Personal

We are about a week from the global release of The DaVinci Code movie. I ran across this amazing news story from an online news site in New Delhi, India.

While the bulk of the article talks about a move to ban The DaVinci Code movie in India, read the last few paragraphs. This secular news site links to a clear presentation of the gospel, and quotes from the site in a very attractive way. As I looked at this news article, I realized that the only live hyperlink in the entire article is to a clear gospel page, where people can come to know God in a personal way. The only hyperlink!

Reading this, I was reminded of Paul’s letter to the Philippians (see 2:15-18):
It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

I rejoice because the most important thing is happening. Christ is being preached.

Tom at Thinking Christian linked to these amazing photos from the Hubble space telescope. Absolutely amazing.

Last week, I traveled to Seattle and Vancouver (Canada) to spend time with the terrific folks who lead TruthMedia. They do a tremedous job in internet evangelism, involving hundreds as internet missionaries. I ran out of gas as I reached the airport for my flight to get there.

Yep, missionaries do run out of gas also. There’s nothing more practical than keeping gas in the tank!

Now, let me rush to defend myself, lest I embarrass myself more than I already have. Our gas gauge hasn’t worked for years on our 1993 van. So I use the odometer (that little thing that records the miles driven!). I reset the trip mileage to 000 every time I fill up. Well, I usually reset it. Sometimes, I forget for a day or so, then I have to remember that it’s not quite accurate.

Then I can drive until it says 360, which is 20 miles/gallon in an 18 gallon tank. So I should refill by 340 or 350, but being a male, I have gone to 360 just to prove my calculations are correct.

This time, the van let me down. I ran out of gas at only 330! Can you imagine that!??

I’m pulling into the parking lot when the van starts sputtering. I furiously pump the gas pedal to keep it going a little further while frantically searching for an empty parking spot. I sputter down one row with no empty spaces (where did all these people travel to!!!???) and am turning the corner when the van sputters for the last time just as I see an empty spot ahead. I put it into neutral and open my door to push, but the good old van doesn’t disappoint. It slowly rolls to a stop in the parking spot, and I don’t even have to press on the brakes!

How’s that for excellent planning?!!!

Actually, I didn’t feel so smart at all. Rather, I felt a tremendous flood of God’s grace providing an empty spot just as the the van gave its last sputter.

This embarrassing story might have been safely hidden from all. But I’ve shared it with our children, a few other friends, and we also had our friends Peter and Annette Biendit, longtime friends from Shiloh Terrace Baptist Church in Dallas, visit this weekend. Since several have now heard the story, I felt I should be sure to present it in the best possible light before word spreads!!!

I’m sure there are many spiritual applications, but the simple fact is that I did run out of gas. I think I’ll leave it at that!

The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina continues. I received this email from Andi Lawrence, one of our “adopted daughters”, who works in Dallas, Texas. Campus Crusade for Christ is helping fill the tremendous needs. There are opportunties to give. But Campus Crusade is also sending trained, mature college students to listen, to hug, to play with children.

Andi writes about her experience.

I just got home from the Convention Center working as there are many displaced children from their families. The stories and the images are heartbreaking. As many of you know I work for Child Protective Services and we were called yesterday with the knowledge that children were coming to Dallas without family or close friends. I got there around 6 this morning to begin assessing the situation with a few others in my building. The convention center is not filled yet, but buses are continuing to come in. I believe Reunion is full.

I think we have all heard people complaining about the lack of response to the people. I can tell you that they are trying, but it is slow. When I arrived they had a basic medical center set up, but by the time I left there was a major triage center created, mental health center created, the kidney diaylsis machines were coming in, the tetanous shots was arriving, diabetic section. People were getting treated. But the ratio of people to medical personnel is outrageous. The medical supplies were coming. Medication was arriving and more was arriving for the elderly that has high blood pressure, swelling problems, heart problems, etc. Food was there for the people. Clothes were there for the people, but not enough. The food and clothing was not in abundance, but it is there. They have water, diapers, formula, gatorade, pedilite all in the back for future use. There are not enough cots for the people. They are bringing more cots in and blow up mattresses for people. People were making makeshift beds with chairs.

Why I was there… Children and parents were getting on buses, but they would be separated. We had many parents coming to us saying that their child got on a bus and they have not seen them since. We had children that were running from us as they thought they would go into foster care forever. There were children that we found and through calling different phone numbers we were able to find relatives to come and get them. And there are children that we are having to put in temporary foster care as we have no current leads on where to locate their family.

Stories from the refugees… The stories are awful. The Superdome experience was as awful as the news was reporting if not worse. The sight of seeing the dead and not being able to help. Not being rescued by people because the people were demanding money to be rescue them. The suicide of others. The attacks of women and children.

The need is great. The planning is overwhelming and frustrating to many as we see the need for these people. The people will be staying in Dallas and starting over their lives. This will be a long term issue that the City of Dallas (and many other cities) will be working with for months to come. If you can donate money, please do so. The Red Cross will use it wisely. If you want to volunteer, please do so. To volunteer is to understand this problem firsthand and see the need. You will be touched and you will have the desire to do more. Some people just want someone to talk to and tell them their story about the Hurricane and the loss of their “world”. I had an elderly women that I spoke to this morning that was telling me about her story.

I know this is very overwhelming and I am sorry, but I want you to know. I want you to have a desire to volunteer your time. I want you to see the need to give monetarily. If you would like to know more, you are welcome to call me or email me.

Thanks for taking this time to read this email as you are getting an abundance of emails concerning this situation.

In His Grip,
Andi

If you live in a city of refuge, you have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to personally express God’s love to refugees. Normally, we read about these in the newspaper and see the images from Sudan, Ethiopia, or Thailand. Many are in cities where they can personally experience God working through you as you are missionaries to the downtrodden, givers of hope to those in need.

Well, we’ve been immersed in Sowuth Cahrolinah culture for 2 days now. Last night, we were invited to the rehearsal dinner at Jakie’s Barbeque. Being from Texas, I was really excited. Barbeque is one of my favorite food groups!

As I walked down the buffet line, I kept looking for the meat. It was obvious their selections were incomplete. I mean, there was no BEEF! How can a self-respecting barbeque shop, especially one written up in USA Today, not serve real barbeque?

Finally, I got through the buffet, having decided I could live with pulled pork and something that looked like it got ground up in a food processor on steriods. I think they call it hash. It was ground up pork. They even had one dish where this hash was mixed in with rice. Never saw such a thing before.

Arriving at my table with this “pretend” barbeque, I started looking for the sauces. There were two. One was mustard masquerading as barbeque sauce. The other was vinegar with a similar pretention of being barbeque sauce. I mean, where is the Bodacious Barbeque sauce when you need it?

But as I looked around, others were chowing down on this “barbeque”, squirting the pretend sauces. I guess they just do things different here in the palmetto state. I decided to call it a cross-cultural experience. It made the “barbeque” and “sauce” taste better!