There's nothing like a best friends wedding to bring you home. See you all in September and October! The things I look forward to the most:
1) Jumping on the bed with my nephew.
2) Hearing my nephew talk for the first time!
3) Seeing my family.
4) Seeing my best friend Jesse get married.
5) Hanging out with friends.
6) Using a washing machine!
7) Sleeping in my own bed.
8) Taking a shower without having to hold the shower head.
9) Eating honeycombs, pops, and any other sugary cereal I can get my hands on with milk that doesn't taste like it came straight from the cow.
10) Driving!
11) Going to movie theater as much as possible.
12) Watching tv.
13) Good American food.
14) Having electricty that does not go out.
15) High speed internet or internet at all!
16) Fall weather, the leaves, the smell... so nice.
17) Cheesecake, icecream, milkshakes, snowballs... the list goes on.
17) Just being home...
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Along for the Ride.
The Kids Across Africa football camp finally arrived. For the last week and half we were up in Musanze, a district about two hours outside of Kigali, putting on a five day camp that served 130 Rwandan kids and 22 Rwandan coaches. 
It is kind of complicated to explain, but there was ten teams and each team had two coaches as well as one player coach from America. There was about 20 or so American staff, fathers, and sons from America who came for the event.
The event was kicked off on Tuesday night and ended on Sunday with a huge awards ceremony that took place in the main stadium of the district. Throughout the week the ten teams, ages 10-12, 13-15, and 16-18 learned skills from their coaches and competed in afternoon matches.
Each match counted towards an overall tournament that ended in a semi-final and final match. It was a big deal for the players and coaches.
More importantly then the details of camp was the little and big ways God showed up. For the last four or five months I have had the privilege to help coordinate this camp.
For me, this camp was so much more then some big soccer camp. It was God being faithful and teaching me how to walk, lead, and organize in his name. From my first meeting with Gregg Bettis the President of Kids Across America, God continue to reveal his visions for this camp. 
As we all took babysteps forward God led and helped provide the right people, money, and set-up for how this camp should go.
Even to the simplest thing such as a bracelet God took care of the details and allowed for 130 kids from the Musanze district to hear about life and how their lives can be lived for Jesus. There are so many other ways that God was faithful and moved and work.
I really wish you could have been there because trying to put it all into words on a blogger just does not suffice. All I can say is that God showed up from the littlest of ways to the biggest.
He knew every person, every player, and every coaches who was suppose to be there. He knew the good, the bad, and the ugly of what putting on first time camp can bring. He also knew that something like this would not only grow me, but would teach me more about letting go and trusting him to fulfill his plans.
Trust can be such a hard thing to learn in life. Some times I feel like I am so far away from grasping it. Actually, maybe trust isn't even something you grasp, but like a relationship, it is a process. There are moments of great trust and moments of where you struggle and feel nervous about every turn in life.
Even though I am so greatful for the opportunity to work with KAAC and help organize this camp, I think I am even more greatful for the hard lessons that were found within.
As Oswald Chambers always says... God cares less about the goal and more about the relationship and the process itself. To God be the glory.
It is kind of complicated to explain, but there was ten teams and each team had two coaches as well as one player coach from America. There was about 20 or so American staff, fathers, and sons from America who came for the event. 
The event was kicked off on Tuesday night and ended on Sunday with a huge awards ceremony that took place in the main stadium of the district. Throughout the week the ten teams, ages 10-12, 13-15, and 16-18 learned skills from their coaches and competed in afternoon matches. 
Each match counted towards an overall tournament that ended in a semi-final and final match. It was a big deal for the players and coaches. 
More importantly then the details of camp was the little and big ways God showed up. For the last four or five months I have had the privilege to help coordinate this camp. 
For me, this camp was so much more then some big soccer camp. It was God being faithful and teaching me how to walk, lead, and organize in his name. From my first meeting with Gregg Bettis the President of Kids Across America, God continue to reveal his visions for this camp. 
As we all took babysteps forward God led and helped provide the right people, money, and set-up for how this camp should go. 
Even to the simplest thing such as a bracelet God took care of the details and allowed for 130 kids from the Musanze district to hear about life and how their lives can be lived for Jesus. There are so many other ways that God was faithful and moved and work. 
I really wish you could have been there because trying to put it all into words on a blogger just does not suffice. All I can say is that God showed up from the littlest of ways to the biggest. 
He knew every person, every player, and every coaches who was suppose to be there. He knew the good, the bad, and the ugly of what putting on first time camp can bring. He also knew that something like this would not only grow me, but would teach me more about letting go and trusting him to fulfill his plans. 
Trust can be such a hard thing to learn in life. Some times I feel like I am so far away from grasping it. Actually, maybe trust isn't even something you grasp, but like a relationship, it is a process. There are moments of great trust and moments of where you struggle and feel nervous about every turn in life. 
Even though I am so greatful for the opportunity to work with KAAC and help organize this camp, I think I am even more greatful for the hard lessons that were found within. 
As Oswald Chambers always says... God cares less about the goal and more about the relationship and the process itself. To God be the glory.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Zambia and Beyond...
School ended on June 20th and on June 27th, I set off to South Africa to meet one of my best friends from high school Drew Myers and his girlfriend Jackie. We spent a few days in South Africa seeing penguins, whales, sharking diving (which I was sea sick for the whole time), the ocean, and so much more. South Africa is a beautiful place. It is also ridiculously cold right now because it is their winter. 
(South African Coast Line) I called South Africa Little America because being there did not feel like Africa. It felt more like I was in the U.S. then in Africa still. After South Africa we went to Zambia for a few days. While in Zambia we took a seven hour bus ride to Victoria Falls. The falls are unbelievable!
(Victoria Falls) They are so powerful and yet so beautiful all at the same time. They are so powerful that you can see mists from miles away and while you are there you get soaked from the mist that comes up. Victoria Falls is about a mile and 1/4 wide. You can only see the 1/4 of it on the Zambia side, while the rest lies on the Zimbabwean side. So even though you feel like you get to see so much of the falls, really you are only getting to see a small portion.
(Drew, Jackie, and I... love them!) Unfortunately because of the political instability, not many people get to see Victoria Falls completely, except if you are lucky and get to go on what is called the Micro-light! Thankfully we did get a chance to do that. It was honestly probably the best part of the entire trip. We were high up in the sky flying over the falls. We could see hippos, crocodiles, and elephants all from above.
(My friend Vaughn from Zambikes) My German born driver even let me drive. It was a blast. After that we headed back to Lusaka where I met up with my friends from Zambikes. They broke us in by eating traditional food with our hands. It was great! I also got to meet many of the Zambians working for them who are helping to build their bicycle work shop. It was great to be able to see them and see what they are doing and how they are doing it.
(South African Coast Line) I called South Africa Little America because being there did not feel like Africa. It felt more like I was in the U.S. then in Africa still. After South Africa we went to Zambia for a few days. While in Zambia we took a seven hour bus ride to Victoria Falls. The falls are unbelievable! 
(Victoria Falls) They are so powerful and yet so beautiful all at the same time. They are so powerful that you can see mists from miles away and while you are there you get soaked from the mist that comes up. Victoria Falls is about a mile and 1/4 wide. You can only see the 1/4 of it on the Zambia side, while the rest lies on the Zimbabwean side. So even though you feel like you get to see so much of the falls, really you are only getting to see a small portion. 
(Drew, Jackie, and I... love them!) Unfortunately because of the political instability, not many people get to see Victoria Falls completely, except if you are lucky and get to go on what is called the Micro-light! Thankfully we did get a chance to do that. It was honestly probably the best part of the entire trip. We were high up in the sky flying over the falls. We could see hippos, crocodiles, and elephants all from above. 
(My friend Vaughn from Zambikes) My German born driver even let me drive. It was a blast. After that we headed back to Lusaka where I met up with my friends from Zambikes. They broke us in by eating traditional food with our hands. It was great! I also got to meet many of the Zambians working for them who are helping to build their bicycle work shop. It was great to be able to see them and see what they are doing and how they are doing it.
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