Leaving Phoenix

The car is packed, Nate is asleep and I'm sipping on the last of the eggnog. We arrived in Phoenix late September, and it has been a place of rest, adventure, study, peace and quiet. Perhaps in a couple weeks we will think back on these months and feel like they were a dream, but what a great dream! We are sad to say goodbye to the saguaros, the mountains, to our church that we connected with and learned from. We said goodbye to the park that Nate visits almost everyday, we've packed our sandals and our shorts away, and found where our toques and gloves were hiding. The blog may sit quiet for a few days, at least till we can get decent internet access. Thanks to everyone who has commented on these pages, sorry that we didn't reply, but your comments connected us back to our home. Special mention to Sheri-Lee and Trevy for all the comments. Some of you will see us before others, please pity us in the cold, we've acquired Arizona blood down here. I will continue the blog through January, as we reflect and summarize some of the main events, and people we met and the principles learned along the way. Thanks so much for your prayers and encouragements! Please keep us in mind in your prayers this week, as we travel north, we are planning on driving right through to southern Manitoba--we should be there on Tuesday but won't force it if the weather is rotten. You guys don't have rotten weather up north do you? Sorry. We're looking forward to seeing you all soon.
lots of love, ken, shonet and nate

Our Son is 2

This weekend was Nate's 2nd birthday. When Nate was born he had a collapsed lung that moved his heart within his body, it was serious, far more serious than we ever imagined. The doctor said that it was from taking too big a breath when he first saw daylight. His exuberance for life hasn't diminished one bit, though we're doing better with the whole collapsed lung thing (for those of you who don't know, he healed quickly without any medical help--God's pretty cool eh?) So, to fit the pattern of his style, here's some pics from his special day. Every day has been a gift! Sorry for the blurry pictures, he doesn't sit still much--hence the exuberance.

LA thoughts

I don’t want to paint a wrong picture, or give a false impression of what we observed this week, but the people we met, the ministries we observed and the community we lived in will have a lasting impression on our lives. For the past week, we have stayed in the home of Doug and Cynthia Peters along with their 3 beautiful children in a neighborhood that few people would live in by choice. When I first arrived here, I asked Doug, as a naïve Canadian if there were any neighborhoods that I should avoid as a white guy, his answer was: ‘Yeah, this one’, but our time here has been inspiring beyond words. We’ve driven through some of the more dangerous neighborhoods in the USA, where their missionaries live and plant churches; we’ve listened to stories of families who have been touched by the ministries of WI (World Impact) and we feel like we’ve seen the unmistakable work of God’s Spirit in these homes. We had the privilege to visit WI camp where kids from the churches can come for retreats and special events, build relationships and hear the Gospel. I think I am naturally a pessimistic person (my wife disagrees with me), but here in a part of the world where there are over 80,000 homeless people, we have seen hope and faith and expectation of great things. These guys really believe God can change people, communities and the world, because they have experienced God's hand changing their own lives and His love for them has moved them to love their neighbors as they love themselves. They’re not revolutionaries seeking a cleaner earth, or a safer city, but rather are people who believe that knowing Jesus and being known by Jesus is better than anything else this world can offer (but they also believe and practice that knowing Jesus is good for the planet and for safer communities!). In fact, they are very ordinary people (no offence guys), they have their hobbies, their jokes, their families, and routines but at the core of it is a life lived by faith and obedience to Jesus Christ. And in the process of their normal routines, they are changing lives and communities. LA is a myriad of overwhelming odds, it is a place of cultures forced together, over 200 nations are represented here in over 13 million people in the greater LA area. Buddhists, Muslims, students and workers all share the same sidewalks. It’s a city of celebrities and gangs, of smog and palm trees, but I believe WI taught me that the world will not change through a new dynamic program, food relief plans or new housing projects, but rather through the slow and purposeful (and messy) road of relationships—crossing all barriers to win as many to Christ. I’ll be honest, when I surveyed our entire sabbatical plans, I thought that our time in LA would be the most dangerous, perhaps it was, but if there was any danger experienced, it was the danger of my normal life being shaken up by these normal people. Thanks Doug, Cynthia, Olivia, Naomi and Elijah! Your hospitality was overwhelming and your encouragement and laugher was medicine to our souls. God bless you, refresh you and renew you each day. Many thanks to the other WI staff who hosted us, Bob and Tim especially for organizing much of our time there.

LA

We've been in LA for a week now, and will be heading back to Phoenix soon. There's much to say about our time here, about the stories and the missionaries from World Impact. I'll leave those thoughts for another post, but let me tell you a little about LA itself and where we are staying. First of all, its beautiful here, I understand why almost 11 milllion people cram into the greater LA area--its tropical, close to the ocean and beaches and yet right at the base of great mountain ranges. The people of LA are so diverse, over 200 nations are represented here; you have millionaires and people of world renown living in Beverly Hills and you have over 80,000 homeless people trying to keep warm on the streets. The city is home to some of the toughest street gangs and yet is also home to some of the biggest churches in America. There are more people in California than in Canada combined! There is beauty and ugliness mixed together, smog and palm trees share the same air, as do vultures and hummingbirds. I've seen birds of paradise (its an expensive flower) growing in garbage, homeless people sleeping in the shadow of the Ritz hotel, and a Mercedes Benz drive through through the projects. In the middle of this great city are people at World Impact who are an incredible light. They do not walk with the rich and famous, and do not share in the lifestyle of the wicked, but they are blessed beyond imagination with peace, community and God's favor--everything the gangs promise, the movies claim they own and the properties boast to possess. Its an inspiring place with inspiring people--World Impact that is. Ahh, but I said I would not talk about these people, its tough to talk about the beauty of coal in light of refined gold. But I digress, we've had some great opportunities to see the beach, see Hollywood and drive through Beverly Hills. We saw the stars on the streets and gawked at the huge homes, but we were more content to stay in the humble home of our hosts. The beach would have been ours and Nate's favorite place, and with sadness we will not see it for some time--the snow awaits back north! But attached are some fun pics of our travels through LA's famous places.

An old friend

If you had the chance to have a coffee with someone from your past who would it be? A teacher, a coach, perhaps a friend who moved away, no doubt it would be someone who made a lasting mark on your life. Yesterday I met an old friend from YWAM (Youth With a Mission) from Australia, his name is Dave Niebling and he is that one person I would choose to see. Some of you will remember that I spent a couple years with YWAM in Australia and parts of Asia back in the 90's (seems so long ago!). Those years made a profound impact on my life, the experiences were unforgettable, the things I discovered about God changed my life and the people I met inspired me to live for something greater than myself. Many of them lived a simple lifestyle, owning little to no property, living in community and practicing hilarious generosity. I met so many people in those years, I have lost touch with most of them but some have been there for me through the years. Dave was my leader for about 6 months while I was on staff, he's good Aussie with a keen sense of vision for his country and for God's kingdom on this earth, currently he is the director of YWAM Brisbane. God is pretty amazing in working out details that seem impossible, its those events that usually make us say 'only God could have made that possible'. Dave is teaching at a YWAM base in San Diego and happened to be coming through LA just the same week, in the same year, and the same day that we would be spending time in LA with World Impact. Shonet and I have been reading a great book by Malcolm Gladwell called 'Outliers', it takes a look at all the factors that play into the development of successful people--the reoccurring theme is--you cannot be successful on your own, you need others around you. Its difficult to articulate the impact Dave had on my life, but I suspect I would not be in ministry if God had not used his words, his family and the opportunities I had while serving with him. So to see him, his wife and his two wonderful children this week and have coffee with them on the Santa Monica pier was such a gift from God. It felt a little like Christmas morning once everyone has opened their presents only to discover there was still one more gift hiding behind the tree. Thanks Dave and Jenni for taking time to hang out with us and encourage us along the way! Dakota, Shonet really enjoyed talking with you, and Elijah you were such a blessing to Nate! Safe travels on your walkabout through the USA.

Rider fans, Black Friday and friends

So our time, with familiar friends is coming to a close and tomorrow we leave for LA. Our community experiment will continue with a new family in downtown LA as we spend time with World Impact observing and learning from their ministries. With friends comes courage to tackle one of the biggest sales events of the year: Black Friday. I've heard about this day before from fable and Conrad Dueck, perhaps the greatest sales seeker of our day...so my wife, who is a reluctant shopper at best and with an endurance rate of about an hour, woke up at 2am and with Kim attacked the stores with vigor. The cold weather gave the Canucks the edge in the early morning, and it wasn't till 8am that they bounded back into the house with their treasures. Our great finds: 5 seasons of the Office (a show that has had us laughing frequently), and some toys for Nate. Next up, was the Arizona Cardinals Monday Night football game. For those of you who watched it, you know how much of a disappointment the game was, but still quite an experience with over 70,000 people in attendance. The best part of the game was running into several Rider fans, proudly wearing their green jerseys. Only Rider fans can enter a random stadium and make themselves completely at home with their green cape and mask to boot. The guy in the picture ended up having a conversation with the cops, something about 'we'll win next year'. The guy had a strange resemblance to pastor Al from GMC, especially the way he screamed and waved his cape and ran down the corridors. People down here are not used to having 'fans' like that! We've had some great times here and definitely a special time seeing Randy and Kim and their family, while here they have introduced us to their community of friends down here which has been quite special. Making new friends gave us a chance to share Thanksgiving with a new family and gave Nate new friends who love him. Nate wanted to play with Tylan more than me...and Tiana stole Nate's heart and sang to him and made him feel so special. A couple observations though, and this comes from the football game and from the Black Friday event: I forgot how much hype goes into things as superficial as football and shopping; how much the economy swings around these things and how much people need these kinds of stimuli to function. But last Thursday, Thanksgiving, we sat outside, ate turkey, met new friends and shared a special day that we will remember for a long time. Its been the subtle things that we will remember from this past week, the small conversations, sharing meals, and just being accepted by friends that made this week wonderful. Perhaps the folks marketing the NFL and days like Black Friday want people to believe they can experience the same thing there...but its a cheap imitation for friends and family and peace. The subtle has the advantage over the flamboyant. Nate would agree with this, as he was so excited to receive a package in the mail (a birthday present from back home--thanks Trev and Julia!). A small gift made a big impact.

A taste of the familiar

I know there are many benefits to having this blog available, but two specifics showed up this past week. Firstly, it drove my older brother to read his Bible in vain search for Acts 29 (I told you it wasn't in there!), secondly, friends from back home read--either on the blog or facebook, but I'll take credit for it on the blog, that we did not have Smarties (except me of course), nor did we have Ice Tea mix of which my wife is an adoring fan. Many thanks to Robyn and Kevin Olfert along with Ron and Anne Derksen and last, but not least to Claire Olfert who gave Nate the highlight of the month--some new toys! This motley crew visited us for supper last week and we had a great evening eating outside (no snow!) and catching up. When you have been away from friends and family for a while, little things like Smarties and Ice Tea mix go a long way--huge thanks to the Derksen family for making this possible! The little lego man that came with the toy has been aptly named: "Ron". Our regular weeks of study are coming to a close this week as we look forward to seeing Randy and Kim Gerbrandt join us for a week before we head off to LA. After almost 8 weeks of living in solitude we will be living in community for about a month, with many different people, and different families and thus we enter the next chapter of the sabbatical: community.

Acts 29

In Acts 29 we read that the apostles were traveling through Rome on their way to Spain when...actually, Acts 29 does not exist. At least not in the Bible. Acts 29 is a church planting organization dedicated to spreading the gospel through church plants around the globe. Acts 29 was hosting a 'Boot Camp' on church planting here in the Phoenix area and I was able to attend last week. God has provided for us here an awesome church that we have connected with, East Valley Bible Church in Gilbert Arizona has become the place where we are fed, known and encouraged and it was through this church and its pastor that we heard about the Acts 29 Boot Camp on church planting here in the Phoenix area. This conference was not on my 'to do' list when we came to Phoenix, but was one of those wonderful surprises God has for us when we're not looking. This was a conference I needed to be at, it helped tie some ideas together for me...for example: when we attended the CCDA in Chicago I left a little disappointed--I felt that much of the teaching and focus was on justice issues, racial issues and social issues and the gospel was secondary. When I went to Washington, I had the reverse experience where the Gospel and a clear understanding of church governance was top, but issues that related to humanity (justice, social issues etc.) weren't even on the map. Driving from Washington to Phoenix, Shonet and I have talked often about this polarity and the confusion of it--both seem good but out of joint. I've seen this tension in churches and para-church organizations in Canada, and here in the US, there just seems to be two sides to the discussion. Acts 29 is not the answer, but provided a challenging picture of an answer at least. Here were young pastors who were deeply convinced that the Gospel and the church were the answers to a hurting and broken world; they were armed with faith and had the courage to put their careers on the line and move into tough neighborhoods with the purpose to plant a small church. Their ultimate goal was not of relieving poverty, but of reconciling mankind to God--and in that gaining a foothold of which to climb out of social injustices. The focus was clear--A committed Biblical understanding of God and mankind. From there, passion, courage and vision were tied together to challenge us to boldly reach into the world as men and women who are called to give their lives for the sake of the gospel. God first, man's need second--as we know God and love him, we will know man's need clearer and learn ways to love him holistically. I'm thankful that God teaches us what we need, when we need it. Sometimes the side roads on the journey have the clearest views.
Ken

Dizzing Heights--Grand Canyon

It is a place that is difficult to describe, and a picture isn't enough, and so I will fail to adequately tell you about the Grand Canyon, perhaps that is why it is one of the great wonders of the world. We arrived on Monday afternoon, greeted by 9'c weather--a far cry from our 30' in Phoenix, the drive took us up 5000 ft., and as our ears popped the land transformed from desert to mountains, from cactus to towering pines. The smell was incredible, I'm a smell guy (yes, small as well), and smells have big memories for me--this place had the smell of Banff in winter--crisp, pine and cold--fantastic! If you have never been to the canyon, I can only suggest that you put it on your travel list for someday soon, but if you have been there then you understand that first glimpse of it. I had once wondered if they lit up the canyon with lights at night, if you've seen the place then you know how hilarious an idea that is. Its over 200 miles long, over a mile deep and over a mile wide in several places. You cannot fathom how deep it is, how beautiful it is and how terrifying it can be. A poem by Lynn Wilson portrays my initial thoughts:

'There is nothing that communicates the absolute astonishment of viewing this giant crevasse. i cannot completely prepare, for my mind has always had a gauge to measure things by. But how do i calibrate this infinite void?
Edge of nothingness
Expansive space
Immeasurably wide
Unfathomably deep
Utterly quiet
Hauntingly peaceful
Everyone whispers and no one knows why.'

We did 3 hikes by the canyon, two on the rim and one into the canyon on the Kaibab trail. Here is a good place for a MEC commercial--their clothing and the MEC baby backpack we got from ICYA (thanks guys!) allowed us to see the canyon in more intimate detail. There is NO WAY we would let a rambunctious 2 year old like Nate run around on trails with hundred foot drops only a foot away from the trail. So, MEC gave us the chance to see so much and be content with Nate. Overall he loved it, but the high altitude, the cold wind and the fresh air, plus the hikes wiped us out.
As we hiked into the canyon, the closest thing I could equate this experience to was my time hiking in Nepal, harsh mountains, narrow trails, high altitude, penetrating sun, mules coming up and down the trail and exhaustion coming back up the trail. Its an exhilarating place, but one with little forgiveness, over 600 people have died in the canyon--either falling off its ledges into the abyss (very easy to do), or heat exhaustion and dehydration, to drowning in the Colorado River below. We had a minor accident with Nate about a half hour down the trail and it forced us to come back up with a crying boy on my back--there's no way out but on foot and if the accident is serious, you could be in big trouble fast. Thankfully, all turned out well with Nate and he courageously got back into the backpack for the next hike. One day we would like to hike through the Canyon, but not till Nate's a little older.
One last thought, I find it interesting in these places that man comes up with all kinds of ideas of how it was made and formed, we paint scientific explanations for these kinds of places on the planet. But when you arrive at them there are all kinds of religious responses to their magnificence: in Nepal there are Buddhist prayer flags everywhere near the great mountains, here in the Grand Canyon, many of the peaks inside the canyon are named after Hindu gods. As I stood on the edge of the Canyon, I wondered why God made this, I think it is in the New Testament (John 1) where it says that all things were made through Christ and for Him--to bring him glory and honor. If the canyon takes my breath away and I cannot describe it, if it is a place that has marked my memory with fear and wonder--what will my initial response be when I at first meet the God who created this place with his fingers? I can only imagine.

Ken

Halloween

So it was almost 30 degrees Celcius here for Halloween, definitely not what I was used to, it was so warm I was concerned my son would have heat stroke in his gnome costume. It was a special night, connecting with neighbors, although the area we are staying has been hit hard by the recession and mortgage crisis. Speaking with one parent here at the playground, he is being forced to move because of the mortgage situation here. Halloween had an unusual quiet, as many homes in this neighborhood were vacant. In this midst of this stress for many people here, we are praying that we can be an encouragement to some nearby. But there was still a good throng of kids and fun neighbors and Nate had a great time, knocking on doors, wondering why people were giving him candy; he would boldly put on his gnome hat and approach each door. We thought he would only hit a few houses, but instead we were out for almost 2 hours--thus my fear of heat stroke.

ken

a few more pics of the boy...

Less talk, more Nate: enjoy.