P674

2009-07-27T05:36:00.001-07:00

July 26, 2009

Dear friends and supporters of our son Ben:

God willing, Ben will be returning from Uganda on August 3^rd. As far as we can tell via telephone conversations and text messages half-way around the globe, God is stirring deeply in Ben’s soul through the children at St. Mary Kevin Orphanage in Kampala. Ben is looking forward to coming home, but he will be heart-broken over leaving the kids behind and his inability to continue loving, teaching, and caring for them personally.

Please join us at our home on August 22^nd from 7:30 to 9 PM for desert and fellowship. Ben desires to thank you for sending him on this summer mission and share about the experience in Uganda and the burden God has raised through it in his heart.

We would love to see all of you, and please also feel free to bring a friend. RSVP to koraka58@msn.com or at 201 447 0134 by August 16.

Greetings,

Karola & Matthias Prinz

2009-07-26T06:50:00.000-07:00

On our way to a soccer match

Alex from SMK

The Mzungu (white man) at a football match

A sign in Gulu (see post below)

This is my family while in Uganda: Angela, Edna, and Edwin

This is Faith, TTWU missions coordinator, and I on our boat safari

Mercy for Gulu

"Suffering isn't the islands, but the seas"

2009-07-24T00:11:00.000-07:00

As I said in my last post, I was away from the orphanage for about five days I traveled north with the TTW GUTS team to Adak in the region of Gulu and west to Paraa/Murchison Falls.

In Adak, TTWU runs The Dream Center which is located next to a camp hosting many of the Acholi people displaced because of the war. At the camp they live in their community of clay and straw huts. We joined them in living in such huts for the three days we were in Adak. Because camp life is very laid-back, we did little but sit and pray with the people. However, we did help in the fields of one of The Dream Center's students as we picked peanuts.

During a campfire on our last night in Adak, I had the opportunity to speak with Michael, one of center's students. As he was roasting the head of the goat we had eaten for supper, he shared with me his life story. Although the rebels never kidnapped him, his sister and four brothers were. The rebels killed all four of his brothers but his sister escaped during an attempted air raid (she trecked 120 kilometers in two days!). When the rebels came to his village and kidnapped his siblings, Michael feigned death. He thinks "God took his vital signs" because they grabbed his head and banged it on the ground yelling at him to wake up but when he continued to "play dead" they left him there. When he woke the next morning, he found his parents, who survived, and they sent him to the town for safety.

Two things struck me most about our conversation. First, he shared some of the most heart-wrenching stories I have ever heard with such matter-of-factness. War, tragedy, suffering, death are all integral and even ordinary aspects of his life and he spoke of it as Americans would of sports or the weather, not 9/11 or Columbine. For him, suffering "isn't the islands, but the seas" (Wolterstorff). Although I have noticed the same common-place attitude towards war with the children at SMK, grief still wells within them and manifests itself in their tears where the Acholi people seem to be almost emotionless. Secondly, I never noticed how holistic the effects of a war are. When I asked him what he found to be the biggest problem in the North he said the destruction of the family and the lack of education which both stem from the LRA's atrocities against the Acholi people. Because the LRA destroyed many families and stripped countless children from traditional development and immersed them in a culture of violence, many young men rape younger women throughout the camps which spreads child pregnancies and HIV. Furthermore, because many children were kidnapped and forced to fight and others displaced from their villages, the majority of the young adults lack the education and thus skills needed to make money and sustain their families. This is where the Dream Center comes in. The Dream Center provides students with a range of practical skils in order to make a living and provide for their families. Recently, over fifty students graduated as tailors and were provided with their own sewing machines to begin their business. Presently, they are training twenty-five men in brick laying and concrete practice, a class of which Michael is a member. As the students learn basic skills, staff members also share the gospel and disciple those students who follow Christ. They ultimately seek to develop the community as they provide for the needs of the community.

In addition to attempting to understand the sufferings of the people, we also joined with them in their joys as we talked and ate together over campfires. On the last night, the men stayed out and we shared proverbs from our two cultures and then guessed what they meant. It was so much fun. These aspects of camplife I enjoyed--the sharing and enjoying each other. However, it's good to be home at the orphanage as I can't wait to spend my last week with the kids.

After Gulu, we went to Paraa which is in Western Uganda. There we had two relaxing days of safari. We saw everything from lions to hippos to crocs to giraffes to elephants. It was beautiful and a great two days of rest.

Thanks again for all that you have done to send me here. I appreciate your love and prayers. Look forward to seeing everyone soon!

Headmaster Ben (just kidding)

2009-07-12T06:18:00.000-07:00

Hello! Everything has been so great here in Uganda. I've considered applying for the open head master position at SMK (I'm sort of kidding).

One thing I have noticed is the great need for basic medical care. I never thought I'd get so much use out of my first aid kit! One P6 boy had by far the biggest sty on this eye. I didn't really do much for him but apply some heat but as he sat in my house after we had cleaned everything we spoke for a while. Somehow his family situation came up and he told me that he has both his parents but when he returns home he suffers great abuse. His father has married four women and Ronald feels as if he's the hated one of the family. They do not buy him clothes and rarely feed him while the other siblings receive kind treatment. When I asked him how he thought God felt about his situation he said that God doesn't care. I could do little more than hug him and tell him that God hates the abuse he receives and feels his pain while attempting to share with him the great news of our God of compassion. Because his parents do not pay his school fees or give him anything, all he has is a shabby outfit. I had the great privelage of buying him a school set which comprises of a class uniform, compound uniform, and sports wear, all for only $20.

One of the great opportunities that TTW is beginning about which I look forward to sharing with you more when I return, is a child sponsorship program. The girl that I (/the Prinz family, I hope :) have chosen to sponsor when I return is named Rebecca. Rebecca is from the North and was orphaned as a result of the war. I also bought her a school set and it was so cute to see her the next day looking at her outfit. I cannot wait to share with you how you can get further involved with these kids who have literally nothing.

Teaching has been going very well. I feel as I have finally gotten into the groove of things. I have never seen a group of people so eager to learn everything from the Bible to Math. The students are making a lot of progress especially in math. They make fun of me now saying I say think too much.

Many have asked about my living situation. I finally have a toilet although I need to go to the well every morning to fill the toilet. Although, I lack a lot of the comforts of home, I would not trade living at the orphanage for anything. I grade for a few hours after school, read, and then hang out with the kids until around nine. They are such an amazing group of kids whom I have grown to love. It will be incredibly difficult to leave. But I'm eighteen, so I technically do not have to right, Mom?

The TTW GUTS team has arrived and are doing well. They will be working on the clinic accross the street from SMK. Please keep them in your prayers.

I hope you are well and enjoying the summer. Thanks for your prayers and support! See you soon!

2009-07-01T07:27:00.000-07:00

Hello! I hope all is well in the USA. I am loving Uganda. Here's a tidbit of highlights of what's going on.

Classes are going so very well. In Religious Education we have covered a basic view of God and how humans were created. We discusses the concept of human beings as image bearers and examined some of the implications of that fact. English also has been going very well as I have seen some great progress in two weeks. Math (my least favorite subject at home) has actually been my favorite subject to teach. I have found that in this context helping kids think and analyze instead of simply memorize comes most in Math and RE. Jesse, who has been teaching math for another class, went up to the North with a team so I have been covering his class. I have been teaching every period of the day! It's been crazy!!! but sooo great.

On to more interesting stuff, Friday night I taught the P7 class how to play manhunt. About 25 of us played throughout the orphanage. I got many "wounds" as they call it, but we had a great time. At the end, we had a little party with cookies and soda and they loved it. The next day, Saturday morning, I went for my morning run. However, this time, I took ten sixth graders who led me to Lake Victoria. It was a long run but it was a ton of fun. On the way back we went through the jungle. It was a bit freaky because as we approached swamps they would tell me to be careful of the crocodiles. Also, we all carried sticks to guard against snakes. At one point, we got out of the jungle, we had to walk through a sugar cane company. Sugar cane, by the way is the best. I will start a business selling sugar canes when I return. It actually tastes like healthy candy. Healthy, pure sugar... oh boy.

As we were going through the jungle and throughout my time at SMK, I have realized the independence and self-motivation the children must develop in order to live at an orphanage. They take their studies so seriously as they constantly long to learn. Also, they clean their clothes and go to sleep all on their own. They never have a parent to manage anything about their lives as they develop some of the skills American children take years to acquire. It has really been amazing.

Recently, I began a small group with ten boys. We are pretty much expanding on the topics we discuss in Religious Education. We've met a few times and each time they are so engaged and longing to learn more about this "something out of nothing" God.

One of the other highlights of my time here was Thursday night. There were about thirty kids hanging out in one of the classrooms and I walked over to say hello and goodnight and they all begged me to teach them something. So I asked what it was they wanted me to teach them and they all said about the Bible. And there for an hour or so with chalk and a Bible, we discussed the gospel as many kids realized for the first time that God saves those who believe not those who do good things. The concept of God punishing himself hit them hard, I think, as they are often punished for their misbehaviors and bad grades. Everytime I teach the gospel I again see the beauty of the our God and his grace in a fresh way.

It is so difficult to sum everything up for you, but I am having such an amazing time. I am learning so much and seeing so many new things which continue to amaze you. Thank you all for your emails and prayers! I hope you are well.

First Three Days As Teacher Ben

2009-06-24T07:12:00.000-07:00

I have finally and officially begun teaching and living at the orphanage! I began teaching on Monday and moved in on Tuesday. However, I am back at the TTW house for some time and then will head back tomorrow as the kids had an exam today and I did not teach. I do not have internet access at the orphanage so my updates will probably now be limited to one or two a week but here's what's going on:

The five major classes I am teaching are P5 and P6 English, P5 mathematics, and P5 and P6 Religious Education / The Story of the Bible. In both the English and math classes, there seems to be a disparity between the students who understand the material and those who do not (especially in English). Although the majority of those doing poorly simply do not care, they are all amazing kids with whom I am looking forward to having more fun. Last night at around nine, I had to go for a "short call" (bathroom) and as I was going to the latreens, I stopped by the boys' dormitories and went to their window. As I was approaching, I started making lots of noise and they all became very scared. As I stuck my head in the window, they screamed but then said, "Oh it's just Ben. We thought you were a nighty dancer." The nighty dancers, as I understand it, are a legendary group of people who come and dance around the huts of Africans and then eat the children. He supposedly dances naked with a skirt made of bones. When they were explaining it to me, they also demonstrated how the nighty dancers dance. It was, by far, one of the funniest moments of 2009. As I was leaving, Francis (my favorite) goes, "Ben, you don't fear the nighty dancer?" Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh it was so funny.

On a more serious note, SMK has given me pretty much free reign on Religious Education which is great. Thus, we are going through Genesis 1-11, then Romans 1-4, and then Micah 4 and Revelation 21 to attempt to understand the overarching story of the Bible. So far, we have discussed creation up the creation of man. We described God as triune (and thus loving), eternal, creative, and holy. Even in creation, we examined the idea that God redeems and creates something out of nothing as I told them that we would see the theme of "something out of nothing" as a major one in this story of God.

I plan on meeting with some of the older boys throughout the weeks to help them with their classes as well as further discuss our RE class. Living right on the orphanage gives me a great opportunity to be with them whenever we can as well as connect with them at levels other than the academic.

Also, on Saturday nights, I plan on starting a little church service with any of the kids who wish to come. I'm excited as this should be an opportunity where I can teach them some of the well-known Bible stories from a Christ-centered perspective.

As for my living conditions, they are pretty good. I have my own room with my housemates Edwin and Angela (they are married). They are very funny and I have enjoyed getting to know them. I do not have a working toilet or shower. For toilet matters, I use something called a latreen (spelling?) which is pretty much a built-in hole in the ground. Today, I bathed out of a basin, splashing water on myself which was fun until I tried it :). Yesterday night, I cooked for the three of us. Edwin and I went to the market to buy tomatoes and eggplant and fresh meat (just kidding, mother). But we did get the tomatoes and eggplant and actually made a good meal. I think Edwin and Angela will cook most of the time as I will be quite busy, but when I can, I hope to. All things considered, the living conditions are fine. I would much rather not have a shower and live among the kids than have a shower and not. They are so great.

I hope to give you a better update about Bible classes and groups and such once things really get rolling. My parents keep telling me there are many people who are praying for me. Thank you so much for praying and following along our journey. I am so thankful for the group of people God has established whose love is shown to me in many ways. I look forward to keeping you in the loop about this wonderful country!

A Little about St. Mary Kevin's

2009-06-18T22:20:00.000-07:00

Although I have not yet moved into the orphanage, I have already begun doing some work there. Here's some background about SMK.

During the 1980s, Rosemary, now the executive director, saw the need to provide education for impoverished families and orphans. After opening the school, she also realized the necessity of providing the children with a home in which they may live. Although there are some students who have families and go home everynight, they are extremely few. Almost all of the students have lost at least one parents and live at SMK as their aunts or grandparents come to visit them Sundays. Yesterday I had the opportunity of meeting and hearing about many of the orphan's stories. Some experts follow:

Ivan's father died from a snake bite and his mother from a sickness. He has "now found home in St. Mary Kevin's"

Lillian is from the North where many LRA rebels kidnapp children and ravage villages. She and her siblings saw rebels capture her parents, cover them in paint thinner, and then set them on fire burning them to death.

Another orphan, also from the North, saw the LRA slaughter and chop uphis parents. He and his siblings hid in the bush, surviving off of berries for five days until the Ugandan government found them.

These are just a few examples of the many extreme cases at the orphanage of about 200 children. Although the LRA killed many of the other students' parents, many are also there as a result of disease.
The school aspect of the orphanage is organized quite differently from how we understand education. Because SMK has a very low income and struggles to pay for their expenses, none of the children have text books. At the beginning of the year, they receive notebooks in which they copy and finish the assignment the teachers write on the board. The teachers often will shortly explain the lesson, write their assignment on the board, and then leave the room for the day or the period. Furthermore, at the end of the year, the students take a national exam determining whether they may move on to the next level (the levels are divided as follows: Primary1, P2, P3, P4, P5, P6, P7). Thus, the teachers prepare their students purely for the exam. They are taught to memorize facts and simply regurgitate their answers on the national test. Consequently, when I ask a students, "What is matter?" they all can answer, in perfect unison, "Matter is something which occupies space and has weight." Or, "What is the area of this rectangle?" they respond admirably, "A= L x W" yet cannot apply that information half as quickly when unassisted as they can provide such formulas and definitions. Additionally, the lack of resources along with huge class sizes often inhibit the students' efforts to learn and the teachers' efforts to teach.

However, like most people, they are more than capable of thinking but have never learned how. Yesterday, I socractically taught from Genesis 1:1 on the eternity and certainty of God. I have explored the same concepts in the same way with many people in the States and the Ugandans were just as sharp and articulate when pushed to be so as anyone I have ever taught. I hope to teach the kids how to think and communicate effectively in all of my classes but especially in the Religious Studies and English classes.

Just as a reminder, these are the classes I will teach:

P5,P6 English
P5,P6 Religious Education
P5 Math
P5 Science

Tonight and for the weekend, I will be attending the TTWU staff retreat in a beautiful area about thirty minutes from where we are now. On Sunday, when we return, I will move into the orphanage and begin teaching all of my classes.

Thank you all so much for your thoughts and prayers! I AM SO PUMPED.

(Their "school bell" which prefects ring to indicate the beginning and end of class periods)

2009-06-17T09:03:00.000-07:00

"You Are Most Welcome"

2009-06-17T08:23:00.000-07:00

Hello! I landed safely in Uganda and have been settling in and orienting myself with my context in Uganda. The flight was about sixteen hours but was one of the easiest flights on which I have ever been. I still cannot believe I am in Africa!

Upon arrival, Jesse Kroeze, the country head of TTW Uganda, picked me up and brought me back to the comfortable and beautiful TTW guest house. There I met with Jesse, Andrea, and the some other members of the TTWU staff and began an informal orientation. After settling in at the guest house, which will be my home until Sunday, Jesse and I went to St. Mary Kevin's Orphanage to work on the house in which I will be staying and meet some of the children. At the moment, my house does not have running water so I will bathe with a basin filled with water from a nearby well. On Sunday, I will move into the orphanage and begin teaching.

After our short visit to the orphanage, Jesse and I went back to the TTW headquarters for lunch and a little orientation session. We worked out my schedule, discussed housing and food issues, and examined some clear cultural differences of which I should be aware.

It indeed looks like I will be adding a few classes to my teaching repertoire. Jesse and I will be leading kids in science experiments during a period where some of their classsmates will be taking a photography class. Also, I will teach a fifth-sixth grade math class (shocking, I know) as they are lacking a teacher for that position. From what I can tell, the kids are soo eager to learn and to receive attention from someone. Many of their teachers simply write information on the board and then leave for home expecting them to memorize formulas and facts in order to pass a national test. I simply cannot wait to begin on Monday. All of them keep on telling me how excited they are that I am moving in and will be teaching them.

After orientation, we all went back to SMK for formal welcome to the orphanage. Many of the children organized a number of dances to drums which lasted for a good thirty minutes welcoming us to Africa and their country. At the end the girls pulled me into the middle of the dance and I was told by the time I leave, I will be able to "move." One common saying I have picked up is, "You are most welcome." Even the children hold my hands and look at me in the eyes and say, "You are most welcome."

Fourth Week

2008-07-25T00:44:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is my last full day in Australia! Crazy crazy!

This past week was called our "debriefing" week wherein we compiled all of our study and either emailed or presented it to Jim. On Tuesday, we worked primarily on the needs of Sydney, North Sydney, and Ryde. Apart from simply compiling all of the research we had already conducted, Erin and I also contacted all of the different community centers and volunteer agencies to identify for Jim where the Church may become involved. All three are different regions of Sydney and within them are different what they call "suburbs."

Wednesday, we worked on those particular suburbs within the regions. Unfortunately, by the time we had our meeting with Jim, I had come down with a fever and some type of stomach bug. That pretty much took me out for the rest of the day and most of Thursday. Praise God that I am pretty much 100% (That would've been one awful flight, if they let me on that is). For those of you who heard about my illness and prayed for me, thank you.

Today, Friday, was my packing day because missionaries from Queensland have come to stay with Jungs from now until Wednesday. For this reason, I'm moving into one of the church member's house for the next two nights. I still cannot believe that tomorrow is my last full day in Australia!

My flight leaves at 10:30 AM on Sunday and I arrive in Canada at 7:00 Sunday night. I then head to Atlanta, Georgia for a short time with most of the MTW interns from around the world. It should be a great time to meet some new people and be encouraged by their various experiences. Thanks again for your prayers!

Third Week

2008-07-17T04:51:00.000-07:00

This past week has been much more "chill" than last week. My main task this week has been to simply shadow Jim and understand what he does better. At the end of the day we discuss the things that I learn from the different meetings and experiences of the day. For example, on Tuesday we went to a meeting for a group called Korean Australian Pastors Association (KAPA). There I learned about the struggles of ethnics churches and how the church can assist them better. I also went with Jim to a meeting about his campus ministry. Jim and I have also been doing a lot of talking about the components of a biblical church.

One of the interesting values he is attempting to push in his church is a "balanced perspective. "This, "Core Value" as he would call it, is the belief that the church must not major in some important issues and minor in other equally important issues. For example, too often Christians have a strong social conscience, wishing to see systemic evils erased from the world, but fail to major in orthodox beliefs about sin, Jesus, redemption, etc. On the other extreme, there are churches which have the Westminster Catechism memorized but are uninvolved with injustices, the poor, and/or problems within their context. A "balanced perspective" looks at the commands of Jesus and chooses to not fall into the typical mold of majoring in some commands and ignoring, but wholeheartedly looks to obey all of Jesus's commands about the church and how she should relate to the world.

For those of you who are wondering, all of the international hype about the Pope is true. Today, the city was absolutely packed. Imagine getting fifty percent more of the people who reside in the heart Sydney and put them there, not in the apartments and houses but on the streets, touring, singing, etc. All of the "Pilgrims" have these red and yellow backpacks which say WYD SYD (World Youth Day, Sydney). They are EVERYWHERE! The "Pilgrims" also walk around the city in groups. It is fun to see, because all of them carry their country flag and sing or chant.

As for me, I did see the Pope today. It was brief, but life-changing. Just kidding. I did see him though. I also met someone from West Milford, NJ. For those of you who do not go, I had the opportunity to go to Hillsong last Sunday. There I also met two girls from New Jersey who attended Bethany in Wyckoff.

On passage of Scripture I have been thinking about lately is 1 Peter 1:12 "It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look." I would love to read your thoughts on this verse. I hope all is well and thanks again for your support!

Ethnographic-Area Interviews Day 4

2008-07-11T02:34:00.000-07:00

Erin and I again went to survey the Greater Sydney area. Today we visited just two regions but did a lot more study as they are two potential areas of the church plant. The first region we surveyed is called Crow's Nest. Crow's Nest is pretty much the wealthiest region in Sydney and thus Australia. We ran into some very interesting and insightful people today as I asked my usual questions. Erin and I work very well together. I do much of the questioning and talking as she takes the notes and navigates. The second region we went to is North Sydney. North Sydney is where Jim plans to plant the church.

To recapitulate, the first two days of interviews, Erin and I studied the more diverse, ethnic, and lower-class neighborhoods. Thursday and Friday, we went to the less diverse and affluent regions. I found the first two days very interesting but I enjoyed studying the latter regions more.

From this experience and thinking through the different conversations, I have learned a lot about church planting. The importance of knowing and understanding how your context thinks is so important. For example, the structure of a church in Auburn, a poor, Muslim, Turkish, and Eastern European area should be quite different from the type in Darlinghurst, an artsy, wealthy, homosexual community. I also learned how to better develop questions which really got to the heart of the information for which I am looking. These first two weeks have been so interesting and exciting. Please continue to pray for HCC and Sydney. Thanks again for all of your support!

Religionless Spirituality by Timothy J. Keller

2008-07-11T00:53:00.000-07:00

Today, I made a point of asking every person what they thought the general disposition towards religion was of the people of their area. After their answer I asked, "It seems to me that most people are spiritual but few are religious. Do you think that's an accurate observation?" Every person agreed wholeheartedly.

That whole "I'm spiritual but not religious" present in the Australian context has caused me to think more and more about it. Dr. Tim Keller has named it "Religionless Spirituality" in an article that I found recently by him. You can find the article it here. Please take a look.

Ethnographic-Area Interviews Day 3

2008-07-10T03:42:00.001-07:00

Today, Erin and I went to a bit more of the younger and urban areas of Sydney, namely, Darlinghurst, Surry Hills, and Padington. The regions were a bit less ethnic but remained diverse. It was also much more artsy and "trendy" as one interviewee noted. As we were walking throughout these regions, I had a strong desire to personally begin ministry in one of these regions, actually. All of those to whom we spoke talked about the young, "hip", partying, professional, middle to upper-class population, alongside the poor, "drugged-up", "people with whom life has not dealt fairly", drunks, homeless population. One gentleman said that the dichotomous nature of the region is absolutely astounding to him. When I asked him what he thought to be the biggest need of the community he immediately answered that the area needed more social programs designed for the poor and addicted. I also asked him what the general disposition towards religion was in the region and he responded that "everyone in this area is spiritual, no one is religious." I think that is the general disposition throughout western thought but was well articulated by this insightful and honest man. One of the things I have been thinking and reading about is how the gospel responds and how the church should respond to an egalitarian culture adverse to institutions and especially institutionalized religion. When I return to the States I would love to talk to you about that more.

Just as a bit of a side note, this type of environment is the exact type of place in which I would love to minister. On one end you have the intellectuals, the thinkers, the "arsty", the gay, the professionals, the politically active, the liberals, and the conservatives; while at the other end, you have the "druggies", homeless, marginalized, and poor. I find such an environment to be so stimulating and challenging. Yet, what a gospel we have! Gospel, good news, that Jesus is the answer to the poor and the rich's questions. Jesus is the answer to the homosexual and user's search for pleasure. Jesus is the answer. Truly, it does take time to understand how "we can be all things to all people", but really, Jesus is the answer. If we, as Christians, simply proclaim Jesus the Christ, nothing less and nothing more, we'll faithfully and adequately answer the questions of the world.

Ethnographic-Area Interviews Day 2

2008-07-10T02:38:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Wednesday, Erin and I continued our surveys of the Greater Sydney Area. We visited Bankstown, Eastwood, and Chatswood. In especially these three suburbs, I was again reminded of the value of solid evangelical and biblical churches here in Australia. The diverse population is absolutely astounding. In one of the towns (Erin has our notes and is typing them as we will have to present our finding the Jim and Claudia on Saturday so I don't know exactly which one) we encountered two students from India who had been in Sydney for a few months; two Korean students who were planning on returning to Korea; an Aussie; a Filipino lady; and two Chinese men. If the church, by God's grace, could take hold of Sydney or even a section of this city, there could be, again, by God's grace, worldwide affects.

These potential worldwide effects is a missional strategy which I have begun to understand more fully in the past two years as a result of my visit to East Asia and now Australia. Right now, the main region quite averse to Christianity is the Middle East/Muslim nations. In a sense, the United States can do little to directly evangelize the Muslim regions due to our connection with Israel, Christian beginnings, etc. However, it is widely agreed upon that Muslims are far more open and receptive towards Asians than any western nation. For this reason, much of the missionary efforts of the West have been to reach China and Korea in order to see the kingdom expand not only in eastern nations but throughout the Middle East as well. As I said above, one thing that I have come to realize after spending just a week in this great city is the overwhelmingly vast Chinese and Korean population here either studying or permanently living. If, by God's grace, the Spirit would capture Australia and especially the Greater Sydney area, through the faithful proclamation of His Word, I believe Australia could be, with Korea, the largest missionally-minded center of Chrsitianity to the 10/40 window (see below). Would you please continue in prayer with me for this great city? It has become so clear to me in the past week how huge Australia could be in God's plan of redemption.

Many have asked... do the toilets really flush clockwise?

2008-07-08T01:27:00.000-07:00

Many of you have asked about how the toilets flush here in Australia. They do, indeed, turn clockwise. I hope you can see it :)!

Ethnographic-Area Interviews Day 1

2008-07-08T01:10:00.000-07:00

Today, Erin and I went out into different suburbs of Sydney and studied them by interviewing people of the town. The three cities we studied today were Strathfield, Auburn, and Cabramatta. These three areas are all potential spots of the Harbour City Church plant or at least, we hope, will be affected by the church plant. One of the "core values" of Harbour City Church is a love for the city and a commitment to working for the good of the greater Sydney area. Our task was not only to identify the various cultures and religions of these suburbs, but to discover one thing that the individuals of the suburbs felt the town needed. For instance, a gentleman from Auburn informed us that he believed the homeless and alcoholic populations were serious problems. HCC's core commitment to helping the city in all ways, spiritually, culturally, and socially in this region would then have to be a concern for the alcoholics, those affected by alcoholism, and the homeless. Today I learned the great importance of having open ears with the people you are trying to reach. If HCC chose not to discover and understand the various people, culture, and problems of each suburb, how would they effectively " become all things to all people, that by all means [they] might save some." In all ministry, knowing and loving the context in which you are is of great importance.

Different Type of Ministry

2008-07-03T23:46:00.000-07:00

As I'm beginning to settle in and really study church planting, I have realized that my work here is going to be very different from past short term missions and I'm quite excited about that. One of the preliminary steps of church planting is understanding the context in which you are seeking to minister. For this reason, yesterday I went throughout the museums, read, and learned about the history of Sydney. As an intern in the business world not only helps the business with which he works, but learns the basic ropes of any business, this internship is not just learning and studying about Australia, but learning how to study any city and culture to understand how I can better reach out to those in any urban center.

Another one of the preliminary stages of church planting is something called networking. I will probably write about that more later during my experience, but within networking, I have learned of two different ways of networking, namely, micro networking and macro. Today I began to understand in a better sense macro networking as the Jungs had a prominent Anglican minister join us for lunch (his wife is American so she had some fellow Americans with which to celebrate Independence Day). I don't think I have ever met a man with such a love for people this man had. Through this experience all of us were able to ask him questions about the type of church Sydney needs, the type of people in Sydney, how he saw the gospel manifested in everyday life, etc. In this new contact and friendship that the Jungs have established, there is a wellspring of wisdom, guidance, and really people from which the Jungs can learn. This macro aspect of networking is a way of developing relationships with leaders and churches as a whole and through those relationships the planter has also networked with many other people.

Thanks again for your support. I am learning a lot!

Safe in Sydney

2008-07-02T02:54:00.000-07:00

Praise God that I have finally, after a twenty-three hour flight, arrived in Sydney. My journey began with a bit of a scare when Air Canada informed me that I would not be able to fly to Australia due to the fact that I did not have a visa. After a few calls by my Dad, we informed the airline that they could obtain a visa for me online. After a stressful thirty minutes, I had a visa and was on a plain headed for Toronto.

Upon my arrival in Toronto, Canada, I had about a three hour layover. From Toronto I flew to Vancouver, and from Vancouver we flew to Sydney arriving at about 8:00 AM on July 2. I then finally met Jim and Claudia Jung, the couple with whom I am living and working. They are a lovely couple with a heart for the local church and people. (Claudia is also a wonderful cook :))I also met Erin Clemmer, the other intern who has been in Sydney for about a month now. She too is a young lady with a heart for the ministry and I am excited to begin working with her.

We then took a quick tour of the city and headed home.
After washing up and settling in, I was given a brief introduction and outline of how I should be spending my next month. Following our meeting, Erin and I went out around the city again wherein she introduced me to the public transportation system and showed me around a bit. Sydney is by far the most beautiful city in which I have ever been. The only American city that I think comparable to Sidney in structure and "feel" is Seattle. Jim said that if you combine San Diego, Seattle, and Manhattan you get Sydney.

After our tour of the city, we returned for dinner. Right now it is almost 9:00 PM as we watch the sporting event of the year, game three of a best of three series named the State of the Origin (Rugby) between New South Wales and Queensland. Rugby is perhaps my new favorite sport :)

Thank you so much for all your prayers and I look forward to sharing with you all that happens here in Sydney this month. Please check back for more pictures and hopefully a daily update.