Hello Everyone,
It has been several days since I last wrote anything. Mainly because we have been so busy, but also partially because recently I have had so many things going on in my head that I knew that if I even tried to write, the result would just be confusing letter filled with spontaneous emotions.
But now as I sit here, I still am a complete emotional wreck, but I do have time on my hands so I am forcing myself to write. So I do apologize if this letter is hard to understand and very long.
I guess I will begin with what Kevin and I have been doing the past several days. It was Tuesday when I saw first hand just how rich God's blessings are for this area. Soon after waking up, my uncle rushed us out the door to go meet the mayor of Soran. On the car ride over, my uncle recounted how the mayor had been a key role with the beginning of my uncle's ministry here. A couple years back my uncle met a Christian man in Soran who was involved with the politics there. This Christian man came to the mayor and explained Billy's desire to help with the orphans. The mayor, barely even knowing my uncle, went and picked out two large areas of land to give (free) to my uncle for the construction of the Community Center. The mayor did not do this blindly either. My uncle was clear that the reason why he was doing this was because he was Christian and wanted to help the poor and spread the gospel. How great is our God! In a Muslim community, God touched the heart of the most important figure in order so that this community might be transformed.
After many speed bumps and pot holes, we arrived. As we walked into and through the buildings I noticed several "check points" but at each one, the men smiled and allowed us to walk on by. My uncle was in such high standing with the city's government, that instead of having glares and body checks, we received smiles, handshakes, and respect. I walked away that day knowing God has his hand on this place.
After feeling encouraged by what I witnessed, Kevin and I went out to the community center and played with the kids. Seeing those smiles and giggles...what a priceless thing. I recall one boy (who is currently in my profile picture) that wore a yellow Bob-the- Builder hat. He was the smallest of the bunch and was the one most picked on. I remember picking him up just after throwing another boy up in the air and catching him. As I held him, He grabbed on my clothes fully knowing what my intentions were. I looked at him, smiled, then gave him a big hug. Even though he wouldn't understand me I said, "Trust me, everything will be all right." As I hugged him a second time, his grip loosened and so I threw him up in the air. I saw fear and excitement in his eyes as his little body was put completely in my responsibility. I caught him and he squeezed me tight, the whole time trusting that I would have never dropped him. As we live day to day, children's lives are completely our responsibility. It is so sad that every day, twenty to thirty thousand children die. Some from starvation, some from sickness, some from violence and some from hopelessness. Though from an "adult" perspective they cannot offer much such as material things, they can offer more love than you can ever imagine and a faith that can never be broken.
So cherish children. Learn from children. Love and give hope to children. There is a lot more I could write (and most likely will write) but the night is coming quickly and I have only got through the first day...
Wednesday! Wednesday was to be our second day working with the Samaritan's Purse team. We planned on traveling to a village about two hours away. What was so special about this particular village was that during the 90's Saddam had bombed it three times. The people really needed to be loved. So off we went traveling in a bus for about two hours up and down mountains. Several times I was quite nervous we would fall off for when I looked out my window, I noticed the tire was only inches away from the edge of the cliff. But with God's hand upon us, we arrived safely. We were greeted by the whole village and were given tea and a concoction of water with chunks of yogurt... I enjoyed the former more than the latter... But soon after we were able to hand out shoe boxes to all the kids and it was a great time. Being some of the first white people they have ever seen, the children were quite nervous, but soon warmed up to us and had a wonderful time with the new things people in America blessed them with.
The next day was a big day for Kevin and I. We were to travel to Hawler (Erbil) which was two hours away to get our residency so we could stay longer than ten days. We hopped in with my uncle and took off at seven AM. My uncle was very nervous about this day because he mentioned that last time he had to do this, it took the team 2 1/2 hours just to do the 1st step. With there being around 8 steps, this was a major concern. So we began to pray and asked the Lord to speed up the process. What seemed like an eternity was only two hours! So we praised God that we could go in and out of there quickly. The rest of the day we walked through the old bazaar, the new mall (which was huge) and strolled through the ancient city of Erbil! It was a wonderful experience that I will not soon forget.
Through out this time being here, God has richly blessed us with translators. Not able to speak Sorani (one of the seven dialects of the Kurdish language), these translators were such a great help to us. Not only have they helped when we had people speaking to us, but we have also been able to talk with them about God and set a good example around them. We have also been very blessed with the openness of the Muslims here. They have been okay with us sharing the gospel at schools, prayer walk down streets, and even have allowed us to pray during dinner they have prepared. It just shows that God is working on the hearts of this place. At the end of Acts two is talks about the church and it says "they found favor with all people". People saw the Church as a good thing and that is what is beginning to happen here. Muslims here are beginning to see the benefits that come from a community of Christian believers. That is truly an act of God.
Well it is really late. There are so many things I want to share with you all but they will have to wait. God has placed many things on my heart that I can't wait to share!
Good job for those who read this whole thing! Haha. I ask you continue to pray for my aunt, uncle, the community center, Kevin and me. Pray God would give us strength and love. Oh, humility would be nice as well. Always could use more of that. Thanks for all the support. If you have any questions or things that we can pray for just let us know! Have a wonderful day... or night..
-Jake
It has been several days since I last wrote anything. Mainly because we have been so busy, but also partially because recently I have had so many things going on in my head that I knew that if I even tried to write, the result would just be confusing letter filled with spontaneous emotions.
But now as I sit here, I still am a complete emotional wreck, but I do have time on my hands so I am forcing myself to write. So I do apologize if this letter is hard to understand and very long.
I guess I will begin with what Kevin and I have been doing the past several days. It was Tuesday when I saw first hand just how rich God's blessings are for this area. Soon after waking up, my uncle rushed us out the door to go meet the mayor of Soran. On the car ride over, my uncle recounted how the mayor had been a key role with the beginning of my uncle's ministry here. A couple years back my uncle met a Christian man in Soran who was involved with the politics there. This Christian man came to the mayor and explained Billy's desire to help with the orphans. The mayor, barely even knowing my uncle, went and picked out two large areas of land to give (free) to my uncle for the construction of the Community Center. The mayor did not do this blindly either. My uncle was clear that the reason why he was doing this was because he was Christian and wanted to help the poor and spread the gospel. How great is our God! In a Muslim community, God touched the heart of the most important figure in order so that this community might be transformed.
After many speed bumps and pot holes, we arrived. As we walked into and through the buildings I noticed several "check points" but at each one, the men smiled and allowed us to walk on by. My uncle was in such high standing with the city's government, that instead of having glares and body checks, we received smiles, handshakes, and respect. I walked away that day knowing God has his hand on this place.
After feeling encouraged by what I witnessed, Kevin and I went out to the community center and played with the kids. Seeing those smiles and giggles...what a priceless thing. I recall one boy (who is currently in my profile picture) that wore a yellow Bob-the- Builder hat. He was the smallest of the bunch and was the one most picked on. I remember picking him up just after throwing another boy up in the air and catching him. As I held him, He grabbed on my clothes fully knowing what my intentions were. I looked at him, smiled, then gave him a big hug. Even though he wouldn't understand me I said, "Trust me, everything will be all right." As I hugged him a second time, his grip loosened and so I threw him up in the air. I saw fear and excitement in his eyes as his little body was put completely in my responsibility. I caught him and he squeezed me tight, the whole time trusting that I would have never dropped him. As we live day to day, children's lives are completely our responsibility. It is so sad that every day, twenty to thirty thousand children die. Some from starvation, some from sickness, some from violence and some from hopelessness. Though from an "adult" perspective they cannot offer much such as material things, they can offer more love than you can ever imagine and a faith that can never be broken.
So cherish children. Learn from children. Love and give hope to children. There is a lot more I could write (and most likely will write) but the night is coming quickly and I have only got through the first day...
Wednesday! Wednesday was to be our second day working with the Samaritan's Purse team. We planned on traveling to a village about two hours away. What was so special about this particular village was that during the 90's Saddam had bombed it three times. The people really needed to be loved. So off we went traveling in a bus for about two hours up and down mountains. Several times I was quite nervous we would fall off for when I looked out my window, I noticed the tire was only inches away from the edge of the cliff. But with God's hand upon us, we arrived safely. We were greeted by the whole village and were given tea and a concoction of water with chunks of yogurt... I enjoyed the former more than the latter... But soon after we were able to hand out shoe boxes to all the kids and it was a great time. Being some of the first white people they have ever seen, the children were quite nervous, but soon warmed up to us and had a wonderful time with the new things people in America blessed them with.
The next day was a big day for Kevin and I. We were to travel to Hawler (Erbil) which was two hours away to get our residency so we could stay longer than ten days. We hopped in with my uncle and took off at seven AM. My uncle was very nervous about this day because he mentioned that last time he had to do this, it took the team 2 1/2 hours just to do the 1st step. With there being around 8 steps, this was a major concern. So we began to pray and asked the Lord to speed up the process. What seemed like an eternity was only two hours! So we praised God that we could go in and out of there quickly. The rest of the day we walked through the old bazaar, the new mall (which was huge) and strolled through the ancient city of Erbil! It was a wonderful experience that I will not soon forget.
Through out this time being here, God has richly blessed us with translators. Not able to speak Sorani (one of the seven dialects of the Kurdish language), these translators were such a great help to us. Not only have they helped when we had people speaking to us, but we have also been able to talk with them about God and set a good example around them. We have also been very blessed with the openness of the Muslims here. They have been okay with us sharing the gospel at schools, prayer walk down streets, and even have allowed us to pray during dinner they have prepared. It just shows that God is working on the hearts of this place. At the end of Acts two is talks about the church and it says "they found favor with all people". People saw the Church as a good thing and that is what is beginning to happen here. Muslims here are beginning to see the benefits that come from a community of Christian believers. That is truly an act of God.
Well it is really late. There are so many things I want to share with you all but they will have to wait. God has placed many things on my heart that I can't wait to share!
Good job for those who read this whole thing! Haha. I ask you continue to pray for my aunt, uncle, the community center, Kevin and me. Pray God would give us strength and love. Oh, humility would be nice as well. Always could use more of that. Thanks for all the support. If you have any questions or things that we can pray for just let us know! Have a wonderful day... or night..
-Jake
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