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He is about fourty. He is wearing a white short-sleeve polo with three buttons and a collar, faded blue jeans and converse shoes with those fat shoe laces. His skin is dark tan despite his slavik birth, because of long days under the summer sun (the weather today neared 100f).

His dark hair is neatly trimmed but matted from sweat and lack of care. About three steps behind him, I smell the smell that signifies an alcoholic.

Coming from the opposite direction is a woman who is rather tall, big boned with a light complexion and reddish hair. She's well groomed and has sunglasses on to block out the harsh summer sun. She's leading two little children by the hands.

I hear the man behind me now, call out to them.

My instinct kicks in and i stop, turn and wait to see what will happen. I am ready to go and break up any problems he might start for this happy group of mother and children. I'm certain he's mistaken them for someone else or perhaps knows them as neighbors. Either way, I'm pretty sure I might need to step in to help the lady keep her kids safe.

But much to my surprise and much more to my dismay, the little boy reaches up and takes dad by the hand. Dad has that half drunk, half happy, half 'yeah I got a little boy so be proud of me' look on his face.

I turn and walk away and as I do I ask God to let me step in and help. I ask Him to give me the chance to 'step in to help the lady keep her kids safe' but in a more permanent way. I want to help her get the man she married back. I want to show them all that God loves them too much to ignore them. But for now I just pray...and wait...and listen.

Echoes of home

My best friend Bartek works at a movie theater. It's a wonderful movie theater (let me take a moment to explain that I unashamedly, unabashedly, unequivocally love movies. I'm a movie goer from way back when my dad used to take me to a double-feature for 99 cents at the Margate Twin Cinema)

So, when my best friend was seeking God's will about taking a part time job to help himself through college, I was johnny on the spot with a word. Not necessarily a word from God, mind you, but a word from yours truly. And that word was "FREE PASSES". Those are two words, but you can say anything fast enough and enthusiastically enough for it to come out as one.

Anyhow, today Bartek took me to see Wall-E. Just for those traditional types who'd say a missionary isn't supposed to see movies but work - I went after nine at night, when all the sinners are asleep anyways. Also, I got the medium coke, not the large - thus saving more money to be used to buy flour and sugar for when the bombing starts again. So, we're good. And, incase I forgot to mention it - the ticket was free! (ok, think i might have covered all objections, hehe)

Let me tell you what I came away from that movie with; a real sense of needing to lose weight. Now, if you've not seen the movie, please - go. Especially if you're living in the states, you owe it to yourself to see this flick. You can take your kids - it's completely safe. But, let me warn you, when the kids come out they'll be just happy having seen a sweet romantic animated comedy ----but you dear reader - if you're even a little on the lazy side, you will be throwing your popcorn in the trash halfway through the film.

So, I will again lace up the running shoes and go pound the pavement tomorrow morning. I have been doing fast walking up hill lately in the morning since running on asphalt is supposed to be bad for you knees...tomorrow maybe I'll wear a backpack with rocks in it!

One more thing about the movie theater... whether this is a positive or negative, the movie theater will always remain a place that reminds me of family. I'm a very nostalgic person and I enjoy being moved. So, there are times when I go to the movie early - sit in the dark theater - and just remember what it used to be like to sit next to dad and swap candy that neither of us were supposed to have and both of us had sworn to keep a secret from mom. There is no more Margate Twin... and dad and I don't have weekend rituals anymore...but I have a son now, and a best friend with free passes.

G'night all.
Love ya dad.

corey

Reasons Why It Shouldn't Have Worked

1. No formal education
2. No missions education
3. Too young

Those are at least three reasons I can think of why I shouldn't have made it more than a year on the field. A little over ten years ago when I came out here, I was a young man with a desire to be obedient to the call of God in my heart.

I wasn't one of those "Either a missionary or a backslider" types - I just knew God had spoken and I needed to follow:

I heard Him say, "Come follow."
That was all.
My gold grew dim, I rose and followed Him.
Beloved, who wouldn't follow, if they heard Him call?

I don't remember where I heard those words first - I think it was on a cd about a woman who was put into a Japanese prisoner of war camp during the second world war...but I'm not certain. It does pretty much sum up what I felt then, and what I feel now.

Today, I walked among the apartment blocks of this old neighborhood. From towering communist-style block to towering communist-style block I went looking for men who are suffering who will let us help them out. In between two blocks and two appointments I ran into one of the men we often meet who is a case that many would call a foregone conclusion.

He is often incoherent.
He is often soiled.
He is often in a kind of alcohol-induced stupor.

But today, as I walked up the stairs to get to one of the groups of apartment blocks, he walked beside me and the conversation went:

He started "Dzien dobry!" (means hello with respect)
Dzien dobry. (I get no ! I was less enthusiastic)

"Would you please help me?"
How can I help you? (I thought he was going to ask me to carry his bags)

"I want to change....well, at least a little. I only ever talk to my drinking friends...we just drink. I don't want to be that kind of person...that kind of alcoholic." (was possibly the most pristine sentence i have ever heard from a drunk man)

Well, you'd first have to go for a week long detox....then we can begin to talk about how to help you and where you can go.

"But I do want to change...at least a little."
Ok, we'll talk more. Want to talk now?

"Uh, I got to go - the apartment is empty - someone has to watch it." (and it really did seem he was convinced that someone needed to watch an empty apartment)

These are the kinds of conversations one has on the road to helping people find freedom from bondage and freedom in Christ. Makes life interesting...makes a person wonder what will happen today, when they wake up in the morning.

I had strikes against me coming out here - but it's been a little over ten years and I'm still here. Though there were times when I bet I should have been sent back and let someone else more capable take my place. But, I trust that He knew and knows what He is doing.

Peace.

First

Hey everyone,

This is the first of what I hope will be many blog entries about life here. So many people have told me that I'm supposed to write that I finally decided to do something - partly out of the desire to be able to tell these people that I AM finally writing something.

I hope this exercise will help me to perfect the abilities God has given me, and lead to the writing of the books I have in my heart and mind to write. I don't know when that will happen, but I'm pretty certain that at least two books are in His plans for me.

So, here we go. If it gets mind-numbingly boring, just let me know.

In His embrace,
corey