Paul Gunther Jr.

Black Friday

2011-11-26T11:15:00.000-07:00

Shopping to me is two steps up from death...actually, it's probably two steps down. I hate the crowds, the time it takes, the lines and most importantly...the spending. So each year I boycott Black Friday and spend time with my family. So together, we worked in our "garden" and "farm", hiked South Mountain, saw the movie "Hugo" (12 thumbs up) and then ate leftover turkey and stuffing. There were no "Black Friday" crowds or fights...well actually, I did leave one of my kids behind on the trail. There just is no room for arguing when you (and 3 of your kids) are running down a steep, rocky slope at a dead sprint...my solution...chose the kid that is annoying you the most in that moment and leave them on the side of the trail, till her mom catches up...problem solved. I probably won't win a parent of the year award but at least we were arguing with each other and not shoppers who were stealing out of my cart. Plus, by the time all of us united at the bottom all was forgotten.

This morning I woke up and read the following article about how fistfights broke out at Walmart (that actually probably happens every day at Walmart though), shoppers were escorted out of Best Buy, people were trampled at Target and more...what is this world coming to?

Black Friday shoppers pounce on deals

I think I made the right decision to stay home and hang out with my family.

Thanksgiving?

2011-11-23T13:03:00.002-07:00

Tomorrow I will partake in my favorite meal of the year…Thanksgiving Dinner. The menu for me is VERY important. So important that I struggle with going over to other peoples houses for this dinner (partly because of my deep rooted fear of talking to strangers and the strange anxiety that is brought on by the experience…great qualities for a pastor), I struggle the most because, what if they don’t have the proper menu…and by proper I mean, mine…the correct one. In my opinion, it is almost a sin to buy your Thanksgiving meal at Costco…go to a restaurant…not have gravy…and cranberries are disgusting.

The Thanksgiving meal to me has to be centered on Turkey…not ham. There MUST be mashed potatoes…real ones, not fake and boiled first and then put through a hand ricer…don’t know what a hand ricer is, then you don’t properly understand mashed potatoes! Stuffing is crucial, crucial because it is the go-between for the potatoes and the turkey…it just fit’s perfectly. Green Bean casserole is needed because of the fat sweats. You see, this technically is classified as a veggie dish even though it is doused with cream of chicken and mushroom soup and about 9,000 other calories. But, in between mouthfuls of gravy soaked goodness, I alternate spoonfuls with previously said veggies...which in turn slows down the sweats.

Gravy is the piece-de-resistance. It completes everything…pulls it all in together…finishes the plate. Not gravy from a can, but the type of gravy that my mom taught me to make from the turkey drippings. If I could, I would eat my thanksgiving meal in a dog dish. After placing all my food perfectly around the bowl, I would fill it with gravy and make soup!

While the meal is important to me, I have found that over the past couple of years I’ve stopped to think about my friends from around the world who will not be eating such a meal. I think of Chief Malika in Malawi, who will go through this day as she would any other. She will work in her fields, listen to the discussions in her village, visit many of the widows, carry water on her head from the well and fall asleep after she blows out the candle in her hut. I think of Pastor Felix in the mountains of Haiti who will also spend his day in a very similar fashion. I will also think of my Mom and many others like her who are just thankful to be alive and who are fighting to get healthy.

Yes, this year the meal is very important to me, but I hope to stop and reflect on all of the change that is still needed around the world. I don’t believe in new years resolutions, but I do believe in being thankful for every and all situation and experience and will use this Thanksgiving as a time to reflect on all that I still need to do in this world…and maybe eat my first Thanksgiving meal out of a NEW shinny dog bowl filled with gravy.

Rain

2010-10-05T15:29:00.001-07:00

It rained today. And when I say rain, I really mean it poured.

It was as if the heavens opened up, and brought every last ounce of liquid that it had been storing. As the rain started to beat down harder and harder, everyone stood in doors and windows, watching in awe. Eventually a couple of people just took off running…within seconds they were soaked. But as they ran their screams became infectious and you could tell that everyone else wanted to join in…no one did.

Storms have a way of showing us God’s great power. It’s unfortunate that too often the only way we see His power is through the intensity found in nature. I wonder what it would be like if our lives were lived out with the same beauty that is found in nature. The type of life that just rains down God’s presence because of what He has done for us. It says in Ephesians 2:10 that we are “God’s workmanship”, His art. The preceding verses say that, “Because of His great love for us, God, made us alive with Christ, even when we were dead.”

The only way that I can become God’s workmanship, His beauty, His art, is if I first realize that I was once spiritually dead and now, because of His great love, the rain falls down and I know that I have been washed clean.

Piece of Work

2010-10-04T16:02:00.000-07:00

It says in Ephesians 2:10 that we are “God’s workmanship”. I’ve always thought this passage was cool, because my entire life I’ve been called a piece of work, and because of this verse I can simply say, “Thank You!” The Greek word translated “workmanship” is poiema, which when translated into English is the word poem. It means, “that which is made, a manufactured product.” I’ve always looked at my faith and life as a work in progress, I’m by no means where I want to be, but I’m constantly trying to walk in the right direction. It helps me to think that God looks at my life as a work of art; my job is to paint and bring color to life.

How have you brought color and life to others around you today?

Know that you are a “peace of work”…God is the artist and you are the brush.

Last Thoughts

2010-06-16T22:33:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here in my room at Lake Malawi, watching the World Cup and thinking about the last couple of weeks. The days have flown by and it seems like so much has been packed into the past 2 weeks. Tonight we ate a buffet meal under the stars and then were entertained by a live band, dancing acrobats and then unfortunately hired Guli Wonkulu dancers. Guli Wonkulu is literally translated as "big dance", but when you've been chased by the real things in the village and understand the darkness behind the dance, there is no joy in it. I guess tonight summarizes the week well...amazing times, food, people, country and yet pockets of darkness. It's like this all over the world, I guess for me though, seeing images of darkness right in front of you can be a haunting thing.

I feel like we have made a great impact in the village and I have seen how our people have been forever changed. When you "go into all the world" not only are your eyes are opened but your heart as well. I took a final picture with the chiefs but as I reflect on our time I realize that there is so much work left to do. From half a world away, I will need to be praying for them everyday and equipping those left behind to continue in the work we've started.

I'm wondering what is next. Do we bring back 100? Come back every month with smaller groups? Start a school? Send people to come for a month at a time? To be honest, I have no idea, and I'm totally ok with that because when its time to know, we'll know. The main question I've been asked on this trip is, "what are we doing later today?" my answer is always the same..."beats me" because I've learned that God sometimes has things on the agenda that i didn't know about. I was reading today in James about how our lives are but a mist and that we need to not worry about our lives because God should control our moments. There is a saying here in Malawi, "you azungu's wear all the watches but us Malawians actually have all the time". I have learned that that "our" time isn't actually "ours" but God's and we need to make sure we use it well...for Him. We came here with a certain list of agenda's but will be leaving with so much more accomplished than we ever could have imagined.

See you on your side of the world in a couple of days!

Speak love, Act love, Live Love.
Change the World!

Paul

- Posted from the other side of the world

Water and Age

2010-06-15T22:12:00.000-07:00

I learned two things today, 1) I'm not as young as I used to be and 2) you CAN put in two wells in one day! I'm more excited about the second than the first. We spent the entire day in the village as wells were dug and fixed, a medical team saw 215 patients, our soccer team almost beat the locals (I pulled my hamstring and my groin...hence the me getting old part) and our eyes were opened in more ways than one.

Tonight I'm exhausted. It's nearly 9:30 and I've just now arrived in my room, taken a shower and sat down to reflect on the day. At 7:30 this morning the drilling company called and said that they were ready to dig, so we quickly finished up breakfast and drove out to the village as fast as we could. For the rest of the day the company drilled the new well as the locals and our team checked in on them from time to time. Finally, around 4:30 water began to shoot in the air and everyone yelled, it was a pretty amazing and fulfilling feeling. Now I've been to a lot of third world countries and very rarely do things come together like this. On one side of the village a well is spouting water, ready to have a pump installed, and on the other side a brand new pump sits where for the past 2+ years the broken one has sat dry. Later in the day, each chief took a turn pumping clean water from the new well and smiles were on all of their faces.

And now...my body is done, but my spirit is pretty full. I'm ready to go home and see my wife and kids and recover both mentally and physically. But it is in weeks like this that I know why I have been placed here on this earth. Often the paths that God leads us on are scary or confusing, but when we step into them we see Him do amazing things. Wherever you are, know that God can do more with your life if you let Him.

The last thing I did in the village was give Chief Chimpapha (the main village chief) my Live Love bracelet. I told him that sometimes we Christians talk to much and don't live out Christ's love enough. I told him that I hoped he saw Jesus in our actions and words this week and that for me Christ gives me purpose. I told him that I hoped he found the same because it's an amazing way to live. I then told him that I would be back soon, but to know that we would be praying for all of the people in his village. He smiled, thanked me and then said "Khalani Chikondi" which means "Live Love".

Speak Love, Act Love, Live Love.
Change the World.

Paul

- Posted from the other side of the world

Half way

2010-06-14T20:29:00.000-07:00

The past couple of days have been interesting, full, crazy and good, all mixed together. The Internet has been down here for two and a half days, water is shut off randomly every day or so and the country has been without diesel for the past three days. All these things combined lead to an eventful last couple of days.

This morning we visited the local school by the village we have been working with and were welcomed by 300+ children screaming "Azungu" (white people) over and over again. We then played kickball, parachute, futbol and other activities with them. At the end of the morning we had a massive mob trying to get dum-dum's from us. I knew it would be crazy but this was a little over the top.

I picked up Chief Malika from the village to come see what we were doing. She was going to have me visit with the main chief who is over all 42 villages in the area but he was out working in one of the other villages. Tomorrow we will stop by again and I'll give him a Grove Export 10 shirt and spend time with him. We will have two futbol (soccer) games tomorrow, one in the village against the teenagers and one at the school.

Tomorrow the well company will also supposedly be showing up at the village to drill the well and fixing the broken one on the other side of the community. I was told that when they show up to dig the well the entire community gathers to watch and then 3 to 4 hours later water is shooting into the air like an oil drill. I can't wait! Hopefully, the diesel shortage won't prevent them from showing up. Last week, I knew that this was something that we were supposed to do but wasn't completely sure how we would pay for it. I really believed that we needed to take the first step of drilling the well and then trust that all of you would show up and help pay for this. I've been amazed by the emails of commitment and am really stoked to see this completed. Last year, I talked with Malika about this need and now because of almost a hundred of you we will be making this happen. There is still a need for donations, if you are interested please make checks out to Live Love http://www.whatislivelove.com

One of the students last night was bothered, he said, "we are helping this village, but what are we supposed to do about all of the other ones who are still suffering?" I told him after we put this one in, we might just have to put in another one and then another and another and another. I told him I was glad that he was bothered by what he had seen, now it was his job to go home to the States and make sure he didn't forget. When we forget or are oblivious to the world around us, "our world" becomes stale. He then asked if it ever felt hopeless to me. I didn't really understand the question and so he said that it just felt like changing the world was an impossible task. I told him that until the day we die we should do whatever we can to bring change and hope and love to all the world around us. If that means we do it one well at a time then we follow God's lead each step of the way.

Speak Love, Act Love, Live Love.
Change the World.

Paul

- Posted from the other side of the world

Malawi day 4 - Well Water & Guli Won Kulu pt. 2

2010-06-11T09:02:00.000-07:00

Water shouldn't be a privilege, it should be a given. Everyone should have the ability to drink water free of parasites and disease, unfortunately this isn't the case.

For the past couple of years I have been visiting the Chimpapha Village and am hoping to see this relationship continue for years to come. I believe that in order to better another person or community you need to be willing to walk through life with them...over a long period of time. This can be an incredibly difficult thing to do, but the end results, so often, are eternal. As I've gotten to know the people of Chimpapha better, I am frustrated with the amount of death that they have to deal with because of treatable problems. I was told that death is so normal here that it has become a neighbor to them...this shouldn't be.

By starting with the basic needs we can begin to bring long term change, so we are addressing malaria and clean water. Today, we brought 250 nets to distribute to the church members in Chimpapha and will be hanging about 200 more in the huts of those who don't attend the church tomorrow. The village is divided into two sections, one for the Christians and the other for the Guli Won Kulu's. The Guli Won Kulu cult is a very dark religion that is practiced by most of the people in the rural communities. Each net will have an invitation written in Chichewa that says, "Given to you by the Chiuzu CCAP Church", which our high school students are currently making as I write this.

For the past year I've been thinking about the water in the village. I'm angry at myself now that I didn't take care of this problem sooner. It's easy to go back to normal life in America and push the struggles of the world to the back of our minds. I write about this often but I still just get so bothered when we/I complain about "uncomfortable situations" that we live through; if we have water to drink and food to eat then we are blessed. I've been having long conversation with Chief Malika about the struggles that they deal with. Last year she walked me through the village and showed me the pump that is broken and the location where a new one is needed. I've thought about this need all year long and am bothered that they are still drinking water that is full of filth. It's a simple fix...drill a hole...find clean water and then change an entire community. The only barrier is money.

I pulled a bucket of water up from the well as 50+ people from our team stood and watched. When the water finally came to the top there was a unanimous sound of disgust. The water was brownish in color and was filled with swimming bugs, what if this was the only water you had to give to your children? Would you give it to them, knowing that it could kill them? As we talked about this later, our team was bothered...which is a good thing. At dinner two of our team members committed $4,000 to help build the wells, shortly after that another came and said they would give $500. My goal is to raise at least $12,000 by the time I leave Malawi. Here's the thing, change only happens when people risk and step outside of their comfort zone. I believe that more people on our team will step up to cover this cost but I also feel that many of you reading this need to help as well. I can't get online much here but I will be checking my email, paulguntherjr@gmail.com, and waiting to see how much you will be giving. Dr. Jack Chinchen (the founder of The African Bible College) said that you need to expect God to do miracles, I believe that you will help this village see a miracle before I leave.

I'm meeting with a man named Hassan Makdu tomorrow morning. He drills wells and I was given his name from someone here. I am praying that he will commit to drill these wells for us before we leave...I'll figure out how to pay him later!

Finally, on a side note (seem to have one of these every day), I had another face to face interaction with a Guli Won Kulu. As we were driving to one of the chiefs houses I heard a deep guttural scream that sounded like an evil scream from the caricature Chewbacca from Star Wars. I looked to my left and in full witch doctor outfit was a man running toward us. His face was painted white and was was dressed in full Guli Won Kulu tribal gear. He ran right by our vehicle, freezing each one of us, and then began to chase the villagers for money.

It's a dark world we live in...I'm glad that I have been blessed to have found the light.

Speak Love, Act Love, Live Love.
Change the World.

Paul

- Posted from the other side of the world

Malawi Day 3- 200 years old

2010-06-09T22:07:00.000-07:00

At the end of the day today, we stopped by the COTN feeding center and were absolutely blown away by what we saw. 100's of children danced and yelled all around us as we pulled into their compound and about 20 widows all dressed alike were singing in unison as well. Almost every person there had lost most of their family to Aids or Malaria and yet there was still joy. Not happy joy, but life changing Jesus joy that is too often missing in our lives.

We had just wrapped up another full day in the village and here at ABC and thought we were swinging by there for a quick stop. I remembered going to this feeding center 3 years ago and knew we were in for something special but not like this. Screaming and yelling all around us with kids holding our hands (3 or 4 at a time) and literally no room to walk because of the massive amounts of kids. It puts life in perspective when you see something like this. We complain about all kinds of frivolous junk on our side of the world and yet here you find joy in the simplest of things.

On a side note, when we pulled into Chimpapha Village I saw the widow I met last year. I honestly thought she was close to 200 years old last year, but there she was still going strong, pretty amazing!

I'm proud of our team and the change they are bringing! I'm proud because they are bothered by the things they are seeing and are doing something about it.

Speak Love, Act Love, Live Love.
Change the World

Paul

- Posted from the other side of the world

Day 2 - Village, nets, markets and driving

2010-06-08T22:48:00.000-07:00

Today was supposed to be a slower day, a day to acclimate to the culture and the new time zone. Instead we drove all over the city, bought vegetables in the local market, exchanged money, bought 446 mosquito nets, visited Chief Malika in the Chimpampha Village, prepared for our upcoming VBS, played fubol with the ABC team, went to India Town, met with our COTN hosts and a whole bunch more. One day removed from standing in line at the airport to now we're all over the place. It's an amazing world that we live in.

What I've found out already is that when you have a ton of people with you who are passionate about serving, you can get a lot done!

Buying 446 mosquito nets was a pretty amazing thing to be a part of, specifically because of how the money was raised. Several of our students raised money on their own and others contributed to this cause. If you think about the numbers, it makes you want to be a part of something like this.

446 mosquito nets at a cost of $6 each = $2,676.
$2,676 = 462,948 Kwacha (Malawian currency).
Each net means that 4 people will live.
446 nets = 1,784 lives potentially saved from malaria.
As I reflect about this though I'm still bothered. Because honestly it's only 1,700+ lives that are being given hope. That number should be higher and it just makes me want to figure out how we as Americans can do more. We should give more, help more, love more and help bring joy, peace and hope to the world. Tomorrow we're going back to the village to hand out some of the nets, but one of the things I'll be doing is walking all of our team by the well that is broken. Because I think it should be fixed. I don't think it's ok that people die from malaria because of a mosquito bite and go years and years without clean water. I'm hoping that when they see the well `they are bothered and they are driven to do something about it. This is how the world is changed...by going...seeing...and then doing.

Speak Love, Act Love, Live Love.
Change the World.

Paul

*pictures wouldn't upload with this so I'll add them on facebook later today.

- Posted from the other side of the world

Let's Go

2010-06-07T08:38:00.000-07:00

So we've officially traveled to the other side of the globe and are all doing whatever it takes to not fall asleep before 8. We took a 3 hour whirlwind tour of London, 3 hour pitstop in Kenya and arrived 2 1/2 hours later than expected in Lilongwe. One of the buses broke down on the way to picking us up from the airport so we piled bags and boxes on top of cars, vans and trucks and then squished into what little room was left. All but three boxes made it here (out of about 100 I guess that's pretty good odds). On a side note our pilot from Kenya to Malawi wasn't exactly the most skilled pilot I've ever seen. Apparently he approaches flying like bumper pool and finds joy in seeing how high he can make the plane bounce upon landing. I guess we should have seen it coming when he introduced himself over the sound system as "Captain Crunch".

Tomorrow we will be sending a small team to meet with the village chiefs to set up the rest of the week. We'll also be unpacking boxes, buying mosquito nets, exchanging money and purchasing supplies. Several of our students will also be practicing with the ABC "Futbol" team in the afternoon - pretty sure they are going to be ran into the ground!

I love traveling to a place multiple times, because it gives me the opportunity to build long lasting relationships with the locals. You really get to go through life with someone if you see them often and then keep in touch with them throughout the year. Cristoff is someone who I've looked forward to seeing all year. His story is powerful and tragic at the same time but I'll get into that another time. What you need to know about Cristoff is that he never stops smiling and when you look into his eyes you can see wisdom. He has been a driver here at ABC on my last two trips and when I saw him today, his face lit up. He gave me a hug and asked about all of his friends from The Grove. He asked about my family and said that he had missed me, relationships like this are one of the many reasons why I am driven to travel around the world. Richard and Blessings were translators from my last trip and they met us at the airport with hugs and then had dinner with us. They sat with our students and you could instantly see our kids become amazed by their stories. There are many others here that I've missed but I'll save that for later as well.

In the other room several of our students are playing pool with new friends they have met and are anxious about what tomorrow will bring. We are blessed to be able to stay at this unbelievable campus, but tomorrow will bring new images and stories for our team. Pray that their eyes would be opened and their hearts become filled with passion. I told all of our team that they have come across the world to Africa not only to bring change but to become changed.

There is joy here in Africa and I'm excited for our people to get the opportunity to fully experience it.

Speak Love, Act Love, Live Love.
Change the World!

Paul

- Posted from the other side of the world

Off to Malawi

2010-06-03T11:26:00.000-07:00

In two days we're off. This is who we'll be visiting.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Chandler, AZ

Haitian Smiles and Prayer

2010-01-30T22:55:00.000-07:00

My mind is numb. Not the kind of numb that I usually feel from lack of use, but the feeling that comes from overstimulation and being filled with wonder. Today I saw and did many things for the first time:

I helped 11 patients off of two blackhawk helicopters.

I carried a little girl into the bathroom and put her on the toilet because her leg had been amputated.

Held a flashlight for a doctor as he tried to give a really small boy an I.V.

And I realized through all of it that it´s not about me.

And many more images that are flowing through my mind. I have always avoided doctors, hospitals and anything else medical. Last time I visited someone in the hospital I almost passed out. I've been afraid that once we began to see patients on this trip the doctors would have to take care of me after I fainted from some small smell or from seeing any type of injury. I've been praying that God would give me the strength and ability to do more and handle whatever I'm presented with.

One of our doctors asked me to help him with one of our most critical patients. At first i panicked and then realized he just wanted me to hold a flashlight while he put in an IV. As soon as Dr Mac put the IV needle in the boys arm he began to scream and cry for his mom. The Dr moved the needle back and forth under the skin, I said a short prayer, held the light up for him and watched...without falling over. Small prayer answered.

Later in the day, after all the kids were given sponge baths, I gave a boy a pair of crutches. His leg had been amputated at mid-calf and as he hobbled out of bed his leg dressing fell off, leaving a gapping wound of expossed bone and flesh. I thought I was going to pass out. Instead, I said a small prayer and actually felt fine. I stayed there and watched the nurses wash out the wound and bandage it back up.

Prayer works.

Too often we don't allow ourselves the blessing of seeing how prayer can change who we are. By placing yourself in situations outside of your comfort zone God really carries you through.

I read this last night in James: "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves, do what it says...Religion that God accepts as pure and faultless is this; to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being pollted by the world."

Do things that you think you can't, not things you know you can.

Stand Up...Haiti pt. 2

2010-01-30T22:40:00.000-07:00

The unknown

I like to know what the plan is.

In most areas of my life I think I'm pretty free-spirited, however when it comes to traveling I like to know what is on the agenda. I don't even care if plans change or I end up going in a completely different, let's just make some sort of a blueprint first. This morning (Tuesday) I found myself struggling with what to do. I didn't have a solid plan for the day and began to feel pretty frustrated with myself. I'm not a doctor or a nurse so I can't help at the clinic (I told a couple of people to get something for me STAT but they just starred at me). I began to wonder if the only purpose for me on this trip was in bringing the medical people here. Let them do their job and get out of the way, after all I did my part by getting them here, right? But then I began to pray (cause I just learned how to do that yesterday) and I asked God to allow me to be apart of

this day ...silly request but I wanted to do more. So here's what I did...I stood up. That's it. I just got to my feet and started walking. I then asked God to open my eyes and to see what needs to be done.

I got a ride with a couple guys to the local airport and unloaded a jet full of medical equipment.

I then rode to the clinic and one of the doctors instantly asked me if I had a screwdriver. I told them I did and then them work on some anoseiziologostical thingy maggiger.

I then went back into the hallway and a doctor asked me to carry a patient in to get x-rayed (from the machine that just came off the plane). I helped them bring in several other kids who had multiple fractures.

I played balloon soccer with a boy who's entire arm was amputated and yet he never stops smiling.

I loaded up 180 food boxes into a flatbed truck so they can bring food to an orphanage in Haiti that has run out of supplies.

I held a girls hand who's leg and arm are still severely broken.I showed a couple of the kids how to take pictures with my iPhone.

I realized that I did a lot today, none of it was on my agenda, but it was still life-changing. I am honored

to go and stand where God wants me. But I also know now that He wants us to simply stand up and follow Him through our days.

Tomorrow is a new day. We are going to the Haitian border town of Jimani and then possibly into Port-au-Prince. I don't know where we will be sleeping, we will be eating food out of our backpacks, and going blindly into the unknown, and I think God is pleased.

Sometimes I think he just wants us to stand up and do more with our lives.

"Dear children, let us not love with words or tongues but with actions and in truth." 1 John 3:18

Live Love

Lack of Words...Haiti pt. 3

2010-01-30T21:24:00.000-07:00

Not even sure how to describe today (Wednesday), because regardless of what words I use they will not paint an accurate enough picture. I've written, deleted, processed and wrestled with my thoughts. We drove to Port-au-Prince today and saw things that I simply don't know how to describe...but I'll try...

- we first visited an orphanage where all 26 kids were sitting outside, out of fear of returning indoors. Two elderly ladies had severe foot infections from untreated cuts. This is gross but I need you to visualize it so you can understand...the top of their feet had giant wounds that were turning white and green. Flys were infesting it and flying all through the cuts. The thing about it is that I guarantee that there are thousands more like them...what do you do?

- we then headed downtown and began to see more and more destruction. Three story buildings were compacted down to a height of four feet. We couldn't see them but knew that bodies were still inside...how are you supposed to feel?

- we saw a man who was completely naked and was just wandering down the side of the road. I can't imagine what it must feel like to have absolutely nothing...another reminder to never complain about my life.

- we turned left after coming down a hill and instantly we were at ground zero. Imagine if you can concrete buildings that must be atleast a hundred years old. They were side by side and had the feel of the French quarter in New Orleans. Everything was destroyed. Black sewage and water ran down the sidestreets and people wandered aimlessly everywhere picking up any peace of scrap they could find. 4,600 prisoners had escaped right after the earthquake and I'm sure many of them had found their way here. Masses of people were in the rubble digging and as soon as someone found something everyone fought for it. At one point we became stuck because a semi was coming toward us, taking up the entire road. Just outside our door fighting and yelling broke out and we all decided at once that it was time to go. This was a place that was filled with darkness, to be honest, it's the closest thing to Hell that I think I will ever see.

- we silently began our drive back to the border and all processed through what we had witnessed. 5 miles from the border we stopped at the "Love A Child" orphanage where they had set up over 100 tents for patients. As we walked through the tents a decent size aftershock hit and all of us took off running...all of the Haitians laughed at us.

Today we saw complete horrific chaos and yet still saw people laughing and filled with hope. I saw joy everywhere I went except for ground zero. I wondered why the people didn't just walk out and start a new life. I was thinking about it and realized that to many of us do the same, we get stuck in darkness and then choose to stay.

Our day started without a plan and yet was filled with more images than I could ever explain. Palmer said a verse came to him as he was lying in bed the night before. He said his Mom used to tell it to him everyday, it went something like this - "I will guide you as you walk throughout your day". That was how our day went, God truley did guide and lead us...this is how our lives should be everyday.

Live Love

Face to Face...Final Haiti Update

2010-01-30T21:19:00.000-07:00

I've been reflecting today on this past week and again my mind is completely full. I haven't read the newspaper in over a week, the t.v. hasn't been on (I don't even think there is one here), and I've lost complete touch with my normal day-to-day life. Over the past 5 days I've processed through what it really means to be a christ follower. I sit here on the porch each night and write out my thoughts, with my thumb on my iPhone (In a sense it's how I give myself much needed therapy). For years I've been processing through what true Christ like love really is. I've also always had a burning desire to live the type of life that would make God proud. You read in the gospels how many people stopped following Jesus because it was just to hard. I wonder what He would think about us as Christians today.

Would He say that we're filled with joy, with hope, with love?

Would He be proud of us?

Would He want to even hangout with us?

He called His followers out all the time for not having enough faith, and yet we as a North American society think that if we came face to face with Jesus he would say, "your living exactly how I hoped you would! Your giving just the right amount of money to the poor and hurting and you have the perfect amount of love."

I think our view of faith is in danger of being watered down.

I don't think we can do just enough anymore.

I don't think we should give just 10 percent.

I don't think in any way, shape or form should we be comfortable...Jesus never was.

I also want to be clear...I'm not anti-business, anti-government or even anti-church. I think you should work as hard as you can, just do more with the time and money that GOD has given you. I think you should show Christ like love to whoever is in charge of the government...pretty sure the Romans were worse than any president we've had in the past 200 years. I also think that you need to be at church, to serve, to learn and to grow. You'll never find the perfect church and you'll never find your place if your not jumping in with both feet.

I also feel that it's time for us as Christians to start living the way Jesus would want us to.

To fill all of our words and actions with love.

To commit to doing more with our lives for Him.

I don't think Christ is coming tomorrow...but what if He did? Would He be proud? Would He say that your living just the way I'd hoped you would?

I don't normally rant from my soapbox like this, but I guess this is what I was supposed to learn in Haiti.

Today one of the kids was screaming in the operating room. I asked one of the nurses who it was, and she said, it was the little boy who plays balloon soccer all day and lost his right arm. I couldn't figure out why in the world he was in there and then one of the other nurses said that they were trying to get an IV In his arm so that he could be transported to Santo Domingo. I felt as if the wind was knocked out of me. Apparantly his bone was still sticking out his arm and he needed more extensive medical help. I didn't get to say goodbye to him. I didn't play soccer with him today, and worse, I don't even know his name...for four days he has been in my life and I don't know his name.

I sat down with his mom earlier in the day and was able to hear their story...a story that I would never want to live through and yet her boy is filled with joy. I complain when my Starbucks coffee isn't warm enough, when my waiter doesnt bring me my food quickly enough, or when my DVR doesn't record my show. She said that she has two more children in Port-au-Prince who are having to live off the streets; her husband went back on Tuesday to try and find them and she hasn't heard from him since.

Tomorrow I fly back to the states. I'm probably going to stop by Starbucks, I'll read the paper, watch t.v. and go back to my beautiful family. But I will always pray that God continues to stretch and mold me and that I would be willing to be uncomfortable.

I read in a blog today from a young missionary who is living in Port-au-Prince. He said that right after the quake people were running in the streets screaming "hallelujah, hallelujah, praise God!" He said at first he couldn't figure out what they were doing until suddenly he realized, they thought it was the second coming. He then said that it wouldn't have shocked him at all if it really was finally happening. Imagine that intense feeling. Imagine realizing that you are about to stand face to face with God...what would He say?

I have seen joy and love and even hatred here in Haiti, but what I will take from this trip is that I need to love more and do more, regardless of my life situation...

1 John 3:18

Live Love

Live Love Records

2009-11-11T12:22:00.000-07:00

My desire for Live Love has always been to create a non-profit which can not only bring significant healing and change to the world but one that is self funded. I've found that as Live Love has grown people are desperately needed to bring this change, not only from a volunteer perspective but from a staffing angle as well. God has gifted me with a creative entepreneurial mind...which i've learned over time doesn't mean I'm a good businessman, just good at dreaming up fun, new ideas; without a team behind me my ideas fall flat. In order for Live Love to bring the type of change that I think it can, we need a team, a team committed to speaking, acting and living out the true meaning of unconditional love.

The focus of Live Love Records is to (1) develop artists for long-term careers in the music industry and (2) raise money to fund the administrative and monthly costs of Live Love. By doing this all donations given to Live Love can 100% be donated to the given programs, whether it is local, regional or global.

Safe Haven's new album "In the Middle of Destruction" is the first album to be released under Live Love Records and $10 from every album will be donated back to Live Love. The bands album is a mix of Coldplay, U2, Jimmy Eat World and believe it or not Blink 182. I'm proud of this album and the team that brought it to fruition: Brian Whitman (Audio A, All Star United), Zach Lind (Jimmy Eat World), Mike Eldred (Fender), Matt York (AZ AP Photographer) and a ton of others.

Buy the album now at http://www.safehavenrock.com or donate to Live Love at http://www.whatislivelove.com

Speak Love

Act Love

Live Love

Change the World

Look Up

2009-06-13T09:09:00.000-07:00

So often we go through life unaware of everything that is happening around us.
Sometimes by simply looking up and engaging in all of the experiences that are flying past us
we can not only change someones else's life but our own.

Cheap Black Bracelet

2009-02-02T17:13:00.000-07:00

My new book is being released next week. It's my thoughts and stories on life, faith and a homeless man named Carlos. It's also about my journey through this idea of what it means to Live Love, grasp moments and change the world around you.

It will be available first at:

www.amazon.com

www.whatislivelove.com

Thanks.

The Kevin story from a recent talk...

2008-10-13T22:32:00.000-07:00

The story is funny but every time we tell ourselves that "we can't do it",
we are beating ourself up.
"It" can be a number of things, big or small.

"I'm not good enough."
"I'm afraid of failure."
"I'm not smart enough."
"I'm afraid what people will say about me."
"I'm not good looking enough."

"I'm afraid of..."
"I can't...

Each comment and thought that tears you down is a step away from God's calling. We are made in God's image, therefore, we DO have what it takes to do something HUGE. Risk, live, grow, learn and challenge your self to live in such a way that your life matters.

Failure

2008-10-12T22:24:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you have to fail and struggle in order to succeed.

There have been times in my life where I felt as if I was slamming into one wall after another, I just wanted to quit everything and run away. God was calling me to do more with my life but to also be patient through the process of being molded.

Life was hard and painful.

The hardest part through all of this was that I wanted it to be about my timing and not His. Life is about realizing that we're not in control and that we are called to do more with every moment that is given to us.

We will fail. We will struggle. We will run into walls.

If we live in fear of the pain and the failure that comes with life then we'll live our life
stuck in a moment. Through great failures also come great successes.

Run through walls.

Nets, Food & Life

2008-10-10T22:02:00.000-07:00

Last year I visited Malawi, Africa and was really struck with the intensity of nothingness.

I've traveled all over the world and seen all kinds of devastation and hurt. But this was the first time that all around me people were dying for stupid reasons. It's ridiculous that a child dies every 30 seconds simply because of a mosquito bite. One $10 mosquito net literally can save the lives of at least 5 people.

It's inexcusable that they are having to deal with massive starvation. A Malawian friend told me of a family who was forced to sell their youngest child for two bags of corn. Their family was so desperate that they were forced to make such a decision just so the rest of the family could live. This is not ok.

The economy in America is "crashing" and "falling apart".

I guarantee you, however, that none of us are being forced to sell our children for food. None of us, most likely, can even understand such desperation.

John 10:10 says:
"I have come so that you may have life, and have it to the full."

I think God wants us to do something to correct the injustices that are going on all around us. I believe that He wants us to do more, to become uncomfortable and to live in such a way that we give the hurting in this world a chance to have a life that is full.

Speak Love, Act Love, Live Love - Change the World
www.whatislivelove.com

2008-10-10T20:07:00.000-07:00

Walk

There's nothing better than walking around with a kid on your shoulders.

My daughter Yuli asks me all the time to carry her around, I think i'd have to be on my deathbed to say no.

It's how we travel and talk and just be with one another. When she's tired she simply walks up to me, raises her arms and just says "up". All of us need someone to carry us around when we get tired. I'm slowly trying to ask God to carry me when life gets busy and I get tired.

It's a better way to live...

day

2008-09-21T16:41:00.000-07:00

day's come and go so quickly and before we know it we are years into our lives and still haven't done anything. if a day represents a life then the question has to be what are you doing with your life. life happens quickly, change the world today.

speak love,
act love,
live love.

Night

2008-08-27T11:55:00.000-07:00

We live in a world that is filled with darkness, how do we live through these struggles that are constantly bombarding us. The beauty is that not only is there night but there is also a new day.