Catalyst West Coast Financial Peace Mac Suite Winning Video

So, a few months ago our church staff attended its first Catalyst Conference. This was my fifth time to hit a Catalyst event but my first time on the West Coast. Needless to say we all loved it and hope to go back again next year if it fits our schedule and budget. 

One of the great things about Catalyst is the way they love on and care for leaders. It's an incredible place to be inspired, trained, and challenged. I especially love the creativity they put into every detail. 

While at this West Coast event our Kirby Staff took advantage of a contest sponsored by Dave Ramsey and Financial Peace University. They had a huge tent set up for pastors - it was a great place to relax get some free refreshments and meet other people in the ministry. Oh yeah - and enter the contest to win a Mac Suite worth over $4,000!

The challenge was to create a 30 min video (they video you while in the tent) expressing why your church deserved to win the Mac computers - complete with an iMac, MacBook, four iPad Mini's and a software package. 

The WINNING video below is what we came up with. Yes, that's right - we won the contest. We still can't believe it either. 

I want to take a moment to thank Catalyst, Dave Ramsey and the folks at FPU. We love the Macs and will are already putting them to good use - but we also love the way you guys invest in leaders and churches around the world! Hope to see you at West Coast 2014.

Confessions of a Missionary by Ruth Wilson

I'm sitting in Africa and noticed a blog posted by one of my friends. It was a blog post by Ruth Wilson. I don't know Ruth, I don't know Africa like she does, I haven't experienced missionary life like she has. But, I have seen first hand much of what she is writing about. And, I can attest to the fact that it takes a very special person to live the life of one called to serve overseas. That's why those who follow Jesus into these hard to reach places have been and always will be heroes to me. Yes, I know they don't like being called that. But that's how I see them - heroes. 

Thank you Ruth for an incredible post and thank you for living your faith out loud! 

Some days I hate my life.
Africa life is not all it’s cracked up to be.
Sometimes I don’t want to hop out of bed and embrace the day.
The language barrier is freaking hard.
Being hit on by grown men just because I’m white gets obnoxious.
Bucket showers get old.

Walking miles and miles to get to a house that doesn’t even want to hear the name of Jesus is exhausting.

You can read the rest of her blog at: 

http://www.wrecked.org/a-hot-mess/confessions-of-a-missionary/

Jinja, Uganda July 8th

Here's a short video from our time at Canaan Children's Home in Jinja, Uganda. I'm so thankful we were able to visit this incredible home and meet Pastor Isaac and his wife. Isaac has a true passion for helping children and God is using him to make a huge difference in so many kids.

America World is sending another team to Uganda this fall. Please check out this link for more information.

Friday, July 5th - Kenya

Guest post by Team Member Sophia Luwis

It has been a long day of sitting in the car, experiencing strange/smelly bathrooms, and poor Kenyan conditions, but also a great day to see God work through it all. We woke up at the Floral bright and early for breakfast. Some of us got some coffee and then we hit the road! On our way to Mogogosiek, we stopped at The Rift Valley viewpoint. It was AMAZING! God truly made this world beautiful. There was also a small shop there, so we were able to do a little shopping J.

Also along our journey, we stopped at a children’s home that our guide used to work at. This home was not too different then some of the other homes we have visited. Conditions are not the best especially when compared to our American standards. And yet, the kids are happy and the staff does their best to love them. These children are also VERY disciplined. All public school teachers in Kenya were currently on strike, but yet these kids continued classes by teaching themselves - now that is dedication!

At one point in our continued journey we all bought some roasted maize from a roadside stand. It probably was not the best idea Joe has ever had, so if we get sick, we will blame him. Even though the maize tasted like burnt popcorn it was perfect for feeding the baboons we found farther down the road.

As you drive into the high lands of Kenya, everything gets really green and tropical. Everybody we have met describes it as a Garden of Eden and in this garden is The Mogogosiek Baby Home. It is incredible here! The children are beautiful. They had a great staff watching over them and a wonderful environment around them. God has really blessed these kids with good people and a good, but temporary, home.

Even though these babies are in a good place now, the stories of how they got there are hard to hear. There is one baby in particular whose story has, I believe, touched everyone on our team. This baby’s mother had given birth and probably only hours later dumped her newborn baby into a long drop

(squatty potty). The nurses said it was only by chance that someone saw the top of her head and pulled her out. Now, most African babies are beautiful, but this little baby girl is the most gorgeous baby I have ever seen in my life! I cannot pretend I know what her mother was thinking when she put her in the toilet, but I hope and pray that one day God will touch her life and that the same happens for this beautiful little baby.

The rest of the day consisted of us meeting two more chariot of home interns, eating freshly skinned cow and chapatti, having a devotional and prayer time and then going to bed. The devotional was based on Hebrews 10:39 “ But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.”