Jamaica

Sitting Outside on a Sunny Sunday…

The sun is shining and the air is hot. How can I not sit outside and enjoy the sunshine? For those who don’t know, I am currently aboard the MSC Lirica cruise ship on an 11 day trip to Panama and back. Since I have left the snow in Canada last week, I have traveled 1131.5 nautical miles from departure in Fort Lauderdale with 136 to go until we reach Columbia tomorrow morning. In between there we stopped in Jamaica (Beautiful Country) Today we are sailing through 7-12 foot waves across the Caribbean Sea on way to Columbia. I don’t know how to put into words how awesome it is to look over the side of the ship out across the vast expanse of open sea, to see the waves crash against the side of the ship, and to watch the flying fish “jump/fly” out of the water.

Well now that I find my life here aboard a very large ship sailing south what a great opportunity to not forget about home and everything that is temporarily happening there, but to be able to reflect on the truth, who I really am, and the great things that God is doing in my life. I am enjoying both my time here with my family and experiencing God’s amazing creation.

...the greatest of these is Love.

"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Wow, So Valentines Day… Certainly did not turn out the way I would have wanted it to but definitely the way God wanted me to experience it. Just like this last Christmas, although I knew the “Sunday school” version, this year I gained the “experiential” version.
I am truly blessed and encouraged to see God at work in the lives of all those around me. That is what God is all about, changing the lives of those who turn to Him. Who knew that my night would turn out the way that it did? God knew. I had a great time with someone that I can truly call a friend, listening to their love for God and the work that He is doing in their life. I am inspired by their testimony and my life is enriched because of it. God intended us to live in community; by loving each other and sharing we can strengthen one another as we all grow in our own lives.
Though my heart aches for what I have lost, my heart also rejoices for what I have gained.
No, Love is not something that should be left to a single day, a day that we make a point of being loving, this should be who we are as we live each day of our lives loving both God and others. So I think that Valentines Day, rather than being an isolated day out of the year that we make a point to express our love to those around us, can be a day like New Years. A day where we can be reminded to evaluate our lives in the past year and to make a resolution to the coming year; that we will express God’s love to all of those around us as we continue to express our love to God himself.

Back in the Game!

Riding yesterday at Mount St. Louis.

The big ones are the best! You had to pin it from the top of the hill to even clear the gap.

Loosing the ones you care about the most.

Have you ever lost your “Best Friend” or someone you love? How do you cope with that? When a sudden tragedy tears you apart and you are left in the end feeling alone and empty. The pain and hurting is more than “real” all you can do is wish that you had that person to be with you through the tough time. How can you stop loving when you loved with your whole heart? How do you wake up from a nightmare only to find out the truth, that it was real?
I’m not sure I have an answer, if there even is one. I suppose reality is something that is undeniable regardless of ones awareness of that reality.
I do however know what the answer is not, which really is a multitude of things to turn to in hope to extinguish the pain and confusion. This is why I turn to what really matters and to the truth. I choose to never give up, life is bigger and I have a purpose. I will never stop loving and a nightmare will never stop me from dreaming.

Don’t ever take for granted what you have today, because you never know what you’ll wake up to tomorrow to find that you have lost.

Meet Tuza

Sawubona, this is my friend Tuza. I met Tuza eight years ago when I lived in South Africa for 6 months during my DTS (Discipleship Training School) with YWAM (Youth With A Mission). Tuza and I became great friends during my time on outreach living in the Khayelitsha Township outside of Cape Town. He is truly my African brother, he taught me how to live like an African; everything from teaching me to speak Zulu and Xhosa, learning tribal dances, to eating the gastrointestinal tract of a goat. He even gave me my African name... "Sibusiso" "Inkukhu ehlala phansi kwamanzi" all right so the second part I made up and Tuza translated it, if you ask me I'll tell you what it means.
So why am I writing this? Well this morning I spoke with Tuza on the phone; he called me just before I left for work. I was so happy to hear from him, as I always am. I love listening to his accent, it reminds me of living in Africa and the people there. I miss Tuza, he is someone who I have never forgotten and many times I dream of the day when him and I can once again hang out under the African sky.
Currently Tuza is involved in starting up a ministry in the Nyanga Township also outside of Cape Town near Khayelitsha. The minstry is involved in different ways to help the people of Nyanga, from providing aid to those with HIV/Aids, to setting up programs to get the youth involved in with the effort to diminish the increasing violence and crime within the township. Our conversation was only brief but I am encouraged and look forward to hearing more from Tuza about the work that he is doing to help others in South Africa.
Tuza is one of the many African friends I made who all have a big part in shaping who I am and how I choose to live my life to this day. Also, just simply, my experience of living in South Africa within the impoverished townships surrounded by people who have far less than I do, is a constant reminder to not become selfish here in Canada with the overabundance that we have. I suppose this was an experience that God has used to put a passion in my heart, and this is why I choose to change things in my own life. I try to do what I can to stand up for my African brothers and sisters, even to deny myself Christmas presents and instead support MCC as they provide aid for those in need. I am far from perfect, and it is very hard to live an unselfish life, but I am truly thankful for the country that I live in and the countless opportunities that we have. God has blessed me with a great job, a great family, and great friends. As I strive to live up to my “African name”, I hope and pray that my life may be a blessing to all of those around.

Hamba kahle!
-[ Go well ]-

Nkosi, sikelel' iAfrika
-[Lord, bless Africa]-