The books are finished up for 2018. Thanks to everyone for another great year. Over 20K went directly to Haitian nurses, and teachers. (And an additional 20K went into the Haitian economy because of our trip there last year.)
There are so many things we want to do in the future. Thank you for partnering with us in this very complex endeavor. BTW, you know it's complex to work with folks a couple of thousand miles away, and a whole culture away, right? But, we're still at it!
Blessings everyone!
The Story of LQVE is a night of art, worship music, and inspiration with Jonathan Foster and his friends, Wallace and Rachel Fa'agutu. All proceeds from tickets, artwork, and t-shirts will benefit LQVE. If you're in AZ, or in the southwest portion of the country, or really, just anywhere in the Western Hemisphere, put this on your calendar! Tickets at Eventbrite.com.
I love this picture. It's just a reminder of how we're attempting to use the game of soccer to do life with our friends in Haiti. We're really not trying to fix anything, or save anyone. The truth is, we realize we need as much fixing and saving as the Haitians! We're simply trying to enter into life with them, and in the process trust that Love is saving all of us.
For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord, Jesus, when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed you are our glory, and joy." A verse Paul wrote to his Thessalonian friends, and a verse every parent could write to their children. 23 years ago today, Johnna and I officially became parents. It's been quite the life. I give a thought about parenting, and Jesus, HERE. Our son, Shay, is in Haiti now. That's a pretty good way to spend his sister's birthday. He'll be joined by 8 others next week doing work there. Blessings to all of you who've been leaning into LQVE with us. Graves aren't dead ends, they're corridors to heaven.
Haiti is a couple of thousand miles from my home. I started going there to be good news, but the truth is, there are many things within the Haiti way of life that wind up being good news for me.
If you watch and listen, Haiti makes clear the things that are wrong with our social body. If we want to be converted as a society we have to be with people who are marginalized. It's how we find out what's wrong with our body.
If the rich are truly with the poor,
If the powerful are truly with the marginalized,
If those who are full are truly with the hungry,
Then everyone experiences Good News.
I don’t remember much about Columbus from 4th grade history. Maybe he wasn’t the monster that I now imagine him being. Maybe he was a just a man, poisoned by greed, caught up in a system that was hell bent on using anyone to get what it wanted. Maybe later in his life dreams of the way he hacked his way through the arms of the great trees in Haiti and the arms of its people haunted him. Maybe he repented at his deathbed. Maybe the blame lies with Ferdinand and Isabella who sponsored the trip. Maybe the blame is too large for one king and queen. Maybe the entire continent of Europe was responsible.
Or... maybe all of us share in the blame. For all of us have known these dreams. All of us have dreamt of power and politics; of militaries and money markets. We label Columbus a villainous conqueror and rightly so, but we have all known of the dream to conquer. Maybe we haven’t dreamt of conquering another country by killing its people. But, we’ve definitely dreamt of conquering our former associate, friend or spouse by killing their reputation through gossip. Maybe we’ve never forcefully taken a sovereign’s throne and began dictating to them how we want them to run their country. But, all of us have acted like little sovereigns ourselves, by forcing our unwanted opinions and judgments upon someone others. Like water finding the lowest level, these dreams seep down into the caves of our soul infecting our motives and desires.
Thank God for new dreams; clean dreams motivated not by power but the laying down of power. Dreams not polluted by avarice, but purified by sacrifice. Thank God for the people who came to the New World with bibles and crosses, but refused to carry swords or guns. Thank God for the real missionaries inspired by the real authentic dream. Our daughter didn’t live a long life, but she was captivated by the real dream in a way that will inspire others for their entire lives. It’s obvious the source of her dream was different than the source of Columbus’s dream. Her source was something much purer and higher. As the ocean is fed by the river, kept flowing by the mountain stream, the source of which is the first snow melt on the highest mountain, so Quincy found herself swimming in an ocean of a dream, fed by a river of love, kept flowing by a stream of sacrifice the source of which is the first blood drops at Calvary’s Mountain.
It’s the snowmelt that brings the greatest oceans.
And it’s the blood drops that bring the greatest dreams.
This is my friend, Jason (and me). I’ve known Jason for about ten years. Crazy story. Unsure of what to do with his life he decides to move to Utah (like you do when you don’t know what to do with your life). He wants to move on a Tuesday. U-Haul doesn’t have a truck until Thursday so he buys some scalped tickets to see the Foo Fighters...
