Go to the Dominican Republic with Me

For the past two years, I have had the privilege of being involved in SCORE International's Baseball Outreach in the Dominican Republic.  It is an awesome time of missions, ministry, and encouragement. I would recommend any man, whether you like baseball or not, to consider going.  I am trying to get another team to go in the fall.  If you would like to go, let me know.  Watch this video to see what SCORE is doing in the DR.

"Let's embrace the ends of the earth 'till the end of the age"

I didn't make it to Phoenix last week for the SBC Pastor's Conference or Convention.  However, I watched much of it online.  I am excited about the opportunities facing us as Southern Baptists and especially the focus on much of the convention about engaging unreached people groups.  Here is an excellent message from Ken Whitten that I hope inspires you and I to do more.


ASPIRE Msg: Ken Whitten from Hope Baptist Church, Las Vegas on Vimeo.

On a mission from God...

This Saturday my wife Alison and one of our college students, Morgan Jones, leave with a team from our former church for a mission trip to Swaziland, Africa.  They will be working with Children's Hope Chest and Adventures in Mission to minister to orphans in this nation.  AIDS has had a terrible effect in the nation of Swaziland wiping out almost an entire generation of young adults.  The missionaries they will be working with have set up "care points" which is usually a big tree in the bush where children come from several miles away to receive food, love, and very small medical care.  It is a dire place but team like this are holding out the hope of the gospel and the love of Christ to these orphans.  Here are some things you can pray for:

1. Obviously, they covet your prayers for travel mercy and grace.  It will be a long flight.  It will also encompass a long drive over paths that really can't be called roads.  
2. Most of you know that my wife is pregnant.  This pregnancy has been more difficult on her physically than our others.  She has been sick most of the time.  It has gotten better, but she still has difficult days.  Pray for God's strength to undergird her and allow her to do more than she physically think she can.  
3. Pray for emotional stability.  This is the toughest part of most any mission trip - especially one involving caring for orphans with such dire circumstances.  When my wife went to Russia, the emotional toll on her for the next few weeks was tremendous.  In addition, most of the team going with her are young ladies under 21 years of age.  This will no doubt be a shock to their system.  Pray for the emotional stability of the adults on the team as they do their work and also support these young ladies.
4. Pray for the gospel to have an obedience effect in the nation of Swaziland.  This is a heavily evangelized country.  However, their "faith" in God has not been followed up by the kind of discipleship necessary to overcome they cultural obstacles.  Subsequently, while many profess to believe in Jesus, they haven't been taught how following Jesus means glorifying God in your sexual life.  The AIDS pandemic in Africa is a spiritual problem.  Pray for these mission teams, missionaries, and the natives that the gospel will take root deeply in these children.
5. Pray for the "go-go's.  This is not the all-ladies group from the 80's.  These are the grandmothers and elderly ladies that are the fabric of this society.  

I will try to give you an update on the trip if I get any or post some things when my wife gets back.