During that time one of the things that began to stand out to me was the power of God and the fear that he commanded. When I became a Christian in high school I could not comprehend the idea of fearing God. It made absolutely no sense to me. Love, that made sense. I hadn’t yet learned the important correlation between the two- Fear and Love. But as I was reading I was forced to revisit this idea of fearing the Lord. I remember in all of the gospels, whenever an angel would come it would be met with a strong reaction of fear. Every time. I began to think, if the sight of an angel commanded this much fear, what must it mean for the presence of God to strike fear in us.

I am continuing to learn how intimately fear and love and interconnected. In doing so God is allowing me to see more and more of who he is. The negative aspects that I first associated with God being deserving of fear have begun to dissipate. As I learn about his other characteristics, His justice, mercy and grace, that too helps me understand what a righteous fear of God is meant to look like.

Recently I have begun to think about this again. It started a few weeks ago. A short film series called NOOMA, previously working with Rob Bell, is now working on a new series with pastor/speaker Francis Chan. The first film of this series is entitled, “Fear God.” For a buck and fifteen minutes of your time you can watch it here: http://store.flannel.org/fear-god.html

A passage that Chan quotes from Psalm 111:10 stood out to me.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!”

Hmmm.

Today I was reading through Acts. I was again struck by this idea of fear, but this time not just on an individual level but on a community level. In Acts 9, after Saul is confronted by Jesus on the road to Damascus and then subsequently baptized and sent out, he goes to Jerusalem. While in Jerusalem he connects with the disciples and then goes out into the city “preaching boldly in the name of Jesus.” Then, in Acts 9:31 it says:

“So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.”

So I wonder, have we lost an understanding of what it looks like to fear God? Are our churches built and growing upon a healthy fear of God? Not a hellfire and brimstone version, scaring people toward the cross. Rather a grounded in scripture, full view of God, humbling fear.

Probably a good question for us to ask.

Another Busy Weekend

For multiple reasons I have been unable to post anything for the past four days or so. Thus this will be my best attempt to bring you all up to date on my happenings, while also including some more photos from my time hear. I realize it’s a big post so feel free to jump around to the sections your actually interested in! That said…here we go!

Highlands Project

The Highlands team is now coming out in roughly a week and a half! I met with as many people as possible and have, in my opinion, been privileged to discover an array of opportunities for this group to engage the community through both development work, and work that partners with the community to meet immediate needs.

As the team comes out they will meet with leaders from the sectors health clinic, multiple primary schools, and a group representing roughly 30 churches in the area. This team will focus on different facets of improving problems such as lack of water, lack of class rooms for children, better health care/availability, and how to further support and develop the local church.

Another part of the team coming out will be focusing on business strategies to help create jobs, income streams, and build a stronger economy in Eastern Rwanda. Based on many of the meetings I’ve had it looks like there are three primary areas in which this projects could head; namely focusing around agriculture, livestock, and tourism (which is currently not developed at all in the eastern district.

Until the team arrives I will be back in Kigali preparing final details, coordinating logistics and working on strategic approaches to these projects. I’m very optimistic for how God is allowing these things to line up.

Vampire Roommate…Seriously

So the day after I posted my previous blog detailing my neighbors rendezvous with a snake, I had my own little visitor. While reading in bed at about 9 o’clock with only my headlamp on I heard a fluttering of wings and then my mosquito net got violently shaken. After the initial surprise I saw a shape moving through the air. After following it with my light I soon realized I had a bat in my room. A vampire bat to be more specific. For about 5 minutes I sat under my netting thinking about my options. Do I go to sleep, wondering how interested that bat is in getting through this netting, or to I take the offensive and get him before he get’s to me?

I went after him. Equipped with an empty water bottle, a pan lid, a headlamp, and hours worth of watching Man vs. Wild (and Survivorman) on the Discovery Channel…I pursued the stealth night crawler. Don’t believe me? See for yourself!

Another Trip to the Hospital

Yes, once again I had to go into the hospital. This time was a bit more urgent than the previous, though I should clarify that at this point I am feeling okay. Here’s the story.

On Monday I was planning on having one more meeting with a president of a dairy co-operative in Nygatare, following that I was going to be coming back to Kigali. So, I had all of my bags packed and was about to meet with this man when I began to get a very sharp pain in the lower left section of my abdomen. I thought it would pass but quickly realized it was becoming more severe. Luckily, being that we were already in Nygatare (district next to the sector that I was staying in) there was a hospital near bye. Though when I say hospital it is probably bringing to your mind something that is leaps and bounds more advanced than what this was. In any case we went there immediately and they brought me into a side room off of the main entrance. There was a lone bed in the room, with a plastic covered mattress. I’m not sure that it was even a intended to be used by patients. I laid on the bed and tried to explain my pain and medical history to the nurse/doctor that had come in (not sure what they were). They pain quickly intensified and I was doing my best to communicate the urgency of pain medication. Charles, the FH staff person who was with me had stepped out to call FH staff in Kigali and get instructions while a team of nurses (doctors?) stood outside my room talking. They clearly had no idea what was going on. After about 20 minutes of not getting any pain medicine and the pain increasing by the minute I began to worry as my arms and hands began to stiffen as the muscles spasms increased. Something that has never happened to me before. I tried to get the doctors attention to come in the room, and once he did he said he’d be back with pain medicine. What seemed like another 5 minutes went by and no one had come back. At that point I threw up. I remember a nurse coming in at that point and bringing in a bucket. I remember Charles coming in and putting his hands on my side and praying for me. Finally someone came in and administered some pain medication. By that point the spasms in my arms and hands had subsided but the pain in my abdomen had been steadily increasing. After that I only remember bits and pieces. They loaded me into the backseat of a car (no ambulances available as there are only 2 for 18 different clinics and that one hospital). I was stretched with my legs across the lap of a nurse who proceeded to hold an I.V. bag and give me pain medicine every thirty minutes or so as we made the three hour drive to Kigali.

Once in Kigali they gave me a stronger pain medicine (while the first had made me pretty loopy it didn’t do a great job of removing the pain). They also gave me some anti-spasmatic medicine that eventually calmed the intense pain in my lower abdomen. By the evening the pain medicine had been reduced to the extent that I had a semi-coherent mindset. I began to remember what had taken place. Remembered seeing several FH staff members who had met me upon my arrival in Kigali. And remembered what treatments they had given me. By that evening (still Monday) the doctor came in with a team of interns following him. My blood work came back clean and his diagnosis was that my Crohns Disease had flared up.

For those who don’t know I have Crohns Disease, similar to IBD. It is an inflammatory stomach disease that can affect different parts of the digestive system. About 4 years ago I had surgery where a small portion of my stomach was removed and the Crohns has been in remission since that point. All that isn’t to say that it couldn’t manifest itself again, there is no known cure, but I have had flair ups enough times to know when it is Crohn’s and to know how to check if it is Crohn’s. I was and still am 99% sure it was not Crohns.  But that is what he thought and so after some medicine and more fluids I was discharged on Tuesday.

Not having full confidence in the hospitals diagnosis I went to a Belgium doctor at the Embassy. With his broken English and the French that Aryn, the FH staff member that took me, we were able to communicate the situation. He seemed to agree with me that it wasn’t Crohns and was under the impression that there was a blockage of some kind. Again, without going into all of the details he seemed confidence that things would be okay, but asked me to get a blood test in a week and then return to review it with him. My interactions with him left me feeling much better about his understanding of the situation, and so that is where I am now. I am feeling better (though a bit week and tired) and I will get another blood test in a few days then meet with him again.

I really don’t know what to say about the whole ordeal. God continues to instill this process of trials, provision, and then rest. I feel as though I am too close to the story to tell you the full plot, to amerced in the middle of the play to see in what direction the outcome is headed. I have no idea what he is doing. It absolutely sucks being sick, but it was much worse being sick in a situation where I didn’t know if the people there knew how to handle the situation. I can honestly say the most peace I had throughout the ordeal was not at the hands of any doctors, but when Charles came in and laid his hands on my side and prayed for me.

In hindsight the whole thing is a bit surreal. For a period, an moment in time, it was so intense. Then today feel okay. I’m fine. I thank God for his provisions in this and pray that he would bring healing, with that prayer lying in submission to his ultimate will for all of this.

The good news is I am now in Kigali until the Highlands team arrives, and will be living the comfortable life. Running water, toilet seats, electricity…ah life is good. Though I should clarify, that statement isn’t entirely true. I will be out of town one more time before the team arrives.

I’m Going to See the Gorillas!

I am leaving in a couple hours to go with 6 other ex-pats to northern Rwanda. We will be staying the night and then waking up early in the morning to trek into the volcano mountains to find one of several groups of Gorillas that live in in the area. I had heard about this experience prior to coming on the trip, but the price I had been given was out of my budget. But, once I got here I found a much, much cheaper price and a group that had already planned on going out! It was one of those prayers that was almost a “okay God I know this is way out in left field, but if only…it would be amazing!” And low and behold the opportunity presented itself. I am so excited for this experience and can’t believe it actually came together that I’m able to do this. As you can imagine I’m a bit tired still from the hospital and am praying that I stay healthy throughout this process. I would definitely appreciate prayers along those lines. If all goes well, expect to see some pictures from the trip when I return Thursday night (morning in the states).

Closing and Pictures

Unfortunately I don’t have the time to elaborate on anything else right now. I leave for the gorillas in about an hour and have a lot to take care of still. I’ll leave you with some more pictures from the past week. Hope you all are well. God bless!

kids running along side the moto

loved this kids hair!

another favorite picture

she was playing with a bouncy ball made of wound rubber

walking through the fields

“Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” (Mark 10:14-15)

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.

Today I saw this video posted of a new song that has presumably come out of this time. The fact that he is posting, to me, is a sign that he continues to invite people into this, hoping to share the love of Christ with them each step of the way, while also publicly engaging God in this process of healing. My prayer is that by posting this it would further expose that message, his and Renee’s hearts, and ultimately, Christ’s message which is spreading so much with their faithfulness. It is a powerful blessing to live with people like this within the body of Christ, and within my community.

I can hear Peace around the corner
playing our favorite song
He’s a Giant living reminder
this is not our home for very long

You can take my heart and all I dreamed of
You can have the future that I saw
’cause I would trade my Peace for another
this is what I wanted after all

after all is said and done
I’d trade His life for yours
I would take just one
and after these days fade away I’ll see Your face
I will run home

He’s our favorite thing to cry over
what He did will change us all
and it’s the pain we just can’t stop
that’s moving us along

after all is said and done
I’d trade His life for yours
I would take just one
and after these days fade away I’ll see Your face
I will run home

I can hear Peace around the corner
playing our favorite song