BBC.com has pics of a project called ‘The House is Small But the Welcome is Big’ where 15 HIV+ mothers were given cameras.

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place…”  - Mark 1:35

I wonder if the Son of Man had jetlag?

Happy Birthday to John Charles “Jack” McCullough and Andrew Bogan “Drew” McCullough!

Yesterday (27th) was the last day of the Summer Project and they wanted to come back to BEAM one more day as they have been on campus all of last week.  So we used this day to have a big birthday party for everyone.  (Jack and Drew’s 4th birthday is tomorrow.)  Last Thursday, I went to local grocery store with Luke and ordered a HUGE cake to feed 150 and bought paper plates, soda pop and cups.

I would say around 120 or so kids showed up.  We feed them the meal that they get everyday.  We they were told they were going to get cake afterwards they went crazy.  An joyous riot.  It’s like they had never (or rarely) had such a treat.  Then I gave a short talk on how Jesus said we need to be reborn by His Spirit and the life he gives.  They listened patiently.  Then we pass out cake and cups of Fanta.  (Notice in pic that many ‘decorated’ themselves with the icing.) We sugared them up!  Afterwards, we gave presents of the aforementioned Crocs along with some school shoes, socks and underwear BEAM had purchased for them.

It was a fun day!

One of my heart’s desires for these last two weeks in Africa is that we could meet with key Kingdom people about how to better serve & partner in South Africa.   (It all rolls together in my mind too Sekepe/Cornerstone Church/ Global Services / CCC/ etc.) 

This morning Louis and I met with Dana Mahan.  Dana is an American and his wife is South African.  He works for African Enterprise but also is the Missions Pastor at his church here in Pretoria.  I knew of Dana because the CCC group from Boston had sent teams the last two Julys here.  They were planning another project but circumstances changed.  (I could explain it but you wouldn’t understand it because it doesn’t make sense to anyone but one person and my explanation therefore doesn’t look that favorably on him.)

Dana had a few hours before his church staff meeting so we met for coffee at Wimpy’s.  It was an awesome time as our hearts were knitted together.  Not only on serving the poor and getting college students & the church involved, but in the way of partnering that is not about building our own kingdoms but serving with opening hands.  I can’t even express it all but it truly was a God moment. 

Dana’s church sounds similar to Cornerstone and I see a great future of partnering together.  His ministry assists other ministries like BEAM that are involved in the communities.   I can see sending teams being sent that very fluidly work with Dana and Louis & Erika and others simply being a blessing and helping build His kingdom.   He is a man who cares about building Christ’s kingdom and not his own.

I had wanted to try to make some connections and maybe all I needed was to connect with Dana because he has already them.  He even knew of another ministry also working in Nellmapius where BEAM Africa is.  We are hoping to have our families get together next week for dinner at his house.  His oldest is Jack & Drew’s age.  Really looking forward to fellow-shipping together.

For a limited time only, buy Richard Stearns’ new book The Hole In Our Gospel and receive $92.00 worth of FREE products .  IF you want to read my review of this book, go here.

It’s an awesome book and sweet deal.

I think the first two favorite sports heroes I had growing up were Hank Aaron and Pete Mavarich. They both wore number 44. Hank of course hit 755 dingers w/o any performance enhancing drugs. Pete was a magician with the ball all the while using performance-limiting drugs.

I remember being really distraught to learn the Hawks had traded Pistol Pete to the New Orleans Jazz when I was 6. I may have not been so distraught when Hank was traded to the Brewers because everyone said he was old. He was 41. Pete died before he was 41. Today I am 44.

That’s
528 months
2,296 weeks
16,071 days
385,713 hours
23,142,755 minutes (at the time I turned 44.)
1,388,565,336 seconds (ditto)

I was born on Good Friday.

In 1964 there were approximately 4.2 million births in the US.
The US population was c. 179,323,175 people, 50.6 persons per square mile.
In the US, that year there were c. 1,523,000 marriages (8.5%) and 393,000 divorces (2.2%).
In 1964 in the US there were c. 1,712,000 deaths (9.5 per 1000).
A baby like myself in the US in ’64 was born approximately every 8 seconds.
One person was dying about every 12 seconds.

I am feeling 44. But feel blessed to have a wonderful wife, three little boys whom I adore, a wonderful family, a home, true friends, a great job and a Savior who who didn’t come to condemn me but die for me and give me life, abundant life.

Seeing Drew pick a big booger…

Tomorrow my Georgia Bulldogs (yes, they are mine) open up in the NCAA Tournament against Xavier at 10:30 am (my time). I don’t know that much about Xavier except that’s it’s a Catholic school in Cincy. I know they are favored over the Dawgs and deep with seniors.

When I was filling out my bracket(s), I tried not to let my judgments be swayed by my loyalties. I know the Dawgs were pathetic until the SEC Tournament… but, they were amazing. They won 4 in 3 days and 3 of them were against Tourney-bound teams (Kentucky, Mississippi State and Arkansas). If they play like that they can beat anyone.

And I can’t help but think of the 1983 team that got hot, won the SEC Tournament and proceeded to beat St. John’s (the beast of the East with Chris Mullin) and defending champs UNC (with Sam Perkins and this SO named Michael Jordan) by 10 points. Sam Perkins said the day before the game, “Georgia? I don’t even know what conference they are from.” SEC, Sam. SEC.

(Okay we lost to NC State in ABQ at the Final Four and yes, I know it was 25 years ago but that’s the only Final Four we’ve been to so it’s all I got.)

Go DAWGS!

Why is it that we have this huge sand box in the back yard (the one we converted from a koi pond) and yet my boys persist on playing ‘construction site’ in the front yard?

What once was a small bare spot in the yard in huge, complete with mud, several toy dump trucks and other construction vehicles. Today there were loading up their dump truck with my neighbor’s tiny pebbles that are next to their drive way. I think they are making a road.

I don’t know whether to be overwrought or just glad that there’ll be less grass to cut this Spring & Summer.