My Time in Egypt

Today, I thought I'd add a more personal post updating you on my time here in Egypt.  We've done and seen so many things since being here.  We've had the opportunity to be in a country as it struggles to transition into a new government structure.  In a place where pharaohs once ruled and were Jesus once sought refuge from Herod as a child.  We may have even walked in the same steps the Israelites did thousands of years ago as they were held in captivity.  It's the first time I've even been in a place with such biblical significance and sometimes i forget.  I forget to remember where I am.  

There are not too many reminders of those biblical times here in Cairo.  What I see are women covered, some head to toe, I see people bowing to pray to the "prophet's" god, I see people living in filth, I see the aftermath of a revolution, I see despair, I see hope, I see love, I see hate,  I see fights, I see people praising Jesus, I see people trying to convince us that Islam is good, I see people begging, I see horribly constructed scaffolding, I see stray dogs and cats, I see ants, I see refugees, I see persecution, I see fancy malls, I see run down stores, I see nice supermarkets, I see dirt floored fruit and veggie markets, I see the hot sun, I see the longest river in the world, I see ancient wonders, I see no tourists, I see desperate people, I see religion infiltrating government, I see unrest, I see struggle, I see what happens when the name of Jesus is not lifted high.  I've seen so much more and smelled smells that can only be found in third world countries and smells that can only be found here in Egypt.  

My time here has been filled with struggles and joys.  My team just recently saw a teammate return home due to a severe eye infection.  It shook us up a bit, but God has been so faithful.  We've been able to look at our time here and see how we can improve.  Not so much in our ministry time out, but in how we can see living together as ministry.  We've all been challenged to love more, serve more, encourage more, and to remove ourselves from the forefront of our lives.  We want to be people that care more about the success of our brothers and sisters than we do of ourselves because we know that they are doing the same for us.  My goal this next month is not to be a great leader out in ministry, but to be a great leader outside of ministry.  To serve and build up outside of ministry so that my students can be great leaders out in ministry. 

I don't want to just have a successful outreach as far as ministry goes, I want to see each and every student go home a different person.  An on fire, humble, passionate lover of Jesus.  To see the kingdom of heaven come down each time they love their enemy, each time they move in the opposite spirit of criticism, passivity, cynicism, and selfishness.  We're getting there, it takes time, it takes work and I fail every day in each of these areas.  But we choose to agree with God about who we are.  We have hope for ourselves that we can overcome because God hopes in us.  He believes that we will overcome, that we will be radical lovers in a world so desperate for the love of God.

I'm encouraged by their hearts, by their passions, and by their willingness to move closer into holiness.  They pour out to the people here and they respect those who have come before us.  They have encouraged the church when the church needed encouragement the most.  They've shared that a relationship with God is much more than a list of rules and procedures.  They get it, they are running in the right direction.  They've loved on children who throw up on them, poop on them and get food all over them.  On Team Egypt there are a group of people who are reaching out their hands asking for more, more of the fullness that Jesus died to give us.  And He has, is, and will continue to be faithful.

Unlike many tourist places I've been, the pyramids actually leave you feeling fulfilled with a sense of awe.

A stroll through the desert.

Hanging out with the Bedouins

At least someone enjoys hanging out in the desert.

Just taking a look at who's on his back.

Women praying to the head of Mohammad's grandson.

This is the box that contains his head.

A woman fully covered prays in the crowded room set apart for just women.

Camels make lots of crazy faces.

God was in a funny mood when he created these guys.

Exiting Al-Azhar Mosque

The Pyramids on horseback.

A family as they pray in Al-Azhar Mosque

The large and extravagant Al-Azhar Mosque.

The shops and restaurants in Islamic Cairo.

A mostly empty Abu-Dahab Mosque.

A little too close for comfort at the Sphinx.

The courtyard of Abu-Dahab Mosque.

Hope For Egypt?

Egypt seems to be the center of attention these days.  Hillary Clinton just recently visited the country and caused a greater rift between the people of Egypt and America's government.  Many ask, "Why should she have any say about the internal affairs of Egypt?"  "Leave that to the Egyptians."  "We aren't coming to America to tell her how to run their democracy."  Part of me agrees, we wouldn't accept it very well either. 

Its been a very different experience being here in Egypt while all of this goes on, and actually hearing from the people here.  My view of things here changed so much.  Before I knew only what the news said.  I viewed all the information through an American filter.  As I've talked with people here I've been able to see things from a new perspective.  To how things, maybe, really are.  I have to ask myself a question.  What would Democracy mean for Egypt?  The only answer I can come up with is a religious state.  A very bad, oppressive, freedom taking, Christian persecuting state.  As the military holds on to power, Christians and non-Christians are cheering them on.  They know the possibilities of what a Democracy here could mean.  A nation run by the people would mean that one group gets its way, because they are the overwhelming majority.  That leaves Christians with not much to look forward to as far as freedoms in their country are concerned.  And so the battle goes back and forth.  Hope rises and hope fades, but is there something more for the Christians here in Egypt?


Last Sunday I was able to bring a message of hope to a small church gathering.  A church that could not legally call themselves a church because of Christians lack of freedom here.  In a country with persecution and oppression for Christians I brought a message of hope.  Hope in the unseen not the seen.  The seen in the world is often dark and depressing, lacking of any hope.  But we know Someone who is rich in grace, rich in mercy and full of hope.  That even in a dark time there is something more going on behind the scenes.  In many places Christians are rejoicing, praising, praying, finding hope, and building unity together as the body of Christ.  But there are many who are depressed, cast down, pessimistic.  I understand their despair as I've talked with many Christians about the future of Egypt and its radical leader.  But I refuse to agree with it.  I refuse to believe there is no hope.  I know the One who holds tomorrow in His hand. 


I didn't only bring a message of hope.  But I asked the question, what will you do with hope?  Will you just keep it and live another day like the last?  Or will you do something with that hope?  There are many "Christians" here who need a realization of the simple gospel.  That Jesus died, rose again and lives in Heaven.  That the penalty for sin has been paid, we are free.  We no longer live under any bondage.  And there are many non-Christians who need the gospel.  This simple truth of Christ death and resurrection and all that that means can pierce any heart.  Even in the Middle East, even in Egypt, even in Cairo.  The gospel of Jesus Christ cannot be limited by humans and what we think can be done.  But God sees beyond what we can and we must begin to ask for Heavens perspective.  To view the world around us as a field ready for the harvest.  That many are ready for harvest, some need to be watered and some need to be planted.  Our job is simply to go, preach, make disciples in all the world.  Every fear, every discomfort, every excuse we can come up with means nothing.  God is not interested in our excuses, He is interested in our obedience.  That call is not for some who are gifted, or young, or bold, but for all.  In the streets of a small town to the crowded avenues of a large city.  We have the opportunity to earn a piece of heaven.  To walk streets of gold with those we shared the gospel to, with those we've discipled, with those we interceded for.


And so my work goes on.  Whatever God has.  Maine, NYC, Hawaii, Cambodia, Egypt.  He's called me around the world but with one thing on my heart.  To see the nations bow before the King of Kings.  To see love poured out on the poor, the needy, the orphans, and the widows.  To see the hurt of people lifted if only for a time as I talk with them and encourage them.  As they see the light in my eyes and it catches in theirs for even just a moment, they are affected.  They suddenly realise that God sees them.  He brought me, from Madawaska, Maine (the middle of nowhere) to share with people in Cairo, Egypt.  I don't understand, but I have something to bring.  I have something to share.  What do you have? How has God gifted you?  How can you further the kingdom where you are?

A Message From Our Speaker

Here is a message written by someone not affiliated with YWAM, but came as our speaker last week.  He is the father of my good friend Jillian who I am staffing with.  He simply writes his observations of his time here in Kona.  This hopefully will give you a glimpse of how things are run and what this place is all about!

I recently had the opportunity to go to Kona, Hawaii and teach a one week portion of the Discipleship Training School that my daughter Jillian is currently staffing. I returned from this trip more impressed than ever with the YWAM ministry model. I wanted to share with you all, what I have seen, as many of you have already given financial support to Jillian, or perhaps some other YWAMmer.

First, I want to say how deeply Jillian has been changed. After her first round as a student, it was clear on Jillian's return that her own heart, and relationship with the Lord had been deeply impacted. More than just a neat personal experience, she had grown significantly. Many of you could see the light in her eyes. Part of the growth fostered in YWAM's model is the recognition and practical training in how to give an active faith to others. YWAM's training is targeted on teaching people to be Jesus to others, not just internal growth alone. This first experience will always be a significant foundation for my already spiritually mature daughter.

Second, I want to talk about the Model. YWAM does three months discipleship training and three months outreach, in some international mission field. Students learn not only missions, but also leadership. I was most impressed by the fact that a significant part of the DTS (Discipleship Training School) is focused on developing freedom, a powerful active relationship with the Lord, and healthy relationships. Having counseled missionaries who come off the field I have often wished that our missionaries were taught these things before they go on the field. YWAM is preparing mission teams to be a healthy representation of Jesus and community. My job this last week was to teach one week of the three month DTS. The focus of the entire week was on experiencing God as Father. Other weeks focus on Freedom, The Holy Spirit, Healthy Relationships, Seeing the Big Picture, and other practical and powerful aspects of a vital walk of faith. I am very impressed with how equipped these students are.

The base is composed of multiple schools each with a unique focus. Media, Worship and Prayer, Leadership, etc. Each school comprises the primary association for the student. Within each school the students are divided into outreach teams, with different destinations and missions. Each outreach team has a leader or two, who meet regularly one one one with each of a small group of students. This model provides the structure of Community, Large Group, small group, and one on one discipleship. All of them share a common mission, while each smaller group sees clearly their own part of the mission.

Third I want to talk about Money. While we were happy to support Jillian on her initial YWAM journey, we began to grow a bit uncomfortable with some of the follow up requests for financial support. My discomfort about this has completely changed as I have watched and learned. The most important thing that I learned is that NO ONE in YWAM draws a salary. From the head (Loren and Darlene Cunningham) on down, each person is responsible to gather support at any given step of the way. What impresses me about this is that no one person, or entity gets to build a personal fortune off the donations. There is no YWAM mansion, YWAM fleet, and the headquarters is shared by all who are involved. Though at first blush it appears that the students ask often for money, it is clear that this money is immediately being turned into living and ministry costs for each individual. Each team learns financial management of their own funds, and mutual support of one another. NO ONE is Getting Rich off these donations. These students are learning how to plan, organize, budget, implement, a full scale mission trip while developing healthy problem solving, conflict resolution, team development, and leadership skills. All this and they are delivering the same to cultures all around the world. The students are also taught about the importance of giving. I watched multiple examples of the students giving to one another in mutual support, not simply asking to receive all the time.

Finally I want to talk about the Community. This is the part I could not have really known from this side of the ocean. The YWAM base at Kona is the world headquarters. They worship together, pray together, train together, eat together, they handle conflict together, and they celebrate other teams victories together. I saw the Cunningham's on campus, hands on with the community several times. Most impressive to me was the focus on family development. I had no idea that entire families did YWAM together. Parents with small children were as common a sight as any individual. Families were learning together how to live in community and learn together how to broadcast the presence of God as they prepared for the mission field. The 1000+ people on this base seemed to share a healthy balance of interrelatedness and independence. I have not yet seen a church that can demonstrate the level of true community that I witnessed daily on this base.

This YWAM experience can create effective, healthy, and well-equipped leaders who can and often do grow into influential world-changers.


Bob Hamp


And here is a link to the video from Jillian and Campbell about their outreach.  
 https://vimeo.com/42438528

To help donate for their outreach you can go here! 100% of the money goes directly to their outreach fund here in Kona.
http://uofnkona.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=652&MN=5725



 

The Time is Near

The countdown has begun. We are less than 1 month away from arrival day. Last week was our last "normal" week until corporate staff training begins. We are doing well in our preparation. It's been nice to have a good amount of time all together before school starts.

Each day God does something new in my heart. Each day He draws me closer and challengers me more to be like Him. This week it has been a joy. I'm realizing that when I let go of who I think I'm supposed to be and let God mold me, I will turn out to be who He wants me to be. When I follow His leanings to bless others, pray for others, rest, spend time in His Word, etc. I become more like Him. When I try on my own to be good and do what I think He wants me to do, I become more like who I think I'm supposed to be.

Please be keeping our team in your prayers. We have about 60 students enrolled and more that will apply in these next 3 weeks. We have an amazing team and I'll introduce you all to them in a post in the near future. We are all running after God and I know that we will be used mightily in the lives of these students and in the nations.

Speaking of the nations, I don't know where I'll be going on outreach yet. We will be deciding that as a team very soon. I'll be sure to let you know when the decisions are made. Thank you for your support and your prayers.

Here are some videos I thought you might be interested in. They show a little of what life is like here on base and a little about YWAM.

 

This is a bit of YWAM's history and its ministries and focus. 

 

Here's a glimpse of YWAM Kona.

The Story of YWAM.

 A video from the Sex and Money team who traveled the world, studied, wrote a book, and made a documentary.  Here is a bit of their travels.

This is a video from my teams trip last year to Cambodia.  The travels, the ministry, and the fun times.

Men

Finally, a second to breathe and let all of you into all that has been going on.  God is at work is how I can explain this past week, but really that doesn't explain a thing.  God is moving in power, in love, in conviction, in strength, and seems to not be stopping until He's got our whole life.  Inside and out He wants it all.  He's jealous for our desires, for our passion, and our attention.  He wont relent until He is our center.  I've lived too long letting God have what I was comfortable giving.  I'll be honest, I don't think God cares about me being comfortable.  He's God, He wants all of me.  I don't think He cares that I don't feel like worshiping, serving, or interceding for issues that I'm apathetic to.  He is God and He deserves everything even when I don't feel like it.  I don't think it was comfortable for Him to die on a cross for us, and I don't think He felt like it.  But He loved us so much that He looked past his earthly feelings and gave all that He had.  Now we must look at that and make a choice.  Am I okay giving Him what is comfortable, or am I going to give Him everything I have?  What is my response to the one who gave it all for me?  It's a challenge yes, but an invitation to a life that can look very different than many in our culture are living.  Passive men? Is that what God is calling men to be?  Apathetic? Self focused?  Take a look around, take a look at your life and make an assessment.  Evaluate what you see.  Do you see any Davids, any Isaiahs, Pauls, Noahs, or Abrahams?  I know what I saw in myself and I was none of those.  God is calling us all to reevaluate what it means to be a man or woman of God.  I have not arrived, far from it, but I know what God is bringing me through right now is almost like an initiation into manhood.  Too long I've lived like the way I've described.  

What I feel God is raising up men to be is this; Men who are courageous, men who take initiative, men who lead, who love, men passionate about interceding for their wives, families, and the issues that are tearing our world apart, men who say no to the lies of the enemy, men who are bold, who care for the orphans, widows, the least of these, men of the Word, men who are pure, men who are turned off by anything that is not honoring to God, men who love their God more than anyone or anything, men who choose not to waste their lives on meaningless things, men who turn off the t.v., computer, video games, and realize that God is raising up warriors to fight.  He's not asking us to strive to be some kind of super human.  He's inviting us all into freedom, into joy, into battle.  Will you accept, or once again, be passive and apathetic, believing the lie over your life that its too hard or that it can't be true about you.  Is anything too hard for your God?  There's a whole world out there that exists where men are passionate, courageous, and bold.  They are fighting in the front lines against the work of the enemy.  They are winning souls, freeing slaves, being fathers to the fatherless.  That world wont exist until we all answer the call.  God is raising up His army.  Rise up Men of God, Men of Honor.  Its time to declare victory over the things that are keeping us down. It's time to say no to the lies and proclaim your victory in Jesus' Name. 


Hmmm, well that pretty much sums up the last month or so...I've been on a journey, its been miserable and God has been uprooting everything.  The Bible calls it pruning, I call it torture.  But oh the joy.  The joy when new branches, and new fruit begins to grow.  

On the more practical side we've been busy with worship times, prayer, school planning meetings, leadership training, preparation work for DTS, and community building times.  Our days our packed so we've taken advantage of our weekends off.

And now here are pictures of my weekend adventures!

Some of our newest housing being built with the blazing brush fire a very uncomfortable distance away.

There were about 3 or 4 helicopters helping to quench the flames as they came dangerously close the the campus and many houses nearby.

A panoramic shot of the fire with the dried up soccer field in the foreground.  No one was injured and no buildings were destroyed but a whole lot of dried landscape was burned.

A few of us decided to take a weekend camping trip to see some of the island.  With the waves crashing  behind us this was a beautiful spot to spend the night.

Down in Waipio Valley is this 2,000ft. waterfall called Twin Falls. 

To get to the falls its quite the hike through the tropics of the Big Island.

We always like to make a pit stop along the way and have a cool swim in this clear fresh water.  This time I managed to slip, bang my arm, and land in really shallow water.  Luckily its only about 10ft down to the water.

Upon arriving we made a friend that was enjoying our apples.

We had a little photo shoot with thiis good looking fellow

Makalawena Beach is known as one of the most beautiful on the island.  This is why.

We enjoyed the morning swimming in the waves as the sun was rising and no one else nearby

We had these clear blue waters all to our self.

The beautiful but very hot Hawaiian sun over the lava rock and coral near Makalawena Beach.

You can't take your sports cars, or compact cars out here.  This is the mild part of the road made for 4x4 only.

Another shot of the road to Makalawena.

This beautiful falls has the unfortunate name of Peepee Falls.

Just behind me is whats called the boiling pots.  Here you jump from falls to falls, about 7 in all.  Don't go too far down or you'll get sucked in by the current created by the lava tubes underneath.

Known as one of the best places in the world to see the stars, my favorite part are the magnificent sunsets up here on Mauna Kea.  You feel on top of the world at almost 14,000ft. high.

The sunsets from here at Old Airport are amazing if you can get close to the tide pools.  The whales jumping from the water that swam right by made this one of the best nights yet.

We enjoyed our camp outs here with the Voice for the Voiceless DTS. 

Now you see why Mauna Kea is one of the best places in the world to view the night sky. 

Winter in Hawaii

     I just wanted to give a quick update for all of you who are following. Most of our staff has arrived here in Kona, but we still have others who are on their way. It's an exciting new beginning but also a difficult time of transition. We will all be stretch as we live in a such close and intimate community. We've already begun leadership training, have spent many hours together in the prayer room, and have begun to plan for the upcoming DTS in April. We've had time to relax and enjoy getting to know the others we will be working with over this next year. We've been to the beach in January which I have to say is quite amazing. My tan is coming along but because I burned so bad last year I have to lather up with the sunscreen. Especially coming from the white tundra that Maine is right now.
     I have been so thankful for those of you in Maine and all over who have been praying for me and supporting me. I was in awe with the support given before I left. It's a humbling process but God is teaching me that He can supply all that I need.
     There will be much more updating to come as the days and weeks go by. Enjoy the pictures but for all of you who are freezing to death remember, your not allowed to be envious...

     These are almost all iphone photos.  Some other more quality ones will be up soon.