3 weeks to 5k

I never used to get sick, but my throat is scratchy.  That would be time #4 for the year.  I think it’s time to find some anti-biotics to swallow.  

Nonetheless, 3 weeks to the 5k.  Training is going well.  Got in a little over 10 miles with intervals yesterday.  Headed out for 8 this afternoon.  Then, headed for about 13 tomorrow or so and 9 or so on Sunday for 50.  That is, if I don’t goof up like last week and have no alarm go off for a long run.  Stupid me.

I thought after Haiti, that life would slow down.  It has slightly, but I still stay constantly busy.  Truth be told, I miss the slowness of the island.  Nothing better than an early morning with a devotion on the front porch while 16 little kids are waving at you to give them a sucker.  

Ministry.  That’s been on my mind lately.  What’s the effective way to minister to my area?  I’ve talked with lots of people with great ideas…for their area.  I live in a different place.  God is shaping me.

Oh well, lots of rambling, not enough work or running.

Week 2

5k training is going okay.  My legs are tender.  Slacking off my mileage over the summer has really shown me where I am physically.  It’s not pretty.  Although, last night’s 7 miler was one of the best runs I’ve had during a higher mileage week of the summer.  Today, back to the park for some intervals.  I believe it will look something like this:

2.5 mile warm up/easy

.25 miles worth of 100m sprints

2×1200m at 5k pace (6:25ish) with 400m jogging recoveries

2×800m at 5k pace with 300m jogging recoveries

2×400m at 5k pace with 200m jogging recoveries

2×200m at 5k pace with 100m jogging recoveries

.25 miles worth of 100m sprints

2.5 miles cooldown back to my house

This does not excited me in the least bit.  Basically, because I like to be lazy and got into the habit over the summer.  Nonetheless, training is doing well for me.  If I can just avoid the sweets and other things that make me fat, I’d be doing awesome.

In Haitian news:  I simply miss the country.  I think about my kiddos quite often and still find myself praying for them at meal times.  Just praying that somehow God would open doors for me to be able to minister more effectively there.

Training and Missing the Country

Well, last week I began training for a 5k on October 10.  It’s a local one here in town.  I ran a 20:18 last year.  This year I’m hoping to go about 19:45 or so.  Training kicked my butt.  No mileage this summer and whatnot was pretty rough.  I got in 34 miles this past week, so that was great and way above.  No long run because my inlaws are in, but this weekend, I’m hoping not just to get one, but also to hit about 50 miles for the week.

As far as Haiti goes, it’s amazing the transition that happens.  I think and pray every day for them now.  Before every meal, I honestly pray that my kids get a meal that day.  That just is an odd prayer to me.  It’s something that we expect.  We need.  We want.  We know we’ll get here in America.  And I find myself praying that kids actually get one meal for the day.  How surreal to think of.

Nonetheless, this week, I have a busy plate on my hands.  We’ve kicked off a new children’s church at church.  We’re simply surveying the Bible.  Wednesday, I’m hitting on the basics of Christianity with the youth group.  Too many Christians are spiritually illiterate.  They must know about their faith.  We have a big youth group event on Friday night after the high school football game.  Saturday I hit out a good 10-12 miles.  It’s busy.  But life is good.

My wife and I will begin paying on her student loans this coming week.  I don’t know how much they are.  I probably don’t know how much they are.  I long to be debt free.

Short story: I graduated college in May 08.  I had $11,000 in loans from four years, so I was doing well.  I began paying.  In August 08, I went to Haiti.  In November 08, I proposed with a ring and already had the wedding band.  In May, I got married and paid cash for the honeymoon.  At the wedding, I’d knocked it down to $1,500.  In July 09, I paid off my loans.  So, in about 14 months, I paid off $11,000 in debt and well over another $5,000 in other expenses.  Now, the goal is to knock out her anywhere from $15,000 to $20,000 in debt within the next couple of years and be debt free within three years of marriage.  What happens then?

We follow the Biblical commands to give freely.  Why do I want to be debt free?  So I can dive into Haiti and give basic needs, education, but more importantly, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We should all strive toward that, correct?  Become debt free in order to give to the Kingdom of God!

Things Learned

I could type for hours about things I learned in Haiti.  I was only there a week, and I learned a lot, even this past week.  I can only imagine how much people who live there full time know and understand.  

Anyways, the power of God.  They understand.

The power of prayer.  They understand. 

The necessity for evangelism.  They understand.

The need for help – they understand.  But sometimes, I wonder, in the midst of all these things, how much Americans understand.

The first three, I could type for hours about the American church (including the one in which I work) and how most people are clueless when it comes to such facts.  But I want to focus on the need to help.  

In 2007, as I flew into Haiti, I wondered why I was there.  The filth and poverty was overwhelming.  But as I got to our compound in Saut d’Eau – 45 miles north, it hit me why.  There is a need.  There are people that must help.  But, the answer is not the typical American answer of “throw money at it.”  Instead, careful thought and consideration must be taken on how to help friends in Haiti.

Mountain Faith Mission is 100% evangelical efforts combined with 99.9% humanitarian efforts.  I say that to let people know that our mission is simply that – a mission work.  The first and foremost thing for MFM is to focus on evangelism of the local people.  But, combined with that, it’s there to help improve the life of the people in villages and churches that we work in.

Giving money to the people directly will not improve a lot of their life.  I mean, yes, it will improve it, but many times, seeing their need, I recognize the fact that there are so many things that need to be done.

Home

Got home last night at 9:10.  Got put on standby.  Unfortunately, the luggage didn’t make the flights until my original.  Nonetheless, got there with my wifey.

Will update tomorrow or so.  

Also think I have an infection in my mouth.  Not fun.  

Alive though.  Good day.  Glad to be with my wifers.

Wednesday Update

This morning, I was reminded of two years ago.  I woke up on Wednesday morning with a stomach ache.  I spent a lot of time in the little boys room.  (If you read this, then you know me well now.)

This morning, SAME THING!  Except, it’s not as bad.  Feeling pretty decent right now.  Horrible headache, assuming from the lack of food.  Ready to get home, but loving every minute of being here.

Lots of new faces that I am meeting.  One of our churches is in Laboul.  One girl from there I remember from last year – named Lonez.  Remembering her means we meet the entire group.  They are awesome.  One girl, around 15 years old, officially declared herself my sister.  That always makes me laugh, because they think it’s so funny.

God is doing great things here.  Our classes are going wonderful.  Today I taught our teens.  They were receptive and asked good questions.  It was pretty cool.  I kinda got unwound a little bit.  I’m not a energetic teacher, but today, I got loud.  It was awesome feeling the spirit of God move through a simple class.

Anyways, we’re headed to the Saut d’Eau market right now.  Hoping to get some stuff for Lindsey as a souvenir or something.  Anyways, be praying for the sickness.

Most of all, pray for God’s hand to move amongst the people.

Update Monday

It’s 3:15 local time.  It’s 91 degrees.  It’s hot.

Today we walked to downtown Saut d’Eau to show the new blancs the city.  While there, we were able to stop by the mayor of Saut d’Eau’s office.  It was pretty awesome.  He’s an evangelical pastor.

Long story short about Saut d’Eau.  There are famous falls.  Lots of voodoo goes on at the falls.  The city has spiritual battles going on constantly in ways people in America would never imagine.  Voodoo witch doctors basically want the city to be given to Satan.

So, here we are, in what has been formerly called “Satan’s Throne on Earth.”  Before we leave, one of our guys prays with the mayor for the city.  Then, the mayor, in turn, prayed for the Americans as well as the city.

Tell me God isn’t awesome, and I’ll call you a moron.

I love it here, but I can’t wait to get home and tell stories, post pictures, and work on promotional material.

Until later: adios.  Or something like that.

We’re Here

So, we’re here.  People are piling in today to the compound.  Catching up with some old friends.

Flights were good, except we got diverted to Ft. Meyers, delayed 2 hours, were late for our flight to PAP, got in a rain delay at MIA so we made our flight, but they lost our luggage.

Presently, I’m waiting on my luggage to arrive.  We had to send a couple of people down to PAP to get it, but supposedly it is here.  Hopeful, because I’m on the bare minimum in my carryon.  Nonetheless, we’re here.

Updates to come!

It’s Here

The next time I post, I will be in Haiti.

Nervous?  Not to go.  

Not super stoked about leaving my wife though.  First time and all, kinda nerve-wracking there.

Nonetheless, I covet prayers.

Marketing

I guess this subject has been on my mind lately.  I see a lot of promotional videos for missions, organizations, and the like.  Our mission is tiny in comparison to a lot of those.  An independent mission since 1948 won’t really ever grow to the size of Compassion and World Vision and whatnot.  

Yet, the need is the same.  

So, I leave in two days.  48 hours from now I think I’ll be boarding a plane in O’Hare to head for Miami.  The wheels are turning for ways to promote Mountain Faith Mission.  We’re tiny…but I know that people can and need to know of the NEED in Haiti.  

For all I care, they don’t have to support MFM, but just be aware of the need.  If they want to support through one of the many organizations in Haiti, that’s great.  My goal is to make people aware of the need. 

So, for now, the wheels are turning.  I am writing things down today and tomorrow of ideas needed within our mission.  I’ve got ideas for youth groups/churches to participate in in order to raise money.  

I’ve got ideas for promotion on our website in order for people to buy benches for our new church on the compound in Saut d’Eau.  

I’ve got ideas for videos. 

I’ve got ideas for pictures.

But, I don’t really know where to go from there.  It kinda stinks really.

Thus, I am venting and complaining here, not really knowing what to do about it, other than complain.  

So, I retire with this question:

How do you make people care about something beyond their four walls?