Zach Parish - The World Race 2008

i hope to never see him again

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

every day when i walk around the village of mijas, i am constantly surprised by how many english accents i hear. i hear them in the pubs cheering for their favorite premier league soccer teams, in the restaurants talking about politics, in the grocery stores buying provisions for the week and in local parks with their families. the costa del sol is a beautiful region in southern spain and as such, is a major tourist attraction. many from england have come for a weekend and stayed for a lifetime. i have no doubt that many came before the euro became the currency in spain, during a time when the pound would go a long way in this area. i am sure that many have handled the leveling of currencies quite well. there is another place that i hear many english accents. every tuesday, i go down to the closest beach city, fuengirola and help out with an english based church called "The Ark." the Ark runs a weekly soup kitchen and serve a good meal to many homeless in the area every tuesday. certainly there are many spaniards in the room. there have been guys from eastern europe, denmark, finland, italy, germany, morocco but the second largest group every tuesday is the english. most have pretty similar stories: came here with a lot of money, wasted it living out the story of the prodical son and find themselves on the streets as a result. i believe that when tackling the problems of the world, it is important to have an understanding of basic human needs. start at the bottom and work your way up. dont talk to someone about their identity or purpose when what they need first is a glass of water or a plate of food. i think that maslow's hierarchy of needs could serve as a good tool for missionaries who are in a place with immense need; start at the bottom, establish and solidify each level of need before moving up the ladder. anyways, you can google search that to see what these needs are. all that to say, many of the homeless have established their own level of need and if that particular one is met, then they dont really care about their circumstances. a common trend of those who are on the streets is addiction. addiction is what has driven many to the streets and is what keeps them there, but with the meeting of this "need", they can manage life on the streets. this to me demonstrates the power of addiction. many have useful skills and have had successful lives in the past, but currently either cannot overcome addiction or have no desire to in spite of what it has done to their lives. it is heartbreaking to me to see how much addiction controls many and how it has taken a once vibrant life and shrunk it down to something that is barely visibie. perhaps i feel this way because it could have been me.

i love hearing the stories of the men there and prodding them to get up off their mat and do something. i feel like i have the right to challenge the men because i know their circumstances but also because as splendid creations of the Lord, they were made with great care and attention and as images of God, have the capacity to do so much more than they currently are. one man i have interacted with a few times is a patient old man named bernie. bernie is from London but worked in america for about 16 years, primarily in the construction business. bernie is an alcoholic who is probably in his late 50's or early 60's. he is a father who probably rarely sees his kids or has little involvement in their lives (the fatherless generation is a major issue in the world today, but that is another blog). a few weeks ago, bernie told us that he was returning to england. i dont know the exact circumstances for his heading home, but i hope and pray that he does not move from one homeless situation here to another one back in england. i hope that the wrecking ball of addiction is no colliding with his life. i hope that he sees his kids. i hope that he gets back on his feet and sleeps in a bed every night. last week was the first time i have not seen bernie in a few months, and i hope to never see him again. i hope that the next thing to wreck his life is the love and grace of God. he is the sleeper that the glory of the Lord needs to shine upon; the soup kitchen is full of people like that

striving for inheritance

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I love the truth that when i accept Christ as my savior, i literally become a child off God through the process of adoption. in an earthly sense, parents who plan and save will set aside an inheritance for their children; however, this inheritance is typically gained when the parents pass on from this life to the next. Romans 8:17 identifies that because we have been adopted as children by the Lord Himself, that we have become co-heirs with Christ; He has an inheritance for us. If our parents bestow on us a blessed inheritance, how incredible could the inheritance from God be? for years i read over these verses and said to myself, "i will claim God's inheritance when i die and go to heaven." i think that many people think that the reason Christ came and died was so that we could get to heaven. we spend much time focusing on the end of the story and longing for heaven that we miss the true nature of God's inheritance for us; Heaven is the benefit, not the primary destination. this generation needs desperately to understand that our inheritance is NOT waiting for us in the distant future; God's inheritace is something He intends for us to claim now, today, this second even!! living with God's inheritance in our hands means that we need to START LIVING NOW!!!

When God placed Adam and Eve in the garden, He gave them extra commands that the rest of creation did not receive. God told them to multiply, fill and refill, subdue and take dominion over the earth. They were set there with the mandate to rule now. they had the chance to walk an indulgent life in the literal presence of God. they understood inheritance, their inheritance was the earth and all that was in it. it took one episode for them to lose the inheritance as the serpent came and in a grand moment of human weakness, they hand their inheritance over to the serpant. when the serpent came and tempted Jesus, this point is made clear. In Matthew 4: 8-10, satan offers Jesus all the kingdoms of the world (THIS WORLD, the one we live in now) if Jesus would simply bow and worship. Jesus never disputes satans claim on this world. Jesus knew that the fall of man in Genesis resulted in this transaction. that cowardly serpent thinks he has the right to put his nasty hands on what God has clearly told us belongs to us!! can that do anything but make you upset?? Jesus came and died not so we could just get the blessing of Heaven but so that the inheritance we lost in the garden would become obtainable. CLAIM IT NOW!

many verses in the bible illustrate what this inheritance. in Genesis we learn about it. i have already stated it, but it is worth repeating. in the garden of eden, man inherited the earth and everything in it. Psalms 2:8 says that God "will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession." this is a prophetic word about Christ but if we are co-heirs, then our inheritance is the same. our inheritance is THE NATIONS!! when Jesus breathed His last breath, he exclaimed "it is finished!!" He was not talking about His life, because He was just getting warmed up. instead He spoke of victory that He had claimed on our behalf; the fact that He had reclaimed the inheritance for you and me. He died so we could once again re-inherit the nations. Jesus himself says in Matthew 6 that we should pray like this: "YOUR KINGDOM COME, your will be done on EARTH as it is in HEAVEN." We are not dying to get to heaven. we are living to bring Heaven down to earth, to bring God's kingdom here, NOW. the nations are our inheritance; bringing God's kingdom here is how we claim that inheritance. it is how we live in that inheritance. the essence of nations is people. we are reclaiming them so that they too might become adopted by God in order that we can all share in this inheritance. DO YOU LOVE ENOUGH....

to step into chaos to create the order that God's kingdom creates? do you care about people in thailand who wear the yoke of prostitution, or who are being sold as sex slaves as the ever increasing problem of human trafficking runs rampant through the earth? has the love of Christ so consumed your heart that the thought of an innocent but unloved baby dying of aids in swaziland eat at your insides and spur you into action? does all the heartbreak around the world make you long for the "rapture rescue mission" or does it make you long to bring God's kingdom here?? this is the nature of our inheritance and i plan to live my life in such a way that makes generational differences here and now. i dont long for heaven, i long for heaven on earth!!! this is my inheritance and my prayer is that by my life, and the lives of other like minded people, the glory of the Lord will fill the earth as it did before the fall. my name is zach parish and i am a co-heir with the Lord Jesus Christ and i am a keeper of God's dream.

give me my mountain!!!

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

"surely the land on which your foot has trodden, shall be an inheritance for you and your children forever" Joshua 14:9

in my last blog, i talked about how the earth and all that is in it, is our inheritance that Christ secured for us on the cross. Romans 8:37 reminds me that i am "more than a conqueror through Him who loves me." we have the Lord of the universe behind us directing our steps and in front of us clearing the way; this fills me with great Godly confidence and assurance. so i find myself wondering why at various times in my life, i have lived like i was defeated instead of walking in the truth that the war is already over and my hand has been raised. Christ won the war fully and completely on the cross. but sometimes we walk fearful; perhaps we are fearful of the devil, or the coming antichrist and this keeps us from living a life that will be marked with victories. perhaps the giants we see in front of us frighten us or we are afraid to fail so we fail to risk, or maybe the mountain looks to tall so we sit at the base. what are we really risking when the war has already been won. we, the beloved bride of Christ, win this thing, in fact, we have already won this thing!! i have learned that satan is a sniveling coward who has his white flag of surrender in his hand but seems to freak us out with what Jimmy McCarty has called "cheap parlor tricks." he has no authority over us. it fills satan full of fear to think of what would happen of the body of Christ understood the authority we have. it would truly freak satan out if the body of Christ would walk boldly as Christ wants us to. We have the authority and the power to literally beat back the devil back into hell. i get all excited when andrew shearman shouts at the top of his lungs "TO HELL WITH THE DEVIL!!!!!" there is a great story in the old testament that demonstrates the modern mindset about claiming our inheritance and the attittude we should have.

Moses sent a group of scouts to check out the land of Canaan (the promised land) and upon the return of the scouts to the camp, the general consensus was that the land that GOD HAD PROMISED was full of giants whom filled the Hebrew majority with great fear. this story can be found in Numbers 13 and we learn from there that the land was incredible (isn't God's promised land supposed to be incredible??) but it was "fortified and large.....we cannot attack those people, they are stronger than we are....we seemed like grasshoppers IN OUR OWN EYES and we looked the same to them." as children of God, we cannot adopt a view of self that is less than what God as already said about us. it is incredible that despite the promise of God that no matter what, they would conquer whoever inhabited the land even if they proved to be giants. this is not the attitude to have. the hebrews continually forgot that God ALWAYS delivers on his promises, despite the mountains that seem to make the journey impossible. anyways, we should have the heart of Caleb who silenced the people and declared "we should go up and take possession of the land for we can certainly do it!!" the story goes on to say that instead of walking into their destiny (the promised land) they become fearful and desire to return to egypt (their place of 400 years of slavery). they were wiling to trade in greatness, destiny, purpose and the promises of a steadfast God for the life of slavery. are you serious?? those freaking panzified cowards!!! i love the attitude of caleb. he saw the same giants in the land and said GIVE ME MY MOUNTAIN!!! he did not see the obstacles, he saw destiny, he visioned the promises of God being fulfilled. no wonder that generation of hebrews wandered in the desert for 40 years. the last of that unbelieving generation died off in the desert, well short of what their inheritance should have been. mighty men like Joshua and Caleb would eventually cross the river and possess the promised land because they believed the word of God.

God has also spoken to us of our inheritance, of our own promised land. do we believe Him? or do we cower in fear instead of walking in boldness? i have made the statement "give me my mountain" a mantra of my life. i choose to take God at His word because He has a proven track record. dont be the unbelieving generation that died off in the desert because of unbelief. be the generation that rises up and takes possession of the promised land

so why spain?

Tue, 6 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

"for i know the plans i have for you, says the Lord" Jeremiah 29:11

i arrived here in Spain last friday with no clear answer to the question of why i was here. when is stepped off the plane, all i really knew is that God positioned me to sit at the feet of some of the most Godly men that i will ever encounter. these are men who are passionate about God, His kingdom, and empowering others to be fully the will of God expressed here on earth. Secondly, and slightly unspiritually, i get to live in Spain for 6 months. I knew that God had opened doors for this and was calling me on this journey, so saying yes was not something i thought about for more than a few minutes. this is not some random 6 months where i live outside the box that is unrelated to the rest of my life. these next 6 months could actually define the rest of my life. i think that to understand why this next 6 months is so important, perhaps i should back up and take you broadly through the stages of life i have been through to this point. i guess i will start with my late teenage years.

at 17, i started to make really poor decisions and until God opened doors for me to get physically away from the mess i had made of my life. i moved to arkansas at the age of 23. instead of truly coming to an understanding of what my identity was, i did everything i could to black it out. when i moved to arkansas, i really had no idea who i was and though i had allowed God to take control of my life again, the next few years were full of confusion as i slowly started to learn who i was. i had to get back the 6 years that i had wasted living in complete selfishness and sin. in some ways, it was like a rebirth and i was going through growing pains. i had so many wounds left untreated. at age 29, i went on a truly life changing journey called the world race in which who i really was and what i had spent the previous 6 years learning started to be confirmed; i was no longer living under a cloud of confusion when considering my identity. i think that God intended that year to be fully healed from 30 years of woundings. i emerged from the world race a new man who viewed the world, myself and God much differently than i had before. during the latter half of the race, Spain started to appear on the radar and now, here i sit.

I know who i am, I know Jesus and i know that He has a massive dream for my life and that He created me for nothing less than greatness. Not greatness how the world defines, but greatness that magnifies who He is, and greatness that impacts the world for His glory. greatness that dies to self everyday in order to serve the nations and set the captives free. God wants us to dream huge dreams, dreams that are far too big for our own hands to fulfill; dreams that only a huge God can bring to fruition. this next 6 months is about honing in on that but practically answering the question of my purpose and role in the ever present kingdom of God. this time will be very intentional as teachers from all over the globe will be investing in the kingdom by investing in me. they will sacrifice to pour into me. everyday i will be challenged with the question of what i am going to do after these 6 months are up. this will not be 6 months of vacation. as i learn more, i will share more. i hope that you will join me on this leg of my journey through life.

if you are interested in knowing more about the program, you can check out www.g42leadershipacademy.org. you can also donate to me at this account. i am an intern here.

blessed to be a blessing,

zach

more from swaziland

Tue, 4 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Tumbling Down

here are some more stories that are coming in from those in the field in swaziland. i met morgan in february during my time in swaziland and she is an amazing woman with a massive heart for the nations. she leads groups from the united states to swaziland on what i believe to be a fairly regular basis. anyways, this story is so raw and will break your heart and yet is a common occurrence in this suffering country. these people need us. read and be moved to action

Posted in General Articles by Morgan McKeown on 8/4/2009

I met Eliza two years ago and instantly fell in love. She was one of the students whose education we were able to sponsor through contributions from blog readers. (Photo at the left is with Eliza on this trip - taken by Paloma.)

The last day I was here in February she arrived at the carepoint with open sores all over her foot and leg. At nine years old she was cooking over the fire and was burnt by hot oil.

After I left Swaziland Gift started investigating her injuries and the World Race team here looked into what was happening to her. It turns out that there were more then just burns, Eliza had scars and bruising all over her body. I cried and prayed and felt utterly helpless being so far away.

All I could think about was her sweetness. Every day I'm at the care point she runs to greet me and sits with her hand in mine, refusing to leave my side.   She knows her place, her hand belongs in my right hand when I'm walking and when I sit her head gets nestled right under my chin.

On Thursday we had a few free moments so, Eliza, Gift, and I sat down to talk out of earshot of the other kids.

She leaned her frail body against me and placed her hands in mine. I didn't know where to start, what do you ask when you suspect that a child is being beaten.

"How are things for you at home?" I asked. It took a moment for Eliza to respond, her small shoulders slumped further forward and she didn't lift her head while murmuring a quiet answer in SiSwati, which Gift interpreted.

"Things are bad."

"What is bad?" As I questioned her she begun to nervously run her short finger nails over my long thumbnail.

"The bad men come at night and I'm scared."

Gift explained more to me. "Her father just lost his job. The economic crisis has affected much more than people in the United States, her father was one of the ones who lost his job. Now he is drinking a lot. I think that the men she is talking about are some type of loan collectors, or some men up to not good things."

My thoughts immediately flashed to Grace and Mswana both beautiful teenage girls who have contracted H.I.V. through rape. Unfortunately their stories are brutally common in this place. Eliza doesn't show signs of having been sexually assaulted, but if she stays in her home the likelihood of her becoming a statistic and losing her innocence as well as her life to rape is astronomic.

I tried to keep up the conversation but the words caught in my throat. Gift encouraged me to continue with more questions.

"Does your family have food at home?"

Her back pressed closer into me as she sucked in a deep breath before answering. Eliza's words came out, quiet and hesitant. "We go with out food most nights, all the nights I'm in school." At her answer a tear slipped from my eye, before I could wipe it away it landed on her short rough hair. That meant that a majority of days the only meal she was getting was the bowl of corn meal from the carepoint.

Gift explained to me, "Her father has been here at the carepiont asking for food for his family, since he lost his job he has not been able to buy food."

I felt helpless, with only questions and no answers, nothing I could do to ease her pain. A gentle breeze blew through the tree we sat under, and the sun provided enough warmth to be comfortable in a tee shirt. The setting was a stark contrast to our conversation. No child anywhere should have to go to bed hungry a majority of nights.

"Can you tell me about what else is going on at home?"

Her voice came out scared but she kept talking. "My father beats my brother and me when he comes home drunk. My mom tries to get in the way and stop him, but he just beats her as well."

"What does he use to beat you?" Tears start streaming down my cheeks, I was thankful that she's leaning against me and can't see my reaction.

"He uses a shoe or a log." The thought of someone touching this beautiful, sweet spirited, girl in that way, made me shudder. I looked into her down cast eyes and somehow despite everything they still look hopeful.

Gift continues talking with her and translating for me. He asked if she would want to go to school away from home. There are some funds available to send her to a place for abused children in Swaziland, unfortunately spots are limited and Eliza's case may not be severe enough for her to be admitted. The social worker has decided that her case only counts as negligence not abuse.

The cell phone rang and Gift left to take the call. I wrapped my arms tighter around Eliza's small frame while praying over her. All I want to do is shelter and protect her forever.

Eliza had to walk back before dark, and the afternoon shadows were getting long. Loosening my grip and letting her go home took every last ounce of my strength. As I watched her slight frame walk away my head fell into my hands and the tears tumbled down.

swazi needs us!

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

here lately, the Lord has put the nation of swaziland on my heart and i have been praying for this nation fervently. if ever a country can break ones heart and spur someone to do mission work, it is this nation. it is a nation that still dreams and hopes for a bright future despite the calamities that have befallen it. HIV/aids has ravaged swaziland but i know that the power of Christ is working there and that He is calling us to partner with HIm be His hands and his feet for His people. below is a video that might be somewhat dated, but nonetheless will give you a good idea of what is going on in swaziland. i also invite you to check out the blog page of our adventures in missions pastor there at http://pastorgift.myadventures.org/ for a great perspective on swaziland as well as our swaziland site at http://swaziland.myadventures.org/

the hope of the nations is the power of Christ that resides in all His followers. Do we have the spirit of Isaiah when in chapter 6 he says "here i am Lord....SEND ME!!!!!" I invite you to read stories of heartbreak and breakthrough and to be obedient to what the Lord is putting on your heart.

update and apologies

Fri, 3 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

i am sitting here with pam, (who is cattle prodding me to blog) awaiting to head to ukraine from bucharest at 5 am. we are facing a 40 hour train ride which normally would spark travel day anxieties because of the typical brutish nature of world race travel days. this time however, i am excited for the travel day as we will be romping across eastern europe in a train. not only will i get to see some great scenery, but the peaceful time will allow me to reflect on the last 9 months on the road and prepare myself mentally and spiritually for the end of this crazy race as next month i will be heading back to the states for the summer. from january until the end of march, i was in africa; this did not allow me a lot of opportunity to blog but nonetheless, i feel it necessary to offer up an apology to my supporters and those back home who pray for me on a constant basis. when i leave in the morning, i will be heading to the last country i will see before i fly back to america. i am unsure what ministry will look like in ukraine, but i do know that our group will be situated outside Lugansk. from within this city, you can actually see into russia. anyways, this area seems to be full of people who lack hope and love and whose lives are marked by endless seasons of drowning away their lives with their constant companions: alcohol. this is what we are up against next month. i know that this description is general, but there will be more details when i have them. i will also spend some time talking about what 3 months of africa was like but to be honest, i am still trying to straighten all of those memories and God given lessons that Africa brought with it.

i do want to encourage my supporters by letting you what your money has accomplished this year as we you have teamed with God and myself to literally bring his kingdom down from above. we loved the homeless at a garbage dump in guatemala as well as served as the Hands of Jesus in a childrens hospital. we fought against prostitution in vietnam, reached out to those ostracized by HIV, and fed mentally and physically handicapped children and young adults. in myanmar, a small group of us provided much needed food/goods to families in the delta who lives had been ravaged by cyclone nargis. we also ushered orphans into the presence of God through games, skits, bible messages and the love of Christ that flows through us. in London, we reached out to the rapidly growing muslim population and began breaking strongholds that are so prevalent there. in mozambique, we moved an orphanage complex to a place that will give them a great chance to become more modern and catch the attention of the government. in malawi, we planted churches in 3 different villages and got to experience extended community within that culture. i can say that when the body of Christ is unified across boundaries and borders, the world is being changed and Christ is being magnified.

Walking daily how Jesus walked; reaching out to those that society has rejected or loving those who are deemed unlovable, those who are broken and hurting means that you are making the world a better place. The cross and the empty tomb are central to the truth of God, but we cannot miss how Jesus walked out his daily life. for those who have partnered with me this past year, know that God has used you to impact the world for the better

Raise Up

Sun, 22 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Raise Up!

Posted in General Articles by Marissa Pratt on 2/16/2009

Seventeen members of our squad spent the month of January in Temane, Mozambique, partnering with Jesus 4 Africa Ministries, run by Jaco and Maria Rudolph. Among other ministries, their main focus is the Temane Orphanage.

Twenty-four orphans were found in the bush of Mozambique following the devastation of Cyclone Flavio in 2006 by a man named Eric. He took responsibility for them. He would now care for them and protect them. However, Eric did not have the means to provide much else.

Once Jaco and Maria discovered Eric and these children, they knew God was calling them to help. With little more than their own personal support, the Rudolph's set about the task of living out God's call.

Currently the children sleep in large revival style tents on grass mats with blankets. At this time, a building is being constructed to offer more suitable living conditions. In order to prepare the children for this transition, several of our team mates feel called to return to Mozambique for the month of March. This preparation will consist of, among other things, the Raise UP! Project.

Raise UP!

And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in.

-Isaiah 58:12

Raise UP! is a respect and incentive program coupled with discipleship. The goal is to establish routine in order to teach respect for themselves, others, their belongings, and environment. The goal is that through these children, we may set the foundations of this generation firmly in the Lord and His Truth, so that they can raise their children to repair and restore the breaches of their nation.

The respect incentive portion of the program will focus on scheduled rewards for adhering to established guidelines. Each child will be given a box, which they can personalize. The first week will focus on each child receiving all the incentive items which include: toothbrush, soap, washcloth, small toys, etc.

After the initial one-month course, additional materials will be sent via e-mail, complete with scheduled rewards to be given by orphanage staff.

Teaching the children to care for their boxes and contents will help them to form good habits of taking ownership and responsibility. With guidance, these habits will overflow into all areas of their lives.

Our vision is to invest in this generation. We are asking for your help to Raise UP! a foundation for these children. Below is a list of supplies and costs needed to obtain them.

Supplies:

Box $10 per child

Incentive Items $20 per child

Teaching Materials $200

Rewards $200

Miscellaneous $100

Total $1,220

Click here to give to this Project. Please write "World Race Ministry - Mozambique" in the space provided in order to make sure your gift is designated to this ministry.

Support Brian and Stacy!

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Support Brian and Stacy here:

http://www.adventures.org/give

Select: "The World Race"

Type: "For Brian Alonzo"

hammered by God

Mon, 5 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Our time here in London is in its final hours. Recently I have been having a hard time finding the words to speak and I think that is due in large part to the fact that I have not wanted to look in the mirror for fear of what reflection I would see. To be honest, this month here in London has probably the most unspiritual stretch I have had during the 6 months on the race. I can think of several excuses for this but they all have to do with my failure to pursue God and what He is doing here in London or in me for that matter. I could say that I was worn out by a busy schedule, yet that did not stop me from watching NFL games at 1am. I can say that we did not have enough personal time, yet that did not stop me from watching mindless youtube clips, movies or playing ping pong. I can say that I was distracted by the big city and the newness that it offered as I went to various museums, malls and historical landmarks. I can say that I was distracted by the season and the fact that I was not around family to celebrate this most special time of the year but the fact is, my Christmas this year was one of the most memorable ones I will ever get to experience. Perhaps I was distracted by the type of ministry here; I can say that it helped aid my lack of connection with God. I can say that it was different from what we have done on the world race thus far or that the biting coldness of the streets separated me from God because of discomfort. Yet I cannot deny that God brought us here for a reason, so that does not work. The one thing I cannot find any excuse for is why I did not seek the Father more. As I started thinking about that, a verse came to me. In Luke 17, Jesus says "the kingdom of God does not come with careful observation, nor will people say, "here it is or there it is" because the kingdom of God is within you." I have been mulling over the words of Andrew Shearman at our 2nd Koh Samet debrief and how all places we step are being reclaimed and added back to His kingdom because as Jesus clearly points out in that Luke passage, the kingdom of God is inside of us. I neglected to acknowledge that this month. I allowed my own selfish desires to drag me here and there and not until the end have I wanted to affirm that atrocity over myself. God really started working me over in church Sunday morning and this blog is the result. Unfortunately, it is not the end of it. God's chastisement of my behavior did not end there. As God started to bring down the hammer on me, I protested. But God, look at what I have done this month!! I went out with a smile on my face every day. I treated my teammates great (I think). I passed out tracks in warm and cordial tones; I used my servant's heart to serve my team in various ways on most days. Unfortunately for me, God was not hearing my half-hearted response. He then proceeded to take me behind the woodshed for another session. The verses He led me to were some of the most painful things I have ever heard Him say to me and to be quite frank, IT SUCKED! Matthew 23 is a scathing passage from Jesus to the Pharisees. This time it also served as a scathing word from Him to me. "Woe to you....you clean the outside of the cup and dish but the inside are full of greed and self-indulgence.....you are like a whitewashed tomb, you look beautiful on the outside but the inside is full of dead men's bones...." Thankfully, He stopped before he called me a snake, part of a brood of vipers! I did not want to admit it initially, but that has been my experience over the last month. I attempted to look like Christ on the outside while ignoring the place that I need to look like Christ the most: on the inside. It is months like this that serve to remind me how far I still have to go. That my faith does not complete itself over a short span but rather over the course of my life is a comforting thought. God always affirms the good in us while He is pointing out areas that need working on. He left me with Proverbs 3:11-12. "My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline because the Lord disciplines those He loves."

i want Jesus to cook for me

Mon, 5 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I love to cook. As much as I enjoy eating, I think that I might actually enjoy cooking more. Sounds weird, I know. Being here in London has afforded me the time and opportunity to use whatever skill I have in the kitchen to benefit my teammates. The base where we have stayed after Christmas has a really sweet kitchen with all kinds of nifty gadgets that I can use. Mix that in with my heart to serve and I have been active in the kitchen lately. I have not really made anything that I would consider gourmet, but I have made a few different soups, pasta alfredo and crepes. When I am cooking for others is when I feel the need to make it excellent. I get enjoyment when I see people come back for 2nd's or 3rd's. I want the meal that I have prepared to be the best meal that you have eaten all day, all week, and maybe even all month! What in the world does this any of this have to do with the world race, or with your faith? Good question, I am glad I asked it. I want Jesus to prepare a meal for me and I know that someday he will. Does anyone think that the creator of chef's can top anything that the best chef in the world can make? In Psalms 23, David declares that "You prepare a table before me....you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows." The author of Revelation continues this theme in the 19th chapter when an angel tells him "blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!" Some day, I will get to feast at the most incredible banquet of all time and according to King David, it is the Lord himself who prepares the feast. What I am trying to get at here is the position that we have in Christ. He has made the ultimate sacrifice, performed the most humble act of all time by becoming who we are so that we get to share in the riches that are His from the beginning. Jesus did all He did so that we get to share in the massive banquet where we receive from Him an oil anointing which declares that we are honored guests at this banquet. That is humbling. That is incredible. I can look at all 30 years of my life and cannot even begin to account for all the bad decisions, bad lifestyle choices and rebellious acts towards Christ and scratch my head as I read those passages. As forrest gump said, "some things just don't make no sense" and from a human perspective they don't. The truth is that Christ has elevated us to an incredibly high position. In Ephesians it says to "live a life worthy of the calling we have received" and as I have been thinking about that here lately, I have come to the conclusion that it not only means to be Jesus with skin, to be set apart from the standards of the world but it also means acknowledging the position we have in Christ. I think that sometimes, perhaps more often than not, we are happy to sit beneath the table catching the crumbs that may fall off the edge of the table. This is not where Christ has positioned us! He has given us a seat at the table of God and has anointed our head with oil. If we continue to live as one who collects crumbs while sitting on the ground then what does that say about our God? God's love for us is made to look less than it is when we are crumb catchers. Get up, acknowledge your position in Christ because it will change how you view Him and change how you represent Him to a world that i can personally attest to as spiritually dying.

update

Mon, 5 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

our flight leaves london tomorrow at around 2:30 and we will head first to qatar and then to south africa. our squad will be split in half but the full squad will nontheless be in mozambique for about 2 and a half weeks. i believe the crux of our ministry there will be spent working with orphans as well as aiding local pastors. we will be living in the bush as they say and will be camping out. i am personally happy to be out of a big city as we have spent most of the last 4 months in large cities. i have a feeling that this will be a rewarding time for me personally and i look forward to getting my hands dirty and my heart broken. we will be in africa until the end of march and then we will head back to europe for the finale. bringing the hope of Christ to this continent in particular is a great way to kick off 2009 and i know the Lord has great things in store for me and many lessons to offer. anyways, i want to give a huge thank you to all who have supported. you guys have been very faithful in your giving and in your prayers. the truth of Jesus is spreading to the four corners of the globe in part because of your faithfulness. my current supporters have done more than i can ask. but i NEED new supporters. i know that God has always provided for me at every turn of my life and that He will continue to do so. i still have roughly $3000 to raise and i am going to be behind at the next deadline. with so much going on in my day to day life currently, this is not a matter that i need to be focusing on. so please give, your money goes extremely far in the places that we are going to! thank you in advance for your support both financially and in prayer

cold city, cold hearts

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

"Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts..."- Psalm 95: 7-8

i am glad that the onus is not on my shoulders to bring about spiritual awakening to the reality of Christ in any individual. if it was, i would have given up by now. the previous 3 months before we landed in London were spent working in asian buddhist countries where most people assented to a religious ideal without questioning why. in most cases, this simply led to a real lack of application or conviction concerning one's stated religion. it seemed to me that most buddhists inherited their religion from their parents who inherited it from their parents and so forth and so on. it was the status quo of their culture and in their minds, there was no good reason to go against the grain, or no knowledge that they needed to do so. the fact that the buddhists i worked with just accepted religion and did not really embrace it indicated that they were open to the message of Christ. they would listen attentively and objectively. though they seemed far from Christ, i saw hope for those countries. there was a real sensitivity to things that are not of this world. flash forward to london. the thought here is probably the same as it is in the rest of europe:. i dont care about God, i dont care about His Son so dont bother me about it. Faith of many generations ago has been replaced by the faith of logic and reason. in their minds, if they want to see God all they have to do is look in the mirror. given the nature of our ministry here (passing out tracks and general street evangelism) i have had plenty of contact with several Englishmen as well as countless others from many parts of the globe who have migrated here and now call London home. i have come to the conclusion that the condition of the heart in most Londoners is like the winter here: cold and bitter. but where our feet step, we bring hope. We bring the truth and we bring the message that can make the deadest heart come to life. however, i have a feeling that when i leave london, i am not going to feel like i have in other countries where the message of Christ is not deeply rooted. i am going to feel like little changed here. i have no doubt that God brought us here for a reason but at this moment i have little clue as to why. all that being said, my mission is to be obedient to Him who sent me here regardless of whether i know fully what God is doing or have vague notions.

i can say that many here were exposed again to the message of Christ during the time we have been here. but the question goes back to the verse at the top of the page; did they HEAR the voice of God? did they hear God and continue to remain hard hearted as the Jews did following Egyptian oppression? God knows the answer and i trust that He is on the move here but i do find it somewhat ironic that i felt more hope in buddhist countries than a modern western city. please pray for this city!

bangkok update, change of plans

Wed, 3 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

most of you probably know about the situation here in bangkok as political riots broke out early last week which forced us to stay here in thailand as opposed to heading to africa. well, it seems that we are going to be on the move tonight. but unexpectedly, we are heading to london, england for the rest of the month and possibly through the new year. this came as quite a surprise, but we are excited to add england to the list of places that the kingdom is being brought to! we know that in all of this that 1. God is always in control, and 2. that our God reigns!!! i have no idea what He is going to do through us, but it is going to be a challenge to bring the gospel to europe earlier than expected. i believe that europe still lives in the age of reason, or rationalism. a good number of europeans certainly promote the postmodern mindset. God is once again expanding our territory and i have full confidence that this squad, as part of the 42 generation will rise up to the challenge. we will still be spending 3 months in africa so our time there is being slightly delayed. i am sure that you guys keep on praying for me and i know that you all have the best interests of the kingdom of God in heart and mind. thank you for your continued support and i look forward to updating you soon.

Caleb, "stuck" in bangkok??

Tue, 2 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

andrew shearman does a great job talking about the kingdom of God and how we as bearers of the truth now have the role of bringing the kingdom back to earth (on earth as it is in heaven). In the old testament, God made a promise to abraham that was to be fulfilled by succeeding generations. the promise to abraham is multi-fold, but i want to look at only 1. God promised abraham that his descendants would be a great nation. After God led the Israelites out off 400 years of slavery in Egypt, He did so with the intention of His people truly being HIS people and He would deliver them to the promised land and thereby fulfill His promise to abraham to make his descendants a great nation. Moses (whom i have heard referred to as the Jesus of the old testament) was to be the one that would turn that promise into reality. 1 problem- lack of faith from the Israelites and a constant rebelling and turning away from God. God's response- His presence left them and they wandered around the desert for 40 years until that rebellious generation was dead. out of that entire clan, only 2 were faithful to God and had the ultimate confidence that against all odds that God is always true to His word even when all circumstances mount in front you like giant mountains. Joshua and Caleb were those two men that said with the Lord in front of us, we will slay every "giant" that stands in the way of us inheriting the promised land. Our God is bigger and badder than any giant that tries to come against us. If God says we will conquer, then we have to have the faith of joshua and caleb and confidently move forward. We are called into battle and attitudes should reflect that we march against the enemy with the knowledge that we win! Joshua and Caleb knew this and eventually God rewarded their faith and confidence in Him. they crossed the jordan and took possession of what belonged to them. as i was reading in joshua this morning, i came across a verse that reflects the attitude that i want to have until my body is in the ground and my soul is eternally celebrating. Caleb was asking Joshua for his inheritance (a city called hebron) and i Joshua 14: 10-12 he says "i am 85 years old and i am as strong today as the day Moses sent me out (to scout the land, caleb was 40)...i am just as vigorous to go out to battle now as i was then.....now give me this hill country!!!!" i love his attitude! Caleb knows that what God says He will do, He will do. Even as an older man, Caleb still is willing to battle for the Lord. this needs to be the attitude off this generation: battle ready at all times, confident fully in the Lord at all times, striving to the end no matter when that is. Caleb and Joshua did not fight alone and neither do we

We are a part of an army here on the world race. sure, it is a family but we are also an army. but i dont know that if any point during our first 5 months we were ready to march into battle TOGETHER. perhaps this is why we are still here in bangkok. God knew that we needed to grow together as a family before we proceed into the next battle. maybe God looked at our squad and thought "there are not quite where I want them to be, so I am going to give them the chance to get there." i think that we have had moments where we have come together as a squad, but those moments seem to be inconsistent or in many cases we have had to have someone from the "outside" come in spur us on to be a squad worthy of the calling we have received. this has not sustained consistently. however, i do believe that things are once again on the upswing. the last few days we have been "stuck" in bangkok but we as a squad have come together in all facets of ministry. we have laughed together, cried together, worshipped together, eaten bugs together, prayed for one another, carried one anothers burdens, loved one another, accepted each other, been reconciled, confessed (painfully)....in other words we have been the church fully. it feels different this time. i dont think that it is once again fleeting. We have been a squad that has had great outward focus, but inwardly i think that God knew that we needed work and i think that is why we are still here in bangkok. as michael hindes puts it "the most important ministry is the family we have around us for this year." i think we are waking up and walking into that reality. God is preparing us for the battle that is ahead. God is bringing us together so that we can confidently march into battle arm in arm as a family and as an army of the Lord. so are we really "stuck" in bangkok?? He is preparing us to truly bring Kingdom, to bring life, to bring water to the barren places. He is preparing us to lead others into the promised land just like Joshua and Caleb.

Luke 18:27, myanmar

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

we were not supposed to get in. the government is anti-American. we were not supposed to get in. the government is anti-Christian. we were not supposed to get in. the government is anti-evangelism, anti-Jesus, anti-freedom; they were namely anti-everything that we stand for, and that we actively represent and actively pursue in other people. oh, we got our myanmar visa's?? wow, that was easier than expected. but surely we will not get permission to go to the delta where the cyclone nargis killed thousands and left the area desolate will we? i mean after all they declined support from the U.N. and from America. we came in as "tourists" for obvious reasons. why would a tourist want to go and see land that was devastated, that is not a big attraction there. I am sorry, did you say that we received permits to go to the delta?

the first lesson we were reminded of is that nothing can stand in the way of the will of God Almighty. evil authorities can try all they want to derail the will of God but their plans will come to nothing no matter how forceful the individual. i am convinced that all of the man made barricades that stood in front of us at the outset were removed by the Almighty. there was not a time when the situation was in our hands or under our control but there was never a time when it was out of God's hands. His provision in all facets of life will always be enough. Like Luke 18:27 says, "what is impossible for man is possible with God." i wonder why we dont always believe that. when we do, that is when God works through us in mighty ways. I suggest that we stop putting God in a box and start understanding how awesome our God is

being Jesus

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

when we went to the delta we had a government "guide" with us. he was actually a God send. though he was not a christian he did not seem to mind that a lot of the work we were doing was in the name of Jesus, by the time we had left the delta we had visited 2 villages where we met felt needs by passing out food and a few bathroom items and had spent a lot of time at 3 different orphanages (two of which were christian and therefore against the government). our guide actually began to partake in the work we were doing by passing out food and leading and playing games with the orphans. God uses those who are unaware of it! anyways, we were not allowed to verbally evangelize while we were at the villages so we shared the love of Christ non verbally. i believe that our simple act is something that God is building bridges with right now. anyways, here are a few pics from the first village we visited

my 2 continent review

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

so we are nearing the end of our 5th month which means that we are closing in on the halfway point. it feels like only yesterday that i was clueless in mexico. one day i was rather homesick so i started thinking about all the things i miss back in america. it is always the small things that hook me. i miss having breakfast or making the starbucks run in the middle of my day with jon b. i miss calling smith and teasing him about paige the rage (insider info). i miss men like Vippy Epstein and Len Lenon giving me incredible Godly counsel as they help usher me down paths they have already been down. i miss seasons as by in large it has been perpetual summer everywhere i have been so far. i miss college football on saturdays and my beloved Dallas Cowboys on sunday. i miss having transportation where i have all the space i can possibly want. i miss having a kitchen where i can cook. i miss my french press and the best coffee in the world available all the time. i miss having a place that is all my own. i miss calling my mom and talking about nothing in general. i miss when my mom calls me with my niece and sings on my phone. i miss talking history with my dad (we both love it). i miss calling my brother by his pet name. i miss working with the youth at my church that i worked with for over 6 years and some of the incredible leaders that i served alongside with (carol, julie, doug, karen...) i will miss the holidays (thanksgiving, christmas and new years!) i am sure that there is more but it seems that i really miss a lot but every coin has two sides and this is no different. so there are things that i dont miss.

i dont miss having a job (or a normal one at that) where i feel like programmed robot more than an actual human. i dont miss schedules and routine. i dont miss doing a little for the kingdom but telling myself that it is enough. i dont miss sitting on the sidelines pretending that i am in the game while the real race that Christ has called me to leaves me sitting at the starting point. i dont miss being comfortable. i dont miss settling for the status quo. i dont miss being average. i dont miss being weak. i dont miss not being challenged. i dont miss not being empowered to do His work. i dont miss not living by faith. i dont miss having a limited perspective. i dont miss watching the world go by and not reaching out. i dont miss being lazy. i could probably go on for a while. God has been working me over the entire trip but in the last few weeks He has been really been affirming things in me that i think i was always afraid to admit or use. i remember at our initial training, Seth (the co-founder of AIM, along with God and his wife) said that i was like an onion. he meant that God was going to peel the layers away until the real zach was found underneath. i know that i am really starting to see those layers burn off. as paul states in ephesians "wake up o sleeper, rise from the dead and Christ will shine on you." andrew shearman puts it this way "rise up man of God!!!!!!" God does not call us to be average. when has average ever been good enough?? God calls us to move mountains and i believe that mountains are going to move!!

so i will challenge myself and others who feel that the way they impact the world for Christ is good enough. RISE UP MEN AND WOMEN OF GOD!!!!!!!!!! some one needs to see Jesus today. will they see Him in me? will they see Him in you?? meditate on ephesians 5:14

sin cursed world

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

when God created the earth and placed man in it, He did so with man's initial condition as one completely harmonized with Himself. Genesis tells us that Adam and Eve lived in communion and community with God in all his fullness. Man was created perfect; there were no defects, no disabilities, and i would say with absolute surity that there were no sicknesses or death either at the outset. unfortunately, God also gave man options. We were free to choose God freely and love Him freely or we could choose to walk away from that community. when man chose to disobey our Father we did so at a very high price (it was a high price for both sides). we introduced death into the world. We introduced pain, suffering, hurt, imperfection mentally and physically. i also wonder what else we allowed to trespass when we chose to sin. being here in Vietnam i have witnessed so many hurtful things which has really made me wonder what the full impact of sin has had on the world. i have personally laid hands on, prayed over, loved with all i have men and women dying from AIDS, stayed up at crazy hours of the night praying for the prostitution that is so prevalent in the bottom floor of our hotel (while the women become shells of themselves) as well as fed babies with mental and physical disabilities who are unable to care for themselves. it is these kids that have made me think the most about my own personal sin and what part i have played in the world looking like what it does these days. i dont have all the answers so what i am posing for my readers to read and think about is what ways do you guys think that sin has been inimical to the world? if sin is to blame for all the heartache that i have to experience with all of my senses on a daily basis then that means that the kids that i am feeding, who are severly crippled mentally or physically, are in this condition in part because of what i have done personally. that is a hard pill to swallow. maybe that is why God tells us through Paul in 2 Corinthians that we are ministers of reconciliation. We are reconciling the world to God because we are the reason that it has been devastated. that might not be right, but it is my blog and these are my thoughts! I think that i had a pretty good view of what the rest of the world looked like before i came and i still think that but it is different to read about it or even look at pictures of a dying world that it is to live in it everyday. it has become much more personal. it has also made me more intentional about sharing the love and redemptive power of Jesus Christ, the savior of the world. it humbles me more and more that He chose to give me truth. This year might be the best and worst year of my life all at the same time. Christians of the world, it is time to rise up and turn the tide in this battle. It is time to get in the game and reverse the affects of living in a sin cursed world!

guatemala dump pics

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

this one is late as well, but one of my favorite ministry days during our time in Puerto Barrios, Guatemala was the day that we went to the city dump and spent time with the people there. I stayed up for about 5 hours preparing the beans and salsa that we would use to feed whoever we could that day. I remember asking the Lord to bless the work of my hands and sure enough He did. anyways, here some of the pictures of that day.

attacking the enemy head on

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

elton john once said that saturday night is a good night for fighting. we are singing the same song but changing the day to sunday. as many of you are aware, the bottom floor of our hotel seems to be exclusively for the prostitutes that work there every night. one of our primary ministry efforts have been to battle the darkness that has taken over the bottom floor (though we had no idea what we were walking into). we pray all night from sun down to sun up and have even started to build relationships with some of the hotel staff who have some involvement with accomodating the prostitutes and their pimps. starting sunday night and continuing throughout the morning hours of monday, we have decided to focus our attention solely on what goes on inside the hotel. we will start about 10 pm sunday (which is 10 am central time) worshipping our savior and preparing our hearts and minds for the war that we will wage throughout the night. we have different rooms in the hotel set aside for different forms of worship including communion, music, praying prophetically, and perhaps even a vigil room downstairs amongst the den of the prostitutes. we will leave the rooms open until 3 in the morning on monday but leave the option to stay awake and wage battle until the sun comes up on monday morning. the purpose of this blog is to encourage you warriors back home to get involved. we invite you to pray alongside us as you go throughout your day wherever you are between the hours of 10-3 (10 am -3 pm!) what a concentrated effort that would be for all the saints of God around the world to pray with intensity with us and for us. the main issue here is prostitution, so you can pray along that vein. ask God to give you insight into what you can pray for as this will be a good way for you guys to work on speaking with the father and hearing his voice in return. blessings and love, zach

heavy

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

so we have been here in ho chi minh city for about 5 days now and i must say that the ministry times we have spent here have worn us out spiritually and physically. after out initial lodging location fell through because the local authorities had issues with a large group of americans staying with a known local christian, we found ourselves staying at 1 hotel for a day and then we moved to another place we assume will be our home for the next few weeks. opportunity knocked for a few of us our first full day in the city. there was a chance to get connected with some local students (whose names i cannot mention) and head out to one of their ministry sites which happened to be a hospital ward dedicated primarily to the care of AIDS patients. as hard as it is to be a christian here and carry truth to the nations, it becomes even harder when you are talking to people who are living in physically dying bodies and spiritually dead bodies who become further away from Christ with each passing generation. one lady told me that she felt that Buddha had given her the sickness as a punishment for her sins and that it would be wrong for her to ask buddha to forgive her much less heal her. after presenting truth to her she said that she could not betray buddha for Christ and that we could no longer continue this conversation. at least a seed was planted and God promises that his word never comes back void. my contact and i were the last to leave the hospital and upon going outside we saw the rest of our group being questioned by security guards. our visit to the hospital might be our only visit. so after coming back to the hotel afterwards i was informed by our squad leader that girls had been shuffling in and out and our hotel seems to be a local hangout for prostitutes. great, my day could not get any HEAVIER!! that night we stayed in the lobby and talked and prayed. after about an hour of that there came voices echoing down the hallway, and to my relief they were in english. some of our girls had gathered at the end of the hallway on the bottom floor and started worshipping and praying to God through music. that night we started doing what the prophet Isaiah speaks somewhere around chapter 35 in which he predicts that a highway will be build and that only the righteous will walk on it. we have started building that highway right there in the hallway and pretty soon there will be no lions or other ferocious beasts wandering there. we are changing the atmosphere through our worship and our prayers over the building. starting at 10 at night and running all through the night we have people teaming up in pairs and praying for 1 hour blocks until the next morning. being radical for Christ just means obeying his commands and that is how we are approaching vietnam

heavy

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

guatemala from vietnam, dang i am a lazy blogger!

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

so i am in vietnam trying to talk about our ministry time in guatemala.....here is an idea zach, why dont you blog about guatemala while you are in guatemala.....thanks zach, i will keep that in mind! for my subscribers back home, i apologize for not keeping you more informed. i have already had a few "where in the world are you!!??" emails so i will make more of an effort to keep you posted. so anyways, back to guatemala. after our bus crash that was mexico, our team needed a month where we did not have a harrassing or heavy schedule that freed us up to get to know one another and not only grow as a team but just become friends. our initial responsibility with regards to ministry is our own small team. we cannot be truly impactful in ministry if we are ministering out of a broken body of Christ. our contact there, paul (who spent 10 years on ywam mercy ships) thought it would be a great idea to get us connected with a local pastor of a small church and see where that relationship would land us. God's hand was truly on paul and his decision. the first time we walked into el calvario church in santo tomas we were greeted with open arms, literally. they handed out hugs, smiles and laughs as if they had an infinite supply of them (which we all do). this stood in stark contrast with our church experience in mexico where the village seemed to have a worship blockade firmly in place. el calvario was chicken soup for the soul. they were alive in worship, being made complete in the joy that comes from Christ while challenging us to do the same.

if you go to google on the web and type in puerto barrios, you will see many personal blogs that say things such as "dont go there, not much to do there, not much to see, nearby ocean and beaches are dirty...." from this side of the coin puerto barrios is not necessarily a place that one would want to visit or spend any amount of time in. this is one lesson that i learned this month that i am sure will hold firm anywhere we go: the thing that punctuates each month is the relationships that are built and centered around Christ and that are truly eternal.

i just want a cup of coffee

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

there was a time in my life where enjoying a cup of coffee usually meant that i was spending time alone sitting on my porch watching the sunrise as the only sounds that could be heard were various birds or the wind sweeping through the trees. coffee time was not always solitary time where i would think about the day ahead or reflect back to days gone by. it was possible that i was spending time with a best friend of mine in the quiet corner of a starbucks just enjoying each others company. either way, it was a quiet peaceful time where my surroundings were under my control. sometimes i miss that cup of coffee. however in the grand scheme of things i know that God is calling me away from that cup and at this time forcing me into greater communion and community with those around me. being around mass amounts of people is not something that would choose every day maybe not even every other day. this year i know that i will be experiencing that community differently than i would in the states because of the all girl situation but here in the latin american countries, we are forced into community in taxis, buses, microbusses (on my birthday we squeezed 23 people into 1 bus that normally holds 12-15). everywhere you go around here it seems that your space is being taken away, your solitude is being taken away and for me, that cup of coffee is being taken away from me. there is another way here that i way that God is teaching me about community; teaching me to embrace it.

Here in Puerto Barrios there is another team here, assembled from many different parts of the globe. they are a ywam (youth with a mission) team that has about 14 different persons. they are a great group and they are another aspect to my learning the community life that God wants me to partake in. let me set this up for you by describing our living conditions here. our group (team joy) is actually sleeping in a radio station which looks and operates as a house. the girls have one room (complete with air conditioner and a door!) that all 4 share. the other bedroom here in the radio station/house is for the owner of the station who is our contact here (paul tonetti). that leaves yours truly without a bedroom where i can seek my solitude selfishly. so i sleep behind a work station on a futon in the front room of the house. for both groups, this house serves as the headquarters for food 3 times a day and is kind of a hangout spot (team joy really knows how to draw a crowd). all this action takes place right in my room. every morning i am awoken by people needing to get in (sometimes at 6:30) or just by the noise they produce...which can be considerable. sometimes i wonder if they even remember that i am there! this is how everyday goes for me. i have laid through ywam team meetings, prayer meetings ect... the only alone time i am afforded is when i use the bathroom or take a shower which is probably in total 30 minutes a day. even on what would normally be quiet days, there always seems to be some pastor or other adult or child from the local community that drops by and naturally hangs out in my would be space. my mind screams WHERE IS MY CUP OF COFFEE!!!!!!!! then God says I HAVE TAKEN IT AWAY!!!!!!! As he puts me through the crash course of community i know that it is for my own personal good and continued personal growth. sometimes it is hard to see it through his lenses but it is only frustrating to see it through my own.

agents of change, provision

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Kira G. : "so zach what have you learned about women so far during your first month on an all girl team?"

zach "i have learned that they are not men!!"

as most of you know to this point, i am the only male on an all girl team and the first month was full of challenges to say the least. here are a few things that i learned during our time in mexico and our debriefing period in antigua (my future home). i learned that you cannot fully realize your role as a christian man just by hanging around christian men. i believe that the well rounded man of faith will also have had the influences of godly women as well. so this is where i am at as we start the second month of ministry. one of the goals of the leaders at AIM is that these types of trips change you from the inside out. i am in the process of discovering my real identity in Jesus; i am on the way to becoming the man that God has designed to be. however, for that change to happen, i have to release all controls i have over self and let God and the agents of change he has put around me lead me down that narrow path. this being said, i have come to the conclusion that the major agents of change He will use to shape me is the rest of the team, who just happen to all be women. i am going to learn to be a christian man by allowing godly women to impact me. i am glad that i learned that lesson quickly. God is in the process of stripping me down completely and making me anew. i grew up in a family that pushed independence or self depedence so the fact that i am going to have to learn from and lean on women this year is a groundbreaking revelation. my future wife will thank tara, jess, jessie and maithili!

i am also learning firsthand that the provision of God is always enough. i spoke to that truth in my first blog but that was more looking around and seeing what was around me and not so much looking at myself. i will give you an example of what has happened so far. the other male on the team has to leave the squad for circumstances that were out of his hand, but this was by the hand of God so that my potential in Him will be realized. His provision called for 4 woman and not 4 woman and 1 man and it is perfect. i connect with God through 2 major facets- music and His beauty in nature. naturally my ipod (mp3 music player) breaks but he provided another one. the other thing i have been stripped of is money. through a mixup at the bank, i received my last paycheck the day i left though i was expecting one two weeks later which would have given me enough for the year. so basically i am broke with 10 months to go. however, i know that God will provide and that his provision will be enough and perfect. soon after i learned of my situation, i met a missionary in a coffee shop in antigua who bought my breakfast without my knowledge, then someone brought me lunch, then i received the ipod, and tara s. father who was not supposed to be in town just happened to be in antigua and took us all to dinner. Gods provision for that day was complete and just what i needed. i have a feeling that the year will look like that. there is something about living on this type of faith that makes life exciting for me. anyways, that is all i have for now but i will leave you with some prayer requests.

1. that our team truly has turned the page and rounded the corner and this month will prove that

2. that we are dropping seeds that God will grow

3. Gods provision for my finances (if i raise enough then i can be reimbursed for personal expenditures so give!! you are partnering and aiding the spread of the truth!)

long time no blog

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

sorry to all my peeps out there who have been waiting on pins and needles for an update. i have been out in a remote village called arroyo palenque for the last week and this is my first time back in the city where technology is available. but be patient, the whole year will be a lot like this.

i will attempt to compress and cover an entire week of ministry into one blog. we learned on saturday that our team of 5 would be leaving palenque to take Jesus to the countryside. so monday morning at 7 am we took off from our "home" in palenque and drove an hour through the mountains until we arrived at our small village of arroyo palenque. we are partnered up with a local pastor and essentially compromising with him how to be most effective in the community. no one day has been the same. let me back up for a moment and tell you about the indigenous of arroyo and a little bit about the surrounding countryside outside of palenque. the countryside is filled with some 212 different villages. by in large, these villages dont speak spanish which makes things difficult. there are 5 different dialects in the villages with the most common one being a dialect called chol which is spoken by some 150 of the villages. fortunately for us, our pastor speaks a good deal of spanish. these people are mostly mayan descendents and where the catholic religion is not prevalent, ancient mayan religions passed down are still practiced. the catholic "faith" does have a pretty strong influence in our village, but this faith is one that is powerless, passionless, Jesusless and therefore lacking the true power of God to change lives and hearts while making Jesus the spotlight of life.

back to our week. the church we are supporting has 4 services every week including sunday, monday, wednesday and friday. while our group has had a major role in these services, we have also spent time with families in arroyo who are in real need of prayer. what this has consisted of has been primarily families our persons that are physically sick. we believe in the power of the Holy Spirit but during my church life in america i have not dealt with laying hands on sick people and praying for healing. this is important for the family we are staying with as they have witnessed many miracles through the power of the Holy Spirit. we have prayed for people with bodily pains, blind individuals, a woman with some ovary issues and a man that i believe is demon possessed. we have been in intense prayer in this manner for rather long stretches of time and even walked around 4 miles one way to a village to pray for some people. the spiritual heaviness has been hard at times and it makes more difficult to handle when we have little down time to process, grow as a team and rest. we are learning that we have to fight for time as a team to continue the grow as a team. this current pace will be hard for some of us to maintain and we understand that. anyways, i should probably cut this one off and maybe i will start another one for the sake of brevity.

continuance

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

so that has pretty much been our week. working with kids a little and praying tons while wandering the streets of arroyo. this week has been a tough one for our team as we are still learning the different styles of ministry, continuing to grow as a team as we break down barriers. i gave a short message on the ride from arroyo today talking about ephesians 4. you prayer warriors out there can pray that we model our own body of Christ after this chapter. i think we all feel better about our team after finishing the week strong. we will head back out there for 1 more week tomorrow. after that we will head to puerto barrio, guatamala where we will be working with an american contact for a month.

one thing that i have learned is that no matter where you live or how rich or poor you are, Gods promise to provide all we need has been evident during my stay in the village. i have gotten used to sharing the land in arroyo with wandering pigs, turkeys, roosters and chickens, ducks, cats, dogs...ect. i have gotten used to roosters crowing and dogs barking all through the night. i have gotten used to sleeping in a tent on a hard concrete pad. i have gotten used to washing my clothes by hand in a sink or a river and taking bucket showers with cold water. in all this i know that Gods provision is enough. i know that americans have been blessed but have way more than is necessary but that at the same time are wasteful of the excess that have been given. i love the archaic way of life down here, it is simple and cheap which is right up my alley. God is working on me and i am excited about how much more i will resemble Jesus next summer when i get back to the states. anyways my time on the computer is coming to and end and i have no idea when i will get back on a computer. i will tell you a few notable firsts.

1. first time in mexico

2. first time to speak through a translator

3. played drums with a worship band

i guess that is all for now!

hola from palenque

Tue, 1 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

i am sure that all of my blog subscribers have been awaiting to hear my initial report from the first leg of my amazing journey. we arrived safely here monday after taking a flight from dallas to miami to mexico city to cancun. i have flown more times in the last few days that i have all previous times combined in my life and am becoming quite the expert at air travel. from cancun we hoped on a bus at 9 pm on sunday and drove through the night until we reached our destination at about 3 pm yesterday. all that travel was followed by the greatest shower in recorded history (i pretty much had to peel my clothes off my body). so anyways we are here. i am typing this blog from an internet cafe in downtown palenque after eating authentic chicken mole at a restaurant here. i hope you guys are not expecting anything deep and theological!

i have gathered a few facts while i have been here. the city is about 80,000 strong in population but these are not mostly hispanics. the state of chiapas (googlemap that bad boy) is still comprised primarily indigenous indians. in palenque alone there are at least 5 different dialects that are spoken and in many cases this does not include spanish. this city is surrounded by mountains and not far from here are ancient mayan ruins which we will visit in a few days (pics will follow) i am spending the day with my team as we are beginning the process of getting to know one another and figure out as a team how we can be most impactful in advancing the gospel of Jesus Christ. i am the only male on this team but have 4 amazing women that i will get to share this journey with. pray that i can find my niche within this team. i honestly have no idea in what ways i will be affected by not having a male companion, but i dont want to supress my true self and shrink into the background. i want to be the man that God created me to be and i know that He had his purposes in placing me on this team.

you guys also need to get on skype which you can download on the internet at skype.com this is amazing service and it costs nothing. this will be the main way of contacting me (however seldom) while i am traveling the globe. anyways here some things you guys can prayer for:

1. team bonding, camraderie

2. identity in Christ and his role for me

3. the rest of my funds come in

4. hearts receptive to the working of the Holy Spirit

I know that God has big things in store for me personally and us as a team. anyways, sorry i dont have much to share, but we are only a few days in. more to come!

thanks and farewell

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

today is start of the biggest event of my life (to this point). in a few short hours i will hop on a plane in dallas, fly to miami and by tomorrow night i will be in mexico. there is nothing that i have accomplished in life that will have more of a lasting impact on me personally and spiritually than this adventure that i am about to embark on. i could go on and on about all the nostalgic thoughts and ranging emotions that have been dominating my head for a few days now but as hard as it has been to organize my thoughts i dont dare to attempt that. anyways, i want to thank all of you who have supported me fiancially and in prayer. i feel like i just won an oscar and now is the time that i have to thank all the folks who have helped me along the way. there are the men that i consider mentors: lee epstein (youth pastor in texas, head pastor in arkansas and now mission pastor) who has beat into my head over and over again the truth of letting your light shine before men as well as nurturing and fostering this passion i have for mission work and making Jesus famous. there is len lenon who has taught and showed me what selfless but passionate service for Jesus truly looks like. there are my parents who might think i am a little bit crazy for endeavoring to do this but nonetheless understand my calling and the necessity of being obedient to Christ. there is a great friend called flick who gave me a chance to discover my passion for missions as well as being the one who put me in contact with A.I.M. about 5 years ago. God had a plan for me and the seeds were planted that summer. there is my grandmother, who was the spiritual head of our family and demanded my brother and I spend the weekends with her so that we would get exposed to the Truth and aided in my feet getting planted on the narrow path. chris hill was and is a great advisor and has been a good friend for almost 20 years now. i thank ben messner for his passion and intensity who led my first aim trip 5 years ago in chicago (that trip also changed the lives of several of our students). i could go on and on but i will cut it off now.

there is still work to be done. counting my pledgers, i am closing in on $10,000 in my account. i feel somewhat happy about that but there is still another $4,000 or so to raise. i would like to go above and beyond that so that i can start to get reimbursed for personal expenses in preparing for this trip. I hope for many of you right now that God is tugging on your heart strings and placing me in your thoughts and prayers. by supporting me you will be ensuring that the truth of Jesus is being taken to places where his name has never been heard before. by aiding missionaries, you are helping touch eternity and reaching out to lost souls. there is nothing more important you can do with your finances and prayers.

today is truly the first day of the rest of my life. thanks and farewell to all the friends and family who are supporting me in this most important time of my life