Imagine 12 disabled people livign in adject poverty startign a car wash in a poor community in South Africa.  Now think that this group includes a little person, several in wheelchairs, some on crutches, a blind man and a man born with no arms.   People whom the world might say have no hope and certainyl are not wirth investing in.    And you would think it would be crazy that they could run a car wash and make it work.

Crazy as it seems, this motley crew is who we are investing in.

A few months ago while talking with Brian Carlucci – one of our pastors – about our trip, we started talking about doing microloans.  Last summer in South Africa we had a couple lead a class on business skills but this year we wanted to provide capital to get started.

Kevin Cox who is one of my supporters and one of our elders was coming on this trip.  Kevin has been and is a successful businessman with a heart for ministry so I asked if he would teach the classes.  Kevin said (I’m paraphrasing) that when I mentioned doing the loans his heart came alive.  He wasn’t sure why God was leading him to come on this trip but teaching these classes and doing these loans was something he was excited about and could see it as a long-term ministry.

Kevin told one friend about the microloans and the guy gave me $1000 without Kevin really asking him.   I shared our vision with a couple of people just for feedback and they said they are in.  Before we left we raised over $5000 when most loans are like $150.  Seems like we had something here.

So several weeks before we left for South Africa, Kevin and I met and began talking about this ministry and trying to figure it out.  We got advice from others doing loans and read books and prayed.  It was then that we came up with the name.  You can click on the Sekepe page to read more of our vision.

This past week Kevin and his son Brian taught a group of 12 disabled people on how to start and run a business.  Last Saturday we scouted out their potential site and interviewed other car wash owners.

Earlier in the week, they asked Kevin, “Do you believe in us?”  Kevin had to pause.  In the world’s eyes there was not much to believe in.  But looking with eyes of faith and in the hope found only in Christ, Kevin answered ‘yes, I believe in you.”

This is Sekepe.

Early this morning, I drove Kevin & Brian Cox to the airport.  They flew to Zambia where they will be for the next 2 weeks.  A former co-worker of Kevin’s and her husband are missionaries in Zambia.  They work among HIV+ Women and the lowest strata of boys in Ndola.  Kevin & Brian will also (jealousy alert) get to go to Victoria Falls.

After  dropping them off at the airport in Jo’burg,  I hustled back to Pretoria facing slow traffic because of accident/construction/rush hour.  I arrived just in time for the rest of our group to load the vans and head over to Beam for one last time.  We spent a couple of hours saying good-byes.  It was a little easier for me because I could say I will see them next week.

The kids clung to us and little girls cry as we left (not accepted for the boys to cry).  It was bitter sweet.  It was sad that some will never see our team again.  But a joy that we could impact their little lives in even a short time.  God is good.

Then we drove to Jo’burg stopping by a mall for a late lunch before we checked into the guesthouse where the Dupras & McCulllough families will stay the night.   We spent a couple of hours together debriefing – talking about preparing for reverse-culture shock, sharing about our time and encouraging each other.  Then Brian Dupras and I took Cassie, Kayla, Jeanine, Kristin, Paul and Becca back to the airport.  We returned one of the vans and tried to get the crocs released from customs.  Turning in the van and checking in the six went okay.  I did lose Paul’s van for a little bit going to the airport as I made a quick turn and they went straight but fortunately I had given him good directions of where to park and we hooked up with no problems.

Getting the crocs was okay I guess though we still don’t have them.   British Air is sort of redeeming themselves a little in that Stephen at British Air baggage claim went the extra mile and took Cassie and I the back way through security to the customs office.  (It was Cassie’s bag.) But the customs officer, just doing his job, says that we needed proof that Beam was a non-profit organization in order to get them without paying a lot of taxes.  So I called Erika and she was going to fax proof.  Instead of waiting and Cassie perhaps missing her flight, British Air says they will deliver the bag of crocs to BEAM.  So hopefully I will not have to return to the airport and get it.

Brian and I hugged the six goodbye.  What a great group of folks!  What a blessing to serve with them all.  I could go on and on about these people.  We went through several little trials but they never complained.  A great group of servants. So impressed with them all especially Kayla and Cassie who soon will be just starting college.

Tomorrow am, the Dupras and McCullough’s head to Saint Lucia to lead a midyear retreat for 8 STINTers.  It will be the last WSN event I will ever lead after more than a dozen midyears/briefings/leader training venues through the years that I have had the priveledge of leading not countign all the others I helped lead or particpated in.

Once the disciples came to Jesus and asked him, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

Perhaps they thought He would choose one of them.  Instead He called a little child and had him stand among them.  Not only did he pick the child as the greatest, he said that unless get over ourselves and become like little children, we will never enter the kingdom of heaven. So, whoever humbles himself like a child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus didn’t stop there.  He said that when we welcome a little child in His name welcomes Him.  But if anyone causes one of these dear precious little ones  to sin, it would be better for him to have a huge boulder hung around his neck  to be drowned in the depths of the sea.  OCH!

Jesus continued to tell the parable of the lost sheep.  The  Luke 15 account of this parable is the more common one.  This context ties it to kids.  “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.  What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.”

It’s the end of the weekend.  Tomorrow we go back to ministering to kids.  Tons of them.  I am not good at numbers.  More than a 100 maybe even more will show up unless it rains like it did today.  Half of these kids are orphaned… maybe living with a granny or an auntie.  Some are the older siblings taking care of their younger ones.  Almost all have unemployed parents.  For all the meal we help serve around 2 or 3 will be the last meal of the day and all they have had since breakfast if they had much then or not.

All are starved for love and affection.  And its a joy just to give them what they hunger for.

They are precious.  They are special.  They are invaluable. Ministering to them is ministering to Jesus.   He is serious about them.  He is not willing that any be lost like a sheep w/o a shepherd.

May I not forget that they are the Greatest and I need to be like them.

Quick update…  (typing on s mini computer with fat fi9ngers so pardon the typos.)

I got a hold of the claims dept of volunteer card and they were really helpful in locating our baggage.  I gave all the British Airlines claims numbers and she called back within an hour.  At that time they were still in Heathrow but by the next am (yesterday) they arrived in JNB.  All but about 20 of our bags arrived yesterday having visited Wimbledon, seen Buckingham Palace and speaking with a cockney accent.

The only bag we don;t have is on of donated Crocs.  It;s held up in customs.

Sickness… a virus has slowly passed through our team… Charlie (two days ago), Isaac, Robin, Paul, Kristin, Jack, Luke again, Drew, Brian Dupras (all yesterday/last night) and (tonight) Jeanine.   So those still left on the island: Kevin, Brian Cox, Kayla, Cassie, Becca, Ann (though feeling it) and me.

The Blessing… we have our clothes.  We are enjoying the time i9n the township.  The kids are a joy.  Kevin & Brian C are leading some business training with a co-op of disabled people.   Brian D is using his mad skills to solve network issues.

Most of all it is a reminder that our sufferings are light and momentary.  So we are sick… we can get medicine and rehydrate.  So some of our rooms are cold… we have a place to sleep and can buy heaters.  We have food.  We rewore our clothes for a few days but these kids wear the same clothes everyday with no other choice.

Today I met a lady named Claudia who runs a daycare in the township.  We had the opportunity to talk about the need for healing among the people of this community.  I got to prayer with her and for her that the Lord would heal his land as we humble ourselves and seek his face.

Oh Africa!  (Though most of my frustrations right now are not African caused.)   In fact most lie in a frustration with Brits and Americans.

We arrived yesterday morning.  We arrived.  Our bags remained in London.  Blame British Air.  Not only did our 21 bags not make it on the plane over 100 didn’t.  I guess a 7 hour delay enables enough time to get bags from one plane to another.

So we spent a long time at Oliver Tamba airport yesterday – filling out claims forms, eating lunch, etc.  I had a cell phone with minutes left over from last July when I was here but the battery was dead.  I ‘borrowed’ an outlet from a store just enough to call the Van Rental place that was wonderign why it took me 3 hours to call them.  I tried to explain I had no juice and was in an area without the prpoer outlet filling out forms.  Anyway got the vans and we drove to Petroia sans luggage.

I have been here two other times and the hostel we are staying in would be on the bottom end of the 3.  Sort of a diappointment to me but the group is a trooper and willing to make it a camping experience.

This morning I spent time in-between trying to solve the missing luggage issue and the fact that Luke (one day into age 7) was sick.  He woke up this am dehydrated and through up several times.After multiple calls I finally got ahold of someone in claims department but no promises of baggage just that they would call me.

Robin and Anne stayed back with Luke, Jack, Drew and Isaac.  The rest of our crew came to Beam.  I played with the kids for a little bit but have spent most of day trying to solve baggage/sick kid issue.

 Robin said Luke has his color back and is holding down liquids so that’s good.  British Air called to say they were only sending 10 bags.  When they arrived, Robin told me that it was only 4.  I tried calling them back but their number is no longer working.  Seems line is busy.

I decided to try and call the Volunteer Card over these two issues.  Since my plan covers medical assistance and lost/delayed baggage.    I finally got through but the guy I spoke with kept acting like their was no medical assistance though I was looking on-line at the printed version of my plan that says there was.  It clearly says we speak with a one of their doctors for advice and he says I can’t.  So I asked for a supervisor but she was busy and said she would call back.  My cell phone doesn’t take international calls so she will have to call Robin at the hostel.  good luck with that one.

I started to talk with the person in claims about my baggage but after being on hold so long over medical issue my cell phone died….

So I can’t call British Air or Volunteer card or my wife!

UGH!

As a family we head to South Africa tonight.  It will be our first mission trip as a family.   The first 10 days we are leading a team from our church to work in a township outside of Pretoria with a ministry called Beam Africa.    We will be helping Beam as they serve kids in the neighborhood by helping feed them and hosting a kids camp.  We also will be offering some business classes for adults to help those in extreme poverty rise above their situation.  We will launch “Sekepe” and give micro-loans to empower them.   (The CCC Project will arrive while we are there and we will overlap for 2 days working with the kids.) We will do a few fun things too like go to a Lion Park and celebrate the 4th with a braai (BBQ).

It’s with a little nervousness that I take my family.  There is a lot of crime.  I am not sure how my boys will do on the long flight or if they will want to go into the township every day.  I am not sure how Jack & Drew will respond to ‘mom’ holding other kids.  I have never lead a team with my family so not sure how divided my attention will be.

But on the other hand I am excited and have been looking forward to this for a year.  I want us as a family to serve together among the least of these.  (And do some fun adventures too.) I want my wife to live out her dream of ‘running an orphanage’ by caring for orphans who live on their own.  I want Luke, Jack and Drew to rub shoulders every day with kids who don’t have everything and don’t complain about the food served them.   I want to take the extra time we have by being there a month to sit and listen to the needs of those within the township and see how Cornerstone can partner long-term there to help bring about real change.  I want to find other ministries like Beam Africa so ‘Sekepe’ can be a blessing to other ministries as well helping many be alleviated from their situation and the Kingdom of God come.

Most of all, I want to experience Jesus.  I want to serve sacrificially – my family, our team, Beam, the poor.   I want to live as He lived loving the lost, the least and the last.

Our June Letter  shares about changes afoot for the McCullough family.   One that  in two+ weeks as we head to South Africa for a month as a family.  And then changes that will happen when we return.  Of course, if you are hear at Global Andy, I guess you can see that.

You can download or save a tree and view a preview on-line in ipaper at http://www.box.net/shared/1j580o3z41.

I am in the midst of briefing a group of African-American staff and students who are going to serve in South Africa for a 1 1/2 years.  Sort of a little strange in itself.  Especially since two others helping me are white too.

“Proclaiming the whole gospel, then, means much more than evangelism in the hopes that people will hear and respond to the good news of salvation by faith in Christ. It also encompasses tangible compassion for the sick and the poor as well as biblical justice, efforts to right the wrongs that are so prevalent in our world…The whole gospel is truly good news for the poor, and it is the foundation for a social revolution that has the power to change the world.” 

Steve Addison has a post on the shifting composition of Christianity over the last 2000 years (as well as the future trend).