Giving your all, using your gift

Most Christians you meet will often be quick to agree that God gives us gifts, talents and ability to further his Kingdom. Jesus emphasized on numerous occasions in the Gospels how “it’s to the Father’s Glory that you bear much fruit -fruit will last” (John 15) and described in a vivid and quite frankly fearful parable what will happen to us who “bury our talent” (Matt 25:25). Being in a foreign country among an impoverished people group you continually see basic human needs that remain unmet because there simply aren’t those with the money or ability to alleviate whatever suffering is present. While the causes of poverty usually involve multiple factors and the methods of ameliorating it are even more complex, being able to help with physical needs in whatever way possible goes far…and it points people to the hope that is Jesus.

Well, this last week I was privileged to see firsthand two men taking a portion of their vacation time, spending their own money and coming to the Suriname interior to use their gift to further our Lord’s Kingdom. Stephen Malone and Gary Poppe, dentists from Tennessee and Kansas, respectively, visited six villages in five days, instructed and assisted in pulling the teeth of numerous Aukaaners free of charge. For those of you who are not familiar with the Maroons of the interior, this might sound like a drastic or perhaps even extreme procedure. Pulling teeth? What about a good cleaning, a few fillings or even a root canal? I’ll be honest, what immediately came to mind as analogous to our present scenario would be a doctor coming to amputate the limbs of patients to prevent death from gangrene. In all actuality, the moderately morbid comparison is not too far-fetched. Of course, there’s a lot more functionality with a mouth devoid of a tooth or two than your body devoid of a right arm.

When one looks at the dental health of Aukaaners, they are without fluoridated water, regular dental check-ups, and critical oral hygiene habits. For most, their teeth are so decayed as to cause intense pain that cannot be alleviated until the bad tooth is extracted. For these people, the only solution they know of and hope to receive in order to find relief is for someone to pull the bad tooth/teeth.

What was awesome about Gary and Stephen coming here was that they didn’t pull most the teeth. They were here primarily for training two Aukaan Christian guys: Baa’ Henne and Baa’ Kenneth to do the procedure. Hene and Kenneth did an excellent job and have definitely earned the trust of their own people. Gary and Stephen used their gift, one that most of us (including Charles, Taylor and I) don’t possess, and as the circumstances demonstrated, was much needed and by the Aukaaners of Suriname. The one-week trip these men took had a huge impact that will resonate much longer than a few days in July.

Meeting the physical needs of people usually precedes their desire for Spiritual ones. When talking with people here, they often associate our ministry with the “teeth doctors” who came in such-and-such a year. I know people’s receptivity to the Gospel will increase as they see Love being the motivation behind the dental work. Praise God for men like Gary and Stephen who have vastly furthered the ministry in the interior by using their gift of dentistry to bear fruit –fruit that will last.

A surprise confrontation from the skeptic

People have often asked me if meeting and/or interacting with another American or even another white person for that matter is perceived as a positive occurrence. One would think, in light of the fact that I live alone in a village in which there have been stretches as long a month-and-a-half with no interaction with someone besides the resident Aukaaners that I would jump at the sight for a chance of conversing in my native tongue. The reality, I have learned, is quite the contrary. There is typically, what I guess you could so eloquently categorize as three “white people” groups you meet in the interior of Suriname. The more common two: Peace Corps volunteers and European Tourists from France or Holland are generally somewhat risky because one doesn’t know there perception of missionaries- which is unfortunately often negative and with Europeans, the whole language guessing game: not knowing exactly where they’re from, both of us not sure if we might be proficient in the other’s language and to what degree they understand and speak English (which is more often than not, pretty well). With Peace Corps, it’s a real grab-bag. You might find a guy like a friend we have who is a born-again, evangelistic and down-to-Earth or you might get a liberal, pluralistic, feminist who sees you as someone destroying the beautiful and harmonious indigenous culture. The third group, one to which a degree of suspicion reaches its pinnacle and an encounter, as I just found out yesterday can be downright confrontational: an anthropologist.

When Joe white man shows up in your village while you’re having a conversation with the native inhabitants you’re naturally caught a bit off-guard; not being sure what to expect from this unavoidable, impending interaction. But you know you’re in for a lively debate when, after formal greetings and the divulging of your purpose being here your newfound antagonist makes this statement: “You’re a missionary…well I guess you and I are working against each other.” That’s right, that’s what the guy said. And this gentleman, presently working on his PhD brazenly began to question me in a flagrant display of academic pretentiousness my purpose for being here and my beliefs. This dialogue eventually covered more topics on ethics, theology, history and various sub-categories that I knew little or nothing about than I have ever participate in. I wish I could have recorded the entire “session”.

“Stan” as we shall call him posed questions such as follows: What is faith?, Who is God?, Why does this supposed loving God sent people to a place of torture and punishment? Is there is such a thing as sin? How can you profess there to be only one truth? Why is there suffering? Is God just?

Now keep in mind, Stan wasn’t asking these questions without premeditated knowledge both on the subject and support to refute a “Christian” answer. He had an incredible amount of head knowledge you’re apt to find within the intellectual circle. I realized early on, I would need a pen and a few spare ink cartridges to check-off the reading list this guy had compiled. He made it clear early on how he saw my work as culturally-destructive, ungrounded in truth, and pernicious. I remembered what Jesus said to his disciples about not worrying beforehand what to say because The Father will give you wisdom which your adversaries will not be able to refute contradict.

When quoting the Bible at one instance early on, Stan interjected stating: “Don’t use the Bible to defend your Christian position! Will a thief’s own testimony be valid in his own defense or are witnesses necessary?” Now I have, especially in the last two years really developed a passion for apologetics. I love to read books defending the faith and I also am interested in what authors and individuals who oppose Christianity have to say. As the dialogue continued, I began to appreciate this opportunity. Stan had an agenda and he was undoubtedly trying intimidation as a means to his perceived victory.

As Christians, it’s vastly important we know how defend our faith. Books such as the Case for Christ and the Case for Faith and Mere Christianity can go far to help you in this realm (They did for me). Now Stan invariably questioned every widely accepted set of truths out there. His field studies cultures and he seemed to have an obscure cultural example to contradict every “universal” out there. I brought to attention that there are generally accepted truths that span all cultures in regard to morality: murder, adultery, respect for the elderly, theft are a few examples.

Evidently, what Stan was trying to do was shock and stump me with the unusual and exceptional. I prayed many times for the Lord to give me wisdom to answer this belligerent skeptic After having a discussion that usually involved him doing most the talking I was able to bring a couple key points up that he cleverly side-stepped but could never answer me head-on. The biggest one, involving the spiritual presence in the village, namely the existence of demons he simply said doesn’t apply to his work. He knew acknowledging the spiritual realm opened up a big can of worms. He dismissed the Aukaaner’s widely held beliefs and plainly stated that he has a hard time accepting anything as fully and completely true. He questioned the existence of what is sin but yet freely labeled what he believed to be evil or wicked. How can you categorize evil when you haven’t established anything as being right or wrong? Clearly, there were too many holes created with his conviction-less belief system.

So, how does a man like this live and find his meaning? Well, when your stance is positioned as is Stan’s, you question everything, accept anything and oppose nothing. Your beliefs are as follows:

-You live by a set of ethics and morality which you can select, adopt or discard at your pleasure

-You’re principles and evidence necessitate acceptance of a “higher power” or “spiritual force” but he has no role in your life whether to judge, love, or guide. You are in no accountable to him.

-You can’t stand people who belief something with their whole heart and accept many of their core beliefs on faith but you eventually realize you can’t oppose them, it would contradict the very core of your life philosophy.

We ended our two-hour long discussion with him being much more subdued, amiable and reflective mood. His closing remarks being that it’s a good thing that I’m doing what I believe in and being sincere in it all. It’s the extent of what he could say, there’s no room for condemnation when truth is non-existent in your belief system. And although, from my standpoint, I don’t believe “being sincere” constitutes anything as right or true… (who can you find out there more sincere and zealous than an Islamic suicide bomber).

Then again, that’s why I’m a missionary and the Jesus I serve doesn’t accept any god, moral code, or philosophical state outside of him because He is Truth.

His Greatest creation

My family’s, and incidentally my new home in CA is a town called Alta Sierra in Nevada County, a place notable for prominent environmentalism and generally liberal-minded people. There are no shortage of individuals who promote legalizing Marijuana, refuse to purchase groceries in plastic or paper bags and who are apt to hold a protest now and then. Many of these voice their often radical and unconventional views on government, the environment and social structure with bumper stickers. The most ubiquitous I’ve seen is tolerance-geared COEXIST in which each letter is a representation of a respective religious group.

In our family, viewing a coexist or a like-minded bumper sticker initiates a sort-of political and religious apologetic discussion about the contradictions and ridiculousness of such notions. About a week ago, after shopping with my mom two related bumper-stickers on a particular car really fired me up and got the wheels in my head turning. The statements were as follows: “Make Love…Not more!” and “Stop Overpopulation”. Upon my viewing I began my own series of arguments and rebuttals against those statements. I was able to ultimately break-down the source and overarching thought of what was written but first, a few thoughts.

First-off one of the primary reasons and logical intentions of Sex was for procreation. For this misguided environmentalist bent on everything being “natural”, I can’t think of anything more unnatural than the many methods of birth-control necessary to stop a clearly natural occurrence. Even an atheist understands this as being important for existence. Look at the state of Europe now with birth-rates so low that there are not enough children born to replace those who naturally die. In countries such as France, the government is giving handsome incentives for larger families. Secondly, the World is not in danger of overpopulation. How much open space do you see when you travel…a lot. I believe in what God said to Adam to increase in number and to subdue the Earth. And if the population grew unabated, I believe the Lord would do what was necessary for his creation to live.

I believe in what God commanded Adam, the first human to do … ”to fill the Earth and to subdue it.” Does that mean excessive waste, materialism, and environmental negligence?....Of course not. I believe we should care for the Earth, things such as alternative energy and recycling are great, and necessary. I think it’s terrible what happened in the Gulf with oil spill. Adam’s sole job, given by God was to tend to the Earth God had made.

I believe these points to be valid and good arguments but what I saw at the root of all this was that the statement claimed children are not a blessing, not welcome and do more harm than good. I believe if that’s your perspective, you don’t understand God’s will in his purpose for the creation of the Family. Moreover, it is quite frankly a very selfish way to live. By reading the other bumper stickers and understanding an environmentalist’s thought, they see humans as the enemies and destroyers. They exalt creation and falsely ascribe to it as possessing the same inherent value as Man. They are practicing a contemporary form of pantheism and ultimately by exalting the creation over the creator they are idolaters in every sense of the meaning.

And what they miss more than anything else is that crowning creation and pinnacle of his work was mankind. He created them with a soul and to do what no other form in creation did or could ever do: to Love and to be in communion with God. We are “worth more than many sparrows” as Jesus said in the beatitudes. The Greatest commandment was first: to Love God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength and the second was like it; to love your neighbor as yourself. You are worth more than any tree in the forest or bird in the air or fish in the sea.

I hope you take time to reflect and conceive the magnitude and beauty of God’s greatest creation: You and I.

A longing fulfilled

After nearly 17 months in the country of Suriname and a notably nerve-racking month leading up to my departure in which it was uncertain if I would be coming home as late as 48 hours prior to departure I am in my parent's home in Alta Sierra CA relishing the strikingly cool spring temps and thoroughly enjoying all the comodities of the United States of America. But most importantly, being with my family and in community with friends I haven't seen in such a long time will be true joy.

Hope deferred

So this last month or so has been one of most trying and difficult for me in regard to the suspense created from my incompleted stay paper situation. At the moment, with three weeks to the day which I am supposed to be leaving for a short vacation to the states, the invaluable necessary piece to get back into Suriname(whatever it is exactly: a stamp, a slip, a signature) is absent. Since discovering in March of last year after Me and Taylor's first extended stay that when we arrived in Suriname on January 6th we were given (unknown to us and apparently the IMB personnel who worked on our visa situation)a two month stay and were expected to go back to the states and then return. The country of Suriname had inacted a new Law sometime in the fall before we came.

Well, going back to the states was the last option we hoped to have to take. So with a few key connections in the city we were able to contact a man who would help us in so that we would not have to go the U.S. We began working on fixing the papers to go to the country of Guyana to spend a short time with another IMB couple that same month. As you can guess, with only a matter of days before we were suppposed to go, that planned trip had to be cancelled.

With an approaching regional prayer retreat planned in June we spent a good three weeks working with our Suriname connection "Kirk". We turned in every required document, had every Passport, birth certificate etc and were searching for what seemed the most simple of documents: some official receipt showing our paperwork was submitted and would allow us entry back into the country. Well, working with Kirk as we discovered was far from simple. As the day to leave neared we couldn't get a hold of him to save our lives and did not know until a day before we left if we would actually be leaving. Well..we went and came back without encountering any problems -no thanks to Kirk.

In October one of my best friends Chris asked me if I would be in his wedding party. I was honored by the proposal and after prayer decided in December I would be heading back to CA in May. I bought a $1,200 ticket from Paramaribo to San Francisco (a ticket to SAC was almost twice as much!) in early January. My supervisor brought to my attention the need to get my incomplete stay paper situation squared away. No need to worry right? I've got over five months. To make a long story short, two weeks ago I was back at square one...and working things out with Kirk again.

Nearly a year later and I'm still seeking the evasive piece that will allow me back into Suriname legally. This past week had be calling Kirk nearly everyday and him postponing and deferring my requests for every reason possible. Needless to say, I've had to fight the threat of constant anxiety, suspense, discouragment and despair.

Despite what seems to be a pretty bleak scenario, I have not lost heart or given up. I feel the Lord wants me to go and I know if it is his will I will be leaving on May 21. Philippians 4 has been the comfort God has given me: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which passes all undestanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." I've taken solace in these words and put everything in the Lord's hands with complete peace...oh yeah and I am hoping and praying it works out! If you happen to read this blog before I post a verdict as soon as I know then pray with me for this situation.

In Proverbs it says: "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life."

Hoping to get a little from that tree.

Funny questions for which you have no answer

Well I got quite a few positive response from my blog "How you Know you live 4 degrees north of the equator" and i see the typcial viewer of this blog enjoys the peculiarities and cultural nuances -or you just like to hear how the weather is. lol

So I thought I'd post a blog along similiar lines pertaining to funny questions you don't have an answer to.

Okay Mr. American; learned gentleman, young, cosmopolitan and adaptable, ready for anything. So you think you've got everything settled now with your flexible and open world view. You've been living in a foreign culture nearly a year-and-a-half. By now, nothing thrown at you should stump you. However, there are certain recurring questions posed by your people group that you have been asked a thousand times and yet they always leave you..well without an adequate answer. I listed ten I could think. interesting enough, they all fit into the food or family category.

1.)"In America people don't eat the head of the fish??!!" I can't believe that. It is the best part!

2.)You're parents only had three kids? only three? Why?

3.) "So people in the U.S. don't eat the bones of the chicken? It wouldn't be good manners for me to do that?"

4.) "You're how old and you don't have a wife yet?"

5.)"You don't eat rice at every meal?!" "I can't imagine that. I couldn't do it."

6.)"They have laws that would prohibit you from killing certain animals for food?"

7.)"Why would it be illegal to have more than one wife?" You would go to jail for doing that?!"

8.)The breast part of the chicken is my least favorite part, I have to have bones in mine. The best part is the neck.

9.)Why wouldn't you take a woman here in the village? (Somehow all my thoughtful and reasonable answers never seem to suffice to satisfy them)

10.) "People don't eat chicken's feet in America?" If someone cooks up a chicken, that is the first part I'll take!!"

What's your advice?

So here’s the scenario: She’s 23, has two young boys ages 3 and 2, she became a Christian about a year ago, she lives in a house in the village and attends Church regularly and has a desire to grow in her faith and knowledge of the Word. In addition, she has a husband whom she began to “live with” (marriage as we understand it as a legal union and an intended lifetime commitment doesn’t exist in traditional Aukaan culture) four years ago. This man “has” three other women (wives in a very loose sense) who live in different villages along the river. Our woman of focus understands fully that her man is openly promiscuous and a blatant adulterer. He will shamelessly call out at other women in his wife’s presence without hesitation in public. The traditional Aukaan culture fully accepts his lifestyle. She doesn’t see him for extended periods of time and doesn’t know when he’ll come to see her. Whenever it pleases him, he will call her to come see him where he works and stay for perhaps a week or so and then she will return to stay alone in the village. She herself does not sleep with other women because she desires to live the Christian life. She understands the sad reality of her situation but she fears the possibility of contracting an STD or even AIDS.

Scenario number #2: She’s 38, has been a Christian for over 15 years now and has five children. She began to “live” with her “husband” before she was saved. She is active in Church and prays diligently and seeks to follow the Lord closely. She discovered just a few years ago that her husband had taken another woman in the village where they currently reside and has five additional children with her. The relationship between the two women is contentious on nearly a daily basis. Our woman of focus is always suspecting that her husband is heading to a different part of the village to sleep with this “other” woman or give her money. There are often encounters in the village in which the “other” woman will curse her or threaten to fight. There are frequent heated arguments with her husband who is a man open to the Gospel who has even begun to come to Church. Even for him, the family situation is not black-and-white. He does have a responsibility to provide for all of those 10 kids and two wives but there is unceasing strife, unrest, discontentment and jealousy. Our believing wife often asks me to pray for God to give her patience as she has endured much. Furthermore, all five of her kids witness all that goes on and the impact it has on them undoubtedly unhealthy.

Not just hearing, but seeing firsthand stories like this has troubled me many a day in Godoloho. I have even on occasion been shoved into a “mediator” and counselor role. So I’ll prompt you to answer: what’s your advice?

Well….devoid of any advanced degree in marriage or family canceling and at the moment no personal marital experience from which to draw wisdom I went to the only place I knew: God’s Word.

I Peter 3:1-2

“Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.”






I cannot imagine how trying it must be to be where these women, and many others like them, but I hope when you get a chance, pray for them and pray that the lives they live will display Jesus so that their husbands will come to know the savior – the only way for any true life change to come about.