Clark-istan

Clark-istan a nickname we came up with for the crazy square mile we live in!  Sometimes I find myself laughing because I feel like I'm not in America sometimes.  I'm sure there are people laughing at me too!  To communicate with the diverse people in Clarkston, I find myself speaking in shorter sentences, sometimes cutting off words and using bad English grammar.  Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do to get the point across!  Once you're here for while, the "Clark-istani" language sometimes seeps into conversations with English speakers.  Makes for good comedy at times!


Here's some more pictures of life here.  Please let me know if you have questions about life or would like to here more about certain aspects of life in Clarkston.  Love to hear how you are doing as well!

The American part of Clark-istan.  I'm so grateful for friends nearby that labor in the Lord  with me.  We have meals together sometimes and gain so much encouragement from our fellowship.

The sunset from the top of Stone Mountain.  This is a great place to go for exercise (1 mile hike to top) and quiet time.  This is our Mt of Olives when we need to get away.

The crew we took to Cici's as a reward for attending tutoring on Mondays and Wednesdays.  We had a great time hanging out and eating together. Five nations are represented in this picture (Burma, Iraq, Sudan, Liberia, US)

The latest addition to the team here in Kristopher Woods.  Ben follows Jesus and wants to make disciples.  He got here soon after I did in the summer.  Please keep praying for us and the people of Clarkston.

"I love rice!"

   As we sat by the fire passing out rice and chili, Toya exclaimed, "I love rice!"  We all enjoyed our Nepali rice together and thanked God for our food together in Nepali and English at the same time!  This was the scene on Mount Yonah in Helen, GA last weekend. We took 4 of our Nepali friends on a hiking/camping trip planned by another group.  We just tagged along hoping to spend some more time with our Nepali friends. As we sat by the fire another Nepali friend asked how to "overcome" the obstacles he and others face as newcomers to the US. This was a great chance for me to mention a few things about American culture and share that in any culture looking to God and reading the Bible will help anyone find a "good way" in life.  We hope for more conversations and meals together with friends such as these.  Below are a few pics from our trip!

Rice is a staple food for Nepali and other Asian peoples.  Nepalis eat rice and other foods with their hands.  I have heard they eat rice 3 times a day!  They cooked a full pot on the campfire this night for us to share.

Our Nepali friends seemed to have no cares about the fact that nothing was under them!  Nepal, their home country is situated in the Himalayan Mountains in Asia.  Nepal has 8 of the 10 highest peaks in the world!

Troopers

     I have had a busy couple of weeks recently.  Each time I sit down and try to describe quickly what is happening in Clarkston, I have a hard time getting my point across.  Not sure what to say sometimes, so I think a few stories/blurbs will be good this time.  As I said before your generosity and prayers are enabling me to be here and experience these things.  I thank God when I think of your care and giving hearts toward me!

THANK YOU!!!

•    The Lord has really met me in my times with Him since I've been here.  Spiritual battles and discouragement can be hard to fight and I'm so grateful for God's faithfulness to provide friendships and accountability here among other believers.  Thought I'd share a quote from my journal on 8/25/11:

 "Job 23:8-10- I very much felt like v. 8-9 for a while about 4 years ago, yet now [I am] confident that the Lord knows the way I take [v. 10].  I am able to see Him and rejoice in His work.  I see more clearly what He's doing in and around me.  I am coming forth and will come out as gold.  I am being refined in faith, patience, and trust in Him.  But I know He sees my way and knows me." 

• I wear contacts in my eyes so I can see, but they get clouded with film and debris after a couple of weeks.  They begin to irritate my eyes and I have to either change to a new pair or use my glasses for a little while.  Paul writes of another set of eyes to the Ephesian church, "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened" (Eph 1:18).  This weekend we had a two-day long prayer focus with our MTW team and a few other Christian neighbors.  For all involved it was so refreshing!  We spent hours in prayer together and alone.  The best way I know how to describe the time for me is in terms of my spiritual eyes, as Paul talks of in his letter. It's like my real vision, which gets blurred, and my contacts with junk on them.  In life, I get scattered-brained, things become blurry, and my heart feels irritated.  I doubt I'm the only one who's had this experience.  After our times in prayer each day, my spiritual eyes saw more clearly, just like I was changing my contacts or resting my eyes of irritation. During seasons like this the spiritual "junk" over my spiritual senses is cleaned off.  It was so peaceful and comforting to pour out thoughts, desires, cares, and anxieties to Him, trusting He cares for me.  I welcome more chances to pray as we did this weekend.

• We have started tutoring high school students every Monday and Wednesday since school started.  This has been a great opportunity for my friend Michael to spend time with a ethnic group from Burma (Myanmar) called the Karenni. Several Karenni students and others have come for tutoring.  Several Americans have pitched in to give individual help for the students.  We hope to be able to visit the families of our students soon to get to know them better.  Please pray for chances to share with these families and our Nepali friends.

• My birthday was a few weeks ago and some friends threw a fun party for me. Some neighborhood kids and a couple of refugee friends stopped by to say hello.  Not a big b-day guy, but definitely felt the love that night for sure!

Crazy people!

The Grind

     Have noticed lately that God is really teaching me to trust Him (lesson we seem to all need over and over).  The last few weeks have been really challenging.  I came here two months ago hoping to proclaim the Gospel, that my feet would be beautiful, as Paul points out in Romans 10.  In a few moments I have shared Scripture, parts of my personal salvation, or explained what baptism is, but there is no glamour and "missionary" exhilaration in every moment (the kind many have experienced on a 7-10 day "mission trip").  I knew in my mind that would be true.  I have read enough stories and heard enough Christian workers speak to know that life is still hard and laborious sometimes when you are seeking to share the Gospel full-time.  But until you get there you don't really know what everyone means.  And each situation is different too.  Here, my schedule is changing 4 of the 7 days in a week.  A few things are stable in their neat little American time slots, but I'm adjusting to an almost "freestyle" ministry here. That has been different for me.  I feel it fits my personality at times, but is not what I've been used to for much of my life in America's suburbs.
     This is not necessarily bad always, just different. I do miss the predictability of a school schedule and look forward to the teens and children here settling into a routine as well.  Have been able to meet and play basketball with several teenage boys and hope to start tutoring them soon.  That should add a little more regularity to my schedule.  I'm reminded often here that God is not always predictable, so schedules don't always dictate the need of the moment with Him.  Boasting about what I'm going to accomplish tomorrow is not wise as Prov 27:1 reminds us.  I'm learning the wisdom of that firsthand now.  Living by faith involves trusting Him in the routine activities of life and the spontaneous moments.  Both are needed and present in seasons of life.
     Internal spiritual battles can be so much more weighty and draining when you are not busy all day, but spend more time in prayer and Scripture study as I have at times.  The evil one tries to tell me that I'm being unproductive by reading a book about Clarkston's refugee resettlement history, by spending a few more minutes chatting with a friend, or by insisting on a longer time for Bible study some days.  But God has sustained me and sheltered me.  He has been my refuge as He says so often through David's psalms.  My glory and honor depend on Him.

Future Stars

A friend of ours in Clarkston, Anna Bryant, taught piano to four girls this summer.  She made this video as an introduction for the girls' first ever piano recital.  The recital was held in the lobby of the leasing office in our apartment complex, complete with refreshments, programs, and about 40 audience members.  There were 7 different countries represented in the audience, half of whom did not even know the girls, but have relationships with Anna, Brian or myself. It was a great time to strengthen friendships and see these girls' mother have a reason to be proud of her daughters!  The girls all received a flower, high fives, hugs, and got first dibs on the cookie cake when the recital was over!  Enjoy!

New Friends

    Long time no write guys, so sorry!  My computer has been under the weather, but I think I got the bugs out now.  In the past month, I've settled in to life here in Clarkston by making some new friends.  I have also been tested in my prayer life, since new places bring new challenges and need for dependence on the Father.  Several Americans live close by and we became buds almost instantly the first night I got here.  I've met several guys from Eritrea that live nearby.  My friend Natnael and I have been preparing for him to take the GED test in the next few months.  It has been great to get to know him better over the past two weeks.  I met Natnael in the parking lot of my apartments and we spend a few hours together each week. Last weekend, my parents and sister came down and got to eat with me in his home.  So great for me to see my family and share a new friend with them!  Thank you so much for all of you that pray for me and have supported me.  I am experiencing relationships with people from all over the world, in our own backyard.

Me and Natnael

Inside the apartment of some Nepali friends

     As a team, all the workers with MTW meet once a week to pray together and some of us have had more spontaneous times of prayer as well.  I am getting a better feel for the work here.  My church congregation meets about 5 minutes away, but not in Clarkston.  We use the building of another church in a town called Tucker.  So far, most of my time has been spent "doing life" (see last blog post) with people in Clarkston.  Each Sunday we worship with about 30 Americans and usually a few international neighbors.

     All the workers with MTW (now 13 I think) meet once a week to pray together and some of us have had more spontaneous meetings for prayer as well.  My church congregation meets about 5 minutes away, from Clarkston in a town called Tucker.  So far, most of my time has been spent "doing life" (see last blog post) with people in Clarkston.  Each Sunday we worship with about 30 Americans and usually a few international neighbors.

Brian, Anna, Amy, Natnael, and me on top of Stone Moutain
(popular park and recreation area near Clarkston)

     Many people are in HUGE transitions from their old lives!  It takes a massive team effort to even begin to help clear up confusion, language barriers, and just befriend people and be kind neighbors.  I have found it difficult at times since I myself am new to Clarkston.  I am making the adjustment from a school-day schedule to a fairly flexible and open lifestyle.  I sometimes teach an English class on Thursday morning as well as just conversationally helping folks with English.  I have also been helping a refugee resettlement agency, World Relief, set up apartments for incoming refugees.  That has added some consistency to my schedule, but some of my favorite times have been spontaneous meals with neighbors, pickup basketball games at the courts in my apartments, and worship and fellowship with my American friends.  Slowly we have had the chance to share the Good News and speak about Jesus.  We have some teens from a local church come each Tuesday night to play ball and hang out with kids in the apartments.  That was set up before I got here and has been a great time to connect with Clarkston teens in a relaxed setting.

English class scavenger hunt- Can you guess what English word, we're teaching here?

    It is hard to summarize what life is like here.  It is just such a unique place.  There is a lot that's familiar, but also a lot that is not.  It's like living in a large international airport or a place like NY City, except many of the people here have in a way "fled" here instead of volunteering to come.  I heard someone say today that Clarkston is the most diverse square mile in the US.  The struggles that people have as refugees here go deeper than just language difficulties.  Imagine how you would feel if you were basically forced to leave your home country to stay safe, but would rather be home if it was safe to stay.  That is what many feel here as they change to a whole new way of living while somewhat wishing to be home again.
     Others spent most of their childhood and adolescent years in a refugee camp somewhere away from their home country.  These people don't really know what it is like to live in a free society outside a fence, some with paper-thin walls that prevent privacy almost completely in the refugee camps.  I am confident that Jesus came for these people: the foreigner, the stranger, the afflicted, broken, confused, and oppressed.  Please pray for needed strength to serve and love them as Jesus did, despite my own sin and struggles at times.

     In the difficulties and the joys of living here, I am reminded that the man who delights in God's law will be "like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither."(Ps 1:2-3)  Also John records from Jesus that if we abide in Him we will bear much fruit, showing ourselves to be His disciples to the glory of God.  There is life in Jesus and fruit from my time here will only be produced through my connection with Him.  May that be my highest delight and desire!