Reflections

Some Churches and Ministries I Follow

Over the years I've had the opportunity to meet a wide variety of people around the world who somewhere along the line decided to step out in faith in hopes of making a difference in lives of people and in this world.

I've just added a sidebar item entitled: "Some Churches and Ministries I Follow". I could follow the story any number of churches and ministries. And I do. I check in with a bunch of them from time to time. But, the ministries I've listed are more personal to me. I have had the privilege to see them or the leaders up close and personal and in many cases I have developed a relationship with the leadership team.

So, this link is for you. And it is for ME. It's a convenience that let's me go to one place and just "click and go." Enjoy.

Stephanie's First Solo Show

 

This Thursday, November 15th, our daughter Stephanie will have a solo show in the cafe at the Gallery at Avalon Island in downtown Orlando. We've updated her web-page to feature some of her latest work. You can check it out through the link to the right.

This picture is one of four paintings Stephanie did for her final project while studying at the School at the Institute of Art of Chicago. She calls the set "The Hope Series". She was inspired by her summer trip to South Africa where she and her sister, Katie, worked among the poor in a village called Qua Qua. As she has gotten educated about the AIDS pandemic in Africa, she noticed that you often see faces of children. She also noticed that associated with those faces are numbers--statistics of orphans and those infected with the HIV virus.

In her paintings the numbers mean something different. They are actually pointers to books, chapters, and verses of the Bible. They are verses of HOPE. So instead of statistics of the spiraling problem, Stephanie points us back to God--the real hope for those suffering.

Off to Africa

I woke up at 2:25 am this morning thinking about my girls. Earlier in the day we dropped them off at Summit Church for their 2-week mission trip to Africa.

When I led an international missions agency, I was on and off a plane as a routine part of my job. I know first hand how tiring that can be. But, I never had a flight as long as the one they are taking. We left the home at 8:30a on Wednesday. They won't arrive in Johannesburg until 4:00p Thursday (or 10a "body time"). Anyway you slice it, that's a long trip.

We won't have much direct contact over the next 15 days of their trip. So, I am sure my nights (and days) will be filled with prayer, wonder, and concern. Both Stephanie and Katie have so much to offer the children and the suffering from the AIDS pandemic in Africa. I look forward to hearing how God uses them and how He shapes their lives and hearts through this experience.

Stemming the Tide

The first rule of solving a problem is to understand it. For example, in business if the market begins to decline, we study the market trends and data and we assess the situation. We then formulate our response, align our teams, and act--carefully measuring results to ensure our response was effective.

In understanding the AIDS pandemic, you don't have to study very long to understand that this is arguably the most significant health crisis in our world today. Stats are everywhere. The magnitude of this problem is mind-boggling and overwhelming.

Before we can formulate any kind of response, it would be wise to ask the following questions: "Is there any progress being made? If so, what can we learn? How can we accelerate that progress?" In my research I was encouraged to learn that some countries like Uganda have seemingly begun to stem the tide in the prevelance of HIV infections. Their response includes a multi-faceted approach involving such diverse organizations as:

1. The Government,
2. Medical, pharmecuetical and other institutions,
3. Extended families,
4. A wide-variety of NGO's,
5. The Church in Africa,
6. The Church throughout the world

While the Uganda story offers a glimmer of hope, let the reader beware: this is not to say that the urgency for an international all-out coordinated response is no longer needed. The Uganda story is simply a bit of desperately needed news to encourage us in what will truly be a defining moment for the continent and our world. It is something to build upon.

The truth is: the outcome is still very uncertain. (According to Wikepedia, "The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has predicted outcomes for the region to the year 2025. These range from a plateau and eventual decline in deaths beginning around 2012 to a catastrophic continual growth in the death rate with potentially 90 million cases of infection.")

In this sense, we are in a race against time. It is time for action.

Which starts to bring it home for me. As a business leader with a family in Central Florida, what can I and my family do? How can we be involved? What difference can we really make? We'll reflect on these and other similar questions in future posts...

Weeping King

My daughter Stephanie has been given some amazing gifts. The most precious is her passionate heart. Another, is her ability to express her heart in painting and the arts.

She recently completed "Weeping King". With some insperational music blaring in the background she expressed her passion, love, and concern on canvas.

Depicted in the painting are children who are vicitims of the AIDS pandemic in Africa. Behind them is the strong and regal King. As you look closely, a tear flows from his left eye.

I was very moved when I first saw the painting. I mean, I got emotional. I gave her big hug and just held her as we viewed the painting together. I told her, "You really have captured the heart of God in this piece."

She went on to tell me that you cannot tell if the sun is rising or setting...because the outcome of the pandemic is still not clear...

Check out the link to the right to see some of Stephanie's other work, including, "Peace" an award winning painting about the Invisible Children of Uganda.

12,000,000 children

12,000,000 is a really big number. 8 digits strung together with a couple of commas thrown in.

I get 12. But 12, one million times? Honestly, it's too big to really understand. But this is the number that keeps being set forth as the number of orphans: babies, toddlers, kids, teens...that were left alone in this world because their parent(s) died of AIDS.

12,000,000.

How big is 12,000,000? Well it is about half of the population of Florida. Pictured like this, I can tell it's a really big number. But it still is just a vague idea.

I loved going to University of Michigan football games as a student. The stadium, proudly known as "the Big House", packs in over 100,000 faithful at home games each Fall. I would often be amazed as I looked out over the sea of people crammed into the stadium. 12,000,000. Let's see...that's 120 stadiums FULL of kids without parents.

I can start to see it. But it is still just too amazing. I guess I could keep playing the "break down the numbers" game in hopes of having the number 12,000,000 impact me. But, one of my own experiences is what most has brought this home for me. Just over 6 years ago, I had received some news that you hope you never get--especially at the age of 40. I got the call from my doctor informing me that I had triple coronary heart disease and needed surgery right away. Someday I'll get into those experiences, but for now I want to focus on one particular reflection from those confusing and scary days.

My wife, Jill, and I are blessed with 4 incredible children. Stephanie. Katie. Kimberly. Michael. As I went in and out the heart cath lab 9 times over the next 3 years, my biggest struggle was with anxiety and guilt over the fear of leaving my family alone without a husband and father. Would I be there to walk my daughters down the aisle? Would I be there to play ball with Michael? Would I see my grandkids? Would I enjoy a lifetime of love with Jill? What would happen to them if I died? At times the sadness and fear was overwhelming. I felt so much care and compassion for those kids and for Jill.

From this perspective, the real tragedy of 12,000,000 hits home for me. Through the lens of my own experience I can feel compassion for fatherless and motherless children. I can imagine the fear and bewilderment of ONE child. I can relate to what ONE dying parent was feeling. The heartbreak. The fear. The pain. Every time a child is orphaned, it is a tragedy.

12,000,000.

Let the Journey Begin

A number of months ago Isaac Hunter, Senior Pastor of Summit Church, issued a clear and bold challenge to his congregation. He had just returned from the Global Summit on AIDS, hosted by Saddleback Community Church.

If you've heard Isaac preach you know that he's "got it". He consistenly brings a message from the mind and heart of God. On this particular Sunday he was at it again as he shared about the plight of those suffering from the AIDS pandemic in Africa. God had clearly moved him personally. It was time for us to be touched as well.

Isaac asked us all to DO 3 things:

1. Get educated
2. Pray
3. GO

In our wired-world of cell phones, Internet, and 24-hour news it is easy to get what some refer to as "compassion fatigue". Being plugged-in, we are exposed to a relentless stream of stories about suffering, needs, and tragedy. This world can be a brutal place. Voices call for our attention and our response almost daily. Over time this constant exposure can easily overwhelm us. News of tragic realities become noise. It's not that we don't care; it's just that we sense that it's too big, too daunting, too overwhelming...so we do nothing.

I see the wisdom behind Isaac's "get educated" and "pray" parts of the challenge. He's asked us to slow down and focus our attention on a mind-boggling problem. For me that means fighting through the "compassion fatigue", to apply myself a little bit, and to stay open to what God wants to show me.

So let the journey begin. Over the next few weeks, I will be doing the "get educated" and "pray" part of the challenge. I'll keep you posted on the my reflections along the way.