Part of the reason why…

This is an email I recently received from Victor,  a friend of mine serving the myriad of folks in southern Russia and Georgia who have been displaced by the unrest in the region. Victor is one of the pastors and leaders in Central Asia that we (BRCC) serve each year by coaching and assisting in leadership development. His situation is also a part of the reason why we are so intent on serving well.  Even though I’ve left it in Victor’s broken English, read on.

But beware – you might feel something…

Hi,

I would like to thank you for your prayer and support in this trip, as well as share exiting news in Tshinval church plant. We had to cover 800 miles, mostly mountain road, including several tonnels, one of them 4 kilometers long!

The South Ossetia is totally dependent on Russia’s resourses, such as food, constraction materials, military.
All borders with Georgia closed. Alot of older people georgian nationalities are have to stay in Tshinval area with almost no funds.
Church we plant in Tshinval welcomes all nations. There is russians, ossetians and georgians.

Our trip purpose was to encourage pastor-missionary Tariel, to do 3 day seminar and just see the work God is doing there.

For a last 9 months church did grow up from 10-12 people to about 20 believers! Work goes slowly but firmly.

Ossetians aknowledgу them self as christians, but they really pagans. They still worship warriers of ancient ages, as theyir helpers in war.

Tariel have alot of patiance with his people… He is trying to explane them the customs of ossetians with christian meaning.

Three days gone very quickly, though sometimes we was keep discussing till 4:30AM!

Tariel risently got news, that his 2 years old granddaughter Anna was diagnosed with cancer of coccyx (bottom part of spine) and need costly treatment in Moscow.

Parents of Anna is unbelievers, but respect faith of Tariel, and was in the church several times.

Luda and I did help little Anna. If you have desire to impact hir life as well as life of Tariel and his son and daughter-in-law, please pray for healing of Anna.  Regarding Tshinval church plant, please pray for following:

1. Leadership development
2. Growth of Tariel as leader
3. Protection from government

I’ll keep you updated!

Victor N. Semukhin

TrueDat, Victor…..

Oops…..my mouth got in my eyes.

I came across a story that I have probably read dozens of times. Yet, today I was thinking about it in the context of leadership – and that perspective allowed it to glow with new light.

Youʼve heard it.

Itʼs just after communion in the upper room with Jesus and his disciples. Following what could only be classified as an indescribably awkward moment (Jesus, amid normal dinner conversation letting the team know that one of them would betray him), they all headed out to the Mount of Olives, and the Garden of Jesusʼ arrest. On the way, Jesus reminded them, (my translation!) “You know, youʼre all going to desert me when this starts to get dicey. But after Iʼm raised from the dead, Iʼll meet you guys in Galilee.” Peter, in his rush to defend himself and paint himself as much more reliable and devoted than the other disciples blurts out, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I never will!” (a statement which Jesus, of course, immediately confronts!)

What struck me most in this episode was how Peterʼs self-absorption caused him to miss Jesus earth-shattering statement: “After I am raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there.” [Mark 14:28]

Wow, Peter really let his mouth get in his eyes…

As a leader, it is almost involuntarily easy for me to have a much different picture of myself than those I lead may see. That, in turn contaminates my opinion of others, and forces me to see them and their actions in (likely) the worst light possible. Nothing good can come from this.

A great read on this subject is The Arbinger Instituteʼs, Leadership and Self-Deception - getting out of the box. Itʼs an international bestseller, and an engaging treatment of the malady that plagues most human beings.

Donʼt let your mouth get in your eyes.

Homer, Solomon….and me

Huge prosperity and success had been the name of the game.

The Israelites, led by Joseph and the other descendants of Jacob had enjoyed living well in Egypt for several generations. They had land, livestock, produce, large families, and the favor of Pharaoh. Joseph eventually dies a rich old man of 110.

Then comes Exodus 1:8.

“Eventually, a new king came to power in Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph or what he had done.”

I wonder if many times we read scripture with a “too-macro” view… Today, we see this as the beginning of Godʼs plan to eventually rescue His people, and produce the Messiah. However, what if you had just been born during the time of Exodus 1:8? After a successful season, but right at the beginning of a time of horrible brutality? Your life wouldʼve been lived entirely within the time period of captivity…and your perspective wouldʼve likely been very different than that of a modern day reader. Much darker. Much less “strategic”…

These days Iʼm wondering if Homer (“The journey is itʼs own reward”), Solomon (“Everything is vanity”), and others are not profoundly accurate. Wisdom, planning and insight are essential…but, maybe, in the context of a much more immediate window of time.

My aim is to live every moment to itʼs fullest, enjoy Godʼs provision, revel in the wonder of His creation, love family and friends deeply, launch and guide my children well, serve the common good of all people, love God intimately, and go to be with Jesus.

Legacy will take care of itself…

Shock Treatments at the Dump

There is a small community just outside Managua, Nicaragua that is home to one of the largest garbage dumps in the country. The dump is important because it is home to several thousand people.

 

La Chureca, as it is called, is a major source of income for the people of the village. Men, women, youth, and children scurry amid the garbage dump like ants devouring a carcass.

Lines of garbage trucks pound the mud roads entering the dump city. Many times, youth and children in an attempt to get the best of the garbage, are aboard before the truck is able to unload.

 

From collecting, cleaning, and recycling/selling to local plants the plastics and metals they find, they can make a small amount of money to support their families.

The food scraps and discarded produce and meat are a major source of food for this community’s population. Several “pulperias” can be found along the road with women cooking, or recooking the meat and other food items scavenged from the pile. Some families are able to sustain themselves…plus a few chickens.

The homes are constructed from whatever is available. Wooden posts, corrugated tin and plastic sheeting are the most common building materials.

Clothes – for the kids – are sparse.  The adults have clothes well beyond their expected lifespan because they don’t outgrow them as the children do. Many children, I assume, outgrow their clothing…and then go without. Sewage is routed through scavenged PVC pipes or open ditches. The streets are an interesting mix of mud, dirt, and layer upon layer of un-recycled trash.

Walking in the neighborhood would definitely not be safe for a “gringo” with an $800 camera were it not for the Pastors of the local church, Ramon and Miriam. They know many in the ‘hood. Six days every week Ramon and Miriam serve their community by feeding the children of La Chureca breakfast and lunch. They hold services in the church on the seventh day. In addition, they have established a daycare for the youngest of the children. Prior to the availability of the childcare, families would bring the littlest ones along on the dump excursions. However, one particular incident catalyzed the start of the daycare…  A mom, wanting to protect her infant from the heat and debris covered it with a cardboard box. One of the sizable trucks delivering their “cash crop”, and unable to see the infant under the box, dispatched the little boy in a decidedly deadly fashion. Ramon and Miriam – with no more resources than they had the week before immediately began offering to care for the youngest children while the parents and older siblings scraped together their livelihood.

 

As we walked, Ramon would introduce me to one after another of his church members:

“This one holds a group in his home.”

“This one was drunk on Rum every day until he met Christ.”

“This family hosts a feeding center in their home for about 25 children.”

“This one is the richest man in the dump. He has 20 pigs.”

  

Remarkably, Ramon’s friends in this community are tightly woven and working hard for the common good of the village. Ramon and Miriam are modern day heros of faith…bright lights in a very dark corner of the world.

On the bumpy, dusty, muddy, and potentially dangerous ride out I reflected on the fact that two families could likely sustain themselves on what most Americans put in their 90 gallon trash bins twice each week.

It provides for a poignant journey to the curb on garbage day at my house…