Life of Brian

Moving Latin America Pictures

2012-01-25T14:39:00.002-06:00

A weekend in Miami...but for working fun, not the sunshine and beaches. The weekend began a two-week short term trip for four videography teams helping our Latin America/Caribbean division develop short videos to explain and promote the missions work in our area. These gifted videographers/producers bring strong backgrounds in professional video production along with their willingness to serve the Kingdom with what they've been given. One week of shooting footage in Costa Rica, Haiti, Rio de Janeiro and Mexico City will be followed by a week in Costa Rica in intense production sessions. By the end of the week we hope to have four country specific videos and one overview of the ministry in Latin America/Caribbean.

One of our key partners in Costa Rica, Eduardo Castillo and I spent the day wandering all over our area of San Jose while the videographers shot their film and did their artistic magic. We got pretty good at following odd-sounding directions...and lugging heavy equipment.

Stay tuned for links to what we believe will be some wonderful videos.

How would I respond?

2011-10-21T07:41:00.000-06:00

"What will you do when 'they' tell you to leave or face death?"

A godly Mexican pastor...we'll call him Jose....was asked this question by a trusted mentor as he works to expand the church's ministry in a difficult area in Mexico. Jose and his congregation are running AWANA programs for kids, job-skills training for adults and other outreach ministries in an area of town controlled by drug gangs. I was struck by Jose's opennes when he told me, "I took two months to think through the answer. I discussed it with my family and we came to a decision together." Their answer is evident as the ministry continues to reach those without hope in a region facing daily threats to life.

To this point he has not received death threats, but Jose knows what his answer will be when they come. Far from being a theoretical possibility that invites glib responses, Jose and his family know it is just a matter of time before the threats become reality. As I travel to various "interesting" locations there is theoretical danger, but the risk is miniscule compared to that faced by Jose and other faithful believers like him. These amazing servants increase their risk the longer they persevere in reaching the lost and hopeless.

My response? Pray for Jose, encourage him, and honestly consider my response if that question is asked of me.

Father, give your people the courage to persevere in the face of danger.

Church on the Street

2011-08-31T07:51:00.000-06:00

My brother Glenn is an incredible example of a life transformed by the gospel. From self-centered to God-centered, from spiritual indifference to bold proclaimer, and from a life of causing pain to a life of sharing God's grace with as many as possible. This week he took me to a ministry in Canton Georgia where I spoke to 50+ people about Christ's love for them....in Spanish. These folks are not your typical southern culture. They are undocumented Latinos, mostly from Guatemala, who are just trying to survive in a world that is foreign to them and that does not welcome them. This ministry, Church on the Street, is reaching those who live much of their lives in hiding, wondering if there will be work for the men and how they can raise their children in a safe environment. The words of the gospel are words of hope, even in my poorly spoken Spanish. And my brother, who does not speak Spanish, was engaging with the men, sitting with them and listening to their stories, entering into their world. Before Christ he would have ignored them and only thought about their illegal status. In Christ his focus is on their hearts and sharing the news of Christ's love for them. I found myself in awe of the power of the gospel to change lives dramatically. What a privilege to see what God is doing in the lives of Latinos and the life of my brother and his family. This is one of those times I feel like I'm just holding on to the ride as God takes me from place to place all over the western hemisphere and shows me his power and his love for the world.

Being part of God's "just in time" compassion

2011-07-20T20:01:00.001-06:00

Two weeks ago I needed some welding done so I went to a country shop that Bob (not his real name) owns. He is 74 and has been a faithful servant of the Lord, visiting Mexico regularly to encourage and support church planters. We spent a few minutes on what I needed then talked a half hour about ministry and the world's need for Christ.

Yesterday as we were preparing our eldest son to head to medical school (he left today) I called Bob to see if we could get a small welding repair on our son's car. When he answered his voice was broken and he told me of a tragedy that occurred just a day after I had seen him two weeks ago. Besides welding jobs Bob leases and runs large equipment. Some neighbors were walking by as he was backing up a big machine. His wife saw them and tried to get them out of the way, but it was too late. The machine ran over and killed a baby and severely injured his wife. Bob was as broken a man as I've ever heard. The burden of what happened has him in constant tears as he sits by his wife's side in the ICU, fighting for her life.

What can one say to bring comfort? Christian platitudes are clearly not what is needed. I did what should be for me (though too often forgotten) the most natural thing. I simply asked Bob if I could pray for him and trusted that God would give me the words. They weren't fancy, and really just came from my heart that was so heavy for this brother. I prayed just a few minutes, simple and short, asking the Father for mercy and grace. Bob thanked me and as I hung up I knew something special had just happened. I could have called anytime over these past few weeks, but God knew that Bob needed prayer right then. I have no idea how else he will give Bob his grace. I did know that I had been used in a small way by God to show Bob that there may not be satisfactory answers, but God is with him in this deep pain. My words were not what ministered to Bob, it was God's demonstration to him that in the valley, he is still with his children and he brings his comfort at the right time from the most unexpected sources.

Life goes on in Haiti

2011-07-15T06:55:00.001-06:00

Life in Haiti can be hard. Actually, for most it is hard all of the time. Yet hard doesn't mean it stops and people find ways to cope. Life goes on. Children are still children, needing love and a human touch. Toys still inspire their imaginations and a smile crosses all language barriers.

Though my purpose on this short visit is focused more on our long term team and its plans I have still been able to visit some of our friends here. No matter how many times I come I am amazed at the reminder that God is still supreme even in the midst of seeming hopelessness. He still has his people, his work, and his love evident in the most unlikely places.

It is humbling to be part of a ministry that can have such impact on the lives of others. A year and a half ago we weren't thinking about Haiti. Today the country and its people are part of our lives on a daily basis.

Pray for Haiti. Pray for God to use us to accomplish his purpose and plan. And pray for more workers to join in this amazing journey. The rewards go far beyond what we can imagine. Certainly that has been the case for our family. Could God be talking to one of your children? To one of your family? To you?

Travel dissonance

2011-07-13T20:40:00.000-06:00

Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy travel. That's a good thing since I do so much of it. In fact I just had to have extra pages added to my passport for the second time. But sometimes I have to stop and think about where I am and where I just was then consider where I'm going next. If it were all in one language that might help. If it were all for similar purposes that would certainly make it more clear. But God has given me such incredible opportunities to experience variety in life that I have to laugh and just figure that life is nuts.

Three weeks ago I began with a couple of days with my wife of 27 years celebrating our anniversary by wandering San Diego's sights. A few days of meetings with my fellow international leaders were followed by a conference then several days with our mission leaders for Latin America. I was home two days then off to Atlanta where all six of us Duggans were in one place for 24 hours which won't happen again until Thanksgiving at the earliest. Then Matthew and I were invited by a friend to join him in Chicago for a couple of days and attend the U2 concert, all a generous gift from this very giving friend. Then a few days with my best friend for 37 years where went kayaking in the marsh waters of coastal South Carolina. Now I am in Haiti for a few days.

The next couple of months will see me in Colorado, New Orleans, Knoxville, Mexico, Atlanta, and Nigeria, all ministry related. It's crazy! It's fun! But it is also a bit tiring and challenging to balance family life and relaxation.

We moved to Charlotte in late May and I figure I've slept in the house we've been loaned a total of nine nights. Fortunately my family has been with me a good bit more than that! We are hoping to slow down a bit in late September and focus on the reason we are back...to connect with our supporters and develop more partnerships with people who want to be part of this great adventure. Before we know it Thanksgiving will be here and the Duggans will return to our Costa Rica home.

Slipping away, changing gears and location

2011-04-21T20:29:00.000-06:00

So much of my role involves talking, coaching and thinking. Sometimes it is from my home office, sometimes in a wide variety of countries and conditions, but it always involves decisions, judgment calls, diplomacy and strategy. That is why we love opportunities to completely change gears and draw on different skill sets and experience from years past. Cathi and I joined the International Youth Group for their Spring retreat at La Cumbre, a camp high in the mountains (7,500 ft.) of central Costa Rica. We weren't leading, weren't in charge. We were just the nurses and for us it was a wonderful time of relaxation.

Anna came along and did her best to keep up with the teens. The "Leap of Faith" high ropes was perhaps a bit too much for her though.

Ben plays guitar on the worship team and for the first time played his ukulele in public.

This high mountain "holler" is a destination for birdwatching afficianados to catch a glimpse of the Quetzal. We were treated to a real display without even searching for it.

And of course, there was just time to be with my young girl and enjoy God's amazing creation.

Work is God's gift to us. Yet even if we enjoy it we can recharge by doing something completely different for a time. Time away can be an opportunity to get perspective on our "regular" lives. Cathi and I love what we do and we love that we can take some short detours along the way.
There is a slogan by LG Electronics....Life's Good. It has nothing to do with electronics, but I have to agree, even when it's tough, life's good. Thank God, not LG.

Video greeting from Costa Rica

2011-04-11T18:26:00.002-06:00

Dominican Republic missions and church planting conference

2011-04-08T10:34:00.000-06:00

Two ReachGlobal missionaries and a missions pastor from San Antonio are working with our partners, Ministerios Bendicion in the Dominican Republic as they hold a missions conference and church planting boot camp. Mike Gunderson from ReachGlobal is teaching alongside Rick Lowe from Wayside Chapel along with Clyde Porter as our ReachGlobal staff committed to this exciting partnership. Pray that God opens doors for national church planters and missionaries.

Latin faces tell stories - an iPad experiment

2011-04-08T06:58:00.000-06:00

Last summer a very generous friend who believes in the work we are doing gave me an iPad. At the time I had no idea how much it would become a part of my work. Today my iPad is pretty much with me everywhere I go and has replaced the heavy laptop when I travel. One of the drawbacks though was that I couldn't do video editing on the road with just the iPad. When the iPad 2 came out the iMovie app also arrived but would work on mine....officially anyway. But then along comes my son Ben who has made himself an expert in all things that begin with an i. This week we installed iMovie on my iPad 1 and this is my first little video put together in a very few minutes. It is just a photo montage, nothing fancy, but I anticipate creating more video blog entries as I travel now that the capability is in my hands. Watch for more!

What are we doing in Latin America?

2011-03-16T08:40:00.000-06:00

Our mission is simple: We exist to glorify God by multiplying healthy churches among all people. Simple, yet radically different from the past in that we don't own or control church planting, or even seek to plant churches of a specific denomination. That approach has opened doors to partnerships that weren't even imagined a decade ago. What we're seeing now is God multiplying churches and we can't take credit for it. This short video is a tale of how this happens.

Natural tension, intentional safety

2011-02-25T13:51:00.001-06:00

God not only designed our natural skills and tendencies, he also designated the environment and culture that would influence our outlook on life. Our ReachGlobal Latin America/Caribbean leadership team has a number of natural tensions that become advantages for accomplishing vision when there is an intentional environment of safety where these tensions can be expressed. In our team we have members along these continuums:

· Outspoken -------- Pondering

· English mother tongue ------ Spanish mother tongue

· North American worldview ----- Latin American worldview

· Theological frame of mind ------- business frame of mind

· God has spoken ----- God still speaks

These and other tensions keep us on our toes. Team members are likely to be challenged if they make broad statements as if they are universally accepted. It is incumbent on the leader to ensure the team has a sense of safety in challenging one another. Toes can be stepped on and tensions can rise. However, in an environment of grace and mutual respect the team knows that these tensions can lead to amazing breakthroughs in vision, strategy and tactics.

¡Vivan las diferencias!

Inviting the lions

2011-02-23T10:58:00.000-06:00

We recently held four days of meetings here in Costa Rica with the ReachGlobal area leaders in Latin America. Each of them has extensive experience, knowledge and credibility in their areas. Each has a driving passion to see God’s work done in Latin America. And each of them is willing to share their opinions whether they are popular or not. That doesn’t mean they are not diplomatic, but “speaking the truth in love” is still speaking truth. And that can lead to hurt feelings if we do not have a humble attitude, open to hearing those things we may not want to hear. Do I want a team of people who agree with me all the time, build up my ego, tell me I’m doing a great job? Honestly, that would feel nice. On the other hand, it could lead to disaster, or worse, complacency. As our meetings concluded I thanked God once again for the lions I’ve invited into this team. As C.S. Lewis said in describing Aslan, “Safe? ‘Course he’s not safe. But he’s good.” God has blessed the Latin American division of ReachGlobal with leaders who are hungry and passionate. They don’t follow blindly, but they do value and respect each other. The only bruises I get are where my pride sticks out. So in building the team that will take on the leadership for the work God has given us in Latin America, I have to ask myself what kind of people should be on that team. Should it be a group of people who value agreement over truth? Pleasing over challenging?

Bruises will heal. I choose to wrestle with lions.

A color only the grateful could love

2011-01-30T21:08:00.000-06:00

"Aqui vienen las camisas verdes!" (Here come the Green Shirts!) That's something we hear frequently and in many languages as TouchGlobal staff and church teams come to work with people in crisis. Earthquakes, floods, hurricanes and other disasters are open doors for us to share God's love in very practical ways. Though not wearing the well-know shirt, Mark is standing in front of one of the homes TouchGlobal built in partnership with a family of six. The new homeowners get to choose what color the paint should be. In a drab and colorless environment, it's no surprise what this joyful homeowner chose. TG green...maybe Sherwin Williams ought to expand its selection.

A child again

2011-01-30T20:44:00.000-06:00

Brenda and Stephanie....of course, the way they pronounce their names is a bit different from what you and I would expect. But even so, these two young girls are no different than any other young friends who enjoy each other, enjoy posing for a camera, and find adults, particularly middle-aged gringos, completely hilarious. Giggling is the same in any language. These two live in conditions we would consider pretty desperate...no running water, no bathroom, no grass in which to play, poor nutrition, no accessible healthcare and certainly no access to good education. Yet they love life because they recognize as do children the world over, that life is an incredible gift. Joy exudes from children if they even have half a chance to let it out. They don't know what life would be like with the resources found in many other places, but to them it really doesn't matter. Jesus blew his disciples' minds when he stopped them from shushing the children who were loving life while he was teaching. He said, "And he said: â€œI tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Really Jesus? Silly, fun loving, not taking life too seriously? Playing and making noise? Friendships just because?

I have the privilege to travel to many cultures and see many ways of living, but one constant crosses all cultures, and all cultures can easily understand what Jesus was saying. This kingdom of God is going to be a blast for those who come with a simple faith and trust like kids, and be a real difficult transition for those of us who can't.

Earthquake forgotten?

2011-01-30T16:25:00.001-06:00

On August 15, 2007 two earthquakes over 8 magnitude separated by two minutes struck a large area south of Lima Peru. Three and a half years later there is still evidence that life can never be the same. It is a sad fact that headlines drive not only the public's attention, but also the focus for relief agencies who respond to crises. Three years ago there were many NGOs and crisis response groups focused on the earthquake impacted areas of Peru. Today in Chincha, one of worst hit areas, there are none to be seen. Yet God still has people doing his work, bringing hope not only for physical recovery, but also for renewed spiritual hope. Slowly homes are being built. Slowly people begin to trust those who bring both physical and spiritual help. We have eight teams coming to Chincha this year but more are needed. Teams bring hope, friendship, and a clear message that these people are not forgotten. Interested?

Ben's homework: write a poem using twenty of your assigned vocab words:

2011-01-22T12:32:00.000-06:00

A Blade Of Grass

The dissonant sounds came from afar
not dissimilar to the sound of bees in a jar
A noise of dissent rose up in the air
disquiet and distraught cries of “Beware!”

A duet of distorted disputation dwindled
as a distention of sound distilled into fear kindled
our efflorescent varieties dissipate into edible form
as the dreaded mower approached with effrontery as its norm

its domination slicing through every blade
the remaining donees have now paid
the dissolution of our duteous growth
causes an effusion of diurnal oaths

Careful of what I say

2011-01-17T13:11:00.000-06:00

A partner church here in Costa Rica asked me to preach on missions yesterday....in Spanish. In my role I work with people in four languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese and Creole. So fluency in Spanish is not a requirement but it is a personal goal since I do live in a Spanish-speaking country. In the end I decided to use a translator because I didn't want my limited language ability to detract from the message. Yet as I was preaching I found myself slipping into Spanish, much to the chagrin of my patient translator. Eventually he just stepped back and I charged ahead, getting smiles and very few looks of confusion as I spoke.

God is moving on the hearts of Latin American Christians and they are waking up to a new sense of the need for missionaries to come from ALL the world to ALL the world. We defined a missionary as simply as possible: a person who crosses cultural lines to build God's kingdom. I used an example of a silly cultural difference between our home country and Costa Rica. Here it is very important to keep your car clean. I mean, REALLY important. Someone may have a twenty year-old car but they wash it regularly. Parts may be falling off, but doggone it, those parts will be CLEAN. In the USA however, this is not such a big deal. Sure we like our cars clean, but not enough to wash them every other day. This got a big laugh, and some joker left us a message on our car when we left church: Lavelo, meaning "wash it".

Maybe I'll get around to that this week sometime. Meanwhile, I think I'd better be more careful about the illustrations I use.

Haiti one year later

2011-01-07T16:14:00.000-06:00

Read about what God has done in Haiti this year.

Duggan Prayer Letter - Christmas 2010

2010-12-17T18:56:00.000-06:00

Our latest prayer letter is a quick review of the year’s events in missions in Latin America. Check it out at http://bit.ly/fKd3l3

Anna has a new 'do

2010-12-03T12:19:00.000-06:00

Jenny is safe and thrilled to see us

2010-11-08T20:44:00.001-06:00

One of the places we've been helping in Haiti is an orphanage in Leogane, a town that experienced flooding during the hurricane last week. God was merciful to the orphanage and there were no problems. Matthew and I helped them unpack from their hurricane prep and get food supplies back in order. I had a very clear directive from my wife and youngest daughter, "Please go see Jenny and make sure she's OK." Jenny is a young orphan who captured the hearts of Cathi and Anna this summer. As I walked up to Jenny this morning her eyes opened wide and her smile brightened the sky. This was the first time she'd met Matthew and she snuggled right into his arms. In the midst of such difficult circumstances, the hug a child receives makes everything else immaterial.

God-given times

2010-11-07T13:23:00.000-06:00

Traveling as much as I do, I am constantly amazed at how God provides opportunities to be with family. I'm on a two and a half week trip away from home, yet unexpectedly I have over a week with Matthew in Haiti. We started out on Thursday to get here before Hurricane Tomas, but God had other plans and we arrived here yesterday after the storm had departed.

So father and son have a chance to do ministry together, share life together in Gressier Haiti and have the time to talk about whatever comes up. This is a blessing we never expected and recognize is a gift from God.

People sometimes ask Cathi and me how we can stand living so far away from our older kids. What we have found is that the distance keeps us from taking connections for granted. Between regular phone calls, Facebook, and those God-given face-to-face surprises, we find that the distance isn't great at all.

Typical Mayan heritage woman in her one room dirt floor home

2010-10-31T12:44:00.001-06:00

Seeing God's work in El Yalu

2010-10-30T09:40:00.001-06:00

Who is that crazy gringo and why does he make funny faces?

2010-10-30T09:25:00.000-06:00

Beautiful smiles in El Yalu

2010-10-30T09:24:00.000-06:00

Report card time means a ready audience

2010-10-29T22:56:00.000-06:00

The director of a local public school in Sumpango Guatemala has opened the school for the Los Olivos church to teach the parents when they come to receive their children's report cards. This photo was from today's crowd who learned key principles of parenting from a Biblical perspective.

Church at Charlotte has its priorities straight

2010-10-26T12:39:00.000-06:00

Never pass up fresh bread!

Bats welcome on our front porch

2010-10-23T20:43:00.000-06:00

Guarding is hard work

2010-10-20T19:15:00.002-06:00

Security is an important concern here in Costa Rica. It's not that there are bandits around every corner, but valuables left unattended are not likely to remain where they should be. So anytime a vehicle breaks down on the road, it must be guarded. That doesn't mean the work has to be onerous though, as demonstrated by this enterprising man taking advantage of the shade and shelter from the rain using an old sheet, some rope and some very dark sunglasses.

Fall 2010 Duggan Latin America Update

2010-10-15T18:29:00.000-06:00

Read our Fall 2010 update from Latin America

Attack coconut palms

2010-10-14T23:08:00.000-06:00

On a recent trek in the northern part of our adopted country we did some pastoral training at a local hotel. As we walked to our meeting room this sign caught our attention. A falling coconut can do some damage to unprotected heads, but we didn't know that coconut palms in this area were a bit more aggressive. It appears that the palm rears back like a catapult and flings its projectile far beyond the reach of normal gravity's pull. Or perhaps we may be interpreting the sign wrong?

2010-10-12T20:13:00.000-06:00

On this last night before their return, we pray with our Venezuelan friends for their country's youth.

Paying for ministry

2010-10-12T11:57:00.000-06:00

It is said that over 90% of pastors are bi-vocational...their churches are not able to financially provide the support they need to live and take care of their families. Rather than fight this truth, the Church has an opportunity to help these pastors make a living in such a way that they are also able to care for their flocks. This applies even more to national movement leaders like Eduardo pictured above. He has a ministry to leaders in a number of countries. In fact, he will be going to C...a next week to provide training to leaders of very large church movements in that closed country. Eduardo does have partial support from the States, but he is also pursuing economic opportunities that make up the rest of the support that he needs. Today he and I visited some property that he has purchased and will be developing for housing. This photo is just a small part of the incredible view surrounding this property and I believe it's going to be a wonderful business for him. As a mission we want to encourage and come alongside movement leaders like Eduardo to enable them to not only impact national leaders around the world, but also to help them find the means to support themselves while doing it.

Win-win-win-win

2010-10-08T15:55:00.000-06:00

You've heard about win-win situations, but have you heard of a four-way win? This photo represents a win for four organizations in Latin America: SonLife, International Teams, The Evangelical Free Church of Venezuela, and ReachGlobal. These are 26 Venezuelans who just arrived in Costa Rica for a week of intensive training in SonLife, a Jesus focused curriculum designed for youth ministry around the world.

It all began two years ago when I visited with the Venezuelan E-Free board in Maracay. Venezuela is where our mission started in Latin America over 110 years ago. At one point there were over 100 E-Free missionaries there and the national church grew. But over time fewer missionaries chose Venezuela and today there are only a few still in-country. Naturally our relationship with the national church changed, and when I stepped into the leadership role for Latin America we needed to renew our partnership and explore how we can best work together. One of the desires that the board expressed was to have strong youth leaders for their country where over half the population is under the age of 24. That is when God brought me into contact with International Teams and SonLife who have their Latin America base here in San Jose.

Ernesto, a Costa Rican national and a leader with SonLife here, felt God's call to the Venezuelan needs. He and his wife explored the possibility of living in Venezuela and working with us and our partners. Instead, they felt the call to do the work yet live in Costa Rica. At first glance, that may sound like a cop-out, but in actuality, it is a very healthy way to avoid dependency issues arising. Ernesto has been to Venezuela several times now, identifying key young leaders and providing the initial phases of training. He has been mentoring these leaders via Skype and has seen incredible growth. We then began to plan a week long intensive in Costa Rica at the International Teams property where lodging and meeting facilities are more available. And today I was privileged to be with this group as they began an arduous but exciting program.

We don't know what God will do with this in the future, but it is clear that there are a number of leaders here who are going to have a huge impact on Venezuela and the world. What a privilege it is to be part of a multi-entity partnership whose only goal is to see the kingdom of God grow indigenously.

My only regret....I didn't get one of those very cool Juventud Libre shirts!

Venezuela comes to Costa Rica

2010-10-08T12:17:00.000-06:00

Ben at the Rockin' Rollercoaster featuring Aerosmith

2010-10-04T11:53:00.000-06:00

Cathi ready for her run

2010-10-02T17:27:00.000-06:00

At ten this evening Cathi and twenty thousand of her friends will run the Disney half marathon. She's ready to rock!

Every princess needs a castle

2010-10-01T18:03:00.000-06:00

Nemo found

2010-10-01T18:02:00.000-06:00

Late night at Epcot

2010-09-30T17:38:00.001-06:00

2010-09-22T18:22:00.001-06:00

It's hard to beat fresh fish and this guy tasted great. My 15 year old had one too as he joins me on this short trip into the rural areas of Costa Rica. Tonight we're training a good sized group of pastors in church planting.

Think time

2010-08-11T19:35:00.000-06:00

When I'm at my desk, time gets away and my accomplishments rarely match my plans. But once a month if at all possible I take a personal retreat day....for prayer, relaxation, reading, planning, and most difficult of all, thinking without distractions. This little building is designed and reserved for exactly that purpose. Just ten minutes from our home is a Pastors' Center that provides counseling, relaxation and a retreat for Latin pastors and leaders. They graciously allow me to use this separate place for my personal retreat days for around seven dollars. Today was one of those days, and I have returned home refreshed, renewed and having accomplished planning that was woefully behind. I highly recommend this practice to anyone, no matter what your vocation.

Two in two

2010-08-06T09:31:00.000-06:00

We are in the middle of the rainy season in Costa Rica. Up here in the Central Valley (4,500 foot elevation) that means chilly (down to 60 degrees) weather and huge downpours. Yesterday was no exception. Our fancy plastic raingauge showed two inches of rain...and that came in just two hours! Combine the frequent rains with rich volcanic soil and moderate temperatures and you'll understand why Costa Rica is filled with beautiful flora this time of year. You can virtually throw a seed anywhere in the vicinity of the ground and it will grow and thrive.

As we approach the end of our third year in Costa Rica we find more and more to appreciate about our adopted home. Good friends, both foreign and Tico, relaxed and friendly culture, and beautiful surroundings. This gig ain't bad!

Happy 15th Benjamin!

2010-08-05T09:26:00.000-06:00

Cakes don't always come out the way they should, and the one for Ben's 15th birthday had a cracking problem. But no worries...the boy who wanted a car crash cake for his third birthday got an earthquake cake for his 15th ....appropriate for this land of shakes and quakes.

Orphanage of Notre Dame update

2010-07-26T20:28:00.000-06:00

You may remember the stories and photos from just after the earthquake when we followed up one of many unsubstantiated rumors about an orphanage with 56 dead and 60+ orphans who were in a pretty desperate situation. Our hearts were broken by what we found, but thrilled when we were able to provide immediate help and connect them with others who have provided food, water, shelter and other help.

The changes since that awful time six months ago are significant, but the situation is still pretty difficult. Mom Evelyn, the orphanage's director, took us on a tour of what they've been doing and planning. She has begun work in removing and repurposing rubble and the kids are being cared for well.

As we were talking with the director I watched a little two or three year old boy who had lost a leg far above his knee. He had a little child's plastic stacking chair that he used as a crutch, and wow! that boy could move! In seconds he had crossed over a wall, pulled his chair after him, came cruising up to me and reached up to be held. He had the most amazing smile and didn't let a little thing like a missing leg keep him from the joy of life.

Cooling off Haiti style

2010-07-25T20:02:00.000-06:00

So what do you do to cool off on a sunny summer Haitian day? Go to the river and soak! Of course, river is a generous term, and we had to go upstream a bit to preserve others' modesty who use the river for their bath. Don't ask what might be happening further upriver...we sure didn't. But we did rinse off once we returned.

Back into Spanish-speaking mode

2010-07-18T15:33:00.000-06:00

Since I left Costa Rica in early June I've been immersed in Portuguese, Creol and English consecutively but very little Spanish. Today in Honduras I decided to try to revive the rusty Spanish and speak to the church in their own tongue. Either God gave me special dispensation or the people were very gracious, but the words flowed and they even laughed at a joke I told.

We are in Tegucigalpa where the fledgling Evangelical Free Church welcomed us warmly. What a wonderful place to be when you can travel with someone like Bob Werntz who spent 12 years here and knows someone everywhere we go. And tonight....big, juicy steaks for dinner!

Shelter progress

2010-07-06T07:23:00.000-06:00

It's hurricane season, and most of the people in the earthquake impacted area of Haiti remain under tarps or in tents. Keeping dry is part of the challenge, but keeping safe in high winds can mean life or death. Each week teams are coming to help us put up shelters that provide protection even in hurricane conditions. This week's Google Earth snapshot shows how many have gone up in partnership with local Haitian leaders and Samaritan's Purse (providing materials). Even in the midst of this urgent work, building and nurturing relationships is key to success. Pray that these relationships develop well, that Christ is central to the work, and that many will be blessed with adequate shelter before the first big storm.

24 hours of family

2010-07-05T08:56:00.000-06:00

With a summer schedule that makes our heads spin, we were particularly blessed to have our whole family together for 24 hours this weekend. Four of us came from Columbus Ohio, two from Rome Georgia, and we all met at my brother's home near Atlanta where Glenn and Lisa provided wonderful food and relaxation for the six of us to enjoy for a short time. It won't happen again until Christmas so it was a day we all will treasure.

Shelter from the storms of life in Haiti

2010-06-25T20:21:00.000-06:00

Among other work TouchGlobal is doing in Haiti, we have been working with a local community of Gressier to build temporary shelters to get people out of tents and tarps and in shelter that will withstand Category 2 hurricanes and keep the family dry (no need to help with staying warm here!).

This week we began documenting all the shelters in Google Earth for reporting purposes. Amazing that large organizations are using this very user friendly approach! So if you have Google Earth and would like to get our KMZ file to zoom around the territory we're in, leave a comment and I'll send it along to you.

Czech in Haiti

2010-06-24T21:10:00.000-06:00

We had a group from the Czech Republic come to Haiti this week to assess how churches in Czech could help with the crisis recovery efforts that TouchGlobal is doing here. Daniel is the leader of the Czech missions sending agency ZMA. He and the others saw the vast range of opportunities here to show the love of Christ with works of compassion. In this photo Daniel is communicating with a Haitian who is showing him his new home that TouchGlobal built. These homes, designed and resourced from Samaritan's Purse, are being built throughout the earthquake impacted areas of Haiti. People are now able to move from tents into structures that can hold six people, survive a Category 2 hurricane, and last 1-3 years. We are excited by the interest that churches in many countries have shown in partnering with us to help Haiti. What a witness for the Gospel when people of many cultures come together under one banner to give with no strings attached.

Resourcefulness

2010-06-24T21:01:00.000-06:00

Where else in Haiti post-earthquake can a newly minted ten year old get a cake, piñata and other kids to join her birthday party? Pink icing colored from red jello, Sweet Tarts spelling out Happy Birthday, and matches as candles just can't be matched by any other cake. Plus it tasted great!

"I said A Boom Chicka Boom!"

2010-06-23T22:44:00.000-06:00

Today Anna was with me as Cathi was off in another area of ministry. We took a team to an orphanage that we're helping and Anna became a pied-piper for little girls....walking up and down this wood platform, trying to keep them out of the mud. It was such a pleasure to listen to her leading them in a chant (in English) as they repeated the sounds and followed her up and down grinning from ear to ear.

Anna wants a sister

2010-06-22T11:07:00.000-06:00

Anna and Cathi spent some time at one of the orphanages we've been helping and fell in love with the kids there. Of course Anna found a little girl she could love on and immediately decided that we should adopt her. As adults we understand that there are many factors involved in the orphan situation here, and that the situation is very complex. But for our little girl, it was quite simple. "God loves me, he gave me to a wonderful family, and I think we should bring another needy child the same blessing I have."

Flat tire? No problem!

2010-06-20T17:41:00.000-06:00

As we stopped along our journey today, far away from any evident assistance, we noticed our tire was dangerously low. It took all of five minutes for someone to show up with a bicycle pump and we all took turns on a very slow reinflation process. Always something new to face in Haiti!

Worship under the trees

2010-06-20T11:04:00.001-06:00

Church gatherings can take place in many different types of locations. The service we attended this morning was under the cool shade of trees in Christianville. Over 150 people joined in singing and two sermons plus Communion. Can you imagine a two hour service like this in the States?

Tarantula fishing in Haiti

2010-06-19T22:09:00.000-06:00

Who says girls don't like bugs? Anna had her first adventure in Haiti this evening as she holds a string with a cricket that was too tempting for this good sized tarantula.

Food and ministry

2010-06-11T14:33:00.000-06:00

One common theme that seems to cross cultures is gathering around food. No matter where I travel, eating with someone is one of the key ways of entering their world and sharing something that has a lot of meaning for them. In Brazil, that is no hardship! If you love meat, you'd love Brazilian food. There's nothing like a Brazilian BBQ to fill you up but keep you wishing for more. Here one of our E-Free pastors opened his home to host us to one of his famous pecanhya feasts. Sausage, steak, chicken, grilled pineapple and grilled bannana just kept coming. What a treat!

Tough love

2010-06-09T20:05:00.000-06:00

Sent by his family from northern Brazil down to Rio in order to go to high school, D. (far right) left home as a young teen and ended up in a Rio favela where he learned about the seamier side of life. Changed by the Gospel, he still lives in a tiny one room apartment in the favela but goes out at night and finds a homeless person to bring to his place and show Christ's love. As you can see, these guys are not only surviving in the favela, they are thriving and winning in their favorite sport....Futbol! I was just reading in John 3 today: "God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants."
These guys are brilliant lights in the darkness of a hope-lost favela.

Ready for a fire?

2010-06-08T17:25:00.000-06:00

This scene struck me as very funny when we were pulling in for gas at a station in Rio de Janeiro. Next to a natural gas pump was a rack full of fire extinguishers. Didn't exactly give me a lot of confidence in the safety of the filling station!

Miracle in the favela

2010-06-07T15:18:00.000-06:00

S. is a changed woman, not through a self-help program, an intervention by friends and family, or through a recovery center. S. is changed because of Jesus' love demonstrated by redeemed but faithful sinners like you and me. At twelve she was raped by her mother's significant other. Her mother then threw her out on the streets where she survived by rumaging for food in the trash. A lady befriended her and took her to her own favela where a dozen men raped her. She returned to her favela, presented herself to the drug lord and asked to be taught to kill. After training she went back to kill the men who raped her and thus began a life as a hit-woman for the drug traffickers. Her story continues with horrendous events that led her to drug dependence, murder, prostitution, neglecting her resulting children and worse. How could anyone with that history be changed? There aren't enough twelve-step programs in the world that could address even a fraction of her pain. Yet God didn't abandon her and he put her in the path of a church family in Caju that led her to Christ and helped her return to a productive life. Today S. is not only living in a small apartment on her own, she lives and works in the same favela that nearly destroyed her. And she is taking the message of true healing to as many people as she can.
But in real life, there really never is a "happily ever after". S. needs your prayer. And the ministry of missions needs your support. Are you willing to be a conduit for transformed lives? You don't have to be a theologian, a pastor or have a fancy degree. Remember that most of Jesus' disciples were hardly what one would call educated or professional. We have three clear ways to respond:
Pray - place a comment here to be added to our prayer letter
Give - help support missions in Latin America
Go - place a comment here to begin a dialogue about how God could use you in missions.

Committed to the transformational power of the Gospel in Caju

2010-06-06T20:42:00.001-06:00

One of the greatest privileges in my career is to meet, encourage, and partner with people who are doing the unimaginable in the most difficult locations. Caju is a large favela (think economically, socially, and spiritually destitute) area in Rio de Janeiro. Every year 6,000 people are murdered in the 800 favelas in Rio, a rate that eclypses many war zones around the world. Each favela is run by drug chiefs who openly manage not only the drug trade but also the very lives of all who live there. These are not places where those who can afford to do otherwise ever venture. Avoided by all but the most desperate, these favelas are not abandoned by God. He calls people to step into the chaos and bring light to the incredible darkness. Fabio and Leah grew up in middle-class backgrounds, yet knew they were being called to bring the transformational power of the Gospel into Caju. Starting with just a few people five years ago, their church now has over two hundred people whose lives have been retrieved from hopelessness and early death. There is no other explanation for how these two have been able to reach into one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the Western hemisphere and find favor in the eyes of those who kill without remorse.
What an amazing sight to be present as heavily armed men allowed us to enter their territory and engage with them and the people they rule through terror. It may be a place angels fear to tread, but not for those who know that God has called them to bring a power greater than the AK-47s and Uzis that are regularly used against police, enemy gangs and their own residents. Pray for Fabio and Leah as they faithfully obey the call to bring the transformational message of the Gospel to a desperate and hopeless people.

Carver Bible College in Brazil

2010-06-04T17:18:00.000-06:00

I recently returned from a two-week trip to Brazil with a team from Carver Bible College in Atlanta Georgia. The purpose of the trip was to engage our traditionally caucasian EFCA movement in becoming more diverse in our representation...maybe even reflect the diversity of the big "C" Church. We chose Brazil since it is much more diverse than many Latin America countries and racial diversity is not an issue. We also prayed for God to move on the hearts of the team members to consider missions, and He answered that prayer along the way. We spent time with the desperate and the comfortable, those who reach out to the hopeless and those who reach the middle class. We saw and experienced new things in each location and saw God's grace in so many Brazilians who sacrifice a life of seeking material success (Brazil is the fourth fastest growing world economy) in order to see God's kingdom built.

Our team was quite diverse as well. It included a Guatamalan, Jamaican, Philipina, British, Korena American, caucasians and African Americans. We had some great discussions on the nature of the church, ethnic differences, historical roles and new opportunities for reconciliation. Personally I learned so much from my brothers and sisters in Christ and was challenged to consider perspectives I had never heard.

Along the way we prayed together, slept in comfortable and not so comfortable conditions, rode many hours in tight (by our standards) vehicles, and developed a fun comraderie. This next week I'll be posting blog entries about our days together and share photos of some of the highlights. Thanks for following along!

By the way, although this is offset by a week or two, I do keep up to date info posted through Twitter. Follow me at BDugganRN on Twitter and I'll return the favor.

Wheaton friends

2010-05-21T11:22:00.000-06:00

College is a time for intense study and building strong relationships. Matthew was very fortunate to have a group of friends from the start that stayed together all four years. Two of their Spring Breaks were spent in Costa Rica and the other two were spent together as well. These relationships will stand for a long time even though they each will go separate ways. We thank God for providing this for our son and for all the Wheaties that were part of it.

Matthew Wheaton graduation

2010-05-19T13:08:00.000-06:00

The happy graduate with his proud family on a beautiful day in Wheaton Illinois. Congratulations Matthew!

Spanish Language Institue graduation

2010-04-23T11:27:00.001-06:00

Congratulations to our most recent Spanish language graduates, both serving in Peru with ReachGlobal

Blair and Joan McGwire

Brian and Susan Johnson

Teamwork

2010-04-12T15:07:00.000-06:00

Despite the rugged individualism that is at the heart of much of our culture, the fact is that God created us to work with others and that teams can accomplish more together than their members could individually.
Mark Lewis and I have been friends for four years now. He is the director of TouchGlobal's Crisis Response and leads the mission's compassionate outreach in crisis for the whole world. I lead the work of the mission for Latin America/Caribbean. Each of us has a claim to what the mission does in Haiti, and each of us have fairly strong personalities and leadership capabilities. It would be easy to start competing and undermining each other which would result in a diminished ministry for all involved. But this is where the example of Christ must be examined. Things like serving one another, looking to one another's needs, submitting our own ambitions and desires to each other and living in an environment of trust. This does not mean we don't disagree, but it does mean that when we do, our relationship is never at stake and that we trust the other truly wants the best for me.
We are exploring new territory by having both our ReachGlobal staff and TouchGlobal staff work side by side. We still don't know what it will look like ultimately, but we do know that each of us is commited to the mission of our organization and to working together as team. Maybe we can even demonstrate a bit of Christ as we do it.

Water water everywhere, but not a drop to drink

2010-04-09T21:35:00.000-06:00

Clean water is one of the bigger needs here in Haiti. Wes is trouble-shooting a system our teams installed for a school of 500+ kids that reopened this past Monday in tent shelters. It is interesting and encouraging to hear fairly consistently that Haitians see schools reopening as one of their higher priorities. Just outside this sheltered area stand two tanks. Using a small diesel generator (yellow box), water is pumped from a well to a large tank, through the filter from one tank to the second one. It's simple, it is easily maintained, and it is sustainable....all criteria for projects we undertake. And such a simple thing makes the education of hundreds of kids viable once again.

Blanc! Blanc!

2010-04-08T17:52:00.000-06:00

"Blanc, blanc!" That's the call I hear as I walk among the towns and villages, now just rubble with tents filling every open surface. Americans are a draw just because we're so different. But these kids were telling me about the Brazilians who came just a few weeks ago. We were so blessed to have our Brazilian partners organize and send a team so quickly. And they knew how to engage a community! After working, the team would grab a ball and start a game of soccer in the middle of the community. Suddenly they are surrounded by Haitians all eager to play. Only two of the team speak English, and none speak Creole. But so much can be communicated without a common language, such as, "I'm here to serve you", "You are valuable", and the most important, "I'm here to represent Christ, and he loves you." Though we constantly have to remind our teams from the States that it's not about the work but about relationship, our Brazilian friends just naturally understand that engaging with the community is what accomplishes the goal.

Networking in Haiti

2010-04-07T20:57:00.000-06:00

Absolon is a pastor in Port-au-Prince. During the three day fast declared by the Haitian president in February Absolon saw many come to Christ and his church doubled in members. He now focuses on training these new believers as well as leaders in his church. They meet in a courtyard area outside their church building where people will not enter due to ongoing fear of collapse. According to Absolon the power and draw of Voodoo has dropped significantly. He told us that the people have seen that Voodoo cannot save them, cannot help them, so they are now crying out to God.
The field is still ripe for harvest in Haiti.

Mouse chase in the team house

2010-04-06T22:09:00.000-06:00

No TV is not a problem when there are so many forms of entertainment here in Haiti. This evening we teamed up to dislodge a mouse from the stove. That part worked, but the mouse bounded for the stairs and is now on the second floor safe and secure. So everyone had lots of fun and is happy, including the mouse.

Good Friday procession near Cartago Costa Rica

2010-04-06T06:04:00.002-06:00

Good Friday during Semana Santa

2010-04-02T14:07:00.000-06:00

Semana Santa is the week before Easter that is celebrated throughout Latin America as a time for vacation and family get-togethers. Stores close, and in Costa Rica, thousands go to the beach. It's a perfect time to relax in San Jose where the traffic is minimal and everyone is pretty relaxed. There are various "processions" or parades with themes taken from Passion Week. Today we attended a procession where a statue of Christ carrying the cross was pulled along by "Roman" soldiers. Every 500 yards or so it would stop and there would be a small live drama acted out. Some of these can get out of hand though. One friend told me about a procession where the Jesus figure was a live actor who was being hit by the crowds and soldiers as part of the drama. Apparently he eventually got tired of the role and jumped up and started beating the beaters. Not exactly historically accurate, but it was a point of great hilarity for the onlookers.

Unforeseen faithfulness

2010-03-29T23:30:00.000-06:00

By all accounts, the earthquake in Haiti was and continues to be devastating. Hundreds of thousands perished, families lost loved-ones, housing, income and hope, and the fear instilled in survivors will last for lifetimes. Yet in the midst of this tragedy, God showed his incredible grace and mercy. What was reported around the world as a day of memory one month after the earthquake was in truth a declaration from the Haitian president that Carnival/Mardi Gras would be cancelled and three days of fasting and prayer to the King of Kings would be observed. Thousands came to Christ during this time, and the revival continues in Haiti. But the impact of what God is doing is not limited to Haiti. Many who witnessed the tragedy from afar turned to Christ. Allow me to share one small story.

In the days following the earthquake I stayed up late each evening in Port-au-Prince writing about the amazing events of the day, how God was opening doors for us to care for the hurting and hungry and the privilege we felt in being part of this response. It was stream-of- conciseness writing, poorly worded and grammatically incorrect. It was a struggle to write when I knew sleep was going to be limited due to long hours each day and interruptions from multiple aftershocks that sent people running and shouting several times each night. Yet we knew it had to be done to keep our supporters praying accurately and spreading the word about what God was doing. The result was that many began following us on Twitter, our blog and Facebook. We were surprised by new followers we’d never met or even heard of and were helped by the many notes of encouragement sent to us. However, the bigger blessing was in the stories we heard when we returned. One such story came from a friend, we’ll call Susan, who pulled me aside one day to tell me about how a non-believing acquaintance, Deb, embittered by hurtful experiences with the church in her past began reading the blog. On previous occasions Deb had told Susan that church may be fine for her, but that it would never be an option since Deb had been hurt by people so painfully in the past. But God had a plan for Deb, and he broke her heart through reading our blog. She came back to Susan and told her that she’d never seen Christ exemplified in that way and that maybe God was real. This story hasn’t ended for Deb. She’s started on a journey to experience the true heart of our Lord. And God prompted that journey through the poor writing of a very tired man in Haiti who never knew how God would use his ramblings thousands of miles away.

When we think of God’s faithfulness it’s often in reference to ourselves. But God is also faithful to himself, and uses the simplest of efforts on our parts to accomplish incredible results far beyond our imagination. May God continue to multiply his work through the simple obedience of his people, the Church.

Our two plus 9 others for Wheaton Spring Break in Costa Rica

2010-03-18T16:18:00.002-06:00

Wheaton Spring Break 2010

Newest missionary arrives

2010-03-02T14:48:00.001-06:00

Melissa Putney arrives in Costa Rica to serve as the Latin America communications coordinator.

Pro-Meta Summit in Costa Rica

2010-03-02T09:43:00.000-06:00

We are holding a conference on how our Internet-based Spanish graduate seminary is providing accessible master's level training to church and organization leaders around the Spanish-speaking world.

Sent from my Windows Mobile phone

Motivated dog power in Costa Rica

2010-03-01T16:38:00.000-06:00

Fun in Costa Rica can at times take some strange forms.

Glenn in cloud forest

2010-02-12T17:45:00.001-06:00

Sent from my Windows Mobile phone

Brother and wife visiting

2010-02-09T15:14:00.000-06:00

View from Irazu Volcano

Ramping up our response in Haiti

2010-02-06T20:48:00.001-06:00

As we continue to ramp up our Haiti response there are some areas that we could use help from within the States. Below is a note from one of our leaders in the crisis. Could you or anyone you know help?

For those of you who have not had contact with me yet, let me introduce myself. I’m Kevin Watterson from the EFCA’s TouchGlobal crisis response unit, based in New Orleans. I am currently working on some logistical items, which you have offered to help with, which is why you are receiving this e-mail. We currently have several needs in the shipping/ logistical side of our operation in the Fort Lauderdale/ Miami area. I have been working most all of last week to acquire vehicles, procure shippers and find a suitable staging area for our shipping into Haiti. Here’s where we are, and what the needs are at the moment. I have verbal agreements on 2 vehicles that we will be buying in the next couple of days, we have been offered warehouse space in the Pompano Beach area for staging items, and I have at least one shipper who can manage the items we have already placed in the staging warehouse.

Ours current needs are as follows:

1. On Monday Feb 8, I will need a 16-20 ft box truck to move 11 pallets of Medical supplies from the Pompano Beach warehouse at Design Flooring- 2810 center port circle, to the shipper on Pembroke ave in Hollywood. We have a forklift at each location.

2. I need a rollback truck to move the current list of vehicles from locations in Loxahatchee and Ft, Lauderdale to the warehouse in Pompano Beach for staging, so we can fill them with donated items- this needs to be done Monday or Tuesday Feb 8 or 9.

3. I will need the rollback truck again to move them from the staging area to the dock, as soon as we fill them with other items, by the end of the week Feb 13

4. The preceding needs maybe ongoing as items continue to be donated.

5. We are going to continue to acquire vehicles, either through buying or donation, and I would like to have a mechanic who can go over the vehicles before we send them down to insure the best proper maintenance on them prior to shipping them.

6. These are specific vehicles we are looking for:

- 1989- 2001 2wd and 4wd Jeep Cherokees (not Grand- just the boxy looking standard one)- Since parts are limited, we want to have a consistent fleet that we can use for parts as the vehicles die-( which they will-slow and painfully)

- Isuzu NPR cab over style trucks with 14ft boxes, flat beds or Dump beds- with priority on the Dump bed. These trucks MUST have the diesel engine, and preferably be the manual transmission rather than automatic.

- 2003 and older Ford F-250 or larger Pickup trucks with the 7.3 liter diesel engine, extended or crew cabs, with regular beds, dump beds or flat beds preferably manual transmissions.

- 11 or 15 passenger vans- preferably with diesel engines -Once again Ford is preferable to maintain fleet consistency of parts.

If you can help with any of these needs, PLEASE call me or email me as soon as possible. Please Post these needs in your church, make an announcement or network with others who know people who can meet these needs. I have a class B license, and could drive the box truck or rollback and have had experience loading and tying down loads, but would prefer the help in moving the items rather than borrowing the trucks, but I’ll do whatever is convenient for those interested in helping.

Thanks for your willingness to help and serve, feel free to forward this on to anyone who can help.

Kevin Watterson

EFCA CRISIS RESPONSE

kevin.watterson@efca.org

US cell 610-637-0202

A few days after returning from Haiti

2010-02-02T22:53:00.000-06:00

Back home in Costa Rica

2010-01-28T22:25:00.000-06:00

I just arrived back home in Costa Rica and am excited to be able to enjoy the family for a while. Steve Spellman has come into Haiti for two weeks at which time I will rotate him out and have others take his place. Steve is now blogging from Haiti and I'll post that link here tomorrow.

The situation is still very dynamic, yet God has provided some new opportunities for a longer term strategy. Our priority for now is while continuing to help with immediate needs we will set up two locations to host teams that will address the longer term needs. We are praying expectantly for God to open doors for this long-term ministry.

Quick video from a few days ago - couldn't upload from Haiti

2010-01-27T11:15:00.002-06:00

Monday in Haiti

2010-01-27T08:41:00.000-06:00

Instead of writing my own, I'm going to post what my teammate wrote about his experience on Monday. Kevin was up in Cap Haitian and came back with us to Port-au-Prince on Monday. This is his perspective coming into the world in which we've lived this week.

As I went to bed at 11:30 quite spent, I laid down on the only available cushioned thing left, a white pleather sofa in the living room, just inside the front door. We had a long, hard day of travel from Milot to Port au Prince over rocks, potholes and ditches, through mudholes, streams and craters, all of which would make a great moto- cross track, but somehow in haitien terms was qualified as a road. I had left Milot, in the northern part of haiti, 12hours before with Jim, Brian and our hatien companion Charles, southbound for the devastated city.

Jim and Brian had come to visit with the team, meet pastor Henoc and pick me up for our flight out the next morning. Charles, an off-duty member of the Haitian police force, had accompanied them for the purpose of translation, protection and originally driving. It was not too long after they left port that he was relgated to just providing directions and riding shot gun after Jim could no longer fully extend his fingers from holding on so tight to the overhead handles on the tired old nissian Xterra they had rented at the airport. Haiti must be where rental cars go to meet their ultimate demise.

On the return trip I volunteered to drive. I chose to take a different route since just days before, Henoc had taken Omar, Greg and I to see Brian Jim and Mark in Port au Prince where we also aquired some much needed medical supplies for the hospital we were working with in Milot.

I intended that this trip to be more pleasurable than the previous one with Henoc. On that one, the company was great and the scenery was beautiful, but the speeds at which we traveled over the rough terrian made our teeth rattle, our butts numb and our vision blur. Omar was already dealing with some back pain before the trip, and by the end of it was wishing for a chiropractor and some pain killer. The suspension bottomed out numerous times and we had 2 flat tires due to the abuse heaped upon them by the driver. I was not interested in a repeat.

I tried to make the trip as comfortable as possible, while still keeping the pace fast enough so we would not reach p au p too late in the evening. Being out late, in the dark, in a city filled with desperate, hungry people, was not my idea of a good time. But we did have Charles. I had seen his bullet proof vest earlier in the trip, but his 9mm had remained concealed.

God had used Charles a few days before when Mark, Brian, Jim and Aaron, our partner from another minstry, had a flat tire on this same suv while delivering a full load of supplies, food and Meds well after dark. The car had to be completely unloaded on the street, the tire retreived from inside the vehicle, and jacked up in the dark in order to change the tire. All this while desperate people looked on, pressed in, trying to obtIan what they had already promised to others.

Just when the situation started to deteriorate, the other ministry's van pulled up behind the group. Charles jumped out, cocked his pistol and the crowd instantly dispersed like demons from the presence of Jesus.

As we neared port, the road, having recent work completed after years of neglect, became markedly better and even freshly asphalted for the last seveal miles into the city.

I turned over the wheel to Charles happy thy it was he who would negotiate us through the grid locked traffic, debris strewn streets, and next to impassable, neglected avenue.

We arrived at our "house" a compound used by our new partner Shepherds house Ministries, that house thier staff and freinds, displaced orphans, a medical team from Signapore our staff and temporary p au p office, as well as anyone else they know who needs a "safe" place to spend the night.

We had supper, met together in a small bedroom for the first time as an entire team since leaving Florida. We stratigized and planned for several hours, after which we all turned in for the night. Since I was the "new" guy, of course I ended up on couch.

As I pulled the sheet over my head to keep the mosquitos from buzzing in my, ears I thought of those outside the door in the courtyard, a big concreted area inside the compound walls who were too afraid to sleep inside. Many were sleeping in the bus, the cars or the tents that were set up out there. I said a prayer for them, for protection, and shortly after the generator was shut down, and it wasn't long before I had fallen asleep.

Early in the morning darkness while I was in a deep sleep, the plates under the city scraped together once again, creating seismic activity which was enough to jolt me off the couch and toward the door. In a split second I was scrambling for the door, slipping on the tile because of my socks. So much so that I whacked my knee on the floor, and left my sheet in a trail behind me.

I groped for the doorknob on both sides of the door- ripped it open and ran out stocking footed into the courtyard. I heard panting behind me and turned around to see Mark Lewis behind me with his hands on his knees bent over breathing like he'd just finished the 100 meter hurdles in record time... which he had.

As I felt the surge of adrenaline start to subside, I found myself huffing as well. I looked around the courtyard and noticed not too many people stirring, although gasps and murmurings could be heard. No one else came out of the house behind us, though everyone was up.

Gee, I thought, that must have been a small one!! If that was a small one, what do big ones feel like??? If you've ever experienced the cabin of an airplane shaking because of extreme turbulence, felt the plane shaking up and down,and side to side in a non rythmic way, that was the best way to describe it. The sound was also very similar.

I walked back inside, and picked up my sheet, and sat down on the couch. I looked at my phone, saw that it was 5:01 and took a deep breath. Since we wanted to leave for the airport at 6:30, I decided to take a shower.

Once in the bathroom, I turned on the faucet, waited for the water and realized that I wouldn't be getting a shower this morning.

So I'm flying home now for a few days of downtime with my family and post- crisis stress debriefing, a little shaken up and a whole lot stinky. Saturday I'll be heading back again with a better understanding of why people are afraid to sleep in their houses.

Shaking things up for Jesus,

Kevin

Sunday,January 24, 2010

2010-01-26T08:53:00.001-06:00

The first order of business today was to get the promised food and water to the orphans we discovered in Carrefour yesterday. We must find a longer term solution that will keep them from depending on others in the community who are scrounging daily for necessities. One important need that will be faced in upcoming months by Haitians will be how to gain access to food and water that is not logistically wasting resources.

God opened doors for healthcare as well. The medical teams spent the morning examining the remaining children there. All but two had no serious problems, and the team was able to take care of them. We were thrilled that as reported yesterday, another organization was able deliver those 400 diapers and 10 cases of food supplement powder. There is a local Haitian now working with the orphanage’s director as they seek a longer term shelter and disposition solution for the children now that immediate situation is stabilized.

Two of us stayed in PaP and two drove to Cap Haitian to meet the team there. The military has been flying 60-80 patients per day to a hospital there. It has been overwhelmed with patient volume and needs. Our partner opened up the church grounds to receive patients who are pre-discharge. Tents and tarps were set up for them and as they are able, they will move to their next destination. The challenge where to send them? Most of the patients have no idea that PaP incurred such incredible destruction. They want to return home; but because they were unburied from rubble, transported to various places and eventually to Cap for surgery, they really have no concept of the situation there. Going home to PaP is simply not an option. Finding family living outside PaP will be the first solution but getting them to those family members who can help with daily needs as they face physical and emotional rehabilitation will require planning and effort.

Another substantial long-term challenge is fear. We took a PaP native up with us to Cap Hatian. Even though there was no earthquake in Cap Haitian, he simply couldn’t sleep inside the house. He’d go in to eat, seated near a doorway, but he has been so impacted by the destruction in PaP that it is unconceivable that he could sleep inside a concrete structure again. And this is a Haitian policeman, used to difficult situations and certainly not a fearful person by nature. Part of our focus will be training Haitians to be crisis counselors. There will be many emotional and physical problems that follow a crisis of this magnitude and, in training Haitians, the more we are multiplying ourselves.

Photos from Cap Haitian

2010-01-26T07:51:00.001-06:00

What day is today? On the ground in Haiti 1/23/10

2010-01-24T08:39:00.000-06:00

All the days begin with a bit of confusion as to what actual day it is. Not that it matters, as life isn’t much different from one day to the next when in a crisis situation. Today began with an exploration for an orphanage that we had been told was not getting any help. We found it near Carrefour. What was a four story building with what appears to have been over 130 orphans, is now ten feet of rubble. Fifty- six children survived but some caregivers and the nurse did not. The neighborhood has joined in to help and the children are in a courtyard during the day then sleep on the street at night. The street is blocked and adults guard either end. There are tarps strung over the street for protection. Immediate needs are food, clean water and diapers. It is difficult to describe the feelings we experienced when we were with the orphans. They surrounded us, wanting to be held or simply just wanting to hold our hands. The adults said a number of aid organizations have come by, but have not returned.

Our next stop was at the UN medical warehouse where we have found a bit more bureaucracy but still open doors. We placed our order for the next day and, as we walked out the gate, some guys came up to us and said, “We recognize those shirts, we were in Galveston with you, you’re good people to work with.” As I write this, I have just received an email from them. They have 400 diapers and ten cases of food supplement powder that they will give us tomorrow for the orphans. This is a small snapshot of how God has brought us to the right people at the right time. Such provision continues to occur daily.

This afternoon we welcomed an incoming RG staff member who will be here for two weeks, helping organize short-term relief teams. Before we left the airport we went searching for food and water for the orphans in Carrefour. God brought us to the Navy who loaded us up with MREs and the Army who gave us water. They all gathered around as I showed them photos of what we found today at the orphanage. One sailor gave us a stuffed Balou bear to give to a child when we take the supplies to them tomorrow morning.

Even a flat tire has God written all over it. It is highly recommended that no one ventures out driving after dark. We have not been back at the compound before dark any day we’ve been here, yet we have had no problems. We heard that the U.S. media is reporting that crime is a real issue. God must be posting many angels around us. Tonight our tire went flat and we had to pull to the side of the road. Our truck was so full of supplies that we were scrunched up like sardines in a sealed tin. Of course, getting the spare required emptying the back first, in the dark on the street. But as we stopped and looked at each other, a van with our ministry pulled up and out came three of our friends, one of them a Haitian police officer carrying a gun. He stepped out of the van, pulled out his pistol and chambered a round. The gathering crowd disappeared. With the tire replaced, we returned to the compound where we are staying, and settled in for the night.

Stress: Crisis response can be divided into phases. Initially, the stress of seeing incredible destruction day after day and human suffering can all have a strong impact on a person. For our emergency professionals out there, yes, we are arranging debriefing for when we return. Our bodies can rebel. Two of us are suffering from gastric problems at the moment. But Imodium and Cipro are right at hand and it was clear that God sustained us today when in other times we would have stayed in bed. We are tired, but we are sustained. Raw photos can be found at http://picasaweb.google.com/bdugganrn. I have not had time to clean them up or organize the albums, so look for albums listed as dates and you will find many pictures illustrating the narrative you have been reading.

We are very grateful for the sustaining prayers of so many. And for the encouraging notes that you send by email,Facebook or other means. We realize that crisis carries an emotional impact that catches people’s attention for a short time. So we ask that you continue to pray for this situation and the Haitian people long after the media moves on to the next breaking news event.

Life in Haiti, Cooking, Laundry, and Living

2010-01-23T14:19:00.000-06:00

On the ground in Haiti- Day 4 1/22/10

2010-01-23T06:55:00.000-06:00

One knows it is coming, one knows that long days will eventually catch up with the mind and body, and that the destruction will all begin to look the same. Today was that day. And today God continued to sustain us. The morning began with two significant tremors that had folks zipping out the door. Smaller aftershocks continued throughout the day. We have set this evening to be a strategic rest night, meaning we’ll go to bed before midnight, unlike previous evenings.

We returned to Gressier to do an assessment of needs and potential partners. While there, we looked at a house that may be a location for teams and our team hosts who will provide continuity for the ministry. There we found many crushed homes, the survivors living outside in whatever they could scrounge. Clean water has become a real issue. The few community wells are not being used by the people because of the proximity to places where the dead still lie underneath the rubble. But we also found a group providing clinic care. They located at the town clinic building which is in good shape, but noone will go inside due to the frequent aftershocks.

To this point we hadn’t found that strategic place, work and partner that we felt God would provide. But He wasn’t done with us today. We found ourselves at a place named Christianville where all but one of the buildings are seriously damaged. This group has been feeding 2,500 people each day and were running out of food. They have wonderful ministries established and seem to be folks who want to partner in ministry. We were able to take them to our Army friends and get two pallets of MREs and water for them to use to feed people in the community. God opened the floodgates and used the relationships he provided us over the past two days to be able to ensure that 2,500 are now being fed. On the same trip we were also able to obtain 330 gallons of diesel fuel (a commodity that is in extremely short supply) here in Haiti. Each day there is new evidence that God is directing our steps. Mark and I are thrilled that now we can move ahead with a strategic approach to using holistic ministries to multiply healthy churches here in Haiti.

This won’t be a long update, not because the day wasn’t full, nor because the tragedy is lessening. The clinic in PaP is still seeing hundreds of people, the hospital in Milot near Cap Haitian is still overflowing, and the need for workers still grows.

Continue to pray for the people of Haiti, the opportunity for the Christian community to show the love of Christ, and for ongoing connections that will make the efforts even more effective.

On the ground in Haiti-Day3

2010-01-22T14:20:00.000-06:00

Opened Doors

We began our day with prayer, “God, open doors and give us favor in the eyes of the people we need to meet.” Our first stop was the UN medical supply warehouse where now we are greeted with smiles by the workers who are trying so hard to get supplies out to where they are needed. We seek to minister to the people we see serving, asking how they’re doing, praying with them. One pharmacist who was pulling our items is named Michele. His face shows how tired he is, working without breaks with no end in sight. He told that all he sees is people coming and asking for supplies, and it gets frustrating for him. But I was able to share with him about the hundreds of patients that were treated yesterday because he stayed late to help us on Tuesday. Photos provided a visual so that the whole group there could see a purpose and be encouraged. This was the first of many times today that God gave us favor in the eyes of the people we needed to contact.

As I was inside the warehouse compound, Mark saw a group of Army soldiers setting up camp and creating a helicopter landing zone outside the walls. By the time I had the truck loaded with our supplies, we had made new friends who then escorted us into the secure airport compound right to their battalion colonel. We were greeted with great friendliness and willingness to help. After hearing about the needs for medical supplies in Cap Haitian, the colonel offered to help us get them there…by military helicopter. He then gave us a captain to help us get into UN headquarters and make the connections needed to make it all happen. Short story, it got temporarily mired in red tape, but we made it up pretty far in the chain and we’re praying we can get it soon. The hospital in the Milot area of Cap Haitian is now going to set up a field hospital on the property of our church partners there, so the need is critical. The hospital is overflowing and we need to get supplies there. It is hard to express our incredulity at the contrast between all the resources and people at the airport base (which has now turned into literally, a small city) and the desperate need wherever we go in the PaP area. But God made these connections for us, and we were able to obtain many more contacts that may help us get resources to the people who need them. Before we left, the colonel ordered our van filled with water and MREs so it could get out and start making a difference.

Next stop was Cassier and Leogone, two towns that were at the epicenter of the first earthquake (there have been two more since then over 6.0 magnitude). If PaP is desperate(and it is), then these towns are desolate. No one knows they are there, and the destruction is incredible. We saw several four story schools that were pancaked to a height of eight feet. Although I’ve said it before, decay overwhelms all other smells. We met up with Pastor Miliel who told us his story here at the house compound last evening. The school of 400 kids is gone, though he doesn’t know how many may have been there. All the homes, including his own, are crushed. As we stood on top of his church that is mostly rubble, he couldn’t take it all in; the destruction, all that his congregation has worked for, with no idea what tomorrow will bring. Forget next year, next month or even next week. The thought of tomorrow brings people to a standstill. Over one hundred people are sleeping on the church lawn (actually dirt). The only water source is a well that provides two inches of water in a bucket for each dip. We unloaded the MREs and water and placed them in the only part of the church still standing and is still secure. Pastor Miliel and his leaders now have a means to minister to the community. It was such fun to watch as our local guide and driver demonstrated how to heat an MRE with the included heat packs. People had never seen anything like that before and they laughed to see steam coming from a plastic pack with no heat source.

Darkness approached, but we had another God appointment. Driving through Cassier, we found the mayor who controls the police and government land. We learned that there has been no medical care for the injured and that there are many open wounds and broken bones . We will return in the morning to assess current needs. We intend to bring plastic sheeting from Samaritan’s Purse to protect the thousands sleeping outside. We will also look at a house that we may be able to rent as a base of operations for these two towns that have great needs. Pray that we continue to find favor with contacts and impact lives for the Kingdom.

On the ground in Haiti- Day 2 1/20/10

2010-01-21T07:10:00.002-06:00

The day began with a bang…actually a shake, which we learned later was a 6.1 magnitude earthquake. The psychological impact on this people cannot be overestimated. Streets are crammed with households that will wait a long time before entering a structure again. We are living in a house that withstood the first earthquake with little to no damage. Yet even with that assurance, many in the house and compound (70 of us?) went running when the ground shook this morning. Amazingly and gloriously, voices began singing praise songs soon after the early morning quake. We heard many stories today of people who are turning to Christ in the midst of this. To quote my friend Mark Lewis, Director of EFCA TouchGlobal Crisis Response, "a mission field opens in the wake of every crisis."

The supplies God provided in His perfect time were like a glass of cold water offered in the desert. Patients lined up long before we arrived and waited patiently as we organized a pharmacy and medical supply area. These supplies were sorely needed today as patients continued to arrive with devastating wounds that have gone too long without care. The clinical picture for many is not good and we saw tragedy that would never happen in a normal setting. Yet even in the midst of this, God is here and we know that He loves each of these people.

Walking along the streets gives an up-close picture of what daily life has become for the displaced. People have become very creative in making places to sleep, do laundry, and cook meals. Crushed houses, buildings and cars are everywhere. Some still stand, but each night when an aftershock hits people jump and run. No one will enter a house or building that was damaged. We regularly walk by one school where sixty children still lie crushed beneath the rubble. The pungent smell of decay and open sewage permeates this poor area.

God went before us as we met our partners from Cap Haitian who came with stories of surgeries postponed due to no anesthesia, fluids or gloves. We were able to return to the UN warehouse and were greeted with big smiles from people who helped us late yesterday. God must have blinded their eyes because we aren’t exactly neat and clean or professionally attired. Yet they went out of their way to provide basic supplies for our team and promised to have the remainder Thursday morning. We continued to rely on God to open doors and we were able to drive right into the guarded airport compound where numerous relief and government organizations are based. We visited a number of them and are using those contacts to build a network of partners who can help with specific needs we cannot. Samaritan’s Purse was one such organization, and they were excited about working with us to set up a water treatment plant here in the Carrefour area of Port-au-Prince.

This morning we return to the UN warehouse for more clinical supplies to keep the clinic stocked and operational. We ask for prayer as we seek for God-ordained opportunities to meet and partner with other organizations in this stricken community.

It is hard to express what is necessary for this relief effort. So much is needed, and we are asking our Lord for willing workers, both lay and church leaders and for the Spirit to speak to the hearts of His people and use them mightily. The harvest is ripe, people are open to the Gospel. Workers for the harvest will find their work is fulfilling and fruitful.

On the ground in Haiti- Impressions, Day 1

2010-01-20T08:28:00.000-06:00

A chilly morning greeted us in Ft. Pierce as we left our hotel after a brief sleep and headed to the Missionary Flights, Int’l.(MFI) terminal. Missionaries, work teams and others lined up outside to wait for their names to be called for the today’s passenger list heading to Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Two DC-3s that MFI regularly runs through the Caribbean are not nearly enough to bring the ministries and supplies trying to reach Haiti with help. Hendrick Motorsports has lent two Saab turboprops with a seating capacity of 34 people to make daily runs to Port-au-Prince ( PaP), along with full crews. We were blessed to be on the first flight out and to find clear weather. A two hour flight took us to Provo, Turks and Caicos for a fuel stop then another 45 minutes brought us into Port-au-Prince. Missionary Aviation Fellowship (MAF) maintains a hanger and three planes for Haiti missions work at the PaP airport. Their tarmac allocation is being used by many missions groups to stage supplies and the fact that the MFI planes can move off the very limited commercial space has opened the door for regular flights where others are not being allowed.

As we began our descent, we began to see the panoramic evidence of last week’s earthquake. Buildings looked as if a giant had stepped on them and crushed them into dust. This was just a hint of what we would experience. At the airfield there is somewhat organized chaos with many groups staging supplies, setting up tent cities and official vehicles moving through the maze. We were picked up by a ministry in the Carrefour area that has been running a makeshift clinic in a church for several days. They had run completely out of supplies today as they treated hundreds of open wounds and crush injuries. Our first stop was to pick up a Haitian who works for the UN that could direct us to their distant storage warehouse under guard by UN peacekeepers in armored vehicles. The first response to the desperate request for supplies was a short statement that we needed to fill out some forms, email them and wait for a response. However, they did provide a listing of what they had, so Brian chose what he expected would be needed, in the correct quantities, and Mark took it back and found a different person who said, “We can do this right now.” God opens doors, even with those who don’t know Him! The next two hours was spent climbing in and around their huge space that was significantly damaged during the earthquake. We were able to gather enough supplies for the next few days. Many hundreds of patients may be seen in the next few days with huge health needs.

God sighting: the supplies ran out at the end of today, and tonight we showed up with all that is needed.

The time spent at the UN was critical, but it put us on the road after dark. On our ride to the ministry center in Carrefour we saw more of the tragedy that has impacted many. People lined the sidewalks guarding their few possessions. In some areas, rubble has been placed so as to cut the two lane road down to one lane so that people can sleep in the street. On a wide boulevard, the center median has become a line of huts, constructed of blankets and sticks. People wander in the streets and it is clear that fear drives them still. There is no electrical power except for the few solar-powered street lights and the occasional building with a small generator. Candles and oil lamps provide the only light that shows families sitting around small tables in the street, or glimpses inside the tent like shelters.

We arrived at the home of a local missionary who has a church with the makeshift clinic nearby. Fifty Haitian church members sleep inside the walls around the house, some on an old school bus, some in tents, and others on blankets. Yet there is joy in this place, as we watched them gather around in a circle and begin to sing praise songs and chants. This is no shallow religion, practiced halfheartedly. These believers are truly worthy of the name. In the midst of incredible pain and crisis, with lost homes and lost loved ones, the praises and joy are real, because they know the living Savior.

Even now as I write this, it is beginning to rain. Inside the house, the tile floor is being cleared to bring in those who have no overhead shelter. Yet there is smiling, laughing and joy as people gladly give up privacy and quiet to share with others who need it.

It has been a long day, and tomorrow promises to be even more intense. What a privilege it is to wear oneself out (for a short time at least) demonstrating the love of Christ.

Carrefour Port-au-Prince

2010-01-20T08:03:00.003-06:00

We brought new life the clinic this morning with all the supplies we snagged late yesterday. They are thrilled they can now do surgical procedures with local anesthetics. People are mobbing me, showing me their wounds as I walk down the street. Kids, adults, no one was spared. Open wounds, crush injuries, and of course, mass infection from poor or no treatment for over a week. It’s a sad fact that more will die from lack of care. How do you treat open fractures when you can’t operate and there is nowhere to put them for recovery?

Good Morning- On the ground in Haiti-Day 2

2010-01-20T07:37:00.001-06:00

Brian emailed me this earlier today, "We had an exciting aftershock at 6 AM this morning.Better than an alarm clock!" According to a nurse working in one of the hospitals in PAP( reported by CNN)," Patients at a hospital near Haiti's airport in Port-au-Prince immediately started praying as the ground shook like a ship rocking back and forth. They asked for forgiveness and protection." Pray for the Haitians who survived the earthquake as additional aftershocks incite emotional distress and terror.

On the ground in Haiti-Day 1

2010-01-19T18:55:00.000-06:00

Brian arrived in PAP earlier today and one of our friends from Costa Rica captured this picture as he stood on the tarmac! We spoke briefly by satellite phone, and he assured me that he and the team will have safe lodging tonight. He found some doctors who were treating patients with crush injuries who had no supplies, and several hours later, perused a long list of medications, filled out some requisitions and returned to those doctors with antibiotics and other medications. Pray for other opportunities such as these as he, Mark, and the rest of the team assess the needs of the people of Haiti.

Orphans from Haiti

2010-01-18T22:15:00.000-06:00

Just drove in to Ft. Pierce tonight for an early flight out tomorrow. 26 kids just arrived tonight, released to their adoptive families, some of which have been waiting for years. There are some bright spots in the midst of incredible tragedy. This family was smiling from ear to ear to finally have their family whole.
We're catching a flight out on one of the planes that Hendrick Motor Sports has lent, along with the flight crews, for this crisis.

Haiti update #3 - First assessment team on their way

2010-01-18T09:41:00.000-06:00

Our first team is off to Cap Haitian to assess where we will set up a base and to prepare for our first medical team arriving on Wednesday. Three of us go directly to Port-au-Prince tomorrow morning.