Global Andy

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.

Earlier this year, Luke did a science project on worms so we had a huge bucket full of worms.  (Were going to save them for a compost but most didn’t last the winter.)

Recently Robin found this  list that we made at that time.  It was little exercise we did at the dinner table one night  in coming up with 100 pet names for the worms.  Everyone participated….  feel free to steal any if your son/daughter/dog gets a worm for a pet.  Or vote for your favorite in the comments.

1. Lowly
2. Fish-bait
3. Wally
4. Willie
5. Lenny
6. Squiggy
7. Speed Bullet
8. Speed Bump
9. Tail
10. Snake speed
11. Bat
12. Slowly
13. Wigglie
14. Race-car
15. Blind boy
16. Red
17. Icy
18. Hook
19. Water
20. Tape (as in Tape Worm)
21. Shark
22. Butter
23. Crocodile
24. Laser-gun
25. Fire
26. Dirt digger
27. Spoon-cup
28. Camophlague
29. Night Rider
30. One billion
31. Cut-ridge
32. Ground horse
33. Bad guy
34. Pladirugadge
35. Double-worm
36. Dirtbug
37. Earth (as in Earth Worm)
38. Earthboy
39. Pencil
40. Hermie
41. Pat
42. Two tables
43. Warren
44. Tunnel Digger
45. Drill
46. Book (as in Book Worm)
47. Wigger
48. Wiggler
49. Vacuum Cleaner
50. Space shuttle
51. Dust Buster
52. Speedboat
53. Bump
54. Brown string
55. Shoelace
56. Hergum
57. Sword fight
58. Curly
59. Window
60. Twiggy
61. Space
62. Allan
63. Latte
64. Spittle
65. Driger
66. Speed-fire
67. Eggshell Eater
68. Garbageman
69. Composter
70. Oscar
71. My Dog Has
72. Drew
73. Trash
74. Maggot
75. Jack
76. Luke
77. Wilson
78. Fish-food
79. Dump-eater
80. Gut-dweller
81. Finger
82. Dog
83. Earth-vein
84. Bulldozer
85. Tiller
86. Earth-cutter
87. Stick
88. Brownie
89. Squirmy
90. Slimy
91. Spot
92. Squished
93. Bot
94. Char
95. 100 Barrelled Gun
96. Double
97. Hugger
98. Segment
99. Bubber
100. W

Yesterday Luke finished his year of kindergarten. (sorry not a current pic)  No graduation but they did have a pool party.  Robin and I are proud of him as he has learned a lot this year and really grown in terms of interacting with his class.

Last night I went to a parents meeting at Luke’s school.  Today and tomorrow the kindergarten classes had (will have) talks presented by folks from CAP.  I am glad his school is doing these presentations to help Luke and other kids be safe, and learn to steps to empower themselves against bullies and predators.  But I am disturbed that he needs this because our world is such as it is.

On March 6th, Luke is participating in the 30th anniversary of Jump Rope for the Heart.  If you would like to sponsor him as he raises money for the American Heart Association, you can go to his AHA Jump Rope for Heart page.

Tomorrow (Thursday) Robin leaves for Long Island, New York to visit her aunt.  She will hook up her mom, sister and nephew in Philly airport and then they all fly that last leg together.   She will be gone until Monday the 6th.

What’s better than a Saturday morning with three sick little boys?

Last night as Luke sat in time-out on the stairs for not being willing to wash his hands, he said, “I am the mommy and the daddy. I am the boss.” I couldn’t help but laugh. Later that evening, I reminded him he was not the boss as we washed those grimy little hands. Today I wondered how often I say that to God. I make claims that I am the boss and in charge. No, He is the Daddy. He is the boss. Hopefully I will obey him and not face the consequences. But He will get His ultimate will eventually.

Nothing exposes my own sin more than a three-year-old.

Never really imagined having three sons. Much less all under the age of 4. Let me share a little bit about my sons and what I am trusting the Lord for them.

LUKE – Was born on June 29, 2002. Luke is 3 and I like to say ‘acts his age’. He loves rocks, nature trails, cars, trains, Spiderman (though he really doesn’t know what a supper hero is or does), books, jumping on stuff and just being outside. My verse for Luke would be Luke 5:10, 11. (After the miraculous catch) Jesus says… ” ‘Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.’ So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.” My heart’s desire is that Luke would one day radically and recklessly follow Jesus leaving everything behind. Right now, Luke is struggling with the reality that the world does not in fact revolve around him. It’s a good reminder for me on how much I must frustrate the Father when I think and act similarly.

JACK – real name John Charles- was born on July 29, 2005. 1 Minute before his brother. Jack loves to smile. He is even smiling in this pic. We think he is going to be very social and outgoing. He always been at least 1 lb and 1/2 larger than Drew. My verse for him is 1 John 3:23 “And this is His command: to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.” My prayer is that Jack would be characterized as someone who believes Jesus with simple faith and loves others.

DREW – real name is Andrew Bogan – was born on July 29, 2005. Bogan is a family name on my Dad’s side. Bogan Mask was a Methodist minister in Georgia during the 1800′s. The story goes that he and another man bought a slave to set her free. Drew seems to be the observant one. My verse for him is John 1:35-42. When hearing that Jesus is the Lamb of God, Andrew is one of two who follows Jesus and asks where Jesus is staying. Jesus says, “Come and you will see.” So Andrew goes and stays with Jesus and the first thing he does afterwards is finds his brother and brings him to Jesus. My prayer is that Drew would follow Jesus and bring others to Him.