tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30438041888987005752011-08-27T04:44:01.685-07:00Thoughts on my journey of faith in South Africa with Two Tunics.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.comBlogger391100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-44472824780823931642010-11-29T16:53:00.000-08:002010-12-06T16:10:47.281-08:00

As we have just entered into another Christmas shopping season and just survived another "Black Friday" I have been thinking a lot about material possessions lately. I must admit that this focus on thinking about material things actually started not just last week but about a month ago. Mars Hill Church which we now attend (Bellevue Campus) began it's "Generous Campaign" and made available (for

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-84435633267472542922010-09-24T16:40:00.000-07:002010-09-24T18:58:34.213-07:00

Robin and I have just returned to the US after 3 weeks in South Africa. We were incredibly blessed by the time there which absolutely flew by. Unfortunately due to some struggles with internet access I was not able to post a real-time update on our trip the final 2 weeks. So I want to give a brief synopsis of some of the highlights of the rest of our trip that included.Sweet reunions with our

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-64870554046872473702010-09-04T02:23:00.000-07:002010-09-04T08:01:36.207-07:00

We have had a busy and blessed week since arriving in South Africa on Sunday. It has been great having Sandra and Douglas Shuff here with us this week from Northview Bible Church in Spokane. Sandra has been a part of two short-term mission teams that have served here with Two Tunics in 2008 and 2009, while it is Douglas's first time visiting.Some highlights of the week for me:Worshipping at the

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-49032659490847568962010-08-24T13:54:00.000-07:002010-08-25T10:16:32.419-07:00

No I haven't fallen off the face of the earth, just off the face of internet publishing. Not that anyone will have noticed or certainly had their life impacted negatively by my absence. And yet I still feel the need to apologize if only to myself. God doesn't want my apology, only my repentance so I will offer that as well.Since I last posted:South Africa hosted a successful World Cup - congrats

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-89243093100443376792010-04-29T04:28:00.000-07:002010-04-29T06:29:56.995-07:00

This past weekend Robin and I had the privilege of being part of the Whitworth University's "Missions in Africa" Symposium. We presented a couple workshops entitled "AIDS & Orphans: Shelter in the Storm". The focus was on supporting children in families in AIDS affected communities. Given the scope of the problem and the numbers of OVC (orphans and vulnerable children), institutional care is not

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-2933847542563423912010-04-01T09:26:00.000-07:002010-04-01T11:14:21.092-07:00

This past Sunday was "move in day" at New Life Church in Renton . New Life has become our home church since we moved back from South Africa to Renton WA last November. New Life is a church of a couple thousand people and is alive and growing. Although it had a large facility to meet in with an attached building for it's Christian school, New Life had made a decision a couple years ago to build a

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-58946559956176020292010-03-26T12:20:00.000-07:002010-03-27T05:46:44.976-07:00

It was so good to sleep in my own bed last night. Especially after 3 weeks in a small bed in a hot room and our 33 hour trip back to Seattle. These last 3 weeks in South Africa have been busy and hard but incredible in so many ways. Unfortunately due to the busy schedule and shortage of access to the internet I have not been able to post regular updates on the progress of the trip over the last 2

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-48908184882542171662010-03-11T04:41:00.000-08:002010-03-31T06:49:22.746-07:00

Yesterday was truely an amazing day.One of the projects Two Tunics has been supporting for a little over one year now is the Jesus Christ Cares Ministry (JCCM) in Holy Cross in the Eastern Cape. As Two Tunics we focus our work in the Ugu District of KwaZulu-Natal and JCCM is the one exception being a project outside of our usual catchment area. The reason for this exception is that the

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-2203105591880527902010-03-09T04:46:00.001-08:002010-03-11T05:42:38.882-08:00

Monday was a long, hot and dusty day. It was delivery day for Two Tunics. Through our partnernship with Food4Africa and Feed the Babies we receive monthly supplies of a nutritional porridge to distribute to our Two Tunics supported creches and other projects. Currently this program is supplying nutritional support to over 950 children in 6 communities. Normally the deliveries are done over two

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-32070178382769006402010-03-04T06:15:00.000-08:002010-03-04T06:42:10.375-08:00

Well, at about 11:30 pm on Tuesday night, and about 33 hours after we left for the Seattle airport we arrived at the flat we are renting for this week in Uvongo, near Port Shepstone South Africa. Thankfully all our bags arrived intact as well. Overall the trip went very smoothly and we both were able to sleep about 5 hours on the 15 hour flight from Atlanta to Johannesburg. Thank you to those who

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-71032155857194742292010-02-28T15:59:00.000-08:002010-02-28T17:01:33.365-08:00

Well, Robin and I will be leaving early tomorrow morning for the Seattle airport. Thirty some hours later we should arrive on the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal South Africa. This will be a 3+ week Two Tunics working visit. We are definitely not looking forward to the long trip or to the tremendous heat and humidity that everyone in South Africa has been telling us about this summer over there. But

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-55954838533649562172010-02-18T19:55:00.000-08:002010-02-18T21:20:00.104-08:00

This past week Robin and I spent some time in St Louis. This was at the invitation and as guests of Grace Church, a vibrant, growing, multiracial church with an attendance of 4-5000 each weekend. They have connected with the work we are doing as Two Tunics in South Africa through two short term mission teams last year. We were blown away by their hospitality during our visit (as well as that of

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-22031385473768544412010-01-25T17:48:00.000-08:002010-01-25T18:19:50.934-08:00

These last 3 months since my last post (sorry about that) have been a time of incredible change in our lives. We continue on our journey serving God through Two Tunics but on 11 November 2009 we left South Africa to return to the USA for an undetermined length of time. All the final details leaving Africa, both personal and organizational were quite hectic. But once we left the pace of change

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-59803903555062509832009-10-11T01:12:00.005-07:002009-10-11T02:04:03.725-07:00

Robin and I are preparing to return to the US in November for a furlough of at least several months. September was the four year anniversary of our move here to South Africa and together with our board of directors we have decided that now is the time for us to return to US for at least a time. As an organization Two Tunics needs to evaluate its work since it was conceived in 2004. We need to

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-67337533457061657542009-09-19T06:52:00.011-07:002009-09-23T05:47:29.867-07:00

This week is the 4 year anniversary of our move to South Africa. It has been an eventful 4 years but when I think back on it now it seems to have passed very quickly. Robin and I are preparing to return to the USA in November for a furlough and have many details to take care of both here and in the US to prepare for our time there. But after the last very busy 5 months working for Genesis we

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-52074145558360480762009-09-06T03:55:00.006-07:002009-09-06T05:24:24.546-07:00

As most of you know, for the last 4+ months I have been serving as the General Manager of Genesis on an interim basis. As I've shared previously during this time I have struggled to contribute regularly to this blog. Why do we struggle so with things we are committed to? Maybe its because we are not as committed as we say we are. Or maybe something or someone else distracts us from our

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-81391492034102205712009-08-02T00:33:00.017-07:002009-08-03T11:00:30.188-07:00

In my current role as Genesis GM a lot of my time is being spent dealing with the US government PEPFAR grant that has been providing so much funding to both Genesis and Project Positive Ray over the last 3 years. Last month I had to submit to USAID a large document in response to the audit of the program for 2007. In it we tried to justify why we should not have to pay back several thousand

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-28538364118297349462009-07-18T01:51:00.010-07:002009-07-19T09:02:09.384-07:00

It's been too long since I shared with y'all. (I've been around a lot of Texans lately). Since I stepped into the GM position at Genesis, most days have been long and hectic. Lots of good stuff going on but lots of hard stuff as well. I find that by the end of the day or the weekend there is not physical or emotional energy to sit down and record my thoughts and experiences. Then yesterday I got

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-12030219591694556252009-05-26T21:00:00.012-07:002009-05-29T08:41:06.208-07:00

On Sunday before last I visited Shiloh Church in Port Shepstone. I had been invited to attend their service to receive a gift from their Sunday school class for the needy children and families that we support through our Two Tunics "Communities for Kids" programs (see http://projects.twotunicssa.org/ for more information). As Robin was away back in the US, Onnie Mgaga our Two Tunics programs

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-47430567828681807502009-05-08T09:13:00.008-07:002009-05-08T10:52:57.554-07:00

As I mentioned in my last post, there have been big changes at Genesis and with my role there. Just to remind you Genesis is an NGO started by the Norwegian Settler's Church as an HIV/AIDS and community outreach ministry of the church. The flagship ministry of Genesis is the 40 bed inpatient HIV/AIDS palliative care center (Genesis Care Centre or GCC). One of my roles here has been as the Medical

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-80628690437146245382009-04-18T00:52:00.006-07:002009-04-18T03:16:32.250-07:00

It's been a few weeks since I've posted. Life has been a little crazy over the last month or so. There are many big changes taking place at Genesis and I have been asked to take over more of the day to day management of the bulk of the programs and not just manage the medical care of patients in the Genesis Care Centre. I'll give an update on all of that soon but it has been a matter of much

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-29031248795956928792009-03-08T12:40:00.001-07:002009-03-08T12:43:52.522-07:00

I think this photo journal tells the story.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-27688502198253930982009-03-07T06:51:00.006-08:002009-03-07T08:19:07.189-08:00

Today was an amazing day for us and the NBC Team as we held Two Tunic's first of a kind "Creche Health Awareness Event" (creche = pre-school). This event was targeted to the creche teachers, helpers and parents but also to the children. Many of the basic child health, safety, hygiene and child development concepts that are common sense to us are not widely appreciated or practiced by the parents

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-90882482390023968962009-03-04T08:23:00.006-08:002009-03-04T11:12:13.986-08:00

Here's some more photos of the teams activities working with Two Tunics the last 2 days. They have been hectic but a blessing to many.

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-72345249205568282082009-03-02T11:53:00.006-08:002009-03-04T11:14:08.381-08:00

Last night the Northview Bible Church Mission Team arrived in Durban, South Africa. They are such and encouragement to us in the work we are doing. The team of five women will be with Two Tunics doing ministry for about 10 days. This is a quick photo tour of their first 24 hours with us. Check back regularly the next couple weeks for more updates and photos.Make a Smilebox slideshow

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-58452689127614854472009-02-22T05:13:00.003-08:002009-02-22T10:46:54.841-08:00

Today Robin and I had the pleasure and privilege to worship at Norwegian Settler's Church. This is our regular place of worship here in South Africa and our second home church (along with Northview Bible Church in Spokane). When we came to live and serve here in the Port Shepstone area we came on our own on behalf of our small organization Two Tunics. We were not coming to join a team already on

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-17965412288072621702009-02-08T06:03:00.007-08:002009-02-22T10:11:42.531-08:00

A couple weeks ago I came across an article on the TimesOnline (London Times) by a columnist named Matthew Parris (click on the title of this post to go to the article). The title of his column definitely got my attention; "As an atheist, I truly believe Africa needs God." Apparently he had been born and spent his boyhood in what is now Malawi and just before Christmas returned for a visit after

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-68303342733732186572009-02-03T06:25:00.007-08:002009-02-03T21:46:35.811-08:00

In the previous post I shared some about Vision Sunday at Norwegian Settler's Church (NSC) this past Sunday. Living in Africa and working in the area with the highest prevalence of HIV in the world makes one really understands the importance of visionary leadership. One sees every day the truth of Proverbs 29:18 that "where there is no vision people perish" (KJV). Much of the struggles in Africa

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-64520550734001396102009-02-01T06:49:00.011-08:002009-02-03T05:26:25.065-08:00

Yesterday was Super Bowl Sunday in the US. But it was Vision Sunday at Norwegian Settler's Church (NSC), our home church here in South Africa. Trevor Downham, the senior pastor truly is a visionary leader. He is in large part the reason that the Genesis ministry and the Genesis Care Centre exist. Proverbs 29:18 says "where there is no vision, the people perish"(KJV). Because there is a man of

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-26177963220678090762009-01-25T07:19:00.011-08:002009-02-01T06:30:21.445-08:00

During our recent trip to Franschhoek (see my last post "The Winelands") Robin and I enjoyed some of the best meals we have had in a long time. Franschhoek is considered the gourmet capital of South Africa and 8 0r 10 of the 100 best restaurants in the country are in this one small village and the surrounding wineries.Robin and I have always enjoyed good food and one nice thing about living in

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-77111447695143547032009-01-19T03:07:00.019-08:002009-02-01T06:26:48.551-08:00

This past week Robin and I enjoyed a visit to Franschhoek in the Cape Winelands. It is a beautiful area as well as being the gourmet capital of South Africa. Needless to say we are a little more plump now. The week before going I started reading "The True Vine" by Andrew Murray. Murray was an 19th century South African pastor and prolific writer who grew up in Wellington, not far from

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-81250632836679380342009-01-04T22:37:00.010-08:002009-02-01T07:32:35.404-08:00

Today I went to make clinical rounds at the Genesis Care Centre as I do almost every Monday. The Care Centre is a 40 bed inpatient HIV/AIDS palliative care unit that is operated by Genesis, a ministry of Norwegian Settlers Church. Each time I am there I am so thankful for the opportunity to be a part of this work to lovingly care for patients with advanced AIDS. At the same time I am often

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-8003961720064735312009-01-01T01:53:00.009-08:002009-01-01T02:43:49.116-08:00

The title of this post is also the title of a book by John Piper. If you're pressed and don't have time to read this blog post, it's OK. Just go out and get the book, read it, and enjoy it!Hopefully some of you are still with me. I shared in the last post ("A 2008 Report Card") that as I look back on 2008 I am convicted that I have failed an important test this past year. Along with the Ephesian

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-59820696775442307412008-12-29T06:06:00.000-08:002009-01-01T02:00:27.803-08:00

As the New Year approaches I think it is a natural human thing to review the year past as we anticipate the year ahead. I believe it’s one of the things that sets us apart from God’s other creatures. As we reflect on the year past we Christians naturally, and I think rightly, begin by reflecting on what God has done in our lives this year. This process is analogous to what Samuel did in placing

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-54125514337203495102008-12-24T04:10:00.000-08:002009-01-01T01:42:14.763-08:00

One of our main partners in doing AIDS work here in KwaZulu-Natal is Project Positive Ray (PPR), a ministry of a local congregation of the Evangelical Church in South Africa (ECSA) and SIM (Serving In Missions). This past week we were asked by PPR if we could help arrange and host a children’s Christmas party for one of its sister congregations in the district. As we work with several community

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-37449781258127821332008-12-23T06:27:00.000-08:002008-12-23T06:32:36.433-08:00

Our home phone and internet service has been out of order for 3 days. I'm logging on now through a cell phone hook up just to check some email and update a few things so this will be short. Its frustrating being so dependent on the technology (I guess phones count as technology here in Africa). It's especially frustrating feeling disconnected right before the holidays. We are praying that our

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-78118754657415309612008-12-17T07:29:00.000-08:002008-12-31T22:14:21.306-08:00

Today's post will hopefully be a little lighter and more encouraging than the last. It will also be more of a story of our activities this day and an opportunity to hear about someone with an awfully big heart. More about that later but first a little background.Since early this year Robin and I have been developing and implementing a Two Tunics' program to help support orphans and vulnerable

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-40759135180965611152008-12-16T06:19:00.000-08:002008-12-31T21:57:26.956-08:00

I and my wife are living and working in AIDS affected communities of South Africa where the challenges are great and the rewards many. But recently my heart has been drawn a little farther north (towards the sun for those of you on the other end of the planet). The situation in Zimbabwe continues to deteriorate daily. The country that used to be called the "bread basket of Africa" has been turned

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043804188898700575.post-19811551996938393352008-12-15T08:38:00.000-08:002008-12-31T21:58:22.185-08:00

This week I was struck by the analogy of our faith being like "slender wires" used by Charles Spurgeon in his book All of Grace. It is easy for us sometimes to fall into the error of making our faith an idol. The power is not in the faith but in the God upon whom our faith relies. We are saved not by faith but by God's Grace (Eph 2:8). Grace is the fountain and faith is the conduit through which

Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07608213136572203618noreply@blogger.com2