Wild at Heart-Africa

Widow Teresa

2011-08-03T07:14:00.000Z

Life with just about nothing

Pics from the past few days

2011-07-28T21:40:00.001Z

Village Dish Washer

Adorable Feet!

Oreos are tasty after not eating for 36 hours

Rain comes in very easily

First Oreo Ever

Melody Comforts

Oreos and Tears

Hands of Prayer

Precious one was starving when I met her

Does God still heal people??? Meet my friend, Dana Morey!

2011-07-12T16:35:00.002Z

Evangelist Dana Morey with me

Please let me introduce my great friend Dana Morey. He is my friend. He is a successful businessman. Everybody likes Dana. You want to know why? Because he cares about everyone in his path. I can not tell you the many times he has blessed our family. He and his wife have supported each and every one of our ministry endeavors. He has believed in us 100%.

When I heard he and his awesome team were going to be in Uganda, at the same time we were, I had to be there to support him, and because I wanted to my family to see God's power and glory through his ministry. So we hopped in our vehicle and drove 9 hours to the town of Kabale to catch a glimpse of this awesome crusade.

Kampala to Kabale is about a 9 hour drive

We got to the crusade about an hour too late on Saturday, so we had dinner with his team, and heard so many stories...but did not get to see or feel them. The next day however was amazing. God is real my friends. He still heals and restores. I remember sitting in my Tuesday men's bible study discussing the book of Acts, and several questions were asked, "Does God still raise people from the dead? Does He still make the blind to see? The deaf to hear? The lame to walk? I too felt the doubt and wondered these things. Do I have to fly 10,000 miles, then drive 450 km to find this out? I guess so.

Are we in the front row?

On a side note, as a father, I long for my children to see God for themselves, to have Christ become real to them...not just their "parents Christianity" I mentioned this to Dana a few months ago. I know for a fact that he and Karman pray for our kids often. What shocked me was right before Dana went on stage in front of thousands and thousands of people, he asked his wife Karman to invite Hope and Michael up on stage...FRONT ROW! (there was very limited room) This was so they could have a great view of the testimonies...what a lifetime opportunity!

Note Mike and Hope in the back in shock.

Dana preached the best Gospel presentation I have ever seen. I was moved to tears as he described how intensely God loved me, and how Jesus bore the pain of all my sins on the cross. As the tears were rolling down my face, I saw a girl in the crowd, so moved as Dana was describing God's love for us, she was so moved with grief over her own sin.

She raised her hand to believe in Jesus, but kept one hand in sincere grief.

Thousands upon thousands of people gave their hearts to Christ. It was an unbelievable experience to see the crowds response. Looking out on the sea of faces, I saw hope and excitement and relief.

The spirit of God fell on this place

There were many healings, blind people who were blind for all their life, were seeing! Deaf people heard for the first time, several lame people walked! My favorite healing story is this woman and her twins...

Here is a part of Dana's blog..."The last night of the Festival, one woman who had two daughters with Epilepsy testified. She was demon possessed and delivered at our event. She brought with her two daughters who would fall into epileptic fits three times a day - everyday. Morning, noon and night, it was the same. To my amazement, the mother and her two children were at that same moment healed! It was the third day without the fits when she gave her testimony. Those dear children had those fits three times every day without fail until she was set free."

So amazing. So incredible. Praise the Almighty One.

Dream Evangelist's jump first, and fear later.

2011-06-24T18:50:00.000Z

Each time I travel to Africa, I seem to bump into some of my personal heroes. Once in Rwanda, I met Rick Warren...that was a total honor. Today, I got to meet one of the most inspiring men I have heard of...Jason "Radical" Russell. He is the co-founder of Invisible Children. We bumped into him downtown Kampala...before he heads up north to Gulu. I just loved what his business card says: DREAM EVANGELIST on the back it says: JUMP FIRST. FEAR LATER.

I did not even know it was him. I saw a young man reading Rob Bell's latest book, and out of the blue asked him what he thought of it...we talked back and forth and he asked me where we were from and what we were doing here in Uganda. Then I asked him, and he was so modest, he said he was with a group of folks that started a non-profit called "Invisible Children". I was so amazed. I had followed his awesome ministry since 2003, which Ironically is the same year we were called to serve Africa! They are doing amazing things using Media to tell the untold stories of thousands of children here in Africa. IC wants to help transform apathy into activism! I love that.

Did you hear those four simple words I typed above? JUMP FIRST. FEAR LATER. How can you apply this to your life? Hebrews 11:1 says "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." Melody and I have been know to Jump First...but we still struggle with the fear part...Even with so many past experiences where God guided us through a tough situation or proved His amazing power in our lives. How about you? Where in your life do you need to Jump First? Where is God asking you to trust Him? What plank do you need to walk off while blindfolded? One person can make a difference. You could be the one to fear later...

Learning and Re-Learning the meaning of Patience

2011-06-15T18:32:00.000Z

Wow. Here in Africa, I learn many things about myself. Looking back at my recent time in the USA, I allowed myself to become quite demanding. I have high expectations when I need or want something. I want it now. Maybe you can relate. When you feel a craving for a cheeseburger, you drive a mile, go thru the drive-thru, and WHAM...a juicy hot heart attack on a bun is waiting for you in the paper sack.

Traffic in Kampala

Its one thing if its a WANT, but what about a need? Here in Africa we have a saying...T.I.A. (This Is Africa) I have been in several countries in Africa, and it seems to be the same everywhere...things happen at a snail's pace...well maybe slower than that. Well our ministry NEEDS a vehicle to further our mission. I NEED IT YESTERDAY!

More Traffic

The last couple of days I have been trying to purchase a vehicle for Africa Family Rescue. I now know that I have forgotten about this aspect of the African culture. Relationship, Relationship, Relationship! I was thinking how I could explain this to my American friends, but it will be a painful read. You just wouldn't even believe the set of events that have transpired shopping for this used vehicle! Its been two long days, driving all over tar nation, meeting strangers, negotiating, meeting, negotiating, meeting someone new, more negotiating, and at the end of the day, I can't say I have even accomplished anything! STILL NO VEHICLE!

One of the 4x4 vans we looked at today

After the first 4 hours waiting for a friend to pick me up the first day, I decided to try to enjoy the journey. So I have sat in a car sweating in the hot sun for hours, stuck in insane traffic, being stood up by people called from classified ads, sitting...waiting...waiting...sitting...negotiating...all this while making new friends, laughing out loud, making fun of ourselves. I am discovering people willing to help me for hours on end, with no expectation to be paid or get anything in return, just simply out of concern for me and knowing my need. I am humbled by the selfless giving of these wonderful people, and how they have taught me to enjoy the journey.

Blown Away

2011-05-18T04:27:00.000Z

Today I was blown away by the generosity of my waitress. Stop right here and look at the note she wrote me in the picture above. Let me introduce Nicole. She has been waitressing at Cracker Barrel for years. I met her at the Romeoville location, and as we moved up more north, she transferred to the Naperville store.

Early this morning, I took my oldest son Nathan for the last time in a long while, for a daddy-nate breakfast. Nicole has been on our email list for years, and has followed what we are doing in Africa. While she was serving us, we discovered that she had a fire at her home, and it burnt to the ground 9 weeks ago. No one was hurt, but she lost everything. Nicole is a single mom. She has an adorable little girl. I got up to go pay the bill, and she handed Nathan the above note, and told him "don't show your dad this till he is far away from Cracker Barrel." As I was driving away, Nathan handed me this note, folded up, and inside it was a $100 bill. "WHAT IN THE WORLD!", I said. I tried to turn around, but Nathan said "Dad, she would be hurt if you tried to give it back to her." I was choking back tears. How could this be? How could she sacrifice so much money?

Clean Water for Namyoya!!!

2008-06-26T18:43:00.005Z

Mike and Luke with their new buddies checkin out the "old water hole"

Disgusting!!

Refreshing!! Borehole # 2

Mike says this was very heavy

Luke struggling to carry this heavy jerry can

Two are better than one!

Melody and Ben at borehole # 1

B..E..A...utiful! Inside and out.

2008-06-25T20:29:00.006Z

Her beauty is as much inside as it is outside

She is so loving to others
She is creative and funny

She's a great team mate

She is beautiful

She is stunning...and I feel very lucky

40 year old man, first time ever in a restaurant!

2008-06-25T18:39:00.007Z

David is one of the most humble men of God I know

Meet David. Single. Pastor. 40 years old. He has been serving Namyoya Christian Church for about 10 years. He takes home 45% of the monthly offering, which is approximately 20,000 Ugandan Shillings x 45% = about $6.00. He farms some of the church land to make another 40,000 Ugandan Shillings 3 x a year...thats another $6.00 per month.

He began to tell us his whole story. He had been tossed around like a rag doll as a child, from one parent to another, then grandparents, then granparents in law, and back and forth, never belonging anywhere. He was abused and abandoned many times. When he was 19 his father demanded that he sign a letter, a contract have you, that would permanently seperate him from his father.

He had nothing, and no where to go, so he became poorer and poorer. He developed tuburculosis. People around him said he had less than a year to live. He was so alone and confused. He had no hope. Then an uncle took him in. This uncle brought him to church one day, and he felt loved and community for the first time. He found the love of Christ. He was able to take medicine for his terrible cough and soon attended Seminary. Within a week of seminary training, he was placed at Namyoya Christian Church....I guess to practice every other Sunday. The people nearly laughed him out of the village. His preaching skills were not yet developed.

He began to doubt his calling and was about to quit when some of his friends convinced him to stick with the Seminary training. Mind you, there was no "building" just a mud and stick center with patches of roofing and tarps at the time. Here is a man with what felt like the whole world against him...and he felt God calling him to start building a real church building. This was nine years ago. So he called the first congregation meeting to start clearing the land. David was the only one to show up to do the work. The next Sunday he showed the congregation what he had done by himself, and called another work day. He and one other person showed up. The third week, a third person showed up to work. Slowly, and painfully, they built the walls for this church. They made each brick from the local supplies on the land.

The church walls just 3 months ago

This man's perseverence is absolutely amazing. NINE YEARS later, we are answering so many prayers of this wonderful sacrificial leader. He is such a hard worker.

Melody with Pastor David outside the renovated Church Building

At church last Sunday, he mentioned that I had been to visit him 5 times, but the language barrier was too difficult and we never could get to know eachother. So I decided to surprise him today and bring him downtown Kampala for lunch...

Pastor David as our guest at Le Petite Village

This man is amazing. He has NEVER until this day eaten in a RESTAURANT!!! We had fun spoiling him rotten. He deserved this meal. During Lunch we were able to tell him about his monthly salary. He was absolutely blown away in disbelief. He said that this was all from God and that God was telling him, "see, be patient, I will keep my promise to you" Tomorrow we go to apply paint on the inside and possibly plaster the outside. Things are moving so fast in Namyoya! PTL!

Namyoya Progress!

2008-06-22T20:10:00.005Z

The New Pit Latrine is halfway dug out...25 feet so far

One of the two water well "BORE HOLES" working wonderfully now

Melody and team 2 getting a warm Namyoya Welcome
Gene with two new friends
Gene inside the church with a view of the new windows

Team 2 sang a couple songs for the congregation
A nice view of the newly plastered walls, with the roof almost finished

This is the view of the churhc from the pastor's new house

Melody meets Pastor David for the first time!

Melody with Pastor David outside the beautiful building
Melody with Pastor David inside his new parsonage
Bosco outside the parsonage

She is back in Africa! (It is not good for man to be alone)

2008-06-21T20:10:00.004Z

Having Melody back in Africa wonderful

She is so amazing with the people in Uganda

Look at this cutie!

Celebration at Namyoya Christian Church

2008-06-17T19:00:00.009Z

This precious woman got burned making porage..she is

looking for a sponsorship
Michelle holding a lil princess

This woman gave me a bunch of yams

Dan with his new buddies

A radio with batteries tied to a stick?

Church roof above the altar
A woman peers into the church

Window looking from the church to the new pastors house

Dan Clark's Family Visit

2008-06-17T17:00:00.007Z

Dan meets the widow he sponsors...for the second time!

Dan hand picked her last June. She has no legs.

Dan brought an entire suitcase of clothes and gifts!

Dan got a CHICKEN and a basket... for his gift

Dan's family started a basket and matt weaving business!

We all did the dance of Joy before leaving...

It doesn't get any better than this!

2008-06-11T07:53:00.007Z

Bill Borbus meets Widow Olive and son Aaron!

Bill was speechless as he met his family for the first time

The most important gift of the day

The first of many hugs
Its a new shirt!

Milton reads a card from Christina to Olive

A framed photograph of the Borbus family

They were so excited to see the Borbus photo

Bill got to see his Christmas gifts in person...2 beds and

blankets and mosqito nets and much more...

So many Hugs!

These three "Billy" goats were also Christmas

gifts from the Borbus family

Aaron gave Bill his largest Rooster!

Olive gave Bill many amazing gifts like this decorated

gord and floor matt

G.F.R. vs. Torro High School

2008-06-11T07:29:00.004Z

GFR Staff and US Team vs. Torro High School

Torro wins 3-2 in overtime

Global Family Rescue has a donor who wanted to sponsor Orphans so they can go to High School in Africa. 81 of them are at Torro high school! They are getting a wonderful education...there is no way that they would ever have stepped foot through the gates of this school, except for this donor's generostity. I have never seen young people so excited about education and so happy to be in school. They see education as one of their only ways out of extreme poverty. These students have enjoyed one of the gifts that STUCO had given them...several soccer balls...a little too much. Unfortuneately for the G.F.R. staff and U.S. team...they caught our goalie Bill Borbus, formally of Romeoville fame, looking to the right and the tie breaking kick in overtime snuck by him.

False hope: GFR scores the goal that tied the game

Dan "the Man" with one of Torro's brightest

Party in Namyoya!!!

2008-06-06T20:32:00.026Z

This is an Interactive Blog: Please comment which is your

favorite photo from this post. Thanks for your input!

Dance like David Danced

Give me five!

More bricks, will they ever stop?
Bill Borbus and Terry Bauer laying bricks.

Village widows preparing lunch.Army ants that we made really mad!
Andy and Harrison on the roof...
Jackie, Kaitlin, Michelle, Brian, and Jaimie doing puppets.
One family at a time...

The framing is up!
I can't believe this is happening.

David tells me of new commitments to Christ.

Kaitlin showing girl her photo.
View from Pastor's new home with Church in background.

Michelle wants to fit in with the village women!
Harrison braves the roofing job.

Terry, a professional comedian, is on the trip with us...what fun!
View from front window.

Pastor David working hard to help build his church.

Mommas with Babies on a brickline???

Roofing is much harder here in Uganda.

Did I mention hard?

One of the two dried out boreholes that will be fixed before I leave Uganda.

One very poor family on the path to the church.

Latrine digging. Guess how deep this ones going? 60 Feet!

The team worked very hard these two days. I am so proud of them.

Two local Namyoya boys eating chipatis.

Andy and Harrision were our working MVPs today.
BIG MUZUNGU WILL EAT ME!!!!!!!!!!
Pastor David playing with village boys.
Jump rope for the XBOX 360?
Lee...some say he is insane...

Church in the bush...
A new view with some of the roof up.

Wow...Check this out! No more rain on the people!

All cards on the table

2008-06-06T05:00:00.000Z

Have you ever felt so alone that your body ached? Lately I have been struggling with a tearing and painful loneliness. Remember the feeling of having someone break up with you? Remember when you knew it was over and that that person just did not care what happened to you or how you felt about anything anymore, and you still had so much love to give? They were just moving on with their life… It’s the kind of loneliness that just crushes your insides.

I have been on a journey for a few years to find out how does comfort come from God. What form does it take? Does He comfort with a kind of comfort that you can feel? Is it just something you are supposed to believe in faith and just know? What does it feel like to have the creator of the universe comfort you? I am tired of the clichés and religious sayings. I don’t like the whole Job’s friend’s scenario either. I can say that my head knows that God loves me and wants to comfort me. It just doesn’t happen. What am I doing wrong? If I was the only human left on the planet, God is supposed be enough for me. Right?

I want to feel His touch. David says in Psalms that “as a deer pants for the water, so my soul pants for God”. I am longing for His spirit to connect with me here in Uganda. David was around thousands of people, but felt alone very often in his life. He also said “better is one day in His courts, than thousands elsewhere.”

“Dear God, take me into your courts. I love you. I need you. Help me. Reach me. Show me your compassion and love. Meet me here in Uganda. Thank you for this trial. I know you will teach me perseverance. Just be there between now and perseverance. Help me let go and trust you. Show me that you are all I need. Amen

Finally! Team 1 Arrives

2008-06-04T19:49:00.010Z

Alas, Team one arrived, safe and sound. I was really proud of the GFR team today. Total JET LAG. Two days late. Exhausted. When I asked them if they wanted to go work on a home for a widow, they said YES! After we got them fed, we stuffed them into our Rosa (medium size bus) and off we went to work on widow NALWANGA’s new home. We were really amazed how much work had been done since we had left the day before. The community had come together to help her plant sweet potatoes in the area in front of her new home. The foundation was being put together with cement and bricks. The smell of cassava and corn cooking in the little tree stove filled the air while we worked. I watched the team members each fall in love with the children and everyone was so cheerful.

The community chair-woman, brought a group of children from the local school and they sang and danced for us…and some of the GFR college “kids” joined in. This team is being labeled as the Old ones and the Young ones. It is really an amazing mix. There are like 5 people in the range of 35-40, 3 people over 40, and 5 people between 20-22 years old. We all live together sharing 2 bathrooms. We are like a reality TV show just waiting to happen!

The young people always make me rethink things. I thought about how different my life would have been if I had come to Africa at their age…19, 20, or 21. Wow. What would have been different in my life? What decisions would I have made differently? Where would I be today? Have you ever thought about coming to Africa…how would your life change if you came to Africa now?

Congrats to Nate the Great

2008-06-04T19:12:00.003Z

Today my son Nathan graduates from 8th grade and I am missing it. Will he resent this later in life? Does he resent me for being gone now? I hope not…but it makes me wonder. I have always preached family first, then ministry to others…Well Nate, if you are reading this, I am very proud of your hard work in school, and absolutely love the man you are becoming. You have what it takes! Thanks for working with me in Africa this past month. I love you so much.

Bodi Family lifts spirits of widow Nalwanga

2008-06-03T20:40:00.016Z

Widow Nalwanga with Ben
Photo Journal
Today we broke ground for a new home for a widow Dorothy NALWANGA. She told me as we showed up this morning, that several other projects that were supposed to help her village came and went with empty promises. Every single one ended with dashed hopes. I am proud of GFR, going where no one else goes and keeping their promises.

Dorothy's story is amazing. She is a widow caring for 17 orphans. She had NO HOME. Her neighbors were letting her use a spare broken down home. She had some land, but no home. Today we had the privilage, thanks to the Bodi's love initiative, to make her dream come true. The whole day she just kept saying "I can't believe that you showed up!" "Is this really happening to me?"

The Long Brick Line from the road to the home site.

This particular house was purchased in a very unique way. If you think you can not afford to assist your family with a new home purchase, look what Dawn and Frank Bodi did! Last week they had a Garage sale. The first two days they raised enough money to build a new home for their dearest Dorothy. A new home for your family is only $2800.00!!

I am so proud of you Bodi Family! Thank You! What a joy it was to work with the community on this home. Today was a National holiday in Uganda, and people young and old still showed up to work beside us. We had our lead team with us today, and tomorrow Team 1 shows up. We will get much done with so many people! Follow below with these joyful photos.

Young and Old helped on the brick line

Imagine a wheelbarrow having to be pulled by a rope!

Michelle working hard!

I just love these kids

Renata!

"COWBOY"

2008-06-03T20:03:00.000Z

I lOVE THIS GUY!

Ok, you know you have a good friend, if this person gets on a bus, with almost NO MONEY, upon just hearing that you are going to be in a neighboring country, and goes TEN HOURS to come see you! Thank you Vianney for loving me so well! Who misses their COWBOY??

Africa is all about relationships

Hopless & Alone

2008-06-02T14:08:00.007Z

Have you ever stared loneliness right in the face? If so, how long has it been since that has happened to you? When was the last time you were separated from your family? How long was it? Do you remember the traps your brain fell into? So many questions come into play. Fortunately for me, this has not happened very often for more than two weeks at a time, until now. This year I will have been away from my family for four weeks straight…and I won’t see Nathan or Hope for a total of 9 weeks. You may be thinking, well that’s really no big deal. I have thought about the men and women of our armed forces and how long they are away from their families. I can not imagine being 10,000 miles away for 1 year or 2. Ok, so a nine week missionary trip, or a two year military assignment…these are bad, but imagine never seeing your spouse again, and/or watching your children die off one at a time.

I have not experienced the feelings of having a friend die since my grandfather died 16 years ago. As I was sitting thinking these things, I thought of the many families I have met here in Africa. Death and loneliness are a common everyday occurrence. One of the worst I have seen was Maria Mtega. Take a moment to look into her eyes. You will see a deep void, a true hopelessness.

I met her two weeks ago in a small village in Tanzania with Craig and Mike. She is alone. She has lost almost everything. Only two grandchildren remain. She told me she had lost her husband and nine children. She could not even feed her two remaining grandchildren. I asked her if she still believed in God, and she said yes but that she was very confused where He had gone.

I was able to communicate to her the words that Melody had said to the first group of widows and orphans we met in Rwanda in 2004, “Maria, we are here to tell you that God has not forgotten you, that He knows your name and he loves you very much.” GFR Tanzania won’t open until August 1st, but Craig and Mike left the local church enough money to buy some food and to care for her until then, and to pay for one year of school for the oldest grandson…only $80.00. So the next day, the local priest delivered the start of hope to her. I can only imagine her face. Can you picture when she finds out that someone who does not know her will sponsor her for 3 years? I love this kind of work. It’s what God calls ALL of His children to do. Will you answer His call?

Three men and a NUN!

2008-05-29T23:23:00.012Z

Wow. It has been a long time since I have written in my blog. I am having a hard time believing that I am in Africa. If you would have told me 5 years ago that I would be roaming this great Continent, serving the poorest of the poor, I may have laughed in your face.

What a journey God is taking me on. Many times I feel so unprepared and lost…only to have Him guide my very next step. What am I doing here? I have no missionary training, no masters in Divinity or Theology. Every day here in Africa I am learning that in my weakness He is very strong.

I just traveled like 10,000 miles by plane, 1,400 by SUV, and who knows how many by foot.

I just spent the last 10 days without an internet connection. I have been in the bush traveling with two buddies and a nun. What a story this is. Sit back and kick your shoes off for this one… I met this Guy Craig Swett at my church about three months ago. He told me that he has been longing to help the poor in Tanzania. His story was so much like mine. Yep, you guessed it, he met a Tanzanian nun through his wife’s job at Benedictine College in Lisle, Il. Talk about PROVIDENCE. God was moving on his heart the day he and Carol met this lovely Sister Beatrice and her co-nun Afra. Craig and Carol had been wiring money over to Tanzania to assist the two nun’s mothers…kinda their own version of GFR. Occasionally they would organize a little fundraiser to help an association buy a sewing machine to help them make income.

The next part of this story is that a couple in Craig and Carol’s small group, Mike and Kim Brown, got sucked in. Originally Kim was going to be on the initial Tanzania research team…Some how Mike, a successful executive at a large construction firm, decided to go instead. I am so glad he came with us. I now have 2 very wonderful new friends. We called this trip "Three men and a nun"

Watching two successful businessmen sacrifice time away from their families and careers is an amazing thing. To see them touch the poorest of the poor, and cry tears for the poorest, was priceless. They reminded me of Melody and I when we first walked Rwandan soil in the villages. It was so overwhelming to see the children dying, the hopeless looks of despair on the mother’s and grandmother’s faces, and the rampant devastation of HIV AIDS.
We went into an orphanage. It was my first. I have purposely been avoiding them, for fear I may adopt the whole lot of them. I was choking back huge tears then, and while I am writing this just the memory alone yanks the levy out of my eye and the tears spill over. I kept thinking what if this was Hope or Mikey? I barely kept it together. One little 3 year old ran up to me an cried daddy! Daddy! I wanted to run away.

God seemed to always be two days ahead of us along this trip. Some days we did not know for sure where we would sleep. God was so present on this trip. Once I found out that I had our airline tickets for this trip, I found out it was going to be an 800 Kilometer drive. I was under the impression that we were going to take a Crazy Tanzanian Public Bus to our destination in Njombe. When we got to the airport in Tanzania, Bishop Alfred had sent his personal driver in his Toyota Land cruiser to pick us up. It was wonderful. He arranged for our accommodations EVERYWHERE we went, and paid for fuel, food, and treated us like royalty. We had deep talks with him. He really inspired us and we felt refreshed spiritually speaking with him.

This wonderful man Bishop Alfred and a parish priest named Father Clement verbally expressed that our arrival had affected them in a big way. They were with us in the field at times, and our passionate unswerving beeline for the poorest of the poor, deeply affected their spiritual outlook on life. Father Clement said that visiting the poorest of the poor renewed his spiritual life. It appeared that he too had been caught in a trap of business and responsibility at his parish. How are you doing with the poor? Are you out of touch with them? You can write your sponsored family a letter, or send them a gift, maybe by them shelter, or help them sustain themselves for life. We can transform the world…one family at a time. Thank you Craig and Mike for renewing my passion for the poor as I saw your hearts pour out the love of Christ.

I am currently on a plane just leaving Dara Salam, Tanzania. I am flying to Entebbe airport in Uganda, where the wonderful GFR staff will welcome me with huge smiles. Please pray for our first team which will arrive June 1st. Please pray for our safety and that as we touch these precious people, that we would learn and grow as we Americans are relationally poor…the poorest of the poor…these people can teach us much.
Peace out.

A starving boy...what if it was my Nathan?

This widow had 9 graves...

Can I just add a few more comments? I am really missing my wife Melody. I just miss waking up next to her. I miss her smile. I miss laughing with her...and Amber, Nate, Mikey, and Hope, they are my life. I am really struggling with this detachment. I love you all more than my life.

Asta la bye bye!

Thanks for the ball!

2007-07-31T18:48:00.000Z

This man saved my life last November...he was my Heart Doctor at Edwards Hospital

2007-07-31T18:18:00.000Z

Thank you Mark for coming to Uganda!!!

A tradegy in Uganda, and Africa...Elephantitis

2007-07-31T18:02:00.001Z

Thank you Uncle Denny and Aunt Pat Sponsored family #2

2007-07-31T17:35:00.001Z

Thank you Uncle Denny and Aunt Pat Sponsored family #1

2007-07-31T17:28:00.000Z

Thank you Maureen and Mark and Kevin!! 2 new sponsored families

2007-07-31T17:27:00.001Z

Thank you Angie's Small Group 2 Newly sponsored Families

2007-07-31T17:21:00.000Z

A day I won't forget

2007-07-31T17:16:00.000Z

Today our main purpose was to demolish and start building a house for Cissy (Cece). She is the blind widow we made friends with a month ago. We had such a wonderful day. Mostly this will be pics! I have to say the team did awesome. We are so proud of them and their hard work!

Cissy's photo story With God all things...

2007-07-31T02:36:00.000Z

Cissy's photo story Before shots!

2007-07-31T02:35:00.000Z

Cissy's photo story the team meets her!

2007-07-31T02:34:00.000Z

Cissy's photo story more team meeting her!!

2007-07-31T02:33:00.000Z

Cissy's photo story demolition begins!

2007-07-31T02:32:00.000Z

Cissy's photo story!!

2007-07-31T02:31:00.000Z

Cissy's photo story!!

2007-07-31T02:28:00.000Z

Cissy's photo story!!

2007-07-31T02:27:00.000Z

Cissy's photo story!!

2007-07-31T01:48:00.000Z

These families sponsored by people at The Haven Church in San Jose!

2007-07-29T19:29:00.001Z

Can you guess who?

2007-07-29T19:24:00.001Z

random photos

2007-07-29T19:00:00.000Z

Holy Cows!

Clothe the poor

2007-07-28T20:25:00.001Z

The Exchange

2007-07-28T19:47:00.000Z

Hey man thats why I say "Nice Shot"

2007-07-19T21:22:00.000Z

Meet my sons:
Wild and Crazy

Me and Cuz JJ-Wild at heart Africa!

2007-07-19T21:18:00.001Z

Look at this MAN, he is my blood relative! He is so radical...
Great to have reinforcements!

Reinforcements!!!

2007-07-19T18:23:00.000Z

Elton...could not even make it home from the short trip down
town Kampala! Sarah, isn't he cute!

Global Family Rescue

2007-07-12T13:06:00.001Z

Here is a rough draft of a quick promo video! Thanks Lee!!!!!!

Jaimie is Gone, gone, gone...

2007-07-07T17:26:00.001Z

Wow. It seemed like yesterday that this breath of fresh air came to

Africa with Melody and kids. 4 weeks later, and she is gone.

I wish you could have seen this lady in action. She IS the embodiment of

compassion. She is one of my wife's closest friends and like a big sister to our children.

Jaimie will literally give you the sweatshirt off her back...

She gave this widow her Element sweatshirt, Jaimie's favorite,

because this woman was so poor she had no blanket and was shivering

every night from cold.

Thank you Jaimie for your servant lifestyle.

Michael's heart...

2007-07-07T16:53:00.000Z

Kids+Bored=Creative!

2007-07-07T16:19:00.000Z

Melody and I went on our weekly date night, so the kids

borrowed my camera...and look what they did!

Hope, Stephanie, Jessica, Mike, Nate, and Amber

15 years old...what else can I say?
Amber and Jessica laughtastic!
I love to see kids having fun
"I believe I can Fly..."
MAYBE NOT!!!
Mattress fun 2

Imagine: A photo essay

2007-07-06T21:02:00.000Z

Imagine your kids lovin these kids...

Imagine your daddy here...2o yards from your house...

Imagine making kids laugh!

Imagine 3 mothers and 8 children living in here...

Imagine giving your Peanut Butter Jelly to these starving kids...

Imagine your walls with mud and sticks...

Imagine this is your drinking water...

Imagine your child's footprint here...

Imagine cooking here...when you had food...

Imagine the ingeniuity behind this toy design...

Imagine this was all you had for dinner tonight...

My Hero

2007-06-30T20:44:00.000Z

Meet Burt. He is my adopted grandpa. My Muzee. Burt is an amazing man. He is wild at heart. He and his lovely wife Edna support all our efforts here in Africa. One of my dreams was to have him come to Africa with me, and meet some of the people who's lives he has touched.
One of the things I like most about my relationship with Burt is we do stuff. We hang out! The top photo is my favorite one of Grandpa Burt. It is taken at Morton's Arboretum. Burt is a Purple Heart Vet. He is one of the reasons we live free in the USA.
In the next photos, you see the actual gun that was used to shoot and injure this amazing Medic on the beach 63 years ago, in June of 1944. So now, today, he is in his 80's married to his sweetheart for like 57 years, father to 5 adult kids, and many grandchildren. The photos below are described like this...Burt with my two sons Nate and Mike, standing next to the gun that almost took Burt's life. The next one is one of Burt sitting on a bench that says it all...this was taken on one of our "excursions" on the Naperville riverwalk. Would you believe that Burt just had DOUBLE KNEE SURGERY about 2 weeks ago? I guess bravery doen't stop when you turn 83. This is one of the hard things for me being here in Africa, not being able to help him in the rehab stuff. Following his rehab photos are photos of a stopsign photo in Naperville, then a road in Morton's Arboretum during the fall (one of our favorite spots to go) then Burt in the Rocky mountains at a Wild at Heart retreat, and lastly us at baseball game...Then me dunking him as he decided to get baptized last Easter!! He is so much FUN! It was becoming harder and harder to go places with him because of massive knee pain, but now he has gotten his knees replaced, I can't wait to go all over the place with him, and maybe AFRICA! I love you Burt! I miss you.

Kids all around me

2007-06-28T22:21:00.001Z

Blurry

2007-06-24T01:06:00.000Z

Today was blury for me emotionally. This photo shows Grace, a 17 year old mother who we met earlier this week. I am presenting her with bed sheets and a blanket for her hospital matress...I had ment it for her home, where we had just put up a new bed. You see her and her mother were laying on the ground, in red muddy claylike paste. I thought on Wednesday that they were both going to die soon, you could smell it when you entered their house. We had really wanted to get Grace and Nakalula some medical help, but it just did not seem possible. So today, Saturday, we went to bring them both beds to lift them out of the miry clay, so they could at least die comfortably. We also brought Dr. John from a local clinic. He was able to come to their home, old fashioned style. The girl Grace was the first to be treated. She was quite afraid at first, and Dr. John had to convince her he was there to help her, not hurt her. How crazy was it for me to think they would be so happy to see a doctor? I tried to put myself in her shoes. Ok, track with me...You are Grace, you had a baby at 15, and now you are 17 and you find yourself laying in a mire, have not eaten for 4 days, you are so weak you can not lift your head, let alone walk outside to wash clothes for neighbors to get money for some scrap of food. Your mother is dying, and your father and twin brothers have already died. You watch your 11, 9, 7, 5 year old siblings stare at your mother as she lies in the muddy filthy "bed" on the ground. Your 21 year old sister and 16 year old brother has abandoned the family, and you can not even take care of your baby. Now this white man walks in with a strange man you have never seen with a white jacket, and starts probing you and asking you 20 questions...would you be happy to see him? The doctor pulls me outside and says to me "I have not seen anything this bad ever, you need to get this girl to the hospital immediately. So we convinced her to come with us in the GFR truck and we took her to Dr. John's clinic. She could hardly sit up straight. They ran the Lab tests. The worst I have had a doctor say about my children was that Nathan had a broken toe and a bruised elbow...I sat there stunned as the Doc told me what was going on with Grace. She is HIV positive, has TB, Malaria, Malnutrition, extreme Dehydration, Diarrhea, Anorexia, and Anemia. I asked him if he was going to tell her, he said not until she heals from the other immediate pressing things...so my heart broke, knowing she was in the hospital room, probably very worried about the tests, and she was not even going to find out the horrifying results yet. What if this was me, or my child, or my wife? She is lying there in the hospital, on new sheets and a pillow, but she is sending the pain below, pushing the fears down, and maybe pretending for a night she will make it out of this sickness, while at home, her mother sleeps for the first time in a real bed...also not knowing her blood test results...advanced uncurable cyphallis. Will you pray with me for God's mercy on this family? I feel so overwhelmed, so confused inside. God help her little children's hearts.

Some Pahlow Family Action Photos

2007-06-23T21:22:00.000Z

Pahlow Family stunned by this Child Headed home...

Nate was a huge hit with his illusions, everywhere we went

James, Melody, and Amber inspect a widows painful back.

Me hugging a widow.

Amber showing kindness to a child.

This JaJa was homeless, we just paid for her to have a home built! She was absolutely alone, no family, no friends, chased away by everyone because she was homeless...but as I type this, her home is being built!

Mikey with a boy under his wing...

"You have what it takes..."

2007-06-23T14:34:00.000Z

This is Broad, an orphan we met in Kamwenge, I hope to build him a home on the small piece of land he inherited. Right now he has nothing. Nothing in this whole world.

"Hold on" I am going to try to find people to help you!

2007-06-22T17:08:00.001Z

"SPEECHLESS"

2007-06-22T17:03:00.000Z

Ophan Boys

2007-06-22T16:55:00.001Z

Seeing little orphans running around with tummies like this one is really difficult for me. Many times I can't help but think what if this was my children roaming the street...alone.

Basket Girl

2007-06-22T16:49:00.001Z

This little orphan girl helped me carry the basket I bought back to the car...

Photos In Africa

2007-06-22T16:40:00.001Z

This little boy's parents have both died from HIV. He is pretending to cook dirt. He stole my heart and some of my tears.

Happy 18th Anniversary My Love

2007-04-01T00:00:00.000Z

To my darling wife Melody,

Here I am alone in my room. I can’t get on the internet to say happy anniversary, so I am writing you a blog that I may be able to post later. I am caught off guard by how emotional I am right now. I am looking at photos of you and me over the years. The soundtrack to Phantom of the Opera is playing in my headphones. There are tears streaming down my face, for your love for me has completely captured my heart. I look back on our history, and it is hard to believe all that we have come through.

“This is the last night you’ll spend alone. Look me in the eye, so I know you know, I will wrap you in my arms and I won’t let go. I want to be everything you need me to be. Give me your hand; I will help you hold on. I won’t let you say goodbye, and I will be your reason why. This is the last night you’ll be, away from me.”

You have been my best friend. Best friends have ups and downs, but with you, the ups have totally outnumbered the downs. It is very difficult to be apart from you today. I am really undone. It is hard to wake up alone and crawl in bed alone. You are so far away…Do you have any idea how you have touched my life? How can I ever communicate this to you? I can not imagine life without you. How can I every thank you for lifetime companionship? How do I thank you for forgiving me for so much? How do I show my gratitude for the four wonderful children you gave me?

“I don’t want to live with out you, I don’t want to breathe; unless I feel you next to you, Melody you take the pain I feel. I don’t want to speak, I don’t want to think, I don’t want to dream, cause my dreams don’t comfort me the way you make me feel. I hate living without you, oh how I adore you, oh how I thirst for you, oh how I need you.”

Do you understand how you have affected my heart? Because of you I can feel compassion for people and have the courage to act on those feelings. You have taught me how to touch people with my hands. Everything I have attempted to do in my life you have come along and supported it with all that is in you. You intoxicate me. I think we are an amazing team.

“Sweetheart, no more talk of darkness, forget your wide eyed fears, I am here, with you beside you, to guard you and to guide you…nothing can harm you. Baby, say you will love me every waking moment; say you’ll need me with you now and always. Let me be your shelter, let me be your light…your safe, no one will find you, your fears are far behind you. Say you will share with me one love, one lifetime, let me lead you from your solitude, Say you need me with you here beside you, anywhere you go, let me go to…Melody that is all I ask of you. Share each day with me, each night each morning, say you love me, and love me that is all I ask of you. Anywhere you go, let me go too.”

I can remember feeling all this gushy stuff before we were married, and even in the first months of being married to you, but EIGHTEEN years later?? Our love is like a burning, consuming fire. You will never be alone, if I have anything to do with it! I am head over heels, crazy in love, overwhelmed with the blessing of you. Thanks for the best 18 years of my life. I love you.

Remember Josepha???See blog from June 2006

2007-03-31T22:44:00.000Z

Get to know Josepha
Do you remember Josepha? I met her while she was begging on the streets of Kigali last June, and in July GFR sponsors bought her a sewing machine and a generator to help her get off the streets. She is paralyzed and her legs folded into her torso. She is such an amazing person, that I always have to meet with her to get a JOY fix from her when I am in Kigali.

So I had Cyprien phone her husband and invite them for a wonderful dinner. Ok, update…she brought a surprise…a brand new little baby!! SHE WAS PREGNANT when we had bought the sewing machine and she did not know it and we did not know it! So, she gave birth to her 3rd daughter and named her Sandrina. She is so adorable.

Well they arrived at the restaurant, and here is this beautiful paralyzed woman, dragging herself up 35 stairs, holding my hand. As we walked in to our table, everyone was starring holes through us. Was she embarrassed? No way, she was holding her head high and smiling huge. She scooted very slowly so the stares seemed to last a lifetime.

At the table, I told them to order anything they wanted. They were so excited. I found out that her husband Simon goes out to fetch water late at night for the next day’s supply, and rises very early to shop for the food they will eat for the day, then goes to work till dark. When he comes home, Josepha has dinner ready for the family. Tonight was to be very special. There first meal in a restaurant! At dinner I held baby Sandrina so Josepha could eat a hot meal. Cyprien and Claudette switched off with me. You could see the satisfaction of every bite as it went in their stomachs. My favorite part of dinner was dessert. Would you believe they had never had ice cream before!??!

The dinner conversation was fun. I found out how Simon had been her neighbor, and then he had moved to Kigali. Back in his home village he used to dream outloud with the other boys about how they would marry a beautiful, tall woman someday. Simon mentioned that he would marry whomever God had for him. All his friends teased him that God would give him a handicapped wife. He met up with her in Kigali and this time fell in love with her. Boy his friends back in the village were so shocked when he brought her home to marry!!
There was some disturbing conversation also. This precious mother of three had been through HELL and back. She had been poisoned as a little girl of 5 years old, she remembers it like it was yesterday, it was 10:00 am when the man made her drink the poison. He poisoned a little boy at the same time. He died a few weeks later, but she lived, paralyzed. Later as a 18 year old young woman, the horrific genocide broke out in Rwanda. She wandered around while people were being slaughtered everywhere. She kept wondering why she was not being killed. Finally a man who was murdering so many people brought her in his house, and told her that she was “already dead and did not need to be killed twice” referring to her paralyzed body. She watched him continuously clean and sharpen his machete and brutally kill hundreds of people. I could not look at her. I put my head down on the table, begging God for tears to match my lump in my throat and pain in my heart.

How can someone live through that? How can someone smile as big as she does now? Seeing that and being paralyzed for life…She lives in a junk yard, in a room no bigger than my master bathroom back home. I asked her how she does it, how she survives and thrives. She says her husband loves her so much, and with help from Jesus, she has much joy. Could I say that if I was in her shoes? Could you?

Well, I got updates on the sewing business. She and Simon have saved up 100,000 RWF since August last year. I can’t tell you how proud I am of her and Simon. They work so hard. They scrape by, and one day hope to have a house of their own, for now they rent this horrible hole in the wall 7x9 room for all 5 of them. I could probably relocate them in a place of their own for $3000.00 USD. If anyone feels led to jump at this opportunity, please email me immediately. Ben.pahlow@Globalfamilyrescue.org

I am also looking for someone to commit to sponsor her and Simon on a business sponsorship to cover the cost of business rent for her sewing business. I need someone who feels led to help, commit to 12 months at $75.00 so she can have a storefront area. She will be able to profit approximately $54.00USD per month after 6 months in a new location. Thanks for considering this.

Great Josepha Pics!!

2007-03-31T22:43:00.000Z

More Josepha pics

2007-03-31T22:42:00.000Z

GOODNESS GRACIOUS!

2007-03-31T12:32:00.000Z

Ok, Whoa...last year at this time, we only had Cyprien, Bosco, and Vianney.
This March we have Rosine, Emerithe, Media, Bosco, Claudette, Luidiport, Uwimanna, Pascal, Vianney, Domina (seen in the photo) and Pastor Elson, Stratton, and Alphonse (not seen here). This is so exciting! We have an amazing team, just full of love and compassion for the poor. Below on my blog there are little biographies of each one. They are all on the frontline! Please keep them in your prayers every day. Together, we can transform the world, one family at a time.

Get to know Domina

2007-03-31T12:15:00.000Z

Get to know Domina
Domina’s favorite drinks are Fanta Orange and porridge. She enjoys eating rice, beans, potatoes, bananas and meat when she gets some. She is 25 years old. Domina is job with GFR is a caseworker. She has a son who is 2 ½ years old that she got from being raped while she was doing her Secondary 3 studies. She lived a rough life after being raped and during the pregnancy but today she’s trying to carry on by loving and caring for her son. It wasn’t easy for her to respond to various needs of her son before she joined GFR, but now since she is working she’s able to raise him and hope for his future. When she comes for GFR staff meetings in Kigali, she always leaves her son with her mother. She lives next to the Pahlow's sponsored family CONSTANCE and is her friend!

Domina loves the work she is doing with GFR, especially visiting poor families talking to them and listening to them so often. She appreciates everything GFR is doing for her and she is proud of GFR. She is thankful for the good and caring hearts of the sponsors as they try hard to do the best they can for the sponsored families to survive and be self sustaining and for all of us.

Her prayer requests are that
· God will give her a husband who loves Jesus
· She could finish her studies
· God gives her son a bright future
· She does her work accordingly.
Thank you Domina for all your hard work and love for the poor.

Get to know Media

2007-03-29T12:03:00.000Z

Get to know Media…
Her favorite drink is Fanta Citron, and she enjoys eating potatoes and beef meat. Media is 41 years old. She is the maid at GFR office. She and her husband have been married for 21 years. She’s got 8 children. They are all boys! She may try for one more, hoping for a girl. The eldest son is 20 years old. The youngest one is 2 years and 3 months. She lives near the genocide memorial at Gisozi. She is neighbor to Bosco. Media loves being with GFR and do all her work. She enjoys mostly running errands in town shopping for miscellaneous items for the GFR team as it helps her know more on her environment. She is so genuine and very kind. She preaches at her church when she gets an opportunity.

She is so thankful to GFR she is proud of its President and all the donors. Thanks to the Most High to have made this work possible in Rwanda.
Her prayer request is for Mr. Ben’s health. Thank you Media for your sweet attitude and support.

Get to know Emerithe

2007-03-29T12:00:00.000Z

Get to know Emerithe… Emerithe’s favorite drink is Coka, and she loves beef brochette and chips (fries) Emerithe’s family was a sponsored family before she joined the GFR staff. She has four children and it was a bit difficult for her to sustain her family alone without a husband. The oldest is a daughter of 14 years, she is in secondary 1 (freshman). The second is also a girl of 12 years old and she is in primary 4. The third is 8 years old and she is in primary 2 and finally the fourth who is 6 years in nursery. She used to be part of the Morey Corporation block of sponsored families. She later wrote a note to the GFR President; asking if she could have a job so she could be independent, leaving the sponsorship to someone else who would be considered. She was a teacher before. The local government had helped her with a house but is not completed and she is trying to put cement on the walls inside, the floor, and add more room because the house seems to be very small for them. The roof leaks on one side. Emerithe is one of GFR’s caseworkers. She is proud of GFR and how it helps the poor. She thanks The Morey Corporation for sponsoring many of her neighbors. Emerithe loves to see the wonderful changes in her neighbor’s lives, and the lives of the families she works with each day. She started her work at GFR right after her first born won the national exam. She did not know how to get school fees for her. Now she doesn’t have to worry. Please pray for her to have wisdom as she raises 4 kids alone. She thanks God she got a job with GFR! She is proud of GFR in so many ways and she thanks the President and the donors for all their support. May God bless them all. Thank you Emerithe for you love for your family and your neighbors.

Getting to know you...

2007-03-28T10:20:00.000Z

Please, lend me your ear, and let me share with you some of the people that I have been with Tuesday and Wednesday this week.
Get to know Bosco
Favorite drinks: Tea and Fanta Citron Favorite foods: Rice and BEFF JERKY. Nickname: “ihene”(goat) because of his talent to swiftly climb a mountain while leading a GFR sponsor up and down the hills of Rwanda with amazing speed. If you are coming to Rwanda this summer with GFR, you would be lucky to have him escort you to your family! Bosco’s role at GFR is the Communication Liaison between you and your sponsored family. If you have received a report from your family or a letter, or a photo update…he is the man to thank! I must tell you, this man is a totally amazing man of prayer. When he prays out loud, you can feel the power of God alive in him He is very humble. I see great leadership in him and a heart for the poor. GFR is truly lucky to have him. Please pray that Bosco will find a wife, a woman who loves God. I love you brother.

Get to know Uwimanna

2007-03-28T10:19:00.000Z

Get to know Uwimanna
Favorite drink: “Coka” Favorite food: Grilled whole fish. Nickname: “Uwi Uwi” When I first met Uwimanna, he was our security guard. Within days, my whole family fell in love with him, as he played silly games with each of our kids, like kick the ball past Uwi, or badminton, or volleyball, or chop the head off the Green Mamba! He literally saved Nathan and Michael’s lives one evening. He would sleep in a little guard shack on a cement floor. He worked in Kigali and traveled 6 hours one way 4 times a year to see his wife and 4 kids. He loves music. He was always sprinting to open the gate for the teams as we arrived home. When we would leave for the day, he and I would exchange “Nda Gukunda Cyanne” pronounced: (NDah GooKoonDah Channey) or “I love You”, Every morning he would have the GFR truck washed and polished without asking. He had such a servant’s heart. I was so amazed with his spirit that I asked him to move his family 7 hours to one of the villages we work in, and become the first GFR Hut to Home building manager. He is doing a great job. He is currently finishing up 5 homes and is waiting to start 3 more. Uwi is also very humble... He is trying to get into the choir at his church but he needs papers from his old church! He says he has never been more happy in all his life. Please pray for Uwimanna and his wife Denise as she is expecting a baby at the end of April! (Yes, that is 9 months after his GFR hire date!) He always says “goodbye my friend” in English. Thanks for loving me Uwi!

Get to know Joseph

2007-03-28T10:18:00.000Z

Get to know Joseph
Favorite drink: “Coka” Favorite food: Fillet of Beef and Milk Chocolate. Nickname: “Chef Good Job” Joseph is the official GFR chef. If you are coming to Rwanda, most people love his King George Beef and fries, or his Beef Brouchette, or maybe his chocolate pound cake..and you will be able to have some. He is not only a great cook, but a huge support for us at GFR. He loves each of the staff very much, and loves to show his affection. Today I had lunch with him, and when we saw each other we ran and hugged so tight. We planned for the summer teams, and he got so excited about the 81 people coming! He is currently looking for a house big enough for each of the teams this summer. Please pray for Joseph’s health.

Get to know Vianney...

2007-03-28T10:17:00.000Z

Get to know Vianney, wow, love those socks!!!!!!
Favorite Drink: Fanta Citron, Favorite food: Tilapia with Fries Nickname: “Cowboy” from watching old movies of the Lone Ranger. Mzee Vianney told me today he LOVES HIS JOB so much! Vianney is one of the happiest people I know. This is amazing after having lost his first wife and father in the Genocide. He loves to laugh, and make people laugh. Vianney speaks French and Rwandese. Vianney told me that Dan Clark was one of his favorite people to come to Rwanda…thanks Dan for being so great to him and speaking FRENCH! He is in love with his wife Odette. They have six children, the oldest is 17 and the youngest is 2, his name is BABY COWBOY! Baby cowboy is very handsome. Vianney’s role with GFR is the Field Director. All the case workers, the veterinarian, and agricultural specialists report to him. He has training sessions and orientation for all GFR families on how to build the right terrace, how to plant anti erosive plants, how to care for animals and breed them, how to use manure for increased production. He also oversees the new home building with Uwimanna reporting to him. He has been with GFR since the very beginning. Vianney, thank you for all your hard work and tough sacrifices you have made for GFR. You have taught me much. I love you COWBOY!

Torn

2007-03-26T10:00:00.000Z

Back in Rwanda! Wow.

Ok. It has been a long, long time since I have written in my blog. Is it possible that my life in the USA is too busy to take 30 minutes to write a couple of paragraphs and post a few photos? Believe me, I have thought about many blog entries…but they all stayed in my head. My friend Burt keeps asking me to write...so here I go!

Here I am again Lord. You have me on an incredible adventure. Here I am, send me.

Many of you know I came to Rwanda on short notice, to help the Rwandan staff prepare for the teams coming in June, July, and August…from the USA, and from the UK in September.

Coming back to Rwanda alone is a mix of emotions. First of all, my best friend is back home. She is wonderful. She is a strong woman. I miss her badly. She completes me. So I feel sad.

Secondly, my children…who are also not with me. Outside of God and Melody, they are my life…and we have been separated. They are sad, but they are also glad that I am here, for they know firsthand what happens in Rwanda, and each of them have told me they wish they could have come with me.

I thought I would let you in on some of my last couple of days, via random quotes I have heard over the last 3 days…remember, life is about relationships…

“Yes Mr. Ben, I am sure that your luggage has arrived from Nairobi, you can pick it up today!” – Kigali Airport employee

“Read a book or something and get a real job.” My new friend Rex in an email to me.

“I am not sure if I want to grow up if this is how it goes” - Amber Pahlow during an internet chat with me about how we humans hurt each other.

“Daddy, they played Butterfly Kisses and you weren’t there! I made up a dance where we would spin around and then Jake would throw me up in the air.” – Hope Pahlow during a SKYPE conversation with me today…referring to the DADDY DAUGHTER DANCE that we had been planning on for months…my close friend Jake took my place.

“What exactly is a missionary supposed to look like anyway!??” – My friend Travis Withrow during a conversation about how many in the African church have had a form of legalistic Christianity shoved down their throat for decades, and are now themselves having to overcome judgmental attitudes toward modern missionaries.

“So…dad…how was your day? I am feeling like every day is like 1 week without you here.” – Nathan Pahlow during a yahoo messenger conversation. The older he gets, the more thoughtful he is becoming.

“100 francs, 100 francs, please Muzungu, just 100 francs!” – street boy that came up to my window in Kigali.

“It will take much time for the rice, maybe 1 hour, would you like chips (fries) instead?” – waiter at lunch at Chez Lando restaurant

“Yes sir, that SOLIO will charge a Noikia cell phone in the BUSH!” – Store clerk in the Fly and Buy at the airport in Amsterdam.

“Just wanted to let you know that I had to take Mike to Edwards Hospital after you talked to him… his fever was spiking again and it just seemed like something was wrong. Turns out he has pneumonia… Love you tons.” – my lovely wife in an email to me.

“Went shopping with Jessica today and got NOTHIN!! How strange is that?? Stuff is sooo expensive... I think mum and I are gonna go running again tonight!! YAY! Also, Jaimie will be here tonight, thank GOD. I miss her SOO much! Especially with YOU gone too... *forlorn!!* You makest me to smile!!” – Amber Pahlow in an email to me.

“Thanks for what you are doing in Rwanda, and for allowing me to play some small part in fulfilling the vision and mission that God has given you to revolutionize the lives of an entire people group. You are loved and appreciated. Be Great.” – My friend and GFR sponsor, David S.

“I tried to catch you before you left for Rwanda. I wanted to tell you I will be praying for you. So...I will send my prayers into cyberspace....maybe they will get to God faster. Dear God, Speak to Ben.....as he will be traveling alone......help him to take advantage of the solitude and listen to you.....open the eyes of his heart....so that your Holy Spirit will whisper in his ear when he needs comfort and needs to feel Your love. I love Ben so much........I can't even imagine how much you love Him.” – My great friend Ruth G. in an email to me.

“Holy crap that p00ns that's so cool I love u and I am home sick with a 103 temp. I heart you. Your son Mike” – my son Mike in an email to me, umm, does anyone know what a pOON is?

Friends and Hugs

2006-08-06T20:00:00.000Z

New Uncles, Brothers, and Sisters

2006-08-06T19:59:00.000Z

Uncle Cyp and Nate
Hope and Uncle Pascal
Brother Gilbert
Amber with Pascal's daughter who was born in May, 1994, during the genocide.

A SWING in Rwanda?? WOO HOO!

2006-08-06T19:57:00.000Z

A story I will never forget...

2006-08-06T19:56:00.000Z

This is Pascal and his Cow Hand, I did not catch his name. The story goes, in 1994, while Pascal and his Wife were searching for a place for their baby to be born, (all the hospitals were full during the genocide) his cow hand was back home in Mutete. What this man saw with his own eyes was Horrific. He witnessed all 28 of Pascal's family members slaughtered, and then all the cows were stolen, and he was then beaten and left for dead. He got up later and ran to his home afraid that Pascal would think it was him who stole the cows. After some time, after things had settled down somewhat from the genocide, Pascal came home to see all his family scattered around on the ground, dead. He sent someone to fetch his Cow Hand, when he came Pascal restored his job, and provided a home for him, and told him not to worry...that was 12 years ago. Pascal is one of the most joyous people I have ever met. He told me personally, he has forgiven all the people who killed his family, and has even helped build homes and put a roof on one man's home who participated in the murder of his family.

City Girl/Cow Chase Story! part 1

2006-08-06T17:00:00.000Z

As we were enjoying the cow delivery...

It began to run away...So I said, "Melody! Go get it City Girl!!!"
She chased with stick in hand!

City Girl cont...part 2

2006-08-06T16:59:00.000Z

Come on mom! Its getting away!
Pascals son ran on ahead to help the City Girl...

Phew!

City Girl...cont....part 3

2006-08-06T16:58:00.000Z

That's it City Girl!
You can do eeet!
Yes...
Oops...

City Girl...cont...part 4

2006-08-06T16:56:00.000Z

Here mom, this is how you do it...

City Girl vs. Cow cont...part 5

2006-08-06T16:53:00.000Z

ahhhh
Hey this is fun
Yikes! What if it kicks me?
Nice hand work on the stick Melody!

Ok Melody, give the Cow stick to Theresfore

2006-08-06T16:52:00.000Z

She captivates me...

2006-08-05T00:28:00.000Z

This woman whom God gave me 17 years ago captivates me more than she did when we first met in High School. I picture God wrapping a gift with a big bow, and saying "Here you go Ben, you don't have to be alone"

To say she has blossomed would be an understatement. It has been such an honor to watch as each pedal unfolded over these precious years together. The beauty is so much more than physical...it is a heart thing.

She helps me feel alive. She helps me see people through God's eyes. She helps me cry, and get in touch with emotions. Her passion for helping the helpless is inspiring and beautiful to watch. When she speaks to our Rwandan friends, I immediately choke up with tears and feel things I did not know I was feeling.

She is amazing. Melody, you are beautiful and worth pursuing.

Wild and a little crazy?

2006-08-04T22:00:00.000Z

What happens when you are bored and stuck on a compound with nothing to do??? YOU INVENT!
Mikey letting it all hang out.
Its a good thing Melody is not out here watching me take photos!
"I can't hold on anymore Nate!"

Wild and Pycho?

2006-08-04T21:59:00.000Z

Hi, I'm Hope!
Nathan defying physics.
Amber attempting a "butt plant"
Believe it or not, I'm walking on air, I never thought it would feel so good...

Wild and Crazy in Rwanda

2006-08-04T21:58:00.000Z

HY YAH!
Weeeeeeeee!
Brave little Hope
Mike Parallel to the ground

Future Men of Rwanda

2006-08-04T21:55:00.000Z

I often wonder, what will the future be for the many little boys I see. They are hungry and alone. I pray that these little guys will find Christ, and a purpose for their lives, and that they will someday belive that they "have what it takes...."
Like the soccer ball?
I am a goalie.
In Rwanda, if you are tired, you can lay down anywhere...

Beautiful People 1

2006-08-04T21:54:00.000Z

Beautiful people 2

2006-08-04T21:50:00.000Z

Wild at Heart...Random Acts of Kindness

2006-08-01T22:00:00.000Z

Today was a special day. Cyprien and I rented a Matatu (minibus) for the sole purpose to drive back and forth from Kigali to Byumba town and HELP people who had heavy loads, or anyone God put on our hearts, and we brought our 10 (almost elven) year old sons, Mikey and Treasure or (T1)
Mikey spotted a street boy living under some stairs, and he bought this cool handmade toy. I taught him REVERSE negotiation...the boy wanted 1000 francs, and Mike gave him 2ooo francs, just for fun!
Here T1 and Mike are in a shop where we helped Josepha's husband get Sewing machine lessons from a professional, and at the same shop...
We were fine tuning a bicycle for a group of orphans sponsored by Stephanie and Matt Smith. This bike is going to be used for the oldest boy orphan, Celestine, to start a transport business!

Wild Hearts...Random Acts of Kindess

2006-08-01T21:59:00.000Z

Here the boys are with Cyp in the Sewing machine shop. They watched us follow up on the R.A.K. we did with Josepha and Simon...who needed lessons on the fancy sewing machine so he could teach Josepha...

Then we suprised Josepha AGAIN! We brought her 2 comfy mattresses, and a much needed mosquito net...

Wild Hearts...Random Acts of Kindness

2006-08-01T21:58:00.000Z

Our first road "VICTIMS" 5 people, 2 ladies and 3 men carrying large loads, were convinced to come in our matatu...
"Need any help dad"
WOW! These ladies were desperate.
I now know why they were both trying to pick up this bag...it was heavy!

Wild at Heart...Random Acts of Kindness

2006-08-01T21:57:00.000Z

This was the first crew we helped out.
Everyone got a fresh bottle of water.
They were very ready for some clean water!
Wow...this is nice!

Wild Hearts...Random Acts of Kindness

2006-08-01T21:55:00.000Z

Next...Cyprien asked if they had ever GOT PAID to ride in a mutatu!
There was much unbelief.

And a lot of joy. We told each of them that Jesus loved them so much. We told them that a worker was worthy of their hire, and they had been working so hard this day to get their products to a market, and had not any transportation.

Wild Hearts...Random Acts of Kindness

2006-08-01T21:53:00.000Z

We made new friends today, and touched lives in the name of Christ.
I was so proud of Mike and T1, they really participated.
"I bought these sweet potatoes at the market, not knowing what to make with them, because I had no money for anything else, now I am going to buy some beans for my 5 children and my wife! Thank you!"
T1 shared his juice with this stranger, and he was very grateful. OH MY GOODDDINESS!

Wild Hearts...Boys Turn to Pick

2006-08-01T21:52:00.000Z

See the young girls with straps for heavy bags on their foreheads? Well T1 and Mike would have none of it! They said "Dad, pull over the matatu!"
I mean these were heavy bags.
Teamwork.
Nice work Treasure!