An Uncle's Journey

can dance.

2011-06-13T21:41:00.000-04:00

so still working on some blogs and thoughts from tour. hoping to get something up here soon, but in the meantime i punked this video from Auntie Rachel's youtube page of our kids performing dance they do called 'the Can Dance' (not the 'Can-Can'...) in a theatre we performed in on the east coast about a week and a half ago.

have been with the kiddos and their chaperones for only a couple of weeks now, and can honestly say am enjoying almost every minute of my time here!

the children rock they're a sixteen piece Choir, small in comparison to other Choirs i have traveled with, but they sound so huge! hats off to our music team!

and the chaperones rock my socks off. i wish y'all (kentucky is making me talk funny) could meet each of them. LOVE that the Lord has put us all on this journey in this season together.

anyways, enjoy the vid. hope to have an update here soon.

much love!

- steve

just learning to trust.

2011-05-27T17:40:00.001-04:00

my friend Kate recently got a tattoo on her foot that says 'TRUST'. she told me that the reason she decided to get it was because she wanted to have something to keep reminding her to continue to trust in the Lord's goodness and leading in her life.

since i saw Kate's tat a few weeks ago the Lord has been teaching me a lot about trust.

i was reading Deuteronomy the other day and was again reminded of how big God is. and how much He wants to look after me, and us, because we are His kiddos and He is a legit Father. i came across this passage at a time when i was honestly feeling discouraged about some things. i felt led to pursue a particular path weeks prior, but as the day approached for me to take off i still had needs that weren't met. i started wondering if i was really being led or if my flesh got in the way of my trying to follow the Lord's leading. i guess i doubted that He would provide. and i felt like such a tool after He did.

at the beginning of Deuteronomy Moses is i guess reminding his peeps about their story. once slaves in Egypt, delivered by the hand of God from their captivity. into battles, and out of battles alive. into the desert with nothing, and somehow provided for during their years of wandering there. captives, delivered. captives. delivered. time and time again. a continual cycle of emotional lows and emotional highs. definitely a wild ride.

so this one time they come to the border of this country that the Lord says He is going to give to them. He basically says 'yo, trust me. i know this looks impossible, but it's not. don't be discouraged. i've got your back'. so rather than confidently moving forward, they decide to send some spies into the country 'just to be sure things are safe'. even though the Lord said don't be afraid. so the spies come back and it's decided that the people in that country are huge and strong and that there's no way a group of puny little Israelites is making it through. and they start to cry about it. and so Moses speaks up, reminding them of their time in Egypt. 'Hey, remember being slaves? and remember when the sea opened up in front of us and closed directly behind us? remember that?'. and they probably mumbled something like 'yeah, yeah. we remember. but look at us now'.

and in spite of being reminded of all the Lord had done for them, they chose not to trust in Him this time. because that was then and this is now. that problem was overcome, this one isn't.

crazy.

crazy because if they would have learned anything from their history it would have been trust. right? i mean, how many times throughout their story did God provide for them precisely in their hour of need.

so i read that, in the context of not knowing where my funds were going to come from. knowing where i was supposed to be, but unsure (and even doubtful...) of how i was going to make it there.

and so the Lord reminded me of where i was this time last year. in need of a couple 'thou' to get me from America to Europe to work with the Choir. He reminded me of a group of a couple of hundred teens that raised a grand in the span of a week, right at the start of my fundraising season. and then He reminded me of another group of a few hundred teens that managed to pool their money just before i left for the Choir with the exact amount i needed to fully fund last fall's tour of the UK with my kids.

twice He did that. exactly when i needed it.

this past weekend we played at my home church (always a treat, and perhaps the subject of another blog). in a nutshell, we were planning to leave the next morning and i was short $X to get back out to the Choir. so i got home and started packing. and literally in the last hour, the Lord delivered an envelope with the funds that i needed through someone i didn't even get the chance to talk with that Sunday morning at church.

she was told that the Lord just told her i needed to have what she gave me. and i believe the Lord did tell her, because He knew my needs, and was willing to wait until the last minute to provide in order to keep my faith active.

the LORD provides. and often in our hour of greatest need.

so grateful for His gentle reminders to trust in Him.

and grateful for Kate's tat, because it reminded me to share this bit of my journey.

oh yeah! i'm heading out to spend about eight weeks with Choir #36 of The African Children's Choir. pumped to hang with some new kiddos, travel with some familiar faces, and spread the love of Jesus to some venues on the east coast.

heading out tomorrow, and would so love your prayers and emails as i spend a short season with the Choir, yet again.

will keep ya posted for sure though! thanks for keeping up!

much love,

- steve

www.stevetheuncle.com

www.africanchildrenschoir.com
twitta: @jstevehiggs

email: jstevehiggs@gmail.com

ps - for a more accurate account of that passage in Deuteronomy check out Deuteronomy 1:18-34ish

the beauty never stops.

2011-03-25T00:31:00.001-04:00

i love to drive.

when i left college in the spring of 2008 i packed everything i owned into a station wagon and drove for fifty hours until the atlantic coastline was in view. when i finally reached my Mom's driveway, the first thing that i wanted to do was take a road trip somewhere.

when i first joined up with these brothers (Atlantic) that same spring the first thing they made me do was drive for like twenty hours, until the sun came up the next day. i thought they were trying to initiate me or something. i remember being really tired, but i vividly remember loving the drive, knowing four brothers were sleeping in the back, watching the rising sun wash away the stars, enjoying the quietness of the morning on the interstate somewhere in the mid-west.

and throw a close brother or sister in the passenger's seat. it doesn't get any better. it doesn't get any better than driving on a clear night, looking out your windshield at a sky full of stars, and then looking over your right shoulder and seeing the face of a friend who is just as beautiful as the picture you just in front of you, out your windshield.

that was tonight.

starting this tour off has been hectic. just with nailing down the details and getting gear stuff sorted out. all while trying to cram in a few hours of sleep each night that isn't haunted by the thoughts of what else needs to get done before tour starts.

tonight we had to drive a couple of hours to pick up our trailer and sound gear at home and then drive a couple of hours back to where we will be starting tour from at some point tomorrow morning. i wasn't super stoked about the trip, to be honest. growing up, driving the two hours from fredericton to moncton was a trip that was made only on holidays, and you stayed a while when you got there, maybe even the whole summer. it's funny now looking back, after having spent most of the last three years in some kind of moving vessel (a van or a bus), that same two hour trip has become like a jaunt to the grocery store. it's done in no time, and can be made just to pick up a few needed items. anyways, i knew the drive tonight wouldn't get us home until just after midnight, and once you get used to putting kids to bed at 8:30 you get pretty used to going to bed at around... 8:35.

but the drive home made the drive there worth it. even though it was late. and even though i had to get a cup of coffee to keep me awake.

i realized tonight that i am constantly surrounded by beautiful things. beautiful people. beautiful sights. hearing beautiful stories or listening to beautiful music. or being a part of some pretty beautiful moments. and i realized tonight that i so often take these beautiful moments and don't appreciate them for what they are.

tonight i took the wheel and was so glad that i did. the sky was clear and the stars were beautiful. and the bro next to me? i kick myself - because i have known him for my entire life but have only in the last couple of years formed a tight bond with this brother. and have become such a fan of his story.

we talked about some cool stuff. about our faith. about our hearts. about memories shared from recent tours. about things inspired by late night drives and skies painted with constellations.

all this to say, tonight was a reminder that beauty is all around us, and i'm going to make an effort in being more aware of the beautiful things happening around me. might even post a list every now and again of beautiful things i'm seeing in my travels. more or less to keep myself in check than anything. there is definitely no shortage of beautiful things happening around us though. hope you can see them too.

pumped to be hitting the road tomorrow!

hope you all are well, friends!

- steve.

currently listening to some pretty beautiful music:

I Am Oak

Balmorhea

surrounded by beautiful people.

2011-03-22T20:09:00.001-04:00

yesterday i met up with the coolest group of people in one of america's coolest (and windiest?) cities. what made the reunion even sweeter though was that none of us are from Chicago. actually, most of us are from different places altogether. a few people from the east coast. some friends from Michigan. a sister from North Carolina. yet somehow for a few hours on a saturday afternoon the Lord brought us together in a city hours and days away from each of our homes.

we went out to eat last night at some snazzy pizza place on the north side of the city, and while friends from all over sat around the table talking and laughing together i sat back and thought 'how crazy that we are all here right now. old friends re-united, new friends united. what a gift this dinner table is tonight.'

when we got home i realized how beautiful that picture was. for a few hours last night a handful of stories bled onto the same page. and then i thought how beautiful each individual story was, sitting around the table, and realized how blessed i was to share slices from the same pizza with these guys and gals.

here's a picture of the peeps sitting around the table last night, just so you can see the kind of people that we get to hang out with on the road. so cool...

a brother and sister, young and in love, and so deserving of one another. two hearts that beat loud for Jesus, and love on anyone whose path they cross.
a sister and artist who wants to use her gifts of expression to bring healing and therapy to those traumatized by wars and disasters. a gal who knows that art can be more than just something we look at, but something that brings freedom and inspires redemption.
a teacher who loves her students and isn't in it for just a job, but for what she can give. who believes that kids don't just need teachers to show them how to solve word problems, but teachers who challenge their students to solve world problems.
a sister who believes that educating children when they are young will provide a foundation for future change in the world in years to come.
a sister who believes that the gap between the rich and the poor can be bridged, even here in America, and can only be fully bridged by the love of Christ.
a group of bros who gave up the security of paychecks and spouses in order to show the world that the love of Jesus is for real and not just some kind of good religious idea.

just a picture i guess.

crazy or what, that all of the people around that table have such huge dreams and such unique giftings. and none of them care to use those gifts for their own benefit, but want to give of themselves in order to leave a dent in the world around them.

so blessed by the company of these few friends.

so inspired by the company of these few friends!

so cool to be surrounded by such beautiful people.

looking forward to more times like this over the next couple of months as we hit the road.

breathe a little, child.

2011-03-05T00:48:00.001-05:00

i came to the west coast with nothing to lose. or at least that's what i told myself. for a short while i thought i had lied to myself, and it confused me. because i felt like i lost. everything.

but then i realized that the desires of my heart, the true desires of the depths of my heart, are probably unknown to me. because my heart is inconsistent and thinks it knows what is best, what it wants. but it doesn't.

as it turns out though, the Lord knows the desires of my heart even more than my own heart knows of itself.

this week i have learned that what i thought was what i needed was in fact only something i desperately wanted. initially i was stubborn. i curled up in a ball and shook my fist and whined (thanks Milano...) and kicked the ground because i didn't get what i wanted. maybe what i deserved, but nothing like what i had hoped for. then i busted myself feeling entitled to something i never owned and didn't feel so bad. because i never had it. because it was never mine in the first place. then i stood up and stopped being a baby.

and the Lord affirmed this: that what i didn't want to let go of was better off in His hands anyways.

and it is.

crappy to leave it behind. but happy to leave it with Him.

sometimes our hearts play tricks on us. they tell us they know what they want. sometimes they do. but i've learned that it's only when i try and align my heart with His heart that i realize that my desires should never be about me anyways, but should revolve around the Lord's desires to bring grace and love and forgiveness, and a lot of other things i need a lot of work on, to the world around me.

sometimes the desires of our hearts are not what our hearts think they are.

they're even better.

this blog brought to you by the sweet sounds of Milano. do yourself a fav, check out 'A Holy Song' (links below) and then hit up their website when you realize you need to hear more - www.hearmilano.com

hear 'A Holy Song' here: http://t.co/fu7Kjei

and an acoustic vid of the same song: http://vimeo.com/16343918

what's not to love?

2010-12-21T09:19:00.001-05:00

on saturday afternoon the kids sang at a Christmas party put on by a local church. after their show one of the ladies who was hosting the event came up to me and said 'my husband and i have been watching you. we can tell that you really enjoy your job.'. i was a little humbled by her remarks, but that day in particular i was glad it was evident how much i love what i do.

i heard a quote recently that says "Find something you love to do, and you'll never work a day in your life", and i couldn't help but think about those words in relation to what i've been doing with the Choir over the past two and a half years. sure there are days that are tough on the road, and sure it can be draining at times parenting 23 children 24/7. ultimately though it hardly ever feels like i'm working. because i love what i do. it's more of an adventure than a job, i think. and that's why i love it!

anyways, i'm on my home now. i think. i'm in London praying the snowy weather holds back long enough to get our plane off the ground. i've just been rejoicing this morning in the work the Lord has called me to over the months and years. can't wait to get home and process it all!!!

please pray for safe flights, not only for me, but for the bajillion people here who are running around like chickens with their heads cut off stressing out over getting home for the holidays. and perhaps rightfully so.

blessings all!

- steve.

nkosi sikelele.

2010-12-09T08:36:00.001-05:00

i have learned over the last two and a half years that i have spent with the Choir to be prepared for plans to change. when i was young i never appreciated change, but now i thrive on it. i used to get stressed if things didn't go according to plan, but now if things don't go as i thought they would it just means that a new adventure awaits, and i'm cool with that.

last weekend i got a phone call from a man who has literally changed the way that i look at the world. Daddy Ray - the founder of the African Children's Choir, amongst other things. Ray mentioned that a need had just come up in South Africa, and asked me if i would be open to going down for a couple of weeks before returning home for Christmas. i was struck with mixed emotions, but after speaking with Ray a little bit more, and realizing that this could be an open door to future involvement with the Choir in South Africa, i decided that i would go down.

so while getting home for Christmas has been delayed a couple of weeks, i am looking forward to being with the Choir i toured with in the spring on their home-turf, and spending some time with my family down there.

this afternoon i leave for Johannesburg where i will spend the next ten or so days working with the Choir and getting a feel for the Choir's work down there. please pray for safety as i travel and for discernment as i think about where i might fit in down there in the future.

blessings!

- steve.

the end is the beginning.

2010-12-08T10:33:00.001-05:00

i've never been to keen on saying goodbye. i think i'm typically more or less defiant that the end has come in those moments when everyone is parting ways. i prefer 'see you later' or something along those lines. 'catch ya soon', maybe.

yesterday was one of those days that we all knew was coming, yet it somehow passed with us all wondering how it came so quickly. at 4:15 the alarm in the Uncle's room went off and the day began. it started off like any other day would have on tour, only that the mood was a little more somber than usual. the night before we had sat down for our last dinner together and now we were sitting down for our very last meal together. within the next two hours we cleaned up, loaded the bus, and hit the road for Heathrow. the ride is was good, but again a little somber, knowing it would be our last ride together. Stella read me a story, and then i read one to her. and then i caught her crying and i then i almost cried.

that's when it hit me that tour was actually over. i'm also a little bit slow in the head, so though we had been preparing all week to bring the kids to the airport properly i hadn't really clued in all that much until that ride into the airport.

i've said goodbye to three Choirs now. that's sixty-three children in total. not to mention the many Aunties and Uncles that have left such an impact on my life over the past two and a half years. still though, while i may be experienced in saying goodbye it has never gotten any easier. just before the kids left to get through security Nancy asked me, "Uncle, why are you not crying?", and the truth was that it took everything inside of me not to. Kato had been telling me all tour that he couldn't wait to see me cry at the airport. but i didn't. i could have, easily. especially after spending this season with these kids. after being with them 24/7 for four months. after making so many memories with them.

it's a bittersweet feeling knowing that i won't get to sit with Stella on the bus anymore, or play football with the boys anymore. bitter because, well, they're just not around.

but at the same time sweet. sweet because they will now go home and work towards realizing their dreams. which is why they come on tour in the first place. the whole purpose to our bringing them on the road and investing so much of ourselves into their lives is so that they will eventually leave and return home and invest in other people by investing in their dreams.

so while there is some grieving that comes with sending the kids home there is much reason for rejoicing. and i so look forward to watching our kids grow from a distance. so blessed to have spent this season of their lives with them!

the end is the beginning.

thanks for your prayers all!

- steve.

never doubt.

2010-11-25T06:36:00.000-05:00

it's been a while. i guess tour ended up being a little more busy than i thought it would be, but i certainly have a fair amount of thoughts to share as we prepare to go home in just two weeks. crazy how fast time passes when we're moving all the time.

before i get to those updates though i thought i'd pass on something that i think is incredibly monumental in our time in history. and something that is especially dear to my heart as i travel with children from East Africa.

first, a popular quote:

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead (american cultural anthropologist)

now, secondly, check out what Obama and his team have just committed too all thanks to the work and efforts of our brothers and sisters over at Invisible Children.

http://blog.invisiblechildren.com/2010/11/obama-delivers-strategy-to-disarm-the-lra/

awesome or what?!!!

paris day three: not just another concert.

2010-10-08T17:25:00.001-04:00

another solid day on the outskirts of paris.

we did another workshop this morning for the students here, but i decided to opt out of this one in search of some coffee and to catch up with uncle Paul out on the bus. i heard it went well though, and a few of the grade three-ers coming out were all smiles and high fives when we passed each other in the hall.

we have been so blown away by our reception here. nearly everywhere we go on the campus people are eager to greet us or talk briefly about what we're doing. our hosts have been so generous in looking after us while we have been here and i can not thank the american school of paris enough for taking us in and treating us so well.

tonight's concert ended with one or two standing ovations and a crowd full of touched hearts. though the event wasn't necessarily for a christian audience the Spirit was certainly among us and had me nearly in tears as the kids broke out some pretty epic songs, amongst them being the south african national anthem, which of course brought back a million memories of my time spent in the spring time with Choir 33 (my south african kiddos).

thanks to all who have been praying for our time in france. it was a brief stop on our tour, but a stop that had to be surrounded in prayer. we're off to england in the morning, but hoping to spend a couple of hours in the city before we leave, so i'll keep you posted on what we're up to before we leave the city.

anyways, getting late now and we've got a long drive ahead of us in the morning. thanks again for all your prayers and encouragement!

blessings!

- steve.
www.stevetheuncle.com

paris day two: workshops and play

2010-10-07T15:57:00.001-04:00

turned out to be a beautiful day dans la ville d'amour. something like 19 degrees by mid afternoon. and pleasant on our part too.

we rolled into school this morning at half eight to be greeted by a host of cheerful onlookers. the school here is tucked away into a suburb of paris behind rows of trees and houses. you wouldn't know it even existed if you didn't have someone to walk you there. and the craziest part is there are like a thousand students that attend this school, and we drove past it on our way in! first time i have ever seen anything american not try to stand out...

sincerely though, we were blessed so welcomed by our hosts at the american school of paris today. the kids and our fellow african chaperones led two workshops for the students this morning and i think most everyone walked away feeling slightly more african than when we walked in. the children were able to share a bit of what they know in the form of dancing and beating the drums, and the students were able to take part in learning more about east african culture (and the south african national anthem). overall, a success, at least from my vantage point.

also had the chance to share a handful of our african repertoire for about a hundred or so middle school aged kids. our kids did well representing their brothers and sisters back home in africa, and it seemed by the response that the children here at the school had a good time 'encouraging them on by clapping, singing, or even dancing along'.

and to top things off we had the chance to take a tour in the bus around the city of Paris. hopped out of the coach for a few quick pics overlooking the eiffel tower and continued on our mini-tour driving past the sights. Uncle Paul, our infamous and long time Choir coach driver, knows just about every side street in europe and was kind enough to give us his official tour of Paris, pointing out all the important monuments and world-famous buildings. and we didn't even have to pay extra! thanks Uncle Paul for showing us around!

i think i could live here, to be honest. i recently got into a band from paris, and i'm seriously considering calling them up and asking if they need a harmonica player. they'll probably just say 'excusé moi?' though and i won't know what to say back. though yesterday Primo picked up a french phrase that may get me somewhere - 'excusé moi poisson?'. all this to say that the kids are learning french fast, and sadly just in enough time for us to pull out on saturday.

incredibly grateful for this chance to come out to france though, if even for only a few days. and the longer i stay here the more i feel at home.

please pray tonight for our last couple of days on the continent. i'd love for our time here to minister to someone, maybe a student or maybe a teacher, and encourage them to walk with Jesus. after and above all, that is why we are here. thanks for your encouragement all. bon soir!

love,
steve.
www.stevetheuncle.com

paris day one

2010-10-06T16:36:00.001-04:00

we rolled into paris this afternnon after a full day on the road and a couple of hours on the sea. looks like the week will end up being busy, what with a few workshops for the students here (oh, we're here as guests to the American School of Paris), followed by a full performance on friday evening (featuring some new songs for uncle steve - pretty pumped to hear the kids version of 'shadowland' from the lion king!).

still though, amidst the hustle and bustle that comes with touring in what i call the Choir's 'payees irregulaire' i have a hunch that this stop on the tour will be fruitful upon my spirit. already i have been blessed by being welcomed into the home of my hosts - a fam of four beautiful people from vancouver. to sit down and chat honestly about how our kindred hearts desire the best for our kids and what that looks like in our own lives. or to talk and pray with John and Primo before bed and feel refreshed after saying 'goodnight boys. i love you both eh.' even after a gruelling eight hour day of travel.

the Lord is good in bringing us here today, and i am so looking forward to how this week en la france will pan out.

g'night! love you all!

- steve.
www.stevetheuncle.com

a manchester house show.

2010-09-25T10:47:00.004-04:00

we stopped by the office of a former Choir chaperone last weekend to do a short performance for his staff. we were on our way up to Scotland and needed a place to stay for the night, and so he and his employees were kind enough to host us for the night.

we went bowling and had a pizza party after we sang, but i'm too embarrassed to post any pics - my bowling scores were 'ashaming me', as the kids like to say.

so here are a couple in-office performances somewhere outside of Manchester...

(Kwata - led by Gloria)

( Wanabino - led by Gloria, Mary, and Annet) blessings!

- steve.

www.stevetheuncle.com

depending on the prayers of our kids.

2010-09-12T22:26:00.001-04:00

tonight was one of those nights where everything runs smoothly during set-up and then at the end of sound check the entire afternoon's work backfires. so at the last hour, minutes before the concert is set to begin i find myself frantically running about looking for solutions to technical difficulties that were thought to have already been avoided. of course it would be on a night when Daddy Ray (a personal hero of mine, and founder of the Choir) is attending the concert, and in a church that has been so giving towards the Choir in previous years. so attempting to keep my cool and not show the stress we managed, with the help of my trustee side-kick Auntie Jamie, to patch up the problems and hope for better results in the concert than in the sound check.

still a few minutes before the concert i was feeling at peace about everything. usually i take the time leading up to the concert to go over the 'game-plan' for the concerts or reflect on the day or pray. today though it was a speedy transition between set-up and show time. so ten minutes before the performance was set to begin i radioed the kids, asking for prayer.

and the Lord heard our kids. tonight's concert was one of the best i've seen all tour and there were no technical difficulties whatsoever.

sometimes i don't know where i would be without the support of these kids.

tonight i realized something about where i am at with the Choir. i realized that for the most part this life on tour is about the Aunties and Uncles being here for the children. it is our responsibility 'to love them. to play with them. and to teach them good manners'. tonight though i felt like it was our kids who were looking out for us. they knew i was stressed out a bit (at least i think they knew) and knew that i wouldn't make it without their prayers. so they prayed for the sound and maybe for their uncle and probably for the concert. and i really felt like the kids in Choir 34 lent me their shoulder for a while to lean on.

and then the kids came out and danced their hearts out for an hour and i joined them in the back, wiping back a few tears along the way that came in moments when i was reminded how much i love them and how much our Savior loves us.

all this to say that our little village out here was thriving tonight, and the elders were dependent on the young ones just as much as the young ones were dependent on the elders. it takes a whole village...

blessings!

-steve.

www.stevetheuncle.com

that's the Friz.

2010-08-31T16:35:00.001-04:00

one of my all time favorite childhood heroes was a teacher named Ms. Frizzle. when i was a kid i loved her because she made learning fun and she was always taking her class on the most outrageous field trips. and now as an adult i appreciate her even more for her love of teaching and her passion for watching her students learn. Ms. Frizzle had a motto that she taught by and that her students learned by. the motto - "Take chances. Make mistakes. Get messy."

these are words that i have tried to live by with our children. i think for me the easiest way to learn is by taking chances and getting messy. even making mistakes. my favorite writer would call this 'living memorable scenes'. and Ms. Frizzle would probably call it taking a field trip.

and so to put this motto into practice the boys and i decided that last night we would live a little spontaneously and not worry about getting messy. our host's live on the coast of the north sea, and so before dinner yesterday we decided to take a walk along the water and watch the waves come in. little did we know until reaching the water how big the waves actually were! so taking advantage of the moment, we decided that we would play our own little game with the waves. more a race than anything, the idea was that as the waves came up over the railing of the path we would run for cover, trying our best to avoid getting wet, but secretly hoping that we would walk away drenched. it turned out to be great fun though, and while the walk back was a wee bit cool (because our clothes were soaked through!), we were able to make a memory together that will surely stick with us. here's a quick video of our little game of tag with the waves...

thanks Ms. Frizzle for your words of wisdom!

-steve.
www.stevetheuncle.com

something to smile about before falling asleep.

2010-08-28T16:40:00.000-04:00

as i sit here winding down for the evening, reflecting on the past couple of days, i am reminded of a particular conversation that went down yesterday after our concert with one of the boys i am staying with for the next few days.

last night on our walk home Kennedy told me that if i came to his wedding when he grew up that he would give me ten chocolate bars. i was eating a kit kat bar at the time so i'm sure that had something to do with his comment. i was also telling him how much i love chocolate (because i'm usually more hyper after concerts and craving a good sugar fix). not sure where the wedding bit came from though, and i decided not to ask just in case my asking questions led him to backing out of his deal. so i took him up on his offer and am now looking forward to the day i get a wedding invitation posted from Kenya in Kennedy's name.

i love that a conversation with a child can incorporate something so small as eating chocolate with something so big as marriage. so grateful tonight for moments like this that give us smiles and in many ways keep us going. sometimes i envy my kids for the simplicity in their lives.

thought someone might get a chuckle from Kennedy's comment tonight anyways...

sula bulungi! ("good night" or "sleep well" in Luganda.)

steve
www.stevetheuncle.com

my boy Kennedy - kudos to Uncle Kyle for another sweet photograph!

a few shots from the week.

2010-08-26T07:21:00.002-04:00

please excuse my lack of posts lately. i'm still working on pacing myself for tour here, and until i get into the rhythm properly these blogs may be further spread apart. for now though, a few pictures from our first week in the UK.

Lynne - one of our Kenyan girls during a concert (kudos to Kyle Healy for this sweet pic!)

welcome to England!

we met up with a group of the girls on Saturday morning and went for a hike.


goofy faces.


Sunday walk at a park in Scotland.

blessings!

steve
www.stevetheuncle.com

reason number 'expensivemillion'.

2010-08-15T16:12:00.000-04:00

more reasons why i love my job:

i found this underneath my door.


it was a picture from John.

i could fill a thousand scrapbooks with these - and they're each such a treasure!


Nancy colored this one in the middle.

peace.

- steve.
www.stevetheuncle.com

love this job!

2010-08-11T23:02:00.001-04:00

tonight i asked Gladwel what she has been learning about in her own devotions and her response was this:
'i am learning that when we are going through tough times it is good to remember the nickname they gave to Jesus, Immanuel, because it means that He is always with us.'

i think for me, one of the greatest things about touring with the Choir is watching them grow and learn in their faith. to see them reading their bibles diligently or asking questions about God and and life as a christian. like Racheal asked me a few hours ago what the difference between 'prophesy' and 'prophecy' is. such a bright question for a ten-year old! one of the million reasons why i love my job!

so cool to have this chance to be a part of their lives!

more updates to come. five more sleeps until the UK!

-steve.
www.stevetheuncle.com

another transition.

2010-08-07T23:08:00.001-04:00

after a summer full of solid memories with my brothers in Atlantic i am now officially back on the road with the Choir. i have been blessed each and every time before heading out with the Choir to go on the road with Atlantic, making music, hanging with teens and young adults all over the country, and raising support for my ministry with the children. and this time out was no exception - over the summer i received some of the greatest love and support i have ever received from the guys and from the teens we had the privilege of sharing our stories with. so grateful for the opportunities the Lord has given me to be involved in such sweet ministries!

yesterday i arrived in Raleigh, NC to meet up with the kids and chaperones of the 34th African Children's Choir. pulling into the driveway of our home here felt just as if i was arriving home. when i was with Choir 32 last year we had spent significant parts of our tour here, Easter 2009 and then six weeks leading up to the Christmas season last November, and so returning to these familiar grounds brought back all the memories of then and the anticipation of what soon will become the memories of this current season at our Mirembe House.

since arriving yesterday around lunch time i have kept myself busy learning twenty-three names of children from Kenya and Uganda, attempting to play soccer (Uncle T, come quickly!), and working hard at taking the time to sit down with each child to play or talk, hoping that a few minutes with the new uncle might show them that i really am excited to meet them and can not wait to hear their stories!

in nine days we head out to the UK where we will begin the final bit of their tour, which will take us until mid-december, just in time to get home for the holidays!

so looking forward to sharing life with these adults and children - such a solid family here, and again i feel so blessed to be a part of this environment.

can't wait to see how the Lord will work in and through us this season too, and i hope to continue sharing what is going on in our world. until next time, we covet your prayers as we prepare for this upcoming tour of western europe.

blessings!

-steve.
www.stevetheuncle.com

Uncle Steve's June 2010 Support Letter

2010-07-09T11:15:00.001-04:00

Our tour in Europe officially came to an end just a few short weeks ago, but the impressions that our travels left on me are still fresh. I would love to take a minute here to share with you a bit from our journeys across the pond and a bit of what has been on my heart as of late.

First and foremost I could not accurately portray any of my involvement with the African Children's Choir without drawing attention to your involvement with the Choir. Through your prayers, your financial support, and your overall willingness to be in on this journey with me, the children of Africa are being given unending opportunities to reach their full potential. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you for your partnership in this great Kingdom work!

Time in Europe was filled with performances in places that the Choir has never really had opportunities to present in. From the prestigious banquet halls of the Hotel de Paris in
Monte Carlo to international boarding schools in France, Switzerland, and Germany, to numerous churches throughout Western Europe. Performing in front of audiences made up of churchgoers, businessmen, mayors, European celebrities, and even Princess Caroline of Monaco. And what was most fascinating about each one of our appearances is that our South African children were able to sing songs from their homeland and songs of Christ's love directly into the hearts of each and every listener.

I was so encouraged after leaving each concert in hearing people speak of how touched they were by the testimonies of our children. I am constantly amazed at how our children are able to deliver a message of hope that hits the hearts of people from all walks of life.

And now that I have returned to North America for the summer it is my joy to share with you what comes next for me on this journey with the Choir. For the next couple of months I will have the privilege of traveling throughout the united states with a band from home called "Atlantic", ministering to teens and raising support for future tours with the African Children's Choir. I have always had a desire to see young people walking with the Lord, and so when offered this opportunity to invest in young teens I was honoured and excited to be a part of this ministry. And I will ask for your prayers as I move from summer camp to summer camp with these brothers – pray that opportunities to advocate and speak on behalf of our children in the Choir will continue to present themselves, and most importantly that my passion for the orphans in our world will be evident in conversations with teens and youth leaders across the country.

And the exciting news keeps on coming! When my time with Atlantic ends in August I will then rejoin the Choir for a four month tour of Europe, where we will again bring the
ministry of the Choir into new territory and act as ambassadors for the thousands of children in Africa who need to know that they are loved.

So I ask that in this season of ministry with Atlantic you would pray for me – that our work will be effective and fruitful. Pray too that the Lord continues to mold and prepare me for further work with the Choir. And lastly, I ask that you would pray for the Choir as we prepare to tread new waters in Europe; that doors would continue to open to share our cause with the world and that the love of Christ would abound through our ministry.

As always, it is through your support that I am able to continue this work with Africa's children. I can not thank you enough for your prayers and your contributions to this ministry. To keep up to date more frequently on my journey with the Choir I invite you to read through my journals or send me an email via my website at www.stevetheuncle.com. It is an honour to share in this ministry with you! May God bless you!

- Steve.

a story of teens who are setting an example - this is the Church!

2010-06-22T13:35:00.001-04:00

this past week i was both humbled and amazed at the response that came from the teens at camp towards my work with the Choir.

i came out with Atlantic this summer knowing that i would be making no money at all but at the same time knowing that i had to somehow raise "X" amount of dollars in order to support my work with the Choir. after numerous conversations with the Lord on this i came to the conclusion that joining Atlantic would not be a fruitless endeavor. so feeling confident that He who feeds the birds will not keep from meeting my needs so long as i am set on seeking His Kingdom, i set out on this journey with Atlantic in full faith that the Lord provides.

and i hope it doesn't sound like i'm tooting my own horn here. because in all honesty i still left with some uncertainty. because the world will tell me to provide for my needs before going on some crazy adventure. but i feel like Christ tells us the opposite - that we need to respond and GO and trust that He will meet our needs along the way. and i understand that people will sit on either side of the fence here; that while some may call this 'living faithfully' others will call it 'living foolishly', but for me it has just been a journey of wanting to fully depend on Christ more and more in this life. so while i left home a bit scared that i would return unable to go out with the Choir again there was still a calming and comforting prompting inside of me to GO because there are needs on the road with Atlantic as well as with the Choir that need to be addressed. so i came, and am finding that the Lord continues to wow me every day. check this story out, and here the testimony of the Lord's provision in our lives:

there is a small box on Atlantic's merch table that says 'Help Us Send Steve Out With The African Children's Choir', along with a few pics from my travels with the Choir. the idea is that people will come buy a t-shirt to support Atlantic's ministry, see the box, and maybe drop a dollar in the box so that Steve can continue working with the children of Africa. the response is generally quite good, but this week the response was completely humbling.

without saying anything to the leaders of the camp, even before meeting them, the Lord was preparing to use the 130 teens that were on their way to camp to send Uncle Steve back out with the Choir. before the campers even arrived the director of the camp approached us, inquiring about the small box on the merch table and what this ministry was all about, and eager to get the camp involved. before even asking for anything the director spoke up and said that he wants to challenge the kids this week to raise $1000 to support my work with the Choir. $1000!?!!

so night after night love offerings were taken and the teens responded in a way that deserves the attention that this blog is giving them. the total at the end of the week? $1006.

UNBELIEVABLE!

the theme verse for the campers this week was from 1 Timothy 4:12. most churchies would know this verse, but this week i saw it come to life.

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young,
but set an example for the believers in speech, in life,
in love, in faith and in purity."

this week i watched teenagers step up and be the Church. by responding to the needs of the children of Africa they have set an example by giving faithfully. without holding back, and in excitement they gave to the African Children's Choir a gift that will literally go on and have a lasting impact on our children. how incredible too see these young adults show the Church that they are a HUGE and NEEDED part of the Body of Christ. that they are not only leaders of the Church tomorrow, but leaders of the Church today!

Iowa campers, thank you beyond these words for all you have gave. on behalf of our kids in Africa, may the Lord truly bless you for taking this step of faith! the Lord is GOOD!

love you all!

- steve.
www.stevetheuncle.com

introducing my church away from home!

2010-06-11T22:05:00.000-04:00

every time that i have gone out with the African Children's Choir i have been sent by a community of Christians that hold a very special place in my heart. to me, it's the church that i attend when i'm off the road, away from the Choir; a spiritual community that has carried me through my weaknesses and provided me with the appropriate outlets to hone my strengths.

so i would like to formally introduce to you (however formal a blog posting can be) my brothers in Atlantic. after returning home from Europe a couple of weeks ago i was excited to get the invite to join them for a couple of months this summer as they tour the summer camp circuit.

looking forward to growing some more with these brothers and ministering alongside of them to the many teens and adults we will meet along the way of our travels. please check them out at www.atlanticcommunity.cc and get to know their hearts some!

so if you will, continue to pray for me as i make this transition into ministry with Atlantic and as i prepare to go back out with the Choir at the end of the summer.

big updates and exciting news coming soon - so stay tuned!

thanks for your support! wouldn't be here without your prayers and encouragement along the way.

much love all!

- steve.
www.stevetheuncle.com

(an event with Atlantic in Halifax this past winter - note the Ugandan flag hanging front and center!)

compelled to respond.

2010-06-02T21:02:00.001-04:00

note: i wrote this blog a few weeks ago while we were still in France but never got around to finishing it up/posting it. the reflections here are still relevant to my thoughts these days though, so i figured i'd finally post it!

"Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith." - Hebrews 13:7

we have had the privilege this week of having a very special man on the road with us. when i first heard the story of how Daddy Ray started the Choir he became an instant hero. when i later read and heard about all of Daddy Ray's endeavours he turned from a hero to a tangible role model; a man of prayer turned into action, whose faithfulness and confidence in the Lord has compelled him to acting and advocating on behalf of the world's orphans.

earlier this week the team was gathered in the family room where we are all staying, and Daddy Ray shared with us his story. most people who have worked for the Choir, and even most who support the work of the Choir, know the story of how the African Children's Choir was birthed. most know that Daddy Ray first went to Uganda to reach out to persecuted Christians, and after seeing first hand the plight of the countries children, was prompted to do something about the number of children who were living on the streets, parentless. and so the vision for the Choir was cast and twenty five years later thousands of children have been given opportunities to study and grow in the love of Jesus. opportunities that maybe they would not have had a shot at had Daddy Ray not decided in his heart to speak up for those who could not speak up for themselves.

Daddy Ray saw an issue of injustice happening in our world and chose to respond by first praying, and then by taking action on those prayers. he saw a need and responded to that need. and now almost eight thousand children have been given a chance in life through Music for Life and the African Children's Choir. and that is just one man's story. incredible testimony right there!

after our evening together i got to thinking about what tugs on my heartstrings. i think everyone has something that breaks their heart – and i don't mean things like breaking up with girls or getting cut from the football team. i mean real things in the world that genuinely cause our hearts to sink inside our chests. things that we see that just don't sit right in our stomachs. things that we can be a million miles apart from but feel directly connected to and burdened by.

before heading out on this tour i was out for coffee with a friend of mine who has walked beside me for many years as i have searched for and tried to figure out what it means in my own life to live out the Kingdom of God. this friend is also working for another organization that is fighting against poverty and injustice. in our conversation i realized something about myself that i have never really been able to put in words. we were talking about why we are doing what we are doing. why i work for the Choir and why he has given his life to work for his organization.

and it came down to this for me - the very fact that there are orphans in this world is enough to keep me from sitting still. personally, i can not look at the fact that there are roughly twelve million orphans in sub-Saharan africa right now just due to the effects of HIV/AIDS and not be stirred to respond in some way. it breaks my heart. and i believe that it is through the Choir that i am able to respond to what is so evidently breaking my heart.

this week Daddy Ray reminded us, as a team of young adult chaperones, that we are each responsible to respond to the things that break God's heart in a Christlike manner. and tonight i am so grateful for what the Choir has and is doing in response to the world's orphans.

a pastor hero of mine tweeted this today, and i think these words are both relevant and true - "The gospel is the solution to our crisis & to the orphan crisis - As His adopted, we care for the unadopted (Js. 1:27)."

my prayer tonight is that as Christians and as the Body of Christ we would take action on our prayers and respond to the issues in this world that break God's heart.

just some reflections for the night...

much love all!

- steve.
www.stevetheuncle.blogspot.com

shots from europe.

2010-05-31T17:24:00.003-04:00

while i spend the next couple of days working out my thoughts and processing this last month of touring in Europe i've decided to at least share some pics of our travels with you to get the ball rolling. hopefully the thoughts will turn into words and then turn into some kind of blog entry soon enough. until then, here's my fav pics from this one month tour:

(a stop at the beach)

(the village of Callian, where we spent most of our time in France)

(Pretty made this flower with a napkin, grabbed my hat, and decided to initiate a photo shoot)

(the aunties and uncles looking our smartest)

(a relaxed morning at the cafe across the street)

(Pretty and i on our sailing trip)

(Auntie Evah and some of the kids before a show)

(Surprise saw the camera and jumped into this picture - his eyes aren't really like that...)

(i love this pic - the whole group together!)

(we were looking for a nice hotel in monte carlo but were only coming across these run down B&Bs...)

time flies.

2010-05-24T14:36:00.001-04:00

time flies. i have been noticing this more and more as my travels with these kids has progressed. the other day i sat just watching Suprise and Penuel get lost in their own imaginary world of lego and soldier figurines, and it made me feel like i was sitting in the playroom of our family's old blue bungalow with my brothers doing the same thing. it seems like yesterday that i was kicking a ball around in the front yard with my bros and the rest of the neighborhood kids, and now i am the guardian watching my kids play together. i think i know now why my mom used to come sit out on the front step 'just to sit'. because it brought her joy to see her three boys using their imaginations and playing together. i feel the same joy watching our kids play together.

tonight as i led devotions i spent most of my thinking time praying for these children. every now and again i get hit with same emotions i had when i first heard the Choir - the same enthusiasm and excitement. the same hope for these vulnerable kids. the same desire to be involved in their lives and in the ministry of the organization.

just last week i learned that Johan had lost his father not even two years ago. i was hit hard hearing that. and that's the story for most of these kids. and at times i am just overwhelmed by the fact that these are boys and girls in primary school who have had to suffer the loss of a loved one at such a young age. and then i leave my room to go outside for a football match and see Johan laughing and interacting with children he met ten minutes ago, enjoying life and where he is at. and then we all head indoors for dinner and Johan gives me a high-five and says 'how are you Uncle?'. and then i realize that out of a hopeless situation HOPE LIVES. then i realize that it's not our circumstances that define us but how we choose to deal with and learn from our circumstances.

i have the incredible joy of watching orphans display the love and joy of Christ on a daily basis. i have the incredible privilege of watching Christ transform the hearts of our children on a daily basis. i have been given the opportunity to teach and encourage these kids towards living Godly lives on a daily basis. and i am so grateful tonight for this chance at a giving these children a chance.

touring in Europe has not been the easiest for me. it's a different world over here, and i have truly learned the art of taking every day and ever moment as they come. but THROUGH IT ALL (insert tinny 80's piano riff here) the joy of watching these children grow in love for each other and for the Lord far outweighs any and all stress and business.

i needed to write this tonight.

four more days and we part ways. excited to hear how these kids grow up!

en france eh'. - pt. 1, the arrival.

2010-04-27T14:54:00.001-04:00

we made it! Auntie Ruth and i landed in Nice, France this afternoon shortly after one o'clock and were greeted by the finest french weather – twenty degrees and nothing but blue skies!

tonight we rest, and wait for the kids/team to arrive in the morning. from the airport we embark, finally all together, on our five week tour of western europe.

so excited to meet these kids!!!

- steve.
www.stevetheuncle.blogspot.com

just a wee quick update.

2010-04-26T21:35:00.000-04:00

greetings from Northern Ireland!

want to right off the bat extend my deepest gratitude for those of you that have been praying for me and for the Choir as we have embarked on this new journey together. those prayers have already been felt and will be what sustains us as we officially mark the beginning of this tour of europe.

my time in Belfast has been splendid. spent the first couple of days in the office over here, helping with getting things organized and packing a van full of sound gear and nap blankets. spent the weekend just relaxing, walking around town, visiting parks and coffee shops, all followed by a restful sabbath at (Auntie) Ruth's church with her and her family.

and to top things off, Ruth and i took a trip to the northern coast today to take in some of God's great handiwork. i always love visiting places like oceans and mountains because they always remind me of God's greatness.

and finally, tonight we are preparing ourselves for a flight in the morning to Nice, France, where we will meet up with the Choir in t-minus two sleeps. sooo looking forward to meeting these kids, meeting new friends, and reuniting with old friends!

thanks again for all of your prayers! will keep you posted as things progress.

- steve.

(ruth and i at the giant's causeway, on the nothern coast.)

(oh yes, we found tim hortons in ireland!)

(a bit of the coast.)

(beautiful scenery up there!)

brief and borrowed thoughts on hidden treasure.

2010-04-18T17:47:00.004-04:00

disclaimer: these thoughts are not necessarily original. i listened through a sermon by David Platt today called 'The Gospel Demands Radical Abandonment (pt.1)' that i think compelled me to post this, so for a more clear idea of what's going on in my head, i'd recommend listening to this sermon (and full series) here. nonetheless, these are currently the thoughts going through my head, and somehow felt obliged to share them here. also, i had intended to only forward these brief thoughts to one friend, but decided that maybe these are thoughts for others as well.

listened through Platt's first sermon on "Radical Abandonment" this afternoon and was motivated once again to carefully consider my own heart and it's pursuit of Christ. WHAT A TREASURE WE HAVE IN HIM!

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.
When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy,
went and sold all he had and bought that field."

- Matthew 13:44

i love two things about this man:

1) i love that he sold everything "in his joy". he recognized that what he had just found in the treasure would far surpass the value of anything else he could ever acquire, and bring more fulfillment than whatever else he could ever have. HE JOYFULLY ABANDONED EVERYTHING HE HAD FOR THE JOY THAT WOULD COME IN GAINING THE TREASURE. IN HIS JOY!

2) i love the confidence that this man had in the treasure. he was certain that if he had it he would need nothing else. so he boldly got rid of everything he had, confident that the treasure would be enough for him. HE ABANDONED EVERYTHING IN FULL CONFIDENCE THAT THIS TREASURE WOULD BE EVERYTHING HE NEEDED. HE SOLD ALL HE HAD!

i long so much to be in the place of this man more and more. the world may look at us with eyebrows raised, confused by our wanting to abandon everything and buy a seemingly empty piece of land. but they do not see the treasure, hidden, for which we buy the field.

and now that we've found the treasure, and bought the field, and finally acquired the treasure, how can we keep it for ourselves? how DARE we hoard for ourselves such a treasured possession?

"How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in?
And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?
And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written:
'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'".

- Romans 10:14-15

official end of thought. wondering now what it looks like to share this treasure with those around us. i've come to a few of my own conclusions, but i'm more interested in yours tonight. thoughts?

blessings all!

steve.
www.stevetheuncle.blogspot.com

happy birthday Hope.

2010-04-17T16:36:00.003-04:00

as awkward as i can be on the phone, i'm so grateful that such a thing as Skype exists. sincerely, free calls any place in the world to any computer with the program? is that for real? cause that's a sweet deal.

i was blessed today to SEE and hear from Andrew and Jenny who are currently both in South Africa. over the past few weeks they have been (alongside other Music for Life employees in SA) getting the children ready to come out on this two month tour of western Europe.

i had the joy, too, of meeting (on the screen) some of the children who i will be touring with. they were busy watching a movie, winding down for the night, but seemed quite excited to come over and meet 'uncle steve'. when i told them i hadn't even eaten dinner yet their response was laughter and amazement. it's almost bedtime uncle! haha. i suppose time zones can be a funny thing;).

all of this too say that this afternoon it hit me - i'm ready! ready to get back out on the road with the kids and the chaperones. ready to get to hear their stories and eventually become a character in them. ready to dance along to their performances, and teach them all of my sweet strokes;). and ready to advocate for, alongside our team and kiddos, the work of Music for Life and the African Children's Choir in places where the Choir has hardly shown it's face.

departure date is approaching quickly. on wednesday morning i will board a plane for Belfast, where i will meet up with some of the Choir's UK staff, quickly gather the sound gear, and make the trek down to France where we will be meeting the Choir and chaperones coming up from South Africa.

i'm excited about this next journey, and hope that you will join me in excitement and prayer for this upcoming tour.

hoping to post updates and pics fairly regularly here once we get rolling. so stay tuned...

peace and love all!

steve.
www.stevetheuncle.blogspot.com

ps - today a little girl in the Choir named Hope turns ten. HAPPY BIRTHDAY HOPE!

green light. go.

2010-04-08T16:10:00.001-04:00

i have been waiting for certain matters of business to take place before posting this, and today those things went down. so excited for this post! where to begin...

if you have been following me at all on my journeys with the African Children's Choir, you will know that my heart continues to get excited about the work the Lord is doing in and throughout this organization. it is because of groups like the African Children's Choir and Music for Life (our parent organization) that kids are growing up in Africa with the promise of an education that will ultimately sustain them, their families, and their communities. and having spent fifteen months on the road with the Choir i have had the incredible privilege of watching first hand our children grow in their faith, in their studies, and in their relationships. it is so evident that He has a plan for each and every one of these kids, and the thousands of other children they are advocating for by singing in the Choirs. needless to say, it is so cool to be a part of the work of this work!

with that said, i would like to invite you to continue along with me on my travels with these beautiful children as i prepare to embark on future tours. i strongly believe that this is a work that He has called me to, and allowed me to be a part of. i also am a strong believer that my work with the Choir would be ineffective and unproductive without the support that has come through people like you. so what will my future endeavors with the Choir look like? so glad you asked!

in two weeks i will be boarding a plane for Europe, where i will meet up with our most recent group of South African children and other chaperones. for six weeks we will tour in places that the Choir has never really done much touring in, with the hopes that an awareness will be raised as to what the organization is doing in Africa and how our new audiences can actively be a part of the ministry.

i'm looking forward to being in europe, but to be honest, i am more looking forward to representing a cause that i believe in - the African Children's Choir! while i may end up seeing some cool places across the pond, i'm more excited about getting back out with the kids, and the team of chaperones, and advocating for the children of Africa.

so here is my invitation:

i want to invite you to pray for me and for the African Children's Choir. this blog will continue to be updated with ways that you can pray for me, for the kids, for the team, and for the organization.

i would also like to invite you to receive my letters in your mailbox. the goal right now is for me to send out a letter once a month with updates, stories, testimonies of the Lord's work, and pictures from my travels. if you would like to be on my mailing list, and receive these updates, please email me your mailing address at jstevehiggs@gmail.com. i would love for YOU to be included in on my journey! so please let me know the best way to be in touch with you!

and please stay tuned here for more thoughts and pictures as i document what is going on in my world. i will keep you posted as this journey commences and progresses.

peace and love all!

- steve
www.stevetheuncle.blogspot.com

accepting the terms of service.

2010-03-09T18:39:00.001-05:00

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it."
- Matthew 13:44-46

been listening through a sermon series by a guy named David Platt this past week or so. the series is called 'Radical: What the Gospel Demands' and the whole premise i suppose is Dr. Platt challenging his church in birmingham, alabama to take seriously what Christ says about following Him. Platt challenges his listeners to take up reading and living out the Gospel based on Christ's terms, and not our own sub-culture-christian terms. he poses the question 'do we really believe what the Bible says about _______', filling in the blank with words like 'the Church' and the 'the lost' and 'the poor'.

i'm struggling, to be honest, in working through the some of the words Christ speaks at times. struggling because i want to be in that place where i can willingly and joyfully give everything i have for the sake of His renown, but wondering how near or far i am from reaching that place in reality. Jesus speaks some hard words to his listeners in the Gospels, and i have been wondering lately if in my own life i have more often than not come to Jesus on my own terms as opposed to his. for instance – Christ says in Luke 14 that 'any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.'. of course i want to be in this place. but how hard am i willing to try to be there? how many times in my life have i heard this text, decided to give a lot of what i had (as opposed to everything!) and sat back feeling good about giving a significant amount of my belongings away to the poor, or to the Church. was this obedience though, or was i really begrudging obedience in those instances? Jesus said EVERYTHING. not almost everything. not a substantial portion.

i think in my own life it is easy for me to soften Christ's words to a place where they are comfortable for me to hear. and i see this in churches everywhere. we say to ourselves 'oh, Christ isn't speaking to everyone.' or 'well, it all comes down to our own personal convictions really.'. maybe those are true. i will be the first to admit i do not have these answers. i am thirsty for them, but i will not present the idea that i have things all together.

Jesus says some things that are often hard to swallow. i'll admit that. but isn't it true that at the end of the day, if we have given everything we have for the sake of the Kingdom, won't Christ Himself be a far greater reward than any of our stuff or any status we could claim? is Christ not enough? i think He is. i know He is!

so how do i, how do we, as christians today hear the words of Christ and live them out seriously? i'm asking here. i know i need to take His words way more seriously.

can i challenge you to pray, ask the Lord what it really looks like to approach the Gospel on Christ's terms. this a challenge for me, and for you.

my thoughts are somewhat scattered here, but i felt like i needed to share where i am at. i believe Jesus Christ is everything, and in denying everything about ourselves, we will find Him to be all we really need in this life!

praying for the Church,

- steve.
www.stevetheuncle.blogspot.com

ps - for those into podcasts or listening to sermons online, i highly recommend listening through Dr. David Platt's series entitled 'Radical: What the Gospel Demands'. here is a link to this series - http://www.brookhills.org/media/series/radical

counted a blessing.

2010-02-27T14:10:00.001-05:00

had the opportunity to catch Choir 34 last night in Longview, TX, and walked away from the concert with a fresh sense of renewal and confirmation. i've seen the African Children's Choir a million times by now, but somehow it's not getting old.

i was again reminded of how excited i was about the Choir the first time i saw them perform in Saskatchewan. how i couldn't sit still. how my friends made me go and talk to the lady at the merch table about volunteer opportunities because i was distracting them with my excitement.

and now, two years later, i'm still crazy about the work of the Choir!

this month marks two years since i made the decision to move home, away from making my own 'big dreams' a reality, and into a place where i would be able to watch God's plan for me unfold in even bigger ways than my own dreams could ever have carried me. and what a journey it has been,

Josh said the other day while we were wandering around New Orleans that it's amazing how much we have experienced in the short span of our twenty-something years of life. in many cases, it seems like we have experienced more than most people will experience in their lifetimes. and all it took was just to say "YES!" to His leading.

and today, as i sit here in dallas, i am feeling so blessed to have worked with the Choir. to have traveled for fifteen months all over america with our kids. to build into their lives, and have them build into mine.

what a work this organization is doing for Africa's kids. so cool to be a part of the work!

thanks for keeping up with me on my journeys:). peace and love.

- steve.

her heart spilled...

2010-02-22T22:31:00.001-05:00

disclaimer: i didn't write most of this post. this is merely a forward to the blog of a sister who i have never met who wrote some words that i think everyone needs to hear. she has a lot to say that reflects a lot of what's been on my heart, and i was challenged by what she had to say. so i figured i would pass her words along to you. before that though, a quick story.

when i was in Uganda in August of 2008 we took a trip out to Jinja, a city in eastern Uganda where Lake Victoria sends out the Nile River. we went out mostly to get away as a team of chaperones, to get aquainted, and to get 'away from the kids'. a weekend with just the aunties and uncles. i've never slept in a more beautiful place - on a hilltop in a tent-like cabin overlooking the Ugandan forest, listening to the Nile sing me to sleep with it's rushing white waters.

that weekend we went to visit a couple of orphanages that the organization has either worked with or has become acquainted with over the years. one of those places was a home called 'Amani Baby Cottage' - a home filled with kids, young kids, and dedicated adults committed to loving and taking care of these forgotten children. there we spent the afternoon pushing three year olds on the swingset and giving rides around the grounds on wagons and toy trucks. that's where i met Joseph, a young Ugandan boy without a place to call home. skip a head to the summer of 2009...

we're now three quarters of the way through tour. it's been almost a year and by now the Choir and Chaperones have become a very tightly knit family. we're just coming out of the south, now making our way back up north, through tennessee and kentucky and eventually to michigan. it was in brentwood, tennessee though that i met Gwen. i had noticed before the concert that a bunch of people were wearing the same shirts, all of which had written across the backs '147 million orphans'. i quickly learned that the t-shirts were being sold to raise funds for a ministry called Amazima Ministries International, and were helping Gwen and her family adopt from East Africa. in our brief discussion we talked about Uganda some, and she mentioned that she was adopting from Jinja. naturally, i said that i had been there and we quickly learned that our team of chaperones had met the boy she was adopting - from Amani! after sifting through countless pictures i finally found a picture of her boy, and was able to add to their scrapbook. and as all of this was being discovered i got to thinking, 'wow, what a small world. and how cool is this - that God had provided a place for Joseph to stay as a baby, and was now bringing him into a family to be raised and nurtured in in the love of Christ. how cool is it that God obviously has a plan for Joseph. that God can take a small child with no family and bring him into His BIG family!'. probably one of the most memorable times of tour for me.

Gwen also pointed me towards Katie's blog. i don't know much about Katie, but i do know that as a very young woman of God she decided to give nearly everything up to answer a call that the Lord was putting on her heart to be a mom to around twenty children. imagine, at twenty years old and doing that. i love the story Katie is living with her life. i think she will have lots to tell as an old woman. probably lots to tell about how hard making a move like that has been. but even more than telling of the sacrifices i think she will have loads to share about how the struggles were worth it. that the long days of cleaning up dirty diapers and cooking rice and chicken in bulk were worth the short nights of sitting back and resting in the knowledge that Christ is with her in loving those kids. that He wanted her there all along. what a journey she's on!

so, i want to encourage you to go to her blog and read her latest entry. it's challenging, but i think it's a necessary message. i don't think we're challenged enough in our culture. we get comfortable pretty easily, and passive about a lot of things. but i believe Jesus calls us to a life beyond ease and comfort. and Katie expresses this powerfully in her words. so please read her blog, and be inspired by our sister in Jinja. thanks for all you're doing Katie!

Katie's entry:
http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/2010/02/she-was-eighteen-years-old-and-she-had.html

Amazima International International:
http://amazima.org/

peace and love all.

steve.
www.stevetheuncle.blogspot.com

a timely tangent.

2010-02-19T11:39:00.001-05:00

so i thought it would be fair to at least bring you who read this posts up to speed on where i am at in my journeys outside of my travels with the Choir.

in January i went out for coffee with a brother from home who travels the United States and Canada leading teens, young adults, and older adults in worship. the group goes by the name Atlantic and i would highly suggest listening to them on their website - www.atlanticcommunity.cc. i did some traveling with these guys the summer of 2008, just months before i hit the road with the Choir, and they were extremely supportive and excited about my endeavors with my Ugandan kids.

and in January they extended the invitation to travel with them some more for a couple of months as a part time sound guy and part time musician. so far our travels have brought us from home (moncton) to ontario to new york down to the sunny carolinas where there is no snow and blue skies! i'm having a blast connecting with these brothers again and am honored to be a part of their ministry for the next two months.

come the beginning of April this tour will be through, but until then i am working on focusing my attention to connecting with the people we are crossing paths with, hoping to hear their stories and share some of mine.

as i step into this new role i would ask for your continued prayers as we travel, for safety and for effectiveness in our ministry. i believe these guys carry a message with them that younger generations need to hear, and i am excited to bear THE message alongside them.

thanks for checking in! would LOVE to hear where you're at!

love, steve.

borrowed thoughts on coming home.

2010-01-25T16:49:00.002-05:00

"Everybody has to leave, everybody has to leave their home and come back so they can love it again for all new reasons. - donald miller

one of my favourite authors wrote those words in a book about a road trip he did with a friend across america in a Volkswagen van. it's more a memoir of sorts of things he learned about life, and love, and God on the way. i read his book about once a year to remind myself that i'm on a journey too (in fact we all are!), and to force myself to reflect on lessons, big and small, that i'm learning on those journeys.

i have come and gone countless times since high school. sometimes i've been home for a summer, sometimes only for a couple of weeks. most times i'm excited about coming home, visiting with YOU, and catching up with friends. and sometimes, in all honesty, i am anxious about coming home.

when you go away and come home again, there are changes that take place. first there are the changes that occur in your own life, your own beliefs, your own worldview. you have experienced things others at home will maybe not be able to relate to in the sense that they were not with you at the time. of course they will always be excited about your travels and want to hear all the stories, but sometimes relating that change that has happened inside of you is hard to communicate. it just takes being around for a while, and hoping that they will eventually see that change.

then there are the changes that take place at home that you have not experienced. there are new buildings, for starters, in the place of old ones that were once a familiarity on your jaunts downtown. but beyond those, there are new friends you have never met before intermingling with old friends that you once knew like the back of your hand. the same old friends are now settling into careers, getting married, grown up. you catch yourself wondering why they do not act the same way they did in high school, and then kick yourself for being so ignorant. of course they have changed. of course they have matured. haven't you? haven't they been home growing up for the same amount of time that you have been away growing up? of course. what a silly thought.

and the changes aren't bad, by any means. no, the changes that have happened in you and the changes that have happened at home are just a result of time passing by; the result of people getting older; the result of life not slowing down and seemingly speeding up.

and upon returning home, and seeing these changes you realize deep down that you are still you, home is still home, and old friends are still old friends. these three things are things that will probably never change. there will be changes in all three, but all three will never change. am i off in this assumption?

you realize in coming home that no matter how hospitable the people are in texas, no one cooks a meal like Mom does. you realize no matter how many brothers and sisters you've acquired on your journeys, that nothing beats coming home and going out for breakfast with your real brothers, or seeing the growth and maturity that has happened in them. or seeing how your little brother has become your older brother, and you answer to him now. of course you claim that you can still take him, and when the offer comes to challenge your claims you simply pull the 'i'm-not-feeling-really-good-right-now' card. you both know that he's tougher though...

you realize in coming home that maybe the reason why you love to travel is because you love coming home. if even for a short time. you love going away because you get to come home and really see the changes that are happening here. the changes that maybe the people at home don't see as much, because to them they came gradually.

in a few hours i am leaving again until April. that's two and a half-ish months of writing my stories, and two and a half-ish months worth of stories to read upon my return.

i'm excited to go away. partially because i love to travel, experience new things, see new places. but i think partially too because i have learned to love coming home. i have learned to really appreciate the growth that is happening in this place.

in leaving home and returning again you are given a new perspective on home. you realize that home can be strange, can be foreign, and at the same time it can be familiar. you realize that maybe you took home for granted when you were growing up. you realize that home has changed, but change can be beautiful. you realize that there is always a place for you at home, no matter how long you have been away. in essence, you realize in being away from home for so long that you have a million new reasons to love home.

the stories continue...

(www.stevetheuncle.blogspot.com)

this is how those decisions are panning out.

2010-01-23T22:34:00.002-05:00

the summer before i went on the road with the African Children's Choir i had the privilege of touring some summer camps with a band of brothers from here on the east coast.

i had just moved home from school out west and was on the hunt for a job so that i would be able to fund some of my travels with the Choir. not long after getting home though i received the invitation to go out as a bass player for a few weeks and hang out with teens in Iowa and Indiana. after a ton of thinking and praying i decided to take up the offer. i love travel. i love playing music. i love hanging out with grade-schoolers. and i love the ministry these guys have. so i jumped in the van and joined the Atlantic community.

and now, after being home for a few weeks, and after looking for a job to support myself, the guys have invited me to join them again. and i'm pumped! won't be playing bass, but that's alright. going to give a shot at the tambourine and fill in as a sound guy wherever i can.

from this tuesday until the first week in April i will be on the road with the guys in Atlantic, touring in churches, youth groups, missions conferences, and young adult events.

if you have a sec, check these guys out - www.atlanticcommunity.cc - check their itinerary and if it looks like we're anywhere's near, i'd love to see ya!

and for you praying folk, if i could ask you to pray for safe travels, sweet conversations with the people we're meeting and within the group, and solid memories.

not sure what the next couple of months will look like or how the weeks will pan out, but i'm excited to make the transition back onto the road.

time at home has been many things - peaceful and restful i would say would be the words that come to mind right away.

i'm going to try and keep this blog up, and though i'm not with the Choir directly, i think the lessons i learned while touring with them will apply to and carry into whatever places i find myself next. so, i'm keeping the 'uncle steve' thing going, until i learn to respond to just 'steve'.

for now, just call me 'uncle'...

kidding.

peace and love guys!

- steve.

decision making and the will of God.

2010-01-07T19:33:00.001-05:00

So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea.
- Exodus 13:18

i have spent the majority of my day thinking. i think thinking is healthy, but i also think that sometimes i overthink. and i think that can be unhealthy. what do you think?

most of my thoughts today have been consumed by a decision i am presently faced with. i have realized that maybe i took for granted the fact that my days were planned out on tour with the Choir. i just sort of went where my schedule told me to go, and didn't really ask many questions. and now that i am home it seems i have been given the liberty to decide nearly every day what i am going to do with my time. i'm not sure which method i prefer, but some days as of late i have missed the convenience of being handed an agenda on friday and having it dictate my hours for the following seven days.

so the big decision. well, that's irrelevant. i'm more concerned tonight with the route i am taking in making the decision than i am with the end result of the choice itself, to be honest.

now, there is Plan A and Plan B. there is also Plan C, but it is what goes down when you have thought for days about the first two, considered all of your options, finally made a choice to stick with the first one, and suddenly Plan A doesn't work out but something better does. that is Plan C. i call it “why-didn't-i-see-it-in-the-first-place-?”.

about the first two though; Plan A and Plan B:

i have been thinking about how we, as Christians, often times make decisions. note: when i say “we” i can only really speak from my own experiences, because those are all i have really been been through .

typically when a fork in the road presents itself it seems that we weigh our options based on 'effectiveness' or 'how we can best represent our Lord in those two places'. definitely NOT the wrong motives. but in my dealing with the two options before me now i am wondering mostly how i know where i would used more effectively. i believe the truth is we may only ever recognize a small portion of the 'successes' in our ministry.

for example: my kids from the Choir will grow up and probably forget the time when i led a devotion on 'Being a Servant – Jesus Style'. i thought it was a pretty good one. effective. made my point in a few different ways to be clear, and i made sure that everyone was grasping what i was saying. nonetheless, i'm sure most of them will forget it. not because they chose to, but because that's what happens when you grow up. you forget things. BUT, maybe in twenty years when i go to give a toast at Christopher's wedding he will look across the table at me and say “Uncle, do you remember that time we climbed a tree together, and you told me how amazing it was that God gave us things to climb on. and then we both said 'Hallelujah, God is great!'? now i can not look at a tree and not be thankful for life.”. i will probably look at him then and say two things. the first: “Christopher, i'm proud of you for remembering my name.” and the second: well, i'll just tear up, say “Yes, i remember”, and think to myself that i would have never counted that as something to be remembered as a success in my leading Christopher into Christlikeness.

all of this to say that i believe God WILL use us wherever we are, in ways that we would never have imagined, so long as our single aim is to honour Him with our lives.

and so how does this relate to my big decision? in so many ways. but briefly...

it would be easy for me to see how i could be used in one place. and slightly more difficult for me to see how i could be used in another. but i don't think our effectiveness should be measured by our standards. i know that God would work in me and through me in either place, if i remain open to Him doing so. and i also know that His limits know no bounds. so how can i say 'well, if i go here my ministry will be better'?. humbug. who says? so long as my single aim is to honour Him with my life. as long as i make the effort to be fruitful, He will bring the rains and shoot up the crops.

also, i wondered a lot today if there really was a right choice of the two. to me they both seem sweet, and i would prefer neither to the other. so i have concluded in asking the Lord for direction that maybe He has left both doors open, and is ready to walk with me through either one; whichever i choose. surely God doesn't get stuck at forks in the road. He makes the roads!

what if He gives us options and then says 'Go. Choose.', and then leaves it up to us. and promises to be with us in either situation. knowing that doesn't necessarily make the choice any easier, i would still love to do both. however, it does add an element of comfort knowing that my choice to go with Plan B doesn't mean i should have gone with Plan A and now i'm a fool. it makes the choice easier in the sense that i don't have to worry whether or not God is going to be pleased with my choice. of course He will be, He gave me them both.

and of course, there is always Plan C. the one that just shows up out of the blue. maybe i'll choose that one, without even knowing it existed. then i'll just laugh at myself for overthinking Plan A and Plan B.

i am going to make a choice. and i don't know how either one will pan out. but the Israelites did not know that the Red Sea was going to open up yet that is the direction they went. and it did, because God was faithful in their deliverance. and our God is the same God of the Israelites. so i'll run towards the waters and watch them open up and then be amazed.

and then, i will keep you posted.

much love!

- steve.

Songs of Hope - a CNN special on the African Children's Choir.

2010-01-05T18:50:00.002-05:00

“Songs of Hope – Episode One”

“Songs of Hope – Episode Two”

“Songs of Hope – Episode Three”

“Songs of Hope – Episode Four”

otherwise, go here - http://edition.cnn.com/CNNI/Programs/insideafrica/ - and watch ALL four episodes. i highly recommend you do...

lookie what i found!

2010-01-04T17:04:00.006-05:00

i just found this vid of our kids in Austin. not sure if i posted it before, but it showed up in an email tonight so i figured i'd post it again. just a short news thing.

peace and love!

- steve.

to everything, turn.

2010-01-04T17:00:00.000-05:00

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him.”

- Ecclesiastes 3:11-14

there is a new season in which i find myself at the forefront.

for two weeks i have been home now, revisiting with family and resting from a year and a half of almost constant movement. time to process has been significant. significant enough to feel that the year behind me will perhaps always be the foundation upon which i live the rest of my life; that is serving children and serving the Lord is places near and far.

so what’s next? i wish i knew.

for now i am here. i don’t think i have been in this place more than four months since i graduated from high school. but now i am here. and i am glad i am.

though there is slight uncertainty regarding my future, i rest in peace and contentment knowing there is certainty that God will lead His servants. so these days i am striving to be faithful; and a faithful servant.

in doing so i believe doors will open up. so stay posted. i want you with me on this journey – wherever it may lead!

much love,

steve.

2009-12-31T18:25:00.003-05:00

Catch the Choir on CNN International's 'Inside Africa' this week!

this is home.

2009-12-18T01:18:00.003-05:00

just a few words tonight, i promise.

the children have all arrived safely in Entebbe (Uganda) as of lunch time chicago time today. them and all 71 packages they went home with! amazing that the Lord took care of all of that travel! i hear they were tired upon arrival, but excited to be home. and i don't blame them.

as i write now i am sitting here in the home that is my mother's. it's quiet, as everyone is asleep. and somehow, though i am tired, i am enjoying this stillness.

i gave the last of the last hugs to the aunties this afternoon and boarded my first of two planes back to moncton. the day was long, but the pace was steady.

my flight from new jersey to home was delayed a couple of hours, which didn't get me home until around 12:30am, but get this - i rolled through the automatic doors at the airport on my trolley cart of suitcases expecting to see Momsy, and i was welcomed by a number of beautiful faces! somehow my life's oldest and dearest friends schemed to be there to welcome me back to the east coast, and i have never felt so warmly received.

you friends, thank you so much!

all this to say i made it safe and sound as well. and though i was exhausted from a day of travelling i was excited to reach this place that has changed so much, yet has somehow seemed to remain the same.

think it's time i tuned into some dreams.

much love!
- steve.

ps - and if you're wondering what i did with my extra time at the airport today - i found Lino's bouncy ball in my jacket pocket, and so dedicated a good portion of those few hours to aimlessly wandering around bouncing it off walls and pretending to play soccer with it in the terminal. and many people received many eggs!

now, at the last.

2009-12-15T23:41:00.001-05:00

about fifteen months ago at the beginning of our tour i did a lot of romanticizing over the 'firsts' we were sharing with the kids at the time. i blogged a lot about our first flights together, our first meals together. the first time the kids had pizza (and were afraid of it!) and ice-cream (and suffered from some serious brain freeze). i remember watching a man paragliding in our first week and telling the kids that it was 'just a man in the sky'; how simple the concept seemed to me, but how baffled they were by the idea of a man floating in the air.

then there was their first american thanksgiving. their first Christmas away from home and family. their first times swimming in pools. their first concerts. lots and lots of firsts!

and now, tonight, i am reflective on the other end of the spectrum.

if you would have told me in the beginning that this tour would expire fast, i would have laughed at you. actually, i think did laugh at some people who tried telling me this, only not to their faces in fear of hurting their feelings. but nearly a year and a half has gone by and all to quickly. looking back, time has passed faster than i ever would have expected it to. the end, so to speak, is upon us as the 32nd African Children's Choir and tonight i realized that we are in the phase of experiencing our 'lasts' together.

this is our last stay in a host's home. tonight i tucked the boys in for the last time. we had our last bowl of ice-cream together and Julius beat me at our last game of chess together. tomorrow (Lord willing) we will have our last bus ride together as we send the kids and uncles through security and onto flight destined for Uganda.

the cliche goes that 'all good things must come to and end'.

personally, i think that saying is rubbish.

true, this tour has been everything greater than good, and our tour is wrapping up tomorrow.

in my humble opinion though, only the good things will last.

and what will last?

i have discovered this in the past weeks: that if you spend fifteen months in the company of the same people, those people become a huge part of who you are. when you invest in the same people for such a long period of time, the investment that they in turn make in you is immeasurable.

we as aunties and uncles have poured ourselves into each other and into twenty two children for perhaps the most foundational era of their lives in terms of their social and spiritual development. Abe told us once that being a chaperone ends, but being an uncle lasts a lifetime.

these kids will always be our kids. we will always be able to pray for them. we will always be able to hear of their progress in life. we will always remember these last days as the first days of the rest of our lives supporting one another from a distance. this investment is what will last.

though tomorrow we may say our last goodbyes, the truth is that it really is not goodbye we are saying, more just 'see you later'.

to the chaperones i have travelled with this year – a toast of love and gratitude for your continual commitment and support over the months.

and to the rest, much peace and love!

- 'uncle steve.'

new album up.

2009-12-13T23:40:00.003-05:00

hey all!

i've got a new album posted here over on the right. most of the shots are from Auntie Angela, so kudos to a wonderful auntie with wonderful photo skills.

(if you're reading from facebook the pics are here: http://www.stevetheuncle.blogspot.com. still working on getting them up on facebook.)

these are all pics from the fall, our last few months of tour.

much love all! expect another post soon.

- steve.

don't forget the things that made you laugh.

2009-12-05T21:40:00.003-05:00

just laughing through some journal entries tonight. found a couple that made me laugh. thought maybe someone would get a kick out of these boys.

May 23, 2009 – Alcoa, TN

host took me and the boys out to dinner. all you can eat buffet. told the boys they could take two things each for dessert – Geofrey took four. apparently the chocolate fudge only counted as one thing, no matter how many pieces were taken. he took three. technically, yes. i guess he found a loophole.

June 8, 2009 – Hendersonville, TN

- tonight Hanny walked into the host's glass door on the way out to the car. just like that bird that flew into the window on that windex commercial. i guess he didn't see it. props to the host for keeping their windows practically invisible though. mr. clean would have been proud. Hanny just laughed at himself and proceeded to properly open the door at the second go.

so great.

what's a little mud?

2009-12-03T17:40:00.001-05:00

this afternoon Hanny and i played a brief one on one game of soccer, and the boy 'beat me up', as the kids would say.

everyone was writing english exams today (apart from the aunties and uncles) and Hanny was the first one done. so i felt it would be a good time for some quality hang time. and it was. i've written about Hanny before, but i am continually blown away by this young boy. he is a child through and through, one of our smaller boys, if not the smallest, but i think he has the biggest appreciation for life, if not the biggest.

the pitch was quite wet and muddy today, kudos to these north carolina rains. at first i was hesitant about running through it. i had my white shoes on and some freshly laundered trousers. one look at Hanny though made me wonder why i had to think about it. the smile, the big eyes, the excitement to kick a ball around with his uncle. so how could i resist?

i didn't.

i got messy and muddy but didn't care. i would have rolled around in the swampy field all day if it meant laughing with Hanny.

it's these moments i am living for these days. the opportunities to enjoy the kids one on one.

the countdown in the kitchen says thirteen days are left until we board our separate planes bound for our separate destinations.

gotta make the most of what time is left!

all for today. peace and love.

- steve.

just watching the scenes play out.

2009-11-10T20:35:00.002-05:00

right now as i sit in the living room here at Mirembe with my freshly brewed cup of tim horton's cofee, Mo is sitting outside at the picnic table, headphones in his ears, pen in hand, pouring out his thoughts and experiences from tour into his new journal. he's probably listening to kirk franklin or the 'i'm a michigan kid' cd. so he's probably hammering out some pretty good thoughts. i know that i write better when i'm rocking to something sweet like that.

this and many like it have become regular scenes throughout our days here at Mirembe. scenes of kids playing out in the yard, chasing each other or chasing a ball. scenes of kids in the house reading books or drawing pictures or helping the aunties and uncles cook up the next meal. scenes of kids being kids and parents sitting back watching their kids be kids.

it is an honor i have been given at such a young age to play such a huge role in these kids' lives. to be a parent to them.

parenting is tough stuff, and if i would have known that ten years ago i probably would have given my mom and dad more breaks more often. but from what this experience has taught me, parenting is the most rewarding and joyful job any grown man or woman could hire into. sure, i know, my parenting experience is different than most and has been limited to this one year. regardless, i have learned, or have begun to learn, the tremendous joys and difficulties of the life of a parent.

and this month our little huge family has finally all come home to be together for this last leg of tour.

the plan is to be here until early december rehearsing and preparing to go home.

so far in our time here i have been making it a point to hang with these kids on a more individual basis. a game of cards here, a storybook read there, a game of catch elsewhere. moments like that.

i really want to send these kids home with them knowing that uncle steve cares deeply about them. that uncle loves them.

so that's where we're at.

the kids led worship on Sunday morning at our home church here in america. King's Park International Church in Durham, NC. a church that has been touched by the Choir and has responded to our needs by providing us this home. such gracious and beautiful people in this community. a privilege to be here.

more thoughts to come. just got a new book though and am eager to get into it.

much love all!

- steve

the beginning of the end.

2009-11-01T21:37:00.003-05:00

i will post this with the goal to post something more detailed soon.

after thirteen and a half months of performing in churches, Choir 32 has officially ended their 'church concert tour'.

and what better a place to go out than greensboro, north carolina. tonight we performed our last concert for a crowd of a couple thousand people at a beautiful church here in greensboro. the kids, knowing that most of their songs were being retired tonight, sang with all of their hearts and made the very most of this last concert. and what a great bunch of folks to sing and dance for too! everyone was into it, or at least it seemed that way!

we're still a ways out from the end, but we're calling this a sort of finish. at least the end of a pretty long chapter.

as i was brushing my teeth before bed tonight i got to thinking about the million sinks i have brushed in. and then the million homes i have stayed in. and then the million churches we have performed in. and then the million memories we have made.

the beginning of the end is upon us. in the morning we move on to mirembe house to be together as a family. Lord willing.

i can't wait!

goodnight.

-steve.

one flu over choir 32's nest.

2009-10-26T20:57:00.003-04:00

i'd like this to be a post, but a non-official post, if i can.

more a prayer request than anything.

our tour is just three concerts out from the finish line. we're hoping to arrive at 'the house' sometime next monday, where we will spend sixish weeks getting ready for home as well as for our christmas shows.

however, tis the season of sickness, and we need your prayers. apparently the h1n1 virus has been declared a national emergency, and all precautions are being made to make sure people are properly aware and vaccinated as needed.

the good news is that none of us have gone down with the swine flu. many of our kids are fighting coughs and chasing running noses though. and getting worn out as a result.

i believe vitamins and orange juice and rest and juice are all good and neccessary ideas. but i believe prayer works better.

please pray simply that we will finish tour (this week! crazy!) strong and healthy. that we would acquire the energy that we need to pull through the rest of the week.

thanks guys, for your continued support and encouraging emails/messages over the last fourteen months. looking forward to many coffee dates in the months to come!

love, steve.

2009-10-24T20:35:00.003-04:00

does anyone remember Animal from the muppets? you know, the wild pink critter behind the drum kit in the muppets band? well, i think i found him this morning jamming in west virginia. (sorry for the poor video quality.)

http://stevetheuncle.blogspot.com/2009/10/does-anyone-remember-animal-from.html

haha. oh Christopher, i love you kiddo.

- uncle steve.

these kids could be anywhere but these kids are here.

2009-10-22T15:48:00.001-04:00

today i have the day off in athens, ohio. if it were not for the university of ohio i am not sure that there would be much in athens. it is in every way a stereotypical college town, full of coffee shops, bookstores, and thousands of busy young adults frantically running about trying to get to classes on time. i like the pace in towns like this, it's quick but it can be what you make it. today i have chosen to take it slow.

as the end of this tour gets even closer to the end, i am trying to get myself to begin processing the whole of this experience, little bits at a time. i have surely seen and witnessed more than i realize, as i am realizing more so every day now. i have had more conversations and spoken with such a diverse group of people in our year on the road, and i am now beginning to put it all together. take a look from the outside as best as i can so that when i go home and back to the people i have known and loved my whole life, i can (hopefully) relate my experiences accurately.

last night as one of the boys (Lino and Junior) went off to brush his teeth, i asked the other what his thoughts and feelings were on going home. we didn't go to deep. really i just asked if they were looking forward to going home, and what they were looking forward to about being back in their villages for Christmas. eventually this led to us talking about different holiday traditions and what kinds of things will go down during the holidays with the neighborhood boys. pretty light conversations, overall, but somehow eye-opening. i get these little glimpses every now and again as to what life for these kids is like back in Uganda. and i think that is what keeps me going.

it is no secret that these kids come from extremely vulnerable situations. it is in our mission statement. and sometimes i wonder if the word 'vulnerable' is to light.

if you are ever given the privilege of working with children from another culture you will quickly learn a few things – you will learn that kids are kids the world over. they play, they argue, they cry, and they can have a good time no matter where they are. you will also notice that a child's background or the circumstances surrounding their home life may be hard to hear or realize – the amount of brokenness or poverty might even be the cause of your tears – but those things do not diminish or take away from the potential that is in a child.

a child, if given the chance; if given the opportunity, can change the world around them. i think Jesus gave them this chance when he invited the children into his lap. and i'm pretty sure he knew this, that a child needs and deserves their chance at being loved and at reaching their goals and dreams. a shot at reaching their potential.

i also realized last night as i was tucking the boys in, saying our bedtime prayers and talking a bit before bed how blessed the organization is to have them, and how blessed they are to be in the organization, and how amazing it is that our God can orchestrate their being here, and their being given the chance of a lifetime in a lot of ways. of all of the children in Arua (these two boys are from north-western Uganda), the Lord handpicked Junior and Lino to come on this tour, and to go back to Uganda with the promise to be taken care of through university. how awesome is that!? that the Lord would work all of that out.

thinking of where these guys are and where the could have been if it were not for organizations like the African Children's Choir/Music for Life and Compassion International and Invisible Children and etc,etc, is reason enough to believe that hope can be poured into a seemingly hopeless situation.

our God is good. like, GOOD. all capital letters!

my honest and hopefully not to scattered thoughts for today.

love you guys,
steve.

ps – we're six concerts out, and still in need of your prayers to pull us through to mid-december. thanks for ALL of your support!

currently listening to:
Simon and Garfunkel's "Greatest Hits"
Caedmon's Call's "Share the Well" and "Caedmon's Call"

2009-10-17T09:38:00.002-04:00

just a quick update, because i owe it to you.

today we are pulling out of Ohio and entering into a new state - west virginia. our trip today will bring the state-o-meter up to twenty-one, where it will remain for the rest of our tour.

the end of tour is approaching fast. in the next few weeks leading up until november we will perform nine times. that's all! only nine concerts left before we break from concerts to spend some time together in North Carolina rehearsing for our appearance with the Cincinnati Symphony's Christmas program in early december and continuing with our school routine.

but we're not through yet. i'm looking forward to being on the road for the remainder of this tour, mostly for the time that we have left with the kids. it's crazy to think that we have been in each others company for over a year now.

i'll bring something more in depth as soon as possible, but i wanted you to know where we are at. currently Nelson is giving himself a recorder lesson, and my concentration is fading.

much love all!

- steve.

webale.

2009-10-12T15:32:00.000-04:00

in the spirit of my last entry, i'd like to keep up on this theme of thankfulness. today is thanksgiving in canada, and here in a church foyer somewhere in columbus, ohio. Geofrey reminded me a few days ago that there is nothing sweeter than an attitude of gratitude, especially when you are on the receiving end. evidently, i have learned that in giving thanks for everything (because really, there is nothing i have that belongs to solely to me) i am kept humble, and i find that i can enjoy more fully what i have when i recognize Who it comes from. so i want this blog today to simply be a confession of the things i am most grateful for this year, at this point, in this journey.

this morning i was thinking over some things i am thankful for, and i realized that most of them were things that i couldn't really grab a hold of. intangible, in a sense.

like laughter, for starters. i have never laughed more in my life than i have in the last year. these kids are full of unending reasons to smile and laugh. it seems like every day there is a new reason to be optimistic. for the most part, at least. of course, i have my days, and i am thankful for those too.

i'm thankful for things like love and compassion of grace. without those i would be nowhere, without a doubt.

i'm thankful that i have had the privilege of living a life full of well-written stories. not that i have written them, but just that they have been written. for the places i have been, the people i have met, the conversations with complete strangers and the conversations that have kept close friends out well beyond their curfews. the things i have done and things that have been done to me. the experiences i have had on my own and the experiences i have shared with others. the dry seasons and the wet seasons. the good times and the bad times. sickness and health. better and worse. those types of things. all thanks to Him for giving me this life. for allowing this story to be written.

i'm thankful for my family. i don't keep up with them as much as i should, but i love them more than anyone on this planet. they're the reason i am where i am at, and they are the reason my life's story was started.

i'm thankful for (take a deep breath) Rose, Patrick, Racheal, Hanny, Sarah, Christopher, Peace, Jackson, Lydia, Geofrey, Lillian, Mo, Esther, Lino, Immaculate, Julius, Scovia, Junior, Gladys, Gilbert (small), Nelson, and Gilbert (big) – the children i have been blessed to mentor, play with, pray with, walk beside, encourage, rebuke, and listen to this year. what stories we have written together! and the other aunties and uncles – my coworkers, but beyond that, my deeply loved companions on this long road trip.

and i'm thankful for less important things, like coffee and cookies. and my shoes and this computer and the few books i carry around with me and the blankets i sleep under every night.

needless to say, there is no shortage of things to be thankful for.

and i hope that every day can continues to be a type of thanksgiving. today is sweet because people at home are eating turkey, families are reuniting, and the leaves on the trees are changing their colours, but beyond that, today is sweet because it is another gift we didn't ask for and maybe didn't deserve, but most of us expected. all thanks to Him for the new chances and opportunities He gives us in each day to serve Him and love others.

i hope that beyond today, you and i can remain in this spirit of thankfulness.

happy t-giving friends!

peace and love.

steve.

webale, aunties and uncles.

2009-10-10T10:47:00.004-04:00

yesterday on the bus the aunties and uncles were handed a letter from one of the boys in the back of the bus. Geofrey is the kind of kid who would go the extra mile if it would mean helping someone out, or encouraging someone who has had a rough day, or just making them laugh. the other night Geofrey spend the majority of our time in the host family laughing and joking with each other. the kids' joyful and light spirit is an encouragement to me on the days when i'm tired, or when i just can not seem to muster up the srength to be the uncle that i wish i was every day.

i wanted to share his letter with you, so that you can see the heart of gratitude that is being formed in Geofrey's heart. i made a few spelling corrections, for ease of understanding, but this is essentially the letter as it was written by Geofrey:

Dear Aunties and uncles

Thank you so much for loving us so much. Thank you so much for leaving your mother, father, sisters, and brothers to come and help us in every thing.

So I want to tank you for that. Aunties and Uncles you love us so much. Thank you so much for buying shoes and thank you so much for buying for us clothes and thank you again for the clothes that you have given us.

Can I share with you a verse? It is Psalms 150 verse 6 it says Let everything that has breath praise the Lord, Praise the Lord. Jesus said let the little children come to me and aunties and uncles that is true, don't forget that.

Jesus is keeping you and God is helping you so so so so much in every thing that you do. Thank you so much for the good food.

God is with you Aunties and Uncles.

Aunties and Uncles may God bless you all in every thing and Aunties and Uncles I love you. You help all of us. Thank you for teaching us good manners.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Again, thank you.

May God bless you in every thing that you do. Aunties and Uncles I am praying for you.

Love Geoffrey.

man, i love the heart in those words.

blessings all!

- steve.

www.playingforchange.com

2009-09-14T20:39:00.003-04:00

i've always thought that some of the best musicians are the ones who sit against brick buildings in big cities, playing for anyone and everyone and everyone who passes by. i wrote a blog a few months ago while we were in new orleans about a busker i sat and listened to for a while, while everyone else was to busy scheduling meetings on their blackberries at a hurried pace or taking pictures in front of old monuments. the brother played, and hardly a soul payed any attention to the music, the beautiful music, that was being shared from the corner of the sidewalk.

today our kids recorded a song for an organization called Playing for Change. in their words, Playing for Change is a multimedia movement created to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music. the crews travel around filming and recording various artists (street musicians and well-recognized musicians) all playing and singing the same song. in the end is a group of people who have never met, speak different languages, and come from every walk of life imaginable, but who can come together singing and being moved by the same songs.

it's a very cool idea, and spending some time with Mark and Enzo (founder and crew member) really reminded me how music transcends cultures, and how universal the language of music is.

so the kids sang a song by the Beatles called 'All You Need is Love'. i'm sure you are probably familiar with it. the song was tracked literally all over the world, including Holland, Michigan, where Playing for Change met up with the African Children's Choir to lay down a few choruses for the song.

the kids were certainly excited to be doing the project, and we are honoured to be a part of the collaboration.

i don't know when the song will be finished, or when the album will be released. but rumor has it that Starbucks and the Red Campaign are endorsing the record.

so if you're in starbucks in a few months time and hear some young voices singing along to a beatles' song, those are probably our kids. and if you listen close enough, you might even hear me dancing in the background...

a little update from today.

summer is one week from over. time is flying out here!

love you guys!

uncle steve.

ps – here's a video from the Playing for Change website. i'd recommend watching it the entire way through. it's quite moving...

by the poolside.

2009-09-08T18:20:00.003-04:00

currently sitting by the poolside, watching Patrick, Gilbert, and Mo leap into the pool, pretending to be frogs. tonight's update is long overdue, and while i don't have to much on my mind presently, i want to at least share with you where we are at.

we're hanging out in Detroit these days. in just a couple of weeks we will finish our month and a half stint in michigan and move further east, towards the end of our tour. it's coming fast. almost too fast. but we don't have to go down there tonight.

yesterday we took the holiday off as a Choir and enjoyed the day with our hosts. my boys spent the day in pools and as a result looked like prunes and slept soundly in the end. it was good to take a day and just be around; being entertained rather than entertaining. yes, the township of harrison was good to us, and kept the rain away until the end of the day.

if i could ask for your prayers, we're nearing the end of our tour. only a couple more real months left before we hide out for the month of november. with the end "in sight" (somehow) we as chaperones are looking to Him for the most wisdom as we prepare our kiddos for their return home and into our school in Entebbe.

we're also celebrating our 25th birthday as a Choir this month, and with that lots are going on. pray for the new Choirs that just came out (Choir 34 and Choir 35) and for our much loved friends in Choir 31 who are Uganda bound as i type.

and for Choir 32. for health as the season gets colder and a million more fun memories before we call it a tour.

much love to all of you. and thank you for your continued support.

- uncle steve.

cool story - last friday we did a concert in the church where Rosa Parks funeral was held, here in Detroit.

happy anniversary.

2009-08-25T11:30:00.000-04:00

11:30am, Ugandan time, one year ago today, a group of five westerners and in Entebbe and set out to meet their twenty-two children.

i guess today is a special day for me. this morning marks our official one year anniversary. we have been together now for one year. hard to believe. in the last year my friends at home have finished another year of school and are getting ready to go back again. some have even gotten married. and some have entered into the workforce and established themselves in new careers. meanwhile, our little family of thirty has written a story a million pages thick.

i remember the first time seeing the children as if it were just seconds ago. they were rehearsing in their school room as we drove through the gate into the compound. i remember how they looked so small and how excited they were to meet us. i don't know who was more excited in those days, them or us. i remember those few weeks in Uganda making a fool of myself with a soccer ball and chasing rabbits with the boys. i remember learning things about their culture (like how to properly handwash my clothes. these guys will never let me live down the embarrassment there).

and now, a year later, our cultures have been intertwined, and the result has been something beautiful.

so i suppose i just want to wish a happy birthday to Choir 32.

love you guys!

steve.

Choir 32 visits my best friend's house.

2009-08-07T22:24:00.006-04:00

so, don't tell the auntie's, but i snooped onto their facebook pages and snatched up a few pictures from today's adventures...

today, en route to fort wayne, indiana, we made a pit stop at starbucks, only this time it wasn't so the aunties and uncles could get their fill of happy juice. no, this time it was so that the kids could all get some happy juice - hot chocolate, that is.

every time we drive by a starbucks there is usually a handful of kids who point it out to the nearest auntie or uncle on the bus. on occasion, their eye for the giant green and white highway signs has come in handy. lately i have been telling Mo, my new seatmate, that starbucks is where my best friend lives, and that i wish i could go visit him every time we pass by. and after months and months of pleading, we finally were able to get all of the kids into starbucks to see what the world looks like from inside our favorite coffee shop.

here's a few pics so you can see for yourself how excited everyone was to be in starbucks together.

Jackson and i enjoying our coffees together.

Lino sporting the classic starbucks logo proudly.

a quick photo shoot in front of our favorite coffee shop.

thumbs up for starbucks!

kudos to Auntie Angela for her sweet photography skills and always having her camera handy to capture these little memories. love you sister! ... and sorry i stole these pics from you...

much love all!

steve.

there is no loss.

2009-08-06T22:18:00.000-04:00

tonight my new friend from Kenya, Fred (that's what i will call her here), and myself were having a discussion about the Choir and about our ministry and about this organization. this is a type of conversation that i am no stranger to and that i think comes often in being a 'traveling missionary'. what i loved about this particular conversation tonight though was the fact that Fred really could see into the heart of the organization and could envision the outcome of having these kids do this tour. being from Africa, i think she was able to really understand that a good education (the overall focus and foundation of the Choir) is essential in building positive and edifying communities in and throughout that beautiful continent. when i told her about what we were doing in Uganda and in Kenya, and about the kids that have grown up and graduated from colleges and universities because of the organization, she was thrilled. when i explained to her that we do schooling on the road, and that we have teachers that travel with the Choir to make sure the kids are learning as we go along, she was all smiles. and smiles on the faces of Kenyans are beautiful, by the way.

then we got to talking a little bit about me, and about my role as a chaperone on this tour. and here is cool factor about the conversation number two – she was genuinely excited about my ministry here, which was totally encouraging.

and her encouragement and wisdom to me was this – she said that in serving the Lord there is no loss. based on our conversation i could tell that she was speaking from life experience. i could see in her that she had given up a lot to serve the Lord in her life, but i could also see that those circumstances did not phase her love or passion to serve the Lord. she said that if we are honestly desiring to serve Him that we will never have to carry the weight of regret in our lives.

i was encouraged by Fred's words to me tonight. i like that bit about there being no loss in serving the Lord. the truth is that wherever we are serving Him we are bound to come face to face with some pretty rough and tough challenges. we will more likely than not be tested to our limits, and then tested a little more. but the rest of that truth is that there is nothing to lose in that service to Him, and that's what i am loving about this job. the rewards are hopefully very clear and obvious. i mean, i get to see faith and love and joy take shape in twenty two young lives. i get to watch them grow and i get to be proud of them just like a father is proud of his kids.

i guess where i am getting at here is this – Jesus once told a man who was determined to follow Him that He had no place to lay His head. and i wonder what the man thought after hearing that. like if he had second thoughts or anything. it seems that Christ was never overly concerned with the short term side of things, like where they would sleep or how they would eat or how the storm was going to pass. i think He knew that at the end of the day He would rest His head, the people would bed fed, and the storm was going to calm down. it seems He was more concerned with the long term, or maybe we could call it the eternal side of things. i think He knew this secret – that there is no loss if we just serve Him faithfully.

the truth is that serving the Lord can be hard work; strenuous at times. but just like every good seed reaps a good harvest, i think that Jesus wants us to realize that 'there is no loss'. there is no loss. i have found that to be true. i spent a lot of time tonight trying to put that into clear thoughts, but at the end of it all i could only come back to that. there is no loss. with a smile on my face like the smile that was on Fred's face i say to you, there is no loss.

the benefits and rewards that i am reaping daily as i spend my time with these children are countless. they do not always come easy, but they are always there. and i guess my prayer for you tonight is that wherever you are at in YOUR journey that you would know that there is no loss in serving our Lord.

i hope you can be encouraged by knowing that. just as i was when i heard it from Fred.

much love to you.

steve.

proud and priveleged to be an uncle to this boy.

2009-07-21T22:40:00.008-04:00

Hannington is one of our smallest boys but if you asked me i would tell you that of all our children, Hanny (his name in short, easier to introduce i guess) is perhaps the most childlike. he carries with him almost everywhere he goes a type of childish innocence and curiosity that is at times quite contagious. sometimes i call him George and pretend that i am the man in the yellow hat. Hanny is an eight year old boy, through and through. always wanting to play and, it seems, always learning something new, or at least asking a ton of interesting questions.

i had the privilege of visiting Hanny's home when we were in Uganda last August, and so somehow i feel like i know more about him than others. whenever i mention his younger sister or his mother's samosas, Hanny puts his chin up and sports a smile that could light up any dark room, as if he is proud of his family or where he comes from. and i love to see that in his facial expressions.

tonight Hanny and i played basketball for roughly twenty minutes or so, and i think the entire time he had the ball he was balancing his b-ball skills with his laughing. again, contagious. i'm not good at basketball, and Hanny will tell you that. but tonight i felt like a father who had just spent some quality time with his son. and at the end of the game we just smiled at each other, as if to say to that we are proud of one another.

and it is true, i am proud of Hannington. i took a minute tonight to just watch him run around and dribble the ball, and thought back to the days when we first met. when we first started playing together. and i noticed for the first time i think just how much he has grown in the last year. i mean, he is only eight, but he is a bright eight year old.

when we finished our game (and yes, he won.) Hanny picked up the ball, smiled, looked away shyly and said to me 'Uncle, i had fun playing with you now.'

i can not tell you what those few words did to me. tour has changed me in so many ways. i have been praying a lot lately for a deep tenderheartedness and compassion towards our children, and tonight my heart was softened by Hanny's words. i knew after hearing him say that tonight that i was doing my job right. and i could not thank God enough for the chance i had to spend some time tonight playing with my boy.

i am proud of Hannington, and i hope the smile on my face upon the mention of his name would mention that. and the same goes for the rest of our kids. i am so proud of them, for where they are today, and for where we have come from together.

praise God for the testimonies the lives of these children bring to our team of Aunties and Uncles.

good night friends. much love to you.

- steve.

really important stuff my kids have taught me.

2009-07-21T20:47:00.002-04:00

i found this book in my host's bathroom called 'really important stuff my kids have taught me'. it's kind of an interesting work. basically a collection of quotes and life lessons this lady took note of while observing her relationships with her children.

it's funny, sometimes i read something and think 'wow, those are my thoughts exactly. like, to the T.'

so i decided to jot a few things the author wrote down. basically, these are things i have learned, witnessed, or grown accustomed to while being on tour these last ten months or so. so, in some one else's words, some advice and tips on raising your children...

1) you can be anything you want to be when you grow up.
2) play, don't watch.
3) Dance!
4) Go barefoot.
5) Make sure you always know where the bathroom is.
6) Be silly.
7) Remember everyone's favorite color.
8) Anything can be a toy.
9) You have to love your brother, even if he doesn't deserve it.
10) Don't always act your age.
11) Just because you can't spell doesn't mean you can't write a good story.
12) Always try at least one bite.
13) It's more fun to ask questions than to answer them.
14) Take the day as it comes.
15) Sometimes when you're first you get stuck holding the door open for everyone.
16) Everything looks different through tears.
17) It doesn't matter how fast your running with the football if you're going in the wrong direction.
18) If you play tag with the big kids be prepared to be “it” for a while.

my reflections for tonight.

much love!

steve.

a brief dialogue with Peace.

2009-07-15T11:26:00.006-04:00

part of the joy that comes with traveling with the Choir is hearing the things they have to say, and responding to the most out-of-the-blue questions. so here's a quick quote from a Peace during a picnic we had outside on monday.

Uncle steve: Peace, do you have apples in Arua?
Peace: yes uncle.
Uncle: do you have apple trees?
Peace: i don't know, i have never seen any.
Uncle: well, where do you get the apples?
Peace: we buy them in the market.
Uncle: but where do the people in the market get the apples?
Peace: i think they come to america and get them and then bring them back to sell in the markets.
Uncle: interesting.

i had to laugh when she said that, and thought someone else might get a good kick out of our brief conversation.

so today we're driving further north to a town called Portage, Indiana. i'm excited for a few reasons. one, because there are a couple of our managers coming out to spend the next couple weeks with us. and two because Portage is apparently a few miles from lake michigan and i have the day off tomorrow. hoping to grab some coffee, find a barber, and hit the shore for a bit. and three, because we're staying together as an entire Choir these next two nights. we rarely house together but when we do i love it! it means tea with the chaperones and waking up to music/cooking breakfast together. so excited!

love you guys!

listening to:
stevie wonder - greatest hits (Auntie Laura's favorite)

a brief update from a starbucks somewhere in Indianapolis

2009-07-10T21:23:00.002-04:00

i wrote this earlier this week, but internet access has been scarce. nonetheless, wanted to share some of my thoughts and what i've been up to with you guys, so though a few days late, here's what's going on with Choir 32 and uncle steve.

today i have the day off in the outskirts of Indianapolis, my second favorite city visited in america thus far. initially i was just going to hang out at the church for the day, do some reading and napping, but the bus was taking a load of our older kids to the dentist today, so i hopped on board and have mostly spent the day at our favourite coffee shop (starbucks...). so here is a quick update while i have the next hour or so left in my day.

___

Praise God! (insert an 'amen' here). there is a dentist in town who, upon hearing that the Choir was passing through, called us up and offered her services to each of our twenty two children. remarkable or what?! today and tomorrow the kids are all getting their teeth cleaned and having their mouths checked out, and on top of all of that we're coming back to the city in a couple of weeks and our dentist friend has offered to work on the kids that may need some work done (ie. cavities filled, teeth extracted and what have you). i love how generous people can be!

____

last thursday we took the kids to six flags in louisville, kentucky. of course it was a big surprise and when we turned off the highway and saw the roller coasters the kids were excited to hear that their 'special treat' was a day packed full of thrill rides.

i spent the day with a big group of the smaller kids (with Auntie Lindsey and Uncle Patrick) who, because of height restrictions, were not able to hit the really big rides. we were still able to have a blast though! and i might argue that even though some of the rides were a little more smaller, i think the younger guys no how to have more fun! i don't think i will ever grow tired of seeing these kids get excited, or hearing them scream and laugh because they are enjoying themselves. i realized that i'm not as brave as i thought when we stopped at the top on the ferris wheel feeling queezy. the whole time the kids were raving about how sweet the view of the park was from up there, playing 'where's waldo' trying to spot the other groups of kids who were walking around or waiting in lines. all the while i was bracing myself wondering when we would be getting down, looking for the signs that would point me to a parachute in case an emergency were to occur. we landed on the bottom safely though, and my heart stated beating again.

____

and then on saturday the church that was hosting us got us into the Indianapolis Children's Museum for the morning. i've heard about the museum before, and have always heard reviews that it is one of the best children's museums in the country. and we were not disappointed. we spent only a couple of hours there but could have easily spent an entire day there! thanks to Mama Porsha for hosting us and giving us the tour through the museums most popular exhibits.

____

again, the generosity of the people we meet up with is incredible. i guess that stands as a testimony of how loving these churches really are to us. i mean, they open their doors to us, invite us into their homes and feed us, but above and beyond all of that they have decided in their hearts to invest in the future of Africa.

there's a lot of talk these days in this country of economic uncertainty, but that doesn't seem to be phasing the christians we're meeting up with. and i love that. i love that people can be so generous. it's just really been encouraging these days, ya know.

i guess that's all for today. love you guys!

steve.

currently listening to:
Robert Randolph and the Family Band – Colorblind
Matisyahu – One Day

hakuna mungu kama wewe.

2009-06-25T23:16:00.001-04:00

this post is not directly related to my journey, but i have had this song stuck in my head all day and i figure if it can make me dance as it has, then maybe it add some more brightness to your day. anyways, here is a music video of a preacher somewhere in tanzania singing and dancing for the Lord. translated it sings "There is no God like You". amen to that. please, dance along to this one wherever you are. you are bound to fill up with joy. enjoy!

a fine way to call it in.

2009-06-18T22:25:00.004-04:00

tonight after the boys were settled into their beds, and after we had said our bedtime prayers, and after i had thrown a load of laundry into the machine, my host and i both took a deep breath and agreed that it is a good feeling to sit back at the end of a busy or productive day and say 'thank You Lord for giving me this day'. these are my thoughts tonight.

had the joy of teaching math again today. when i first started teaching these kids back in september it was third grade math that i was assigned to teach. i remember being scared of lesson planning and preparing for classes, but i remember how much i loved it. just like a kid on his first day of kindergarten i remember going home with a love for teaching and a love for working with those young, bright students. than i took over the role of teaching fourth grade english. talk about a different world! i have loved teaching english (and even learning the language, to be honest), but today i was back in the math text books, this time with second grade (a class full of six girls and Jackson...lucky dude. or poor dude...). and i loved it! math makes sense to me and so it is easier for me to teach. so today the P2's and i learned how to add and subtract single and double digit numbers, and we had a blast. or at least i had a blast.

and tonight the boys and i were able to settle down in a way i wish we could every night. we played soccer for about thirty minutes, ate some spaghetti, drank the best sweet tea i've had yet on tour, and wrapped up the evening with a thirty minute segment of jamming on our host's African drums, singing a number of our favourite devotion songs. for me, i think if i can't be sitting in a hammock watching the sun set into the Nile river, all the while listening to the night creatures of the African wilderness sing a tune with the water's rushing currents, then i would pick jamming and singing with these boys as one of my top ten ideal ways to wind down for the night. i guess it's just refreshing somehow to be with my boys and focus our hearts on their Creator before pulling the covers up for another night. it's nights like this that i realize just how much i love these kids, and just how much i am loving this journey.

and praise God for today, because He did give it to us.

goodnight friends.

love, steve.

the difference in the times - farewell tennessee.

2009-06-17T23:51:00.002-04:00

back in 1981 a baptist church in a small town in eastern tennessee received numerous threatening phone calls because the congregation had decided to bring in an african-american performer to entertain the community.

in June of 2009, 28 years later, that same church is praised by it's community for bringing in a choir of 22 African children and their leaders.

tonight was our last concert in tennessee, and i think it's safe to say that i'm going to miss this place. people here have taught me a lot, and have shown the greatest demonstrations of love to our traveling family.

the testimonies of the people who come out to hear the choir continue to amaze me, and continue to remind me that our God goes before us. that first story was shared with me by a lady from this church, who recalled those days when segregation was the norm. and tonight i watched people from all backgrounds and walks of life dance and smile and clap along to the rhythms and sounds of our kids. surely a sign that our God HAS overcome all things that drive people apart. for certain, i think, a glimpse of what heaven will be like. i can't wait for it!

on to kentucky on friday. a new state and new adventures!

love you guys!

steve.

i guess i'll give it a shot.

2009-06-15T22:05:00.002-04:00

so i guess i'm going to give twitter a shot. for those of you that don't know what twitter is, basically it's a way for me to tell you what i'm up to in a phrase or two. so i've got the feed going to your right (the menu beside this blog) just so you can keep tabs on me i guess. don't know if i'll stick to it, but since the Choir has started on it i've sort of been wanting to try it out. so here's me trying out. thanks for staying posted. i am so loving sharing this journey with you!

love, steve.

ever wondered how a man gets wisdom?

2009-06-11T21:51:00.002-04:00

tonight the boys and i each downed some chocolate ice-cream before bed (still waiting to see how smart that was. i'm sure the boys are sleeping soundly about now...). Christopher, being his usual self, spoke up out of the blue and said to the rest of us, who were sitting on the couch enjoying our snack "Uncle, you know that chocolate ice-cream gives you wisdom".

hmm... guess i never really thought about it. haha. i will never get tired of hearing these children think out loud.

hats off to the sponsors.

2009-06-11T16:50:00.003-04:00

today i sat down with some of the P3's and P4's to help them write out some letters to their sponsors. it's seriously so cool to watch these kids get excited about the people who have given so much to make sure these kids are getting a quality education when they return home. when Julius saw Auntie Angela carrying her bundle of papers Julius quickly caught on and shouted 'yes! sponsor letters!'.

there are a million different people doing a million different things to make our ministry run smoothly, and all over the world at that. but honestly, i think it's the sponsors who decide after the concerts that they want to help a child receive an education and a life who would, otherwise, go without. i think it's the sponsors who have caught the vision. and i think it is definitely the sponsors who are the lifeblood of this organization.

if you are sponsoring a child from the Choir or within this organization, or are sponsoring a child anywhere in the world from any organization committed to providing needy children with hopeful futures, then hats off to you! today i have a deep love and respect for you!

any info on sponsoring a child from the African Children's Choir can be found at:
http://www.africanchildrenschoir.com/how_you_can_help_sponsor_a_child.php

i would encourage you to check it out if you have ever considered sponsoring a child. the investment you will be making will be more fruitful than you could ever even begin to imagine!

much love all.

steve.

African Children's Choir on Twitter

2009-06-09T17:37:00.002-04:00

the African Children's Choir is now a part of the Twitter family. if you're into Twitter, or wanting to hear what the different Choirs are up to and where we're touring be sure and subscribe to our feeds. i've got a feed going to the right here, so you can be sure and be up on the latest Choir happenings if you're a regular here.

much love!

steve.

the memphis zoo.

2009-06-08T21:53:00.007-04:00

typically i don't have my camera out to capture what's going on around me. this past friday was different though. i knew that i would want to be able to have some sort of visual documentation to have in years to come of our day at the zoo with the kids. somehow i only ended up with two boys to hang with for the day, but as a group of three, Geofrey, Junior and i set out to meet up with some of our favorite animals. only a few pics here for now, but hopefully enough evidence to prove that our day was stocked full of good times!

just to make my mother proud

2009-06-08T21:40:00.004-04:00

dear momsy,

i spent the majority of my time today with a brother of mine in downtown nashville. as we were walking and talking away he asked me if, after this tour is over, i would ever consider playing in a country group, or even play a few country gigs. initially my answer was a flat out 'no'. but, after thinking about it for a bit, i think i would. i think if the opportunity presented itself i would jump on it for a bit. at least give it a try anyways. i think if Faith or Garth or those Rascal guys called me up looking for a bass player i'd tell them i'm not really into their music but i'd be willing to help them out for a few nights if they promised to sing my mom's favorite songs. thought that would make you proud. that i would play in a country group and all. because, truthfully, i'm kind of ashamed to admit to that...

... secretly i want to play in a pop band - like Hanson or the Jonas Brothers or something.

a blog from the back of the bus.

2009-06-03T16:30:00.000-04:00

i write briefly from the bus today. we have about thirty minutes before we pull to a stop in west memphis, arkansas for a few days. we have a until saturday to take a quick break and hang with the kids all day. hoping to get some soccer games in, as well as some special treats for the kids. can't share those things just yet because Nelson is sitting next to me here and he is smart enough to glance over at the screen and figure out what sorts of things the aunties and uncles have planned for the next couple of days. should be a lot of fun though! hope to post some pics or vids or something...

i have found that tennessee is blistering hot outside and blistering cold inside. it has been as warm as our hottest summer days at home here since we entered the state. the days have been in the eighties at least (still working on the celcius-fahrenheit conversion, but i think that's like mid to late twenties? something like that). sadly due to the inside of every building being frigid i have mustered up a mild cold. hoping that in spending some time outside today i can rebuild the immune system and regain my sense. been laying pretty low today though – ie. sleeping, reading, and making jokes with nelson on the bus.

i have been impressed with bus rides lately. particularly with the boys around me. today as i was reading i glanced over my book to see Nelson reading to Christopher. today he read two books to Chris – Dumbo and the story of Daniel in the Lion's Den. it makes me proud to see the older boys looking after the younger boys. after reading the first book Christopher asked Nelson if he would read another book. i told Christopher that Nelson might not be ready to read another one just yet, to give him a break. Christopher's response was priceless, 'but Uncle, i am not tired of reading books.' it's funny because to Christopher reading a book is a group effort. if someone is reading to him the story, or more importantly showing him the illustrations, then he can credit himself with having read a book. it's also encouraging too see that Christopher is taking on a love for books. he's one of our youngest boys, and so in the youngest grade on tour – P1 (first grade). he's still learning to read but seems to love hearing stories. i think he'll turn out to be a clever story teller. he certainly has a story about everything. anyways, i love seeing Nelson take on the responsibility of caring for his younger bro. reading to him and what not. i respect that in Nelson. he is beginning to really become a good older brother.

and now Nelson is telling me that he used to drink coffee at home, and that coffee in america is much more bitter than coffee in Uganda, though they are made the same way. for the record, the kids steer pretty clear of caffeinated drinks while on tour, though some of them will tell you that when they are at home they drink coffee and tea. Gilbert Big gave me a lesson once on how to pick, pound, and make the best cup of coffee. maybe one day i'll get to Arua and share a cup of beans with the boys.

that's all for now. Nelson is reading and laughing at one i am writing. funny boy. hey Nelson, if you are reading this you are handsome. oh, and i can totally dodge you in soccer!

peace and love all!

steve.

ah-jaja.

2009-06-02T20:39:00.002-04:00

just came in from a short football game with Geofrey, Gilbert, and Junior. we have been playing one game since monday morning and are planning on wrapping it up tomorrow after breakfast. currently the score is set at 11 (for Gilbert and Junior) and 8 (Geofrey and i).

i used to believe that i was young and alive. after kicking the ball around with these boys though, the only running i am doing is running out of energy! i am starting to realize that i am not a ten year old boy anymore. i am getting so old eh'. wow.

keep ya posted on the score in the morning!

love, steve.

playtime.

2009-06-02T20:29:00.003-04:00

today after the kids finished writing their term two math exams we headed outside for some play time while the other kids were finishing their tests up. i decided to sit back for a few minutes and just watch the kids play. the boys were all running around playing kahuna (that's 'tag') and most of the girls were hanging out with auntie rachel and auntie lindsey, who were chilling at the pic-nic table on the playground talking like girls do. from where i was watching the only sounds that could be heard were trees blowing and children laughing. you know, it's type of excitement to be in on the fun and to be playing with the kids, but today the excitement came from just watching them enjoy themselves.

watching them play caused me to think back to my childhood, and i remembered the countless hours my brothers and friends and i would spend outside just playing. i used to live to play and to let my imagination run free until mom called us in for bedtime. i was reminded how simple the mind of a child can be and how complicated i (as an adult) have allowed my mind to become. give a little boy or girl a ball or teach them to play tag and you have just given them unlimited fun.

as an uncle it came as a joy and a sweet reminder to sit back and watch these kids play together. throughout my travels i have learned that children are children the world over. they play together, and though they may get into their little rifts, they will always come back to that which keeps them together - playtime.

i feel like watching an episode of Recess now.

also today Lydia and i took up a new hobby - freestyling. stay tuned for our debut album!

peace and love all. go outside and play!

steve.

oh what a morning.

2009-06-01T19:08:00.004-04:00

let me tell you how my day started today.

woke up before the alarm went off feeling alive - seriously, it's a good feeling to roll out of bed already feeling awake. proceeded to get ready for the day and went in to wake the boys, who had already been woken up and were practically ready - honestly, another good feeling.

went downstairs for breakfast and had some masala tea (good stuff. little on the spicy side). after that we quickly brushed and then went outside to play soccer for fifteen minutes or so. my team lost (me and Geofrey - the keepa. 4-3), but man was it ever nice to get outside and kick the ball around for a few.

went to the church, sang and danced with the kids for thirty minutes, led devotions, and went on to teach fourth grade math for the rest of the morning. i have learned that teaching math is more fun and easier than teaching english. our language has so many funny rules, and while math has a billion rules too, the math rules make sense.

what a good morning eh'? seriously. and all in 80-90 degree weather. just beautiful.

a majestic materpiece.

2009-05-30T21:11:00.001-04:00

[typically i would set out to write and share with you what i have been learning, or some stories of the kids. tonight's entry will be different though. just came out of a need to jot some thoughts down. and i guess the result is an public journal entry.]

i wish i could describe to you in adequate words the picture i am looking at right now. it is a nature scene, and it is being looked at from my host's front porch. it's a picture taken place at the tail end of a beautiful tennessee sunset. to my left the hills look what i picture the bottom of the ocean looks like. not really black, but darker than navy blue, as if the day is confused about the time. should it be all dark? or should some light still remain? the only think distinguishing those hills from the sky is a navy blue horizon. both colors solid though, and giving the other it's attributes. the hills show just how big the skies really are, and the skies show just how defined the outline of the trees in the distance are. and as i move my head from left to right the sky gets lighter, fading every so slightly through various shades of dark blue. these are shades that painters and artists have not invented though. they've gotten close, but each inch to me is a mile in the sky, and the fading happens so gently that the eye can not even notice where it changes from one shade to the next. it just does. all the way until it turns to a dark orangish-red where the sun has burrowed it's hole for the evening, deciding that it's time for people in asia to wake up and so providing a similar scene for the people on the other side of the world. similar, though backwards, if that is possible.

donald miller has influenced a lot of my thoughts as of late. i know some peeps don't care for his 'way of thinking' but to me he seems to look at the world honestly, or at least humbly. he talks some about how evolution or darwinism may seem to be able to explain some things, but provides no logic or scientific evidence behind a lot of things. things like how we decide who we will fall in love with or what determines what each persons own particular interests or world view will be. tonight my thinking is along those lines. only God can offer an explanation like the beauty that is unfolding in front of me. every second brings a different shade of beauty, and every minute the sky changes from one beautiful picture to another beautiful picture, both perfectly beautiful and both perfectly different from the former scene. or the next scene for that matter. maybe darwin can explain (or try to i should say) how the world was formed or where humans come from, but anyone who tries to say that beauty like this is by accident is obviously out of his mind. and it's funny, i can hear a million people driving around in their cars right now off to get some place some quick, hoping to entertain themselves for a few hours before hitting the hay, all the while the real show is right above them. wierd how people are wired to forget about pretty things sometimes eh.

to my right now the same scene that was to my left just minutes ago has shifted across the vast skies. and to my left a new scene is being painted, still equally as different in shade and color as it was just moments ago. amazing.

we passed a church today that had written on it's sign 'worshipping the Creator, not His creation.' that sort of made me cringe at first, because i think church signs are generally cheesy. but i want to say straight up that i am not giving praise to the skies here. i am giving praise to a God that can create something so deeply beautiful though.

our God is Great. and tonight He has shown me this in His artwork.

His is a majestic masterpiece.

finding our way to our mouths.

2009-05-28T17:20:00.004-04:00

last night at the dinner table as we were sitting around enjoying our snack Julius, after obviously thinking long and hard about what was about to come out of his mouth, looked at me and said 'Uncle. i find this to be funny. that even if all of the lights in the whole world went out and it was just dark, we would still be able to find our mouths.'

strange and random. but hilarious. a glimpse into the daily joys and laughter that we get to partake in on this tour.

that's all for this afternoon. we're getting ready to spend the evening swimming at a host's homes. always fun to have the entire choir in one place doing the same thing. looking forward to a night of laughter and fellowship.

love you all.

steve.

choir 32. chapter 2.

2009-05-25T16:30:00.002-04:00

after two weeks and two days at home i'm back on the road with the Choir.

home was good. definitely a time or refreshment and reflection. had the privilege of sharing bits and pieces of my journeys with friends and family and supporters. caught up with all kinds of peeps. all in all, glad i made the trek home. and am so grateful for the chance to see and hear first hand how people at home are growing in their own ways.

needless to say though, the kids and crew of the Choir were missed. i knew i would miss them a bit, but it sort of hit me how close we really have become. i shared a bit of my story with the sr. high's at my former youth group, and when i was telling them different stories about different kids i had to fight pretty hard to hold the tears back. i realized in being home just how much this organization is doing for these children, and i was touched by the mission of the Choir. i was reminded that these children are so much more than just faces (or statistics to some). that they each have a beautiful story. that they each have a story of redemption and brokenness. and that they each have something they could teach the rest of the world.

so in my time away from them my heart grew deeper in love with these kiddos.

and now the first page in the second chapter of my journey is turning over as i am back on the road with the 32nd African Children's Choir. should be nothing short of an amazing story!

thanks to all of you at home who i had the chance to catch up with; for your encouragement, wisdom, and excitement for where i am at. and if i didn't catch ya, let's be sure and make it happen the next time eh'!

much love to you all from tennessee these days.

steve.

ps - if anyone is interested, i also became an Arsenal (soccer team) fan since being home. trying to get into the football scene. any tips anyone?

this is the vision.

2009-04-28T21:01:00.002-04:00

found this vid on youtube of the Choir (a few years ago) on canadian idol. i believe Barbara (the lady in the video) speaks clearly of the vision of the African Children's Choir. a glimpse into mission of the organization. enjoy.

a refreshing reminder.

2009-04-24T22:29:00.005-04:00

tonight as the kids were performing their 'last song' (it's one of their favorites) the tears of joy came that came the first time i saw the choir perform a little over a year ago. it was nice to be reminded of how i felt the minute i knew i would give anything to work for the african children's choir.

i think the tears came tonight at a good time and in a good manner. definitely evidence that this is an organization committed to doing something great in this world; and not just for the kids in the choir but for the thousands of kids in Africa that our kids here are representing.

thank you Lord, for calling me here.

back into it.

2009-04-18T20:29:00.005-04:00

our two weeks at camp flew by. we left Mirembe House thursday morning and headed straight for Georgia.

our vacation time was very restful and very playful. i don't think i have ever played so much soccer in my life (and on that note, i think i have learned how to dodge Nelson...still working on Gilbert Big though). our place of peace turned out to be everything we needed as a team and more (i believe).

and now we're back into the routine of tour life. last night was our first concert back, and if it was any sign of how this leg of the tour will look like, i think we're in for a sweet ride. the place was packed last night from wall to wall and the setting was perfect. we set up in the church's fellowship hall and the kids' danced on the floor. the informal setting of performing in the same room we ate dinner gave a nice perspective on things. i was reminded yesterday and last night that our ministry is a people ministry, and to be performing (and running sound) in the same setting as our listeners (ie. no elevated platforms; no sound booths at the back) was a great reminder that we are all in this together. listeners and performers together. there is no isolation. without the people at our concerts the African Children's Choir would not be able to provide education to thousands of children in the countries we are represented in throughout Africa. it was nice to connect in that way, and i real felt the fellowship in the room last night.

and tonight we're in byron, georgia getting ready for performances in the morning and in the evening. it's nice to be in host homes again and feel the warm southern hospitality. hoping this next season is fruitful in this tour of ours.

peace and love to each of you this week!

His, steve.

wow. God is mighty.

2009-04-11T13:33:00.000-04:00

"At this time Jesus said, 'I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure." - Matthew 11:25-26

this morning i set out to the front porch to do some reading when i noticed that Jackson was behind me. he saw i was heading that way and was quick to ask 'uncle, let's go and you read me a story'. i decided that his company might be a nice treat, so together him and i grabbed a place to sit on the patio and started our own little devotion.

i asked him what story he wanted to hear and without even thinking about it he said 'the one with Moses crossing the Red Sea'. if you have ever been to a predominantly african american church you will know that giving a holler during a sermon is a pretty normal occurance. things like 'preach it!' and 'come on pastor!'. well, as Jackson and i worked through the story in Exodus i realized that it doesn't take an adult or even a mature believer to recognize truth in a sermon.

if you know the story there is a part when the Israelites (God's people) see the Egyptians (their oppressors) coming on strong off in the distance. at that moment they begin crying out to Moses, blaming him for leading them to their death, and getting downright angry with him, wishing that they would have been back in Egypt as slaves. Moses is quick though.

"Moses answered the people, 'Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.'"

"That's truth!" were the words that came out of Jackson's mouth. to be honest, i am not sure how much Jackson understood of those words, but i do think that he got them. i could see in his face that he was speaking from his heart and from a faith that believes strongly in a LORD who will always be there to guide and fight for His people.

at the end of the story Jackson was head over heals in love with the power of God. how cool is it that God can split the seas, make a dry road down the middle and allow for that many people to cross through? and how cool is it that God can take the form of a cloud and a pillar of fire and keep the two groups from getting at each other throughout the night? or how cool is it that God wants to deliver His people from whatever is keeping them from Him? i think it's cool, and Jackson definitely thinks it's cool.

i think Jackson will make a great pastor one day. though right now he has his mind set on being a cook. the kid can talk though, and he asks good questions. and he sees stuff that the older boys don't see. and he loves to talk. and he loves to talk about the stories in the bible. to me, he's a preacher already.

on our way back to the other side of the house Jackson was raving over the greatness of God's power.
he asked me,"uncle, can you make a rock?".
i said, 'me? like, make a rock you mean?"
"yes, can you make a rock?"
"of course not. i can't make a rock."
"but God can. haha"
"you're right Jackson, God can make a rock."

and then we continued our conversation imagining what it would have been like in the days of creation when God was speaking things into being.

i pointed to a tree and said "see that place over there, i think there should be a tree there." then i snapped my fingers and was happy with the placement of that tree. then Jackson laughed and said "yes, and how about some soil there." then he snapped and we imagined that soil just appeared. it's cool to be able to imagine things like that with a child.

at the end of our chat Jackson said ,"wow. God is mighty."

profound insight and truth from the mind and mouth of an eight year old boy.

today's thoughts. love yall.

steve.

on to mirembe.

2009-04-04T11:44:00.000-04:00

i write this from the bus somewhere in between Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina. our travels in the south have at this point (and as far as we know) come to and end and from here on out it's west and north.

today we are on our way to Mirembe House, a home just outside of Raleigh that was given to the Choir to be used basically as a place for rest and play. over the next two weeks we will be at the House resting, playing football, enjoying the outdoors, and enjoying the company of the entire team.

i hope to use these next couple of weeks to reflect on this tour; on the things i have seen, the places i have been, and the things i have been learning. hoping to find the time to just sit back and reminice. so stay posted as i

this will be our second 'camp stay' since the tour began in september. basically our second 'vacation' or 'holidays' if you will. we try and find a place to stay every three(ish) months in order to take a break from the every day touring life (concerts, travelling, ham and cheese sandwiches, etc.) and to have some free time. our last stay was over Christmas, and it ended up being a time for us to be outside all day playing. don't really know what to expect or what will come out of these next couple of weeks, but i guess i am anticipating a lot of play time and some rest. excited for the weeks ahead though. it's always a treat to be together as a family under the same roof.

stay posted on updates and what not.

love you all.

steve.

M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I or A State of Grace and Benevolence

2009-03-26T21:31:00.004-04:00

i wrote this bit a couple of weeks ago:

we have only been in Mississippi now for about five days, but i think the general consensis across the team is that we have been invited and welcomed in in a very loving way.

right now we're on the coast (the Gulf of Mexico) in a place called Long Beach. it's a beautiful place and somehow it reminds me of home. it may be the scent of ocean in the air or maybe it's the friendliness in the faces of our hosts (believe it or not, some of the friendliest people come from eastern canada).

community is something that gets me excited. when i read through the book of Acts i am always encouraged by the community and fellowship that existed in the early churches. i think the leaders of the churches here in mississippi would have made the apostles proud to see that the example they set for us in being the Church (capital 'C') and being a community is still being modeled today. our concert this past Sunday evening was, in the end, hosted and put on by three different churches in the area. i would say that most of the time we are just visiting one particular congregation, but as was the case on Sunday night, we ended up sharing our ministry with three very diverse churches. to me, that's the Church.

i was encouraged to see churches looking out not for the name of their denomination but for the name of Christ and for the work of His Kingdom.

and i wrote this bit right now:

still in Mississippi and stilling feeling the love and hospitality. i found out tonight that when it comes to football or most sports, Mississippi can generally be found at the bottom of the ranks. i have concluded though that when it comes to people showing love to their guests, Mississippi can generally be found at the top of those ranks.

i really don't have much more to say other than that.

tomorrow night is our last concert in the state. we're singing in a town that is famous for being the birth place of Elvis Presley. when i was a kid it was songs like 'Hound Dog' and 'All Shook Up' that first lit the sparks in my heart for music. so i'm pretty excited to be there.

Mississippi is a humble State. meaning that people here are first of all happy with where they are at (most people will tell you that they grew up here and chose never to leave) and because the churches that we have visited have all said to us in one way or another 'we are here to see that you have a good stay. whatever you need, please come ask'. i think it's cool that the king of rock and roll was born here and that the Mighty Mississippi flows from here. and i think it's cool that almost every kid on the continent can spell the name forwards and backwards (I-P-P-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-M). i think all of that is cool because i don't think Mississippi every asked for anything great like that - but i definitely think that Mississippi deserves those 'claims to fame'.

needless to say, i am fond of the state of Mississippi. certainly glad we could share in the minsitry of the Church here.

love yall.

steve.

the french quarter.

2009-03-10T23:04:00.000-04:00

today new orleans taught me that there can be incredible moments of beauty amidst incredible times of business.

spent the day in the french quarter of new orleans seeing the sights (w/ Laura, Angela, and Patrick) and listening to the music. it isn't often that we are in a big city, so whenever the opportunity presents itself to take a day and venture out i am quick to get excited about the potential escapade through the city's streets.

as the others were in a little boutique shopping for praline and postcards i decided to step out (at this point i hadn't seen the free samples of praline, otherwise i probably would have pretended to shop around much longer) and listen to this guy play his guitar on the sidewalk near this pretty popular coffee shop where i had the strongest coffee of my life mixed with the sweetest beignets i've ever tasted. i had noticed the brother before we went into the coffee shop, but he wasn't playing at the time, so i didn't know if it'd be worth staying outside for. when we left though he was playing, and i knew i had to come back. there's something about these 'street performers' that get to me. a sort of soft spot i guess you could say. if i had more time i would have sat on the curb by his side, pulled out something to read and just taken in the tunes. i decided to pretend i was waiting for someone though and stepped off the walkway to watch him play. what struck me was this - it doesn't take someone beautiful to produce something beautiful. and what's more, it can take a million people to walk by it before one person stops to recognize it as something beautiful.

and i got to thinking this: how often do you think someone overlooks God because they are to busy or preoccupied to stop and listen even just for a second. i bet that in even that one second they would not be able to walk away the same person they were a second ago. i saw Christ in the brother who was jamming on the sidewalk. a normal looking guy with an incredible gift for those passing by. that guy reminded me that there is more to life than running around and being busy all the time. he reminded me that i need to be open to the beauty that is around me. and really, the beauty of our God is everywhere - if we open our eyes. that's what i was reminded of in listening to a guy play his guitar on the side of the road in new orleans.

New Orleans is a beautiful place too. very diverse and very music oriented. but it is a very busy place. one thing i love about the city is that i can go in there and just watch people be busy (call me a creeper) and allow myself to be reminded to just be still. to stop and reflect and thank the Lord for bringing me here, and for being with me here.

i learned a lot in New Orleans today, and i think i will look back on this day at the end of tour and remember it as a day when the Lord showed me His beauty in a most unusual way.

take a second today to see the beauty around you. i promise you, it's there.

peace and love always.

steve.

finally. engaged.

2009-03-05T22:39:00.001-05:00

(an update unrelated to tour)

my first year in a college i met a high school senior who in the few years to follow became like a brother to me. and i do mean that - we argued. cried together. laughed together. roomed together. prayed together. shared our griefs and gladness with one another. pulled pranks together. did a lot of things together really. if you would have had a glimpse into my heart those years you would have seen a love that was growing deeper each and every day for that guy. and no doubt, i would not have turned out to be who i am today without a friendship like that. certainly sent by God. no denying that. i even got headaches if i wasn't around him for more than a couple days (well, maybe not exactly, though if i did not get a fix of his brotherhood on a regular basis i moped around like a little boy who had been sent to his room for the weekend). i love (and as a matter of fact STILL love) that brother deeply.

i believe the Lord sends people into our lives as messengers of His love. unfortunately, DP and i have grown apart this last year. though in our hearts i believe we are deeply fond of one another and i know that we continue to pray for each other, we have not been in touch as much as i think either of us would have hoped a year ago as i drove my car off our dormitory lawn with tears in my eyes (knowing i did not know when i would see him next). i believe the Lord graced me with that friendship for a million different reasons. DP taught me how to have compassion. he taught me how to be bold (or, bolder. if you know me today you'll know that i blush even when ordering my food at a restaurant...). he taught me that christians aren't lame, and that there is more to faith than saying 'i have faith'. he taught me a lot about community. a lot about prayer. a lot about myself. and a lot of other things.

all of these words to simply share with you that DP is now engaged to the love of his life. and to you brother, i simply want to say - congratulations brother. He has given you a beautiful thing, and i can not wait to hear of the journey He brings you two on. i know we don't hear from each other often, but there was a time when we heard from each other every day. we are not as close as we once were but i can honestly say from the depths of my heart that i am overjoyed and thrilled about this next step that He is leading you on in your life. love you so much dude, and i am sooooo happy for you. you have no idea!

blessings on the journey!

(really, i could have emailed this to him i'm sure. but i want the world to know how precious this brother is to me.)

love, steve

gotta keep moving.

2009-02-28T21:47:00.000-05:00

tonight my host (his name is Mark) and i were sitting around the table just talking while the boys were upstairs playing with his five year old. the question came up (and not for the first time) - 'what are your plans after tour is over?'. i've heard this question a lot and so i'm almost always thinking and wondering what my life will look life when this journey is through. 'to be honest,' i said, 'i'm open to pretty much anything. i guess it will depend on how this year turns out and what doors are open for me near the end of the tour. honestly, i'd like to get into education, but we'll see where the Lord leads me.' Mark's response to my response was full of wisdom (at least in my opinion).

'the Lord will lead those whose ways are righteous' were his first words. then he said that for us to understand the will of the Lord we need to take action and move a little. he said that we need to venture out and take the first steps, and in doing this the Lord will open and close doors and make it more clear to us what we should be doing and where we should be. he said that like a car we can't turn the wheels are get to our destination if the engine isn't running. in the same way we will not be able to understand what the Lord's will is until we are willing to make the first steps towards it. this doesn't mean that we'll know where we are going exactly but it will give us the assurance that we are heading in the right direction - towards Him and His will.

Mark's words remind me of Abraham (father...not uncle), who without knowing what would happen walked his son to an altar and was ready to take his life in reverance of the Lord. that's an easy story to recall but i think that's a hard story to try and imagine. i mean, most stories i read i try and put myself in the shoes of their characters and imagine what their lives must be like. the story of Abraham and Isaac though is hard to do that with. i wonder if he was confused...like really confused. or if he was scared. or if he didn't even worry about what would happen. i can't imagine the things that must have gone through his head.

anyways (and i'm sure you know the story), Abraham takes Isaac up the mountain to be sacrificed (not knowing the Lord would stop the sacrifice from happening) ready to honor the Lord's will, without knowing what he was really doing or what was going to happen in the end. if you ask me, i think the heartache that would come with giving up your son would be an incredible sacrifice enough. yet Abraham walked faithfully into... unclarity? (is that a word?).

hearing Mark's words and thinking about Abraham makes me feel comfortable not knowing where i will be at the end of this tour.

i am here now, and i feel more nad more confident that this is where the Lord wants me to be with each passing day. if i continue to move and venture out then i know for sure that He will open and close doors for me in my life.

and in yours too.

love you guys.

steve.

so long lonestar

2009-02-26T15:41:00.000-05:00

i think when looking back on this tour in months and years down the road, there will be a lot to say about our time spent in the state of Texas.

a lot of fond memories were made in texas. Christmas camp for starters. my first Christmas away from home and in the company of a different kind of family. really we just played all week - but that's what made it so great. saw three major cities and a million other major small towns. felt the deep love and hospitality of Uncle Brother Doug and his church, and gathered at some pretty cool churches. churches that were less about themselves and more about giving back to their communities. gathered for worship on the gulf of mexico in the most beautiful weather i have ever seen in the winter time. saw choir managers come and go, and had some pretty cool times with them too. dinner overlooking Lake Travis in Austin with the team (props to Julia; one of our head managers/executives). amazing view. honestly, felt like a view you would only find in places like the Ivory Coast. Laser Tag with Marci (choir manager) and the team. and oh yes, four wheeling at Auntie Amanda's ranch somewhere near Fort Worth. hm. needless to say, memories that will be cherished. and the coolest thing is sharing them (or most of them) with a group of 7-11 year olds.

i like texas. it's nowhere like any other place i have been thus far in my life. texas is, well, texas. incredibly diverse both in it's people and in it's landscape. it's not quite home, but it's a place i wouldn't mind vacationing to for a while.

and now almost three months after crossing into the lonestar state we have put the stateline behind us and have pulled into Louisiana, the next stage of our adventure. the next phase of memories and life lessons that will most definitely last a lifetime beyond the days of this tour. so looking forward to it. should be a good ride...

in the morning.

2009-02-09T21:47:00.000-05:00

i have found on this journey that there is not better way to start a day than this - coming together with the people you spend nearly every day with to sing, pray, and hear from the Word of God. this has been a practice that does not grow old or become tiring. yet it is something i look forward to almost every morning upon waking. even after a long day or a short night's rest, i am yet to find myself growing weary of what we refer to as 'morning devotions.'

much like a cup of coffee or a morning shower the habit of preparing our hearts for worship has been an essential element in getting ready for the day. it is in those moments when we are lifting our voices to the Lord that we are refreshed and ready to welcome in the days. when we as kids and adults alike open His Word to hear His voice our hearts are opened to the things that He may want to show us or teach us that day.

this morning i was just thinking how sweet it is that we can do that. be together every morning to open our hearts to God and to set our schedules in the palm of His hand. a discipline i hope i can carry out even after this tour is through - waking with praises and prayers for our God.

try it out. i dare ya.

love, steve.

three brothers for three nights.

2009-01-18T22:12:00.000-05:00

three brothers for three nights.

for the next three days we will be parked here at a methodist church in austin, tx going about the regular routine of schooling, rehearsals, and playing. i have to say, i am a big fan of the three night stays. they allow enough time to bond with the hosts and get comfortable in a new setting, but they also make for great bonding time with the kids i find myself staying with.

this week it's Patrick, Julius, and Nelson - three of God's beautiful children, each handpicked by Him to be in the thirty second African Children's Choir. i can not tell you how thrilled i am tonight that these three boys are where they are.

tonight i had the joy of tucking these three young ones into bed. i decided that since there was a guitar handy i would sing a silly bedtime song to them before praying with them and heading off to do my own thing. in those moments of laughter and silliness before bed i saw what Jesus must have seen in the kids that flocked around him; a true childlike joy that springs simply from being alive and living life. it seems almost natural for a child to be happy, like they were built to smile and be silly. what i love about these guys is that it takes almost nothing to get them rolling on the floor in laughter. it's like they don't need a reason to laugh. they just want to laugh!

i have found that in the months i have been involved with the choir i have seen some incredible times of joy and laughter. tonight i am simply grateful to God for the gift of laughter and for His joy that continues to bring this family closer together.

goodnight all. peace and love.

steve.

a heart full of praise.

2009-01-10T21:49:00.001-05:00

dear reader,

i wish you could for just a moment travel inside our bus. that you could spend time with even one of these kids and hear the things that come out of their mouths. hear the incredible testimonies of childlike faith and of love that knows no bounds. i wish you could see the faces of these little ones light up in the mornings at the sight of their brother and sisters. and aunties and uncles. i wish you could hear them laugh, and pray. i wish you could see them smile and play together. i wish you could witness first hand how the Lord can bring thirty two people from all over the planet, young and old (older...*cough*), black and white, english speaking and lugandan speaking and have us working towards one common goal - to see His name glorified in the lives and ministry of these children.

it is truly a joyful thing to be where i am at. i have been reflecting lately on the early days of this journey. about the few days that led up to my departure for Uganda. about the first time i met these kids and thought 'wow. these complete strangers will soon enough be deeply familiar friends'. about our first concerts and host families. and about the overall excitement that has been unstoppable since square one.

really, all i wanted to say tonight was how grateful i am to be here. and how blessed i feel to be a part of this ministry with these beautiful children and chaperones.

maybe that's something only i can really understand though...

a super bowl.

2009-01-01T23:54:00.004-05:00

tonight our host church took the kiddos and the crew out for bowling and pizza. i think it was the first time for a lot of the kids to bowl, but they had a blast and beat me every time (with the gutter bumpers up). good little bowlers these kids.

happy new year all!

that's what Christmas means to me.

2008-12-27T21:56:00.002-05:00

back into the routine after a much enjoyed and well needed six night stay in Laguna Park, Texas. Christmas Camp, as it has been referred to as, will forever be remembered as a humble little texan town that the Lord used to be a HUGE blessing to our kids and to this organization. for the kids it was a week full of playtime, from dawn to dusk. and for the chaperones it was a week of rest and renewal as we prepared our hearts and minds for the next leg of tour.

honestly, i love the times when we as an entire group get to spend our days and nights together in one place. when we get to sit down at the table for food and fellowship. when we get to wake up and do devotions in our pjs or settle down together in the evenings. they're like little family vacations. times to escape from the normal every day life and just be in the company of one another, enjoying ourselves and enjoying each other. for us it was a week to just stop and reflect on the previous months spent travelling together. a few days to pause and anticipate the many more memories that will be recorded in our lives over the next year or so of touring together. a week to PRAISE GOD for leading us in HIS good and perfect will these few months past.

it was also a time for us as aunties and uncles to really spend quality time with our kids. i remember when i was a kid and how excited i would get when Dad came outside to help my brothers and i build our latest treefort or shoot hoops or go for a bike ride. it was those moments as a child that i look back on and smile about. and i think my Dad really did enjoy spending that time with his three sons as much as they enjoyed having him there.. i think i got a taste of that this week, only this time i was sitting in the parent's chair instead of the kid's. throughout the week we were able to have loads of fun WITH our kids. i got to shoot pool with Julius for a while. i learned how to make porridge out of soil and water with Rose and Peace and Lydia cooked a pie for me out of leaves and chick-cherries that was much tastier than the one i made for her. Hanny and i climbed a jungle-gym type structure and then hit the tire swing for a bit. Geofrey and i started a game of catch with the soccer ball that turned into a huge game of 'Middle' (as it has been titled. essentially monkey in the middle with a whole bunch of people). i played Uno and lost, then i played Uno and won. all these things and more were the things that i will look back on and remember. it won't be the meals we had or the movies we watched that will stick in my mind, but it will be the time itself that was spent with our kids at Christmas camp that will be most memorable.

so now we are back into the routine of tour. Christmas camp is behind us but there is no escaping the joy that it brought to this little crew of thirty two. may that joy go before us as we minister to the many more churches we will be visiting over the next year.

thank you for dinner.

2008-12-10T22:39:00.001-05:00

midlothian, tx.

tonight the Choir was invited to a dinner that was put on by the church for the kids and our host families. to my amazement we walked into a dining area filled with people. curious as to where everyone was coming from and noticing that some were paying money at the door to get in and eat i just had to inquire as to what was going on. so while waiting in line for dinner i asked a brother who was serving drinks what was going on.

"is this some sort of fundraiser for something?". i asked.
"yes, it is." he replied.
"oh, sweet. what's it for?". inquired i.
"... it's for the African Children's Choir.". responded he.
"ooooh. how cool. thank you". was the best that i could come up with at that point.

i bet to that brother it seemed like i was asking a silly question.

my sincerest of thank yous goes out to our host church tonight though for taking us in and for hosting a dinner to raise funds for our kid's education when they return to Uganda. you WILL be blessed for all you have provided us. THANK YOU!

colossians three two.

2008-12-01T22:08:00.002-05:00

"If you read history you will find that the Christians who did the most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next."
- C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

the body is alive.

2008-11-27T15:26:00.001-05:00

little rock, arkansas

picture this - about a month ago a small church in central arkansas gets word that the african children's choir is passing through and decides that they want to get them in their church for a night. knowing that the choir will only really be available in the area the week of thanksgiving, the church is certain that it is no inconvenience to host this crew of thirty two. the choir arrives on a Sunday afternoon and starts to set up for the evening's program. the concert happens, and man what a concert it is. not only were the kids in good shape for the night, but the congregation was so eager to welcome us into their family that the concert ended with much joy. the church the choir performed in wasn't necessarily a big church by any of the world's terms. there weren't necessarily many people who made it out to the concert that night. as the pastor reminded the congregation before the kids took the stage though, the Bible says that "where two or three are gathered in my name, there I will be in their midst." the pastor introduces the kids, takes his seat, and the concert commences. maybe there were thirty people there that night, but i have never witnessed such a deep community in a church in all my life. the congregation was definitely alive and it was easy to look past the turnout as far as numbers go and look directly into the heart of the people there. because finding enough host families for such a big group would have been a struggle, the church decides to house the choir in the gymnasium of a christian school. again, though we weren't in a house, i have never felt such warm hospitality. our first morning we were driven to the bishops house so that all we could all grab showers. just before every meal time someone would walk in with a couple of boxes full of food for us to eat. when the fire alarm went off in the middle of the night, or the hot water heater leaked all over the floor, that same community that welcomed us into their church came together and joyfully looked after our needs. i can not express to you the gratitude i have for the people of that community. they welcomed us in as if we were their immediate family and pooled together their resources to be sure that we were well taken care of until we drove out of the parking lot a few days later.

that my friends is the Church as it was intended to be.

scene two - wednesday afternoon that same choir pulls into a different church in the same area. as we are unloading and meeting up with different church members we begin to realize that this is not your typical mostly caucasion evangelical church. no, this is a church filled equally with people of all sorts of decent. asian, latino, black, white. all working together under one roof with one goal in mind - to bring the gospel of Christ to people of all ethnic backgrounds, every tribe and nation, and everyone in their city, regardless of their situation. and what's more, inside the church foyer is are hundreds of items of clothes set up to give to the needy of that community. and inside are tables and chairs enough to host a dinner for the community that will end up feeding nearly fifteen hundred people. imagine that! fifteen hundred people of every background coming together for this one big feast (American Thanksgiving) to celebrate the things that the Lord has done for them and their country. AMAZING!

i think in the past week i have seen glimpses into what heaven will be like and glimpses into what the Church on this earth should be like.

the Body is alive here in central arkansas, and it is evident that the Lord is only just beginning to bless this place for all that they are doing to bring honor and glory to His name.

thank you Little Rock for an incredible stay. sincerely, may the Lord God bless you in all that you do. thank you.

peace and love all. hope you can get something from my experiences this week...

- steve.

Desmond on dominion.

2008-11-19T11:27:00.002-05:00

"Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
- Genesis 1:26

i'm sitting here in a room full of napping children in a convention center in downtown boston.

this morning our kids sang at an event called Greenbuild which is being hosted by the U.S. Green Council. basically, the whole idea behind the conference is to promote a greener and more environmentally friendly approach to businesses and corporations all over the world. you know, things like solar power and different ways to conserve water and energy.

so our kids kicked off the converence this morning by singing a few songs and introducing the Archbishop of the South Africa, Desmond Tutu. 'Uncle Tutu', as the kids called him, presented a speech on how America has the ability to set and example to the world of how to be a 'green' country. though the audience was filled with thousands of business men and women who were not necessarily christians (though i am sure there were many christians in the crowd), he spoke of how God expects us to be responsible with the dominion He has given to us over the earth. it was a pretty good speech, and seemed to be received quite well by those in the room.

some quotes from his speech, speaking to how it is the world's responsibility to be responsible for the world:

"I have a dream that one day my children everywhere will know that they are all a part of the same family."

"There is enough in the world for everyone's need. There is not enough in the world for everyone's greed."

maybe those thoughts were more sensible in context, but i was encouraged by this man's words this morning. truly it is the heart of God for His people to look after His earth. and a lot of that responsibility is on the shoulders of the world's industries and corporations. and really, the weight of that responsibility should be carried by every member of the human race. thank you Desmond Tutu for that reminder!

and so the kids are here sleeping now. our trip, when it is over, will have taken less than forty eight hours, and much of that time will have been spent awake. needless to say, the kids are soundly enjoying their time to rest.

please continue to pray for us as we continue on this journey. tour life has been so great and i ask that you join with me in prayer that it continues to go great.

peace and love all!

steve.

Jesus here and now.

2008-11-13T22:51:00.000-05:00

'Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.' - Hebrews 11:8

i once heard someone say that the biggest difference between the american church and the african church is this:

the american church preaches on where Jesus has been involved in their past and where Jesus will be involved in their future. the church in africa preaches on what Jesus is actively doing in the lives of it's congregation in the present and how He is currently at work.

of course, this is only the case in some instances and there are most certainly places where those two generalizations cross over.

i've been thinking a lot lately about Jesus though. if someone were to ask me for my testimony i would probably tell them of the things the Lord has (by grace) carried me through and delivered me out of. or maybe i would share of the hopes i have for what He is going to do in my life. i don't think either of those two things would be wrong to share, but i think i would almost skim over to quickly what Jesus IS doing today. tonight. right now.

the truth is, Jesus is becoming more and more alive to me as the days go by. i want to in every moment recognize His presence and His work. i want to be open to what He wants to reveal to me in the very present. i do want to be able to remember where He has brought me from, and i do want to be able to anticipate where He will lead me. but i don't want to stop just there. if i spend all of my time reflecting on those two things then i will completely overlook what is happening in this moment. what He is doing right now.

i suppose i wrote this for me to read. but i hope you can be encouraged in some way to reflect and think about what Jesus is doing in your life right now and stop to say 'thank You Jesus for being with me in this moment. how can i glorify and serve you right now?'.

my thoughts tonight as i roll into bed. goodnight friends.

love, steve.