Its a lot better than the other kids who scream and run for shelter behind anything with black skin, so long as the white monster stays away. I tried overcoming this reaction one day by using candy but that just seemed to make it worse not to mention I felt like one of those strangers parents warn their kids about in Canada when they say "never take candy from a stranger kids". So I was walking down this road and it wasn't long until I could hear the laughter of children playing. I came around the corner of a mud brick home to find about 50 kids or so playing some football or (soccer) in an open lot in front of a mud house with a step. Most of the children huddled on the step watching while a few of the kids played a "heated game" consisting of a small plastic soccer ball and 2 small bricks propped up to make a small net. The game stopped abruptly when I showed up and I felt like King Kong in New york, they all just kinda lost interest in their "heated" game and starred up at me, some of the smaller children ran for cover and then slowly they walked up and held out a hand. I pointed to their ball and it wasn't long and I was on a team and running around in mudded feet kicking around this plastic ball with my new friends. The crowd on the step got a little bit bigger and many of the parents were now watching from a bit of a distance. I eventually managed so tear away from the kids and said I'd come back. Some of the parents came over to me and said "thank you for playing with our children, please come back and bring your friends...thank you so much" and I did get my friends, my two mzungu buddies and the next day we went back. This time we prayed that God might provide someone to translate for us, well as the game got going I sat on the step with the fans and amidst my arms getting pet from the kids huddled around me I met an older girl who had great English. I soon asked if she would translate so that we could share a story and she was more than willing. It wasn't long and we had the 50-60 kids all singing songs about Jesus and listening to a story about Jesus calming the storm. As we walked away the second day I really had to do another retake and I couldn't believe the moment in time that I was in. One of those moments where you can tell the whole world how much you love your God because He is more than faithful. Daniel

Uganda Pictures

*** EDITED TO ADD***

Sorry, I am Keli and I accidentally put Rwanda as the title of the blog post. When Dan sent me the pictures I mistakenly put the wrong place. Sorry for confusing anyone ...

The faces of Africa have been beautiful and warming. We have felt like kings living here and have not had a lack of things to do. I am in awe of the faithfulness of God and the way that He has led our every step. Arriving to Africa was an intimidating mystery to us but since our feet have touched this red soil we have been nothing but blessed. Spending our days amongst the laughter of children and swimming in the green water of Rwanda has been nothing less than fulfilling. We've made friends of all ages and from all cultures. I already feel that tug on my heart that so many feel when they touch the soils of this great continent. I see and feel a love and joy for life that is not found in materials but only in faces around them. The Bishop of the parish in Gahini where we have worked said to us the other day, "Western people take such good care of the body that they forget to take care of their soul, here in Africa people take such good care of the soul that they forget about taking care of the body" It is very true in so many ways but I am not here to criticize my country, I am here to soak in the culture of Rwanda and let it change who I am today and who I will become tomorrow. I have never talked to a person who come home from Africa disappointed or unchanged and it so easy to understand why. It only takes few days here and my heart feels changed, challenged and renewed. Rwanda has been a joy to experience. A country of a bloody history now sitting in a great peace, a president who loves God

and revival on the doorstep. I am blessed to be here, to be challenged be these beautiful faces and to enjoy the laughter and joy of life that comes only from human relationship. Daniel

oh, and as usual I am trying to be culturally aware in my appearance and fit in as much as I can.

Big smiles

1^These guys with us all were doing so much at the conference here in Gahini Rawanda. Next to me (Kenton) is Micheal Morrelli who has preached to hundreds of thousands all around the world sharing the gospel. We got the chance to hang out with him lots and we were even able to get him out in the middle of the lake with the leaky row boat with us. Between Jordan and Daniel, is Bishop Alexis. His was the only name we knew coming here, and he fully took us in and got us helping out with the children. We have been able to see more of his vision for this area, and the impact that can be made here. To the far right is a man with style. He was involved with a choir from Tanzania, that had heaps of talent. 2^What a precious child. And that baby is pretty cute too. 3^When we get home ask to see these pictures... we have too many to put on here, but the amount of people that came to this conference was so huge! 4^ Each morning we had teams that would go out into a village, and teach Bible stories, sing songs, and play games with the children. There were 6 different teams and the numbers of kids per village varied from 150-800 kids. 5^After each day with the kids we would come back to Gahini and spend time around the centre. We could spend time with the people there and play in the park area, or in the lake.