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+ Photography

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And here is one more for you…a little treat. Obviously I didn’t take this one…to busy being buried, not everyone can pull off this kind of modeling ;o)

After spending the weekend in Rocky Point, Mexico with Love God Love People I arrived home Sunday around five, and about an hour later was in a car driving to California. By the time we arrived at our destination in Newport it was around one in the morning. I was tired to say the least, but it was all worth it because I was lucky enough to be with some great friends calibrating Janay’s 24th birthday! Once we arrived the first night we settled in and tried to get some sleep before waking up early for disneyland. Now I have to say that I know Janay was pretty excited about going to Disneyland for her birthday, but I was right there with her in the anticipation. It’s been a good 12 years or so since I’ve hung out with Mickey on his turf.

We woke up Monday morning just a little later than we planned but still managed to fill up on donuts and coffee prior to heading out to the happiest place on earth. Once we arrived we didn’t waste any time.  By noon we had gone on splash mountain twice, Indiana Jones, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean and a couple others. Throughout the day we continued to have a blast, our adventures included: taking ridiculous pictures, spinning the propeller top of a little boys cap in front of us, me trying to take a picture of a guy’s Nintendo jacket and proceeding to walk directly into a poll (then later having two encore performances of the same nature), passing time in lines by having sword fights with cat’s tail brush, and a handful of other random happenings.

The day proved to be a great one! After all of the rides (my favorites being Space Mountain and Thunder Mountain) we grabbed some realestate in front of the castle and enjoyed a great fireworks show. It was a blast being able to have such a fun filled laid back day, and especially one that is a celebration for such a good friend. And, it can’t go without mentioning that I throughougly enjoyed our multiple renditions of happy birthday to Janay…in lines, at lunch, pretty much whereever we could we made sure she didn’t forget it was her birthday!

Like I said it was a great day…here are some more pictures from our time at Disneyland.

Please visit C.J. Bergmen’s blog to learn more about he and his wife Renee’ and the journey they have traveled to become parents. They are at a point of needing both prayer and financial support to bring home their new son. If you feel led to do so you can donate at his blog.

Thank you!

As I stated in my previous post, there have been blessings that came out of going to the hospital and being back in Kigali for the week. Not the least of which was my crossing paths with Israel Namegabe. I met Israel while staying at the Jackson’s house. He was staying there as well and had been for the week while he was in town from the DR Congo. Israel is one of those people who just ooze out his passion for sharing the gospel and love for Christ. Our first interaction involved him introducing himself to me, and then in broken English, asking if I know God. It totally caught me off guard. I told him I did and then he asked me why it is that I believe in Jesus. That led to a great first interaction.

The more I got to know Israel the more I was impressed with his heart and relationship with God. As we started talking about more personal details I learned that he is married and has a family of 11 children back in DRC, 9 girls and 2 boys! When he asked if I had brothers and sisters and I told him one of each, he asked if something was wrong! When we where finishing our conversation last night he had asked me to pray that God would help provide good education for his children. 3 are currently in secondary (high school) which costs money, and 7 are in primary getting ready to go to secondary. Not only is it going to be expensive for him to try and cover secondary for all his kids, but he is very eager for his children to have an opportunity to go to University outside of the Congo, maybe even in Europe or the States if God opens those doors.

I told him that I didn’t know much about people living in foreign counties going to school in the states, outside of the fact that it is possible. I told him that I thought there may be scholarships or grants out there as well but I have no idea where to start looking for that information. Then I figured I could make a quick video of Israel to introduce him and let him tell his story briefly. Though I don’t have finances to help or the knowledge necessary, perhaps God will connect him with someone who does.

How you can help

Take a look at this short video of Israel. If God put’s it on your heart to help him in some way through knowledge you have, through prayer or through finances. Please send me an e-mail and I can put you in touch with him (chris.lglp@gmail.com).

Also, feel free to share this video on your blog, facebook, or anywhere else.

Lastly, Israel has a deep passion to share the Gospel where ever God would send him. He speaks French and Swahili fluently and can communicate pretty well in Kinyarwandan and English. Perhaps God will put something on your heart with that.

After my interactions with Israel I just felt compelled to give him an avenue to share and then see what God does from there.

Thanks everyone, and God Bless!

Meet Israel (to help: chris.lglp@gmail.com) from chris maddox on Vimeo.

I didn’t expect to be posting so soon, but I had a meeting today in Nygatare and was able to stop and briefly use the internet. I am feeling much better. Thank you all for your prayers, I feel almost 100% at this point and it is amazing how quickly I recovered. I am also acclimating quickly to the environment. I have been able to start connecting with some of the people here which has been good. Also, God has been continuing to challenge me, but providing comfort in little ways along the way, but of course, comfort that is rooted in Him. That has sustained me.

Projects

I have been very busy meeting with people so far. Paul, the Rwandan FH officer who is hosting me, has been incredibly gracious and vital in setting up these meetings. The goal has been to gather as much information as possible about the cell of Gacundezi, Sector of Rwimiyaga, and District of Nyagatare. I’m trying to learn about government, education, business, ngo’s, and the church. This information will be used by the FH/Highlands partnership to establish our steps in moving forward.

So far I have met with a representative from the head of the primary school, the head of the council of local churches, the head of the sector, and today the vice mayor of the Nyagatare District which totals about 300,000 people. I also met with the managers of a new dairy plant that is under way and newly developed and toured the facility, it may be a potential project we work with. All and all my fears of not being able to gather enough data have now dissipated as I am trying to keep up with the different channels of information and as the best possible questions.

God

God has been so faithful during this process. I mentioned that He had taken me out of my comfort zone, this is certainly true. He has pushed me and made me seek Him more so than I have in the past, but in that he has provided so much. In the past few days I have been thinking about the following things. One a quote from the N.T. Wright book that I previously mentioned; the other a passage from Romans that a friend left me in a comment.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)

“In the absence of real hope, all that is left is feelings.” (N.T. Wright, Surprised by Hope, p81)

This time has been a process of God breaking the patterns in which I was conforming to the world around me. I have been forced to let go of those comforts and to cling to Him. As the following quote suggests, outside of true hope, the hope found in the cross, all that is left is feelings. If I was without that kind of hope while here I would be lost. I would be completely out of my league, rendered useless and overwhelmed. But it is firmly anchored in that hope that I have found the ability to push through the “feelings,” that I have been so challenged by and instead I have proved able, by His strength, to see something more. Something in this experience that without hope would be lost.

God is so good.

Side notes:

I don’t have much more time to type but I wanted to mention a couple things. One, as I said I am feeling much better. Thank you to everyone for your continued prayer and support, it has been so encouraging.

I have posted two pictures below. One is me with the kids at a football game I went to at the school. I went to watch the game and about 100 kids went to watch me. It was nuts. The teachers literally had to push kids to the side because they were backed onto the field. Not many white folk up here! They also absolutely flipped out when I would shake my head. They thought it was the funniest thing in the world. They would run up to touch my hair then go crazy and run back.

The second picture is of me with the plant manager at the dairy plant. He is in the process of explaining the equipment to me.

Be well. Be encouraged. Be steadfast in your faith. In love and faith, through submission may you find your self resting in Him!

After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” – Gen 22:1

And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here am I.”
- Gen 46:2

Then the Lord called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!” – 1 Samuel 3:4

And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” – Isaiah 6:8

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