Pray for the Laurie Family

Please pray for the family of Pastor Greg Laurie as they face the death of their son, Christopher Laurie. Chris died on July 24 in a car accident in Southern California.

Greg Laurie is the pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, CA and the leader of the Harvest Crusade which introduces thousands of people to Christ every year.

Chris leaves behind his daughter Stella and his wife Britanny, who is expecting another daughter in the fall.

Battle in Kenya

In March of 2002, our family was blessed to travel to Kenya for two weeks while Dan did some work for the EPA and the Kenyan government assessing their air quality concerns. While we were there, we stayed in the Nairobi Holiday Inn. It's a large tropical compound in the city and is unlike any "hotel" in the U.S. with private patios on the rooms overlooking the pools. We went on two weekend safaris to see the African wildlife. The people were wonderful and I had great hopes to repeat the trip with all our children when they are in high school to see where their grandparents worked for so many years and where Dan went to high school at the Rift Valley Academy.

Currently, there is a situation in Kenya that requires our immediate attention and prayer. After the presidential election last month, there was some question from the Kenyans about the legitimacy of the outcome as the incumbent won after many voters supporting the opposition began to emerge. In the days afterward, the tempers of the government police were frayed and they began to disperse the protesters with tear gas. All this was happening in the Kenyan capitol of Nairobi. This week, the violence in Kenya has spread wide and there have been many killed in Kenya in the name of racial prejudice, some estimates are nearing 1000 dead in just over a month.

There are two main tribes in Kenya currently involved in the fighting. The largest and most wealthy is the Kikuyu, to which president Kibaki belongs. The second is the Luhya, the original protestors of the election. The police and army have been accused of unfair treatment of the Luhya protesters as the military is under the control of the president, a member of the Kikuyu. The result in the countryside has been a backlash of the Luhya against their Kikuyu neighbors. Unlike the wars waged in the west however, this violence is severe. Rivals attack with machete knives in brutal ambush with sweeping indiscrimination killing anyone within reach of their hand.

Kenya has been a haven in Africa for travel of tourists, missionaries and humanitarians for more than 30 years. It has become an example in the continent for other countries on how to successfully host the tourism industry. This coming war could very well end the economic freedom Kenyans have experienced during these past 3 decades. If the tourism industry collapses in Kenya, it will lead to an economic disaster for the country as a whole. Even people not directly involved in the industry will be effected as the entire economic stability of the nation is tied to tourism.

This current Reuters video report contains graphic pictures of dead and dying in Kenya. It is heartbreaking to see so much hatred on the streets I walked with my family only 6 years ago. I encourage you to watch and pray for ways that you can become involved in saving lives in Kenya. The religious demographic in Kenya is almost half Protestant and one quarter is Roman Catholic.

Our brothers in Africa need intercession through prayer now.

UPDATE Today, Jan 31, the U.S. has advised that Americans avoid travel to Kenya. Please read the Reuters article here.

Summer in Anthem

So... summer in Anthem is in full swing and we're having a ball! For those who are interested, here's what our schedule has been like up to now:

Monday- Errands
Tuesday- Library
Wednesday- Arts & Crafts
Thursday- Waterpark!
Friday- Homeschool

We've been sticking pretty close to this schedule up to now. With Dan's departure to Sudan this Saturday, the kids and I will put the Summer Schedule on hold and spend some much needed time in Prescott with my parents. The weather up in the Arizona mountains is at least 15 degrees cooler than the Valley of the Sun so the kids will get to play outside for a change. We are truly blessed to be this close to my family and we take advantage of it as much as possible!

Please pray for Dan and Marcus while they are in Sudan for two weeks:
For hearts to be prepared for the message of Christ
For physical safety in the coming and going of travel
For logistics with baggage, equipment and supplies while in Sudan and Kenya
For physical health including restful sleep in their tents at night

Sam has updated the Impact Africa site with much more information about the vision of their mission to Sudan and the long-range goal to claim Africa for Christ.

Thank you for your continued prayers for our families while we pursue the lost for our Lord Jesus Christ, one step at a time.

Beautiful Name

I'm listening to this song right now, thinking of my family that is making preparations to return to the Mission field in Rwanda. I pray daily for their safety, but above all else, that the Word of the LORD will continue to go forth in Africa brought by Godly men and women like Sam and Nancy Shewmaker.

Beautiful Name from Different Kind of Free by ZOEgirl

Your heart I seek to find
With Your hands You fashioned mine
Let me be used by You to carry Truth
To the ends of the earth
'Til everyone's heard
My mended heart will share Your words
I will tell the world that You are God

I will run
I will fly
I will live to be a sacrifice
Through it all I'll rise above
Unafraid I'll face what comes
I will run
I will fly
And for my faith I'll live & die
I'll be strong
I will press on
For the sake of Your beautiful name
Your beautiful name

Should all life cease to grow
Should chaos take control
The only hope we know is You will save us
It's worth the cost to take up my cross
As You take back what's been lost
Until all who doubt know
You are God

I will run
I will fly
I will live to be a sacrifice
Through it all I'll rise above
Unafraid I'll face what comes
I will run
I will fly
And for my faith I'll live & die
I'll be strong
I will press on
For the sake of Your beautiful name
Your beautiful name

I'm not a captive anymore
I'm gonna soar to a new place
Take on a new pace
I know what my life is for

I will run
I will fly
I will live to be a sacrifice
Through it all I'll rise above
Unafraid I'll face what comes
I will run
I will fly
And for my faith I'll live & die
I'll be strong
I will press on
For the sake of Your beautiful name
Your beautiful name


May the LORD continue to bless their labor for His Kingdom now and forever.

Seeds are Planted in Rwanda

My father-in-law Sam Shewmaker, is planning to return to the mission field in Rwanda in a few years. When I found out about his desire to return to a country that has suffered so much pain and strife, (I might post my feelings on the Rwandan genocide at another time, but it is VERY difficult for me to express), I asked why this particular country was selected. Sam, as the voice of Christ, said because they need the love of God the most. Wow! What a selfless attitude he has for the gospel of Christ! As difficult as it is for me personally to see them go back to Africa, I can not ignore the steps God is so clearly placing for Sam and Nancy to return, specifically to Rwanda. They have recently moved from Searcy AR to Fort Worth and were only a couple of hours from OCU where Sam was asked to deliver an address to the Rwandan President, First Lady and Ambassador to the US.

This is what he said.

Your Excellency, President Kagame and Madame Kagame
Ambassador Nsenga
President and Mrs. Oneal
Distinguished guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
Students

Mwaramutse nyose
Karibuni sana mu Amerika

Your Excellency, we wish to express thanks to you and your people for honoring us by a
visit to this campus today. Murakoze!

As a son of Africa myself, it is a special pleasure for me personally to witness the
beginnings of a relationship between this Christian University and the Nation of Rwanda.

Your Excellency, as a citizen of the United States of America, I would like to express, on
behalf of many of my fellow-Americans, and indeed on my own behalf, a belated, though
deeply felt apology, that the government of the United States did not come to the aid of
the people of Rwanda in their darkest hour. This fact is a stain on our national honor for
which we are deeply sorry.

Some of us have visited your beautiful country and have met some of your beautiful
people. While we have been moved to deep grief for the tragedy of Rwanda, we do not
pity the people of Rwanda, because they are not a pitiable people. We see them as a
resilient people who are growing in their hope every day. Your Excellency, we believe that
this is in large part due to your effective leadership. We believe that God has put you and
your government in this position of leadership in Rwanda "for such a time as this."

Many of us present here today represent a fellowship of Christian congregations known as
Churches of Christ. As followers of Jesus Christ both in belief and in action, it is our
desire to partner with Rwandans in the planting of churches that, in a holistic way, will
become communities of healing that meet the spiritual, emotional and physical needs of
the people.

It is our desire to work in solidarity alongside your people to achieve the goals of your
national Vision 2020, in whatever fields, be they in the field of spiritual development and
the planting of churches, the fields of education, of training in business, information
technology, in primary health care training, or in strategies to assist families to break out
of the cycle of poverty. We look forward to a harmonious working relationship with
Rwanda that expresses Christ's spirit of compassion and service.

In closing, let me say on behalf of Churches of Christ, that we wish you, the government
and the people of Rwanda great success and the bountiful blessings of God on your path
to national unity, prosperity and well-being.

May God always abide in Rwanda. Imana Ikurinde.