Going To The Nations

OnE Week in OnE Year.

2010-05-08T16:21:00.003Z

So here's the STORY. Next Saturday is my birthday (MAY 15th); and this year after being inspired by a good friend, I want to do something different.

So here's the GOAL - over the next week - I will be aiming to raise $1,460 for the Kids of Hope program in Burkina Faso. This will allow the purchase of 36 1/2 bags of rice at $40 each (see above pic) - which in turn will feed the boys for ONE ENTIRE YEAR!

So here's the SUMMARY: ONE WEEK IN ONE YEAR Yup - That's right - I am completely confident that in one week's time, partnered with some incredible people - like YOU - we can make this happen!

Scope Out the New Site!

2010-03-11T19:36:00.003Z

The past couple months have brought many changes; and one of those is a new home site (CLICK HERE) that has been redesigned from the ground up. It's maintained and updated on a daily basis which means pertinent content to frequent visitors like you and me. Check it out when you get a chance. Feedback is welcome.

(side note: for many of you that I have not yet been able to see in person, I am still with the same organization. We just recently went through a name change from Calvary International to Go To Nations [G.T.N. for short] Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions)

From the moment I wake up....

2010-03-01T22:23:00.002Z

Yes - this is Washington - and this morning the sunrise was stunning and amazingly colorful. Though not every morning is this beautiful, there are some that just stand out so distinctly that you can't help but just stop and stare for a while, appreciating God's handiwork.

It's officially March 1st; and if you haven't already been able to get out and enjoy the mild winter here in Washington, I would encourage you to do so before the rains begin.

Enjoying the sights in Washington - Lake 22 - more than just an alpine lake hike.

2010-02-24T18:13:00.003Z

On a recent hike up to Lake 22 here in Washington State, I decided to take the video camera along with and get some up close shots of the mountains across the valley that I have always wanted to shoot. It's amazing what you can see on a clear, blue sky sunny day here!

The road ahead....

2010-02-20T00:25:00.002Z

I thought this pic was fitting as 2010 will bring a fresh direction in my life and many of those around me.

With a fresh direction - missions still burns deep in my heart.

2010-02-19T23:43:00.002Z

In Redding, CA for the week.

2010-02-03T02:17:00.002Z

While in Burkina Faso, I was able to get to know the Harrison family. They are currently in Redding, CA and had asked me a while back to come and speak at a class that they are teaching here at a local university about missions. The first day here was beautiful, so we went up for a little hike over looking a local lake.

A Very Merry Christmas.

2009-12-25T21:15:00.002Z

Since I left for Burkina Faso in 2005, I have spent each Christmas with the Hayslip family (Joel, Heidi, Jakob, and Silas) and Kate Royal; and although each year was still special in its own way, I hold this Christmas closest to my heart. For the first time since 2004, I am able to spend the holidays with my sister and parents. A very special Christmas indeed.

African Foosball Table.

2009-12-05T16:20:00.002Z

Yes indeed - hand made right here in Ouagadougou - this is a foosball table that gets more use each day than anything I have ever seen! It takes a lickin and keeps on tickin. The boys really do love playing this game; and they are good at it too. I don't think I have ever won a game against them.

All moved out....

2009-12-03T12:39:00.000Z

I don't know if I have ever posted any pics of the inside of my house on this blog; but in case you were wondering, "where does he live?" or "what does a typical place look like in Ouagadougou?" - Here it is. As of this week - I am all moved out and will be staying with a fellow missionary here in town until my departure. In the mean time, I will be listening to "I'll Be Home For Christmas" by Katharine McPhee (currently free on iTunes) because for the first time in FOUR YEARS I WILL be home for the Christmas!!!!! See YOU soon.

Counting down....?

2009-12-02T12:07:00.000Z

(Taken on November 27th) This pic was taken just a few days ago; and now I find myself looking at the month of December, and like many of you out there, counting down the days until Christmas. Here in Burkina, we have an program that we simply refer to as "GAKAC" (pronounced 'gack - cack' ). It's an outreach/evangelical type program combined with - yes, you guessed - FREE GIFTS!!! Check up on following posts for more pics and hopefully even some video of the outreaches that will be happening this week and next.

2009-11-26T10:34:00.000Z

2009-11-26T10:32:00.000Z

2009-11-26T10:26:00.000Z

Thanksgiving Day in Burkina Faso - a different perspective

2009-11-26T10:07:00.004Z

(pictured above) Clustered in groups of 16, the tents provided by UNICEF provide temporary housing for just a few of the 100,000 individuals that were displaced as a result of the flooding back in September.
It's Thanksgiving day here in Burkina Faso; and there is a flood of thoughts that roll through my mind this morning as I reflect on how my perception of this holiday has changed over the past decade or so. There is a part of me that wants to put all that I am thinking here on my blog; but instead I am going to post a few pics from this morning's outreach to the camp pictured above.

Snack food in Burkina.

2009-10-26T19:26:00.000Z

So I was thinking about looking up a bunch of stats on peanuts in Burkin, and then I thought, "Who really wants to read about numbers related to peanuts?!?!" What you are looking at above is an entire roof top (out in a little village called Zina) covered in peanuts. They were supposed to be drying in the sun, and they were until it started to pour down rain the following day! Peanuts are a huge snack food item here. There is a certain time of year (now for instance) where peanuts are found EVERYWHERE. Just in case you were wondering though - there are no honey roasted peanuts here. (which I absolutely love!)
Anybody want a peanut????

Focus BLoCK

2009-10-19T18:27:00.003Z

I stepped outside of my door on Friday to notice an amazing cloud formation off on the horizon. The longer I looked at the sky, the more I realized just how unique the coloring was due to the sun setting on the horizon. I quickly grabbed my camera and tripod and jumped on the roof to get a better angle.

The above shot is purposefully over exposed as I was trying to get the people on the street lit up enough to see. (see pic below for much better colors and contrast) What hit me as I was taking shot after shot of the amazing colors and cloud formations was just how oblivious everyone was down below (as I was taking the pics from my roof top). I kept "ooo'ing" and "awing" at the clouds, trying my best to capture all the colors and formations with each passing minute; but when I finally paused for a sec to look around, I noticed a few kids starring at me from the street while everyone else was just going along their merry way. Not a single person that I saw that evening took the time to stop and look up - not one.

I think that is when it really hit me just how blocked my own focus had become at certain times over the past couple weeks. As I will be flying back to Washington state in less than 2 months now, there have been too many times where my attention has been locked on the future in anticipation what lies ahead, completely missing what was right in front of me for that particular day. Just today, I was thinking about arriving home and what I was going to do about a vehicle, what my first meal would be, whether or not Starbucks would be open around midnight when I arrive, who I would get to see, and on and on. It has become so easy for me to slip into this future focussed coma and disappear for an hour or so in the middle of the day.

Thank you God for the moments when the clouds roll in as the sun is setting and the sky simply grabs our attention and says, "HEY! Stop - and appreciate the beauty of moment for what it is.....stop - and appreciate today."

Rare cloud formations roll on through Ouaga.

2009-10-19T18:24:00.000Z

Tug of War!

2009-10-10T16:36:00.002Z

This game has become quite the challenge to organize (dividing the boys up into even teams); but once the game gets started, it is quite a hit! When was the last time you played 'tug of war?'

Just a quick video update to say hello.

2009-10-04T09:53:00.002Z

Such different expressions.

2009-09-19T14:53:00.000Z

I had to laugh when I got home and looked at this pic on my laptop. Everyone's face says something totally different. It took three attemnpts to get this shot - just imagnine if we would have taken three more.

Recent Village Trip to Gampala.

2009-09-10T17:43:00.003Z

A Strategic Response.

2009-09-06T00:50:00.000Z

After surveying the severity of the flood damage in specific neighborhoods, we began to meet with local authorities in order to develop a strategic response. Our goal is to get the local community involved in the rebuilding process while providing the materials for more reliable housing.

Lost in the flood.

2009-09-06T00:42:00.000Z

Just a small token amidst multiple piles of debris now scattered throughout the city. There was nothing left of the house where this clock was found.

Larger News Networks Finally Grasp the Depth of Devastation in Burkina Faso and Neighboring Countries.

2009-09-06T00:12:00.000Z

Days after devastating floods hit Burkina Faso and surrounding areas, major networks are beginning to pick up the stories and pictures of the people and all that was lost. Some escaped with only water damage to their households and belongings, others lost everything in only a matter of hours. In one area we visited, the water level had reached over five feet in height, causing multiple mud brick houses to crumble into piles of debris and mush. The numbers continue to rise with each passing day; and at this point it is still a guessing game as to how many families are left without so much as a basic shelter over their heads as the rain begins to fall yet again this weekend.

2009-09-03T23:28:00.000Z

Standing on and in front of what used to be a house. The water in this particular area rose to over 5 feet in a matter of hours, causing major damage to homes and the surrounding area.

More Flood Damage.

2009-09-02T18:41:00.000Z

2009-09-02T11:33:00.000Z

Another photo taken by some friends of mine. This is a foot bridge that usually sits a good 7-10 feet above a drainage canal! The amount of water that rushed through was more than I have ever seen in the four years that I have been here.

Unexpected Deluge Reeks Havok on Burkina!

2009-09-02T11:22:00.000Z

This pic was taken by some missionary friends of mine here just yesterday. Rain is fairly common here in Burkina this time of year; but the amount that came down yesterday morning between the hours of 5am-3pm was much more than the city could handle. Many drainage canals over flowed, wiping out bridges and swallowing cars along the way. Streets were covered with water and mud, power was cut for hours, houses were flooded and destroyed, and there were multiple deaths in and around the city all due to the excessive rainfall! I will continue to post updates and pictures as they come in. Please continue to pray for the people here in Burkina.

New Kids of Hope property was a smooth transition.

2009-08-29T18:08:00.000Z

I am happy to announce that the transition to the new property for the Kids of Hope program was a great success! We (Kate Royal and I) officially started the program today at a new location and were excited to see just as many if not more boys attend than we have the past couple weeks. [pictured above: kicking things off with a team game brings out a lot of smiles as this is often the only place for these boys to get together and play in an organized sport/game]

Crazy weather!

2009-08-15T22:23:00.001Z

So I'm sitting in my house the other day, and it started to rain rather suddenly. Before I knew it the wind kicked up and the rain was whipping by at a rather crazy angle. For a brief moment, I felt like I was back in Florida during one of those fun afternoon thunderstorms. It was quite refreshing to say the least.

WIRED 30 HOUR FAMINE AND FOOD DISTRIBUTION

2009-08-07T18:27:00.000Z

2009-08-06T21:44:00.000Z

Faces (cont...)

2009-08-04T22:18:00.001Z

Faces

2009-08-03T22:52:00.000Z

This week I will be posting random pics of faces of people here in Burkina Faso that I have taken over the years. Comments are welcome.

The real purpose of a 30 hour famine... (very small video due to low bandwidth)

2009-07-31T21:44:00.000Z

Death of a smartphone....

2009-07-30T11:03:00.000Z

Nearly a year ago now, my cousin gave me this great Blackberry 8830 to use here in Africa. Upon returning here to Burkina Faso, I was able to get most of the features up and running. Well, a month ago I finally got the unlimited data rate plan going here. Everything was working great until yesterday morning I woke up to -you guessed it - the red light of death! At first I was rather confused as I always turn my phone off at night and have the alarm turn on the phone and wake me up; but this time I woke up before the phone was scheduled to turn on only to see a steady red light. I observed it for a while and noticed that it was essentially cycling internally. It would attempt to boot up (like from a hard reset) then flash the white screen with the turning hour glass for about 3 seconds and then go black again - only to start the cycle all over. If I take the battery out and plug it directly into my laptop, it will do the same thing only windows is so kind to remind me with a constant "bing" that it is virtually being unplugged and plugged back in over and over again.
If you should encounter this same problem, I regret to inform you that your phone is officially "bricked." I am sure that some tech savvy hacker out there has found a way to fix this; and if by chance you are reading this, I would greatly appreciate any comments or helpful hints you might have. In the mean time though, I will be hunting down a new phone on ebay and doing my best to get a replacement in the next 30 days.
Oh - and I forgot to mention that all my contact information was stored on the phone and lost in to a digital 'stargate' at this point in time. Live and learn - should have backed it up!

2009-07-29T21:33:00.000Z

The cats will play when the .....power goes out???!

2009-07-29T21:22:00.000Z

If there is one thing that I have discovered here in Africa, it's that the power cuts quite often; (everyday actually) and when it cuts at night, it's always good to have something fun to do. I recently acquired this awesome green laser off of ebay. Not only is it super bright, but I can use it to point out stars and constellations in the night sky as well. You would have to see it to believe it, but it's almost as though the laser beam just keeps going and going.

What I dream about when it's hot and humid......

2009-07-25T13:52:00.000Z

Here in Burkina, the season is currently referred to as the "rainy season." It's no monsoon, but it can be quite hot and humid at times for a guy that grew up in Washington state. Just yesterday, I was sitting in my house with no electricity and sweating profusely as the humidity was over 70 percent. It's during those times that I like to close my eyes picture something like this.
This pic was taken back in 2004 of me standing on top of Green Mountain with Glacier Peak standing tall in the background. The view was breath taking and the air was so crisp!

Craving something different....

2009-07-25T13:13:00.000Z

Yes - that's right. I have a grill on my front porch! Though it is rather small, it was a wonderful gift from some good friends of mine here in Burkina back in December. There are days here where the usual rice and sauce or bland pasta dishes just don't cut it; and those are the days that I bust out the grill and try something a little different! If you have any fun and simple grilling ideas that pertain to fruit - let me know.

Things Change.....

2009-07-24T00:46:00.000Z

Here in Burkina, some things seem to take a long time to change. Interestingly enough, in some circumstances, things can change rather quickly as is the case with the Kids of Hope club property. What you are looking at in this picture is what has come together in just the last 2 weeks (yes - that is a foundation for a house). As a result, we are in the process of re-locating the club; and with God's direction and peace, we hope to be able to keep the club there for many years to come.

More awesome night "Lights."

2009-07-21T12:05:00.000Z

Just last night, another awesome thunder storm rolled right over my little place here in Burkina. I was able to get just a few more pics before it started pouring down rain. If you look closely, you can see the three different pieces of lightning in the the shot.

Have you thought of trying the "West African Cuisine?"

2009-07-17T15:50:00.000Z

For those that have lived in Burkina Faso, this is nothing new; but for anyone that has never traveled to central west Africa, this may be an intriguing sight. This local dish is called to and sauce (pronounced like the English word 'toe' ). The white stuff is made from millet and has a fairly bland flavor. The green sauce on the other hand is made from boiled leaves and often compliments or simply adds to the 'to.'
There is a restaurant in downtown Seattle called the West African Cuisine; and though I have never ventured there myself, I am curious if they serve this particular dish.

Ever wonder about gas prices in 3rd world countries???

2009-07-16T21:26:00.000Z

What you are looking at is 400 CFA or roughly 85 cents (USD). Currently that will get you a round trip cab ride about 4 miles anywhere here in Ouagadougou. Sound too good to be true? It is. Cabs here are cheap. They have to be or else they would never make any money. The greater population of the country does not have the income to cover the cost of a car let alone a single payment. So what does it cost to fill a 10 gallon tank at the pump here in the capital city? The correct answer for today based on the current exchange rate of 1 USD = 465 XOF is $54.90 !!! When was the last time you paid that much for 10 gallons of gas???

You call that tea?!

2009-07-15T16:09:00.000Z

So people often ask me what I eat over here in Burkina but often forget to ask about the drink of choice. This is a common sight all over here as tea is brewed and shared in three rounds between friends, family, and even alone. It's typically a black tea imported from China; and when brewed right, it can have a great flavor with enough sugar and caffeine to keep one going for hours. To fully experience Burkina, one has to stop and taste the tea.

Weekend ministry and activities.

2009-07-14T16:38:00.000Z

Each Saturday here in Ouaga, I help host a kids club called Kids of Hope. This week, we continued the story of Saul's conversion experience in Acts 9. To get a better idea of how challenging it is to hit the mark without being able to see, we altered a classic game of "pin the tale on the donkey" as seen in the above pic.

Lighting up the sky

2009-07-10T10:29:00.000Z

I was able to get this sweet shot with my little point and shoot camera last night from my front porch. I noticed some amazing lightning off in the distance, so I grabbed my little camera and set up the tripod to see what I could get. After taking about 20 or more shots, this first one turned out to be the best.

A Wall of Dust = Amazing Pic

2009-07-09T17:34:00.000Z

This particular shot was not actually taken by me, but it best illustrates that "wall" effect that the dust creates just before a big rain. I had to turn up the contrast a bit because the shot was a little bleached out.

Just before the rain...

2009-07-09T17:24:00.000Z

When it rains here in Ouaga, it rains hard; but just before the rain something different happens. Pictured above are three shots taken in about the same spot. I had to move a little on the last two due to all the dust. If you look closely at the second shot, you can see the dust moving towards the camera. I I had taken a good panoramic shot, you would really be able to see just how much the dust looks like a huge wall. I will post another pic after this that will better illustrate that wall effect.

The night sky....

2009-07-08T17:03:00.000Z

[This particular shot was taken with a Cannon 20D using a Tamron 18-200mm lens. ]
There are days here in Ouagadougou where the humidity is just so high that it is not comfortable to be outside for very long; so at night, it's no wonder why many people get out and simply sit around for hours talking about their day.

"The stars around the fair moon fade
Against the night,
When gazing full she fills the glade
And spreads the seas with silvery light."

- Sappho (around 500 B.C.)

There is wild life in the city....it's just a rare thing is all.

2009-07-06T23:57:00.000Z

It may be hard to tell by looking at this photo, but this monitor lizard is actually a good 3-4 feet long! Recently spotted in a local park not more than a mile or two from where I live, I would have never thought that something like this could live in the city without being eaten!

The bathroom is ..... over there.....somewhere.

2009-07-03T20:25:00.000Z

Taking a nice stroll through a local park, I ran across this sign. The funny thing was that there was no latrine or path or tail of any kind.........hmmmm.....

2009-07-03T14:25:00.001Z

2009-07-03T14:24:00.001Z

2009-07-03T14:22:00.000Z

Dream Machine! (No - I do not own it)

2009-07-03T14:15:00.000Z

Brand new and fresh off the boat, this beauty was shipped from England with only 67 km on it!!! A friend of mine who is working with "Friends in Action" had this donated for use here in Burkina Faso. Every person has a different idea of a their "dream car/truck;" but for me, after living here in Africa for over 3 years - this is really is the ultimate ride!

Recent Rain

2009-06-22T15:12:00.000Z

The rains are finally here in full strength!!! Just this past Sunday, it poured for quite a few hours leaving standing water everywhere and filling the drainage canals nearly beyond capacity - a very rare occurrence here in Ouagadougou.

Food Distribution

2009-06-04T16:48:00.000Z

After my trip back to the U.S. for a conference/reunion in Florida, I was able to join up with the youth group here in Burkina and film the food distribution that they (and multiple youth groups in the U.S.) had raised funds for. (seen above) "WIRED" spelled out in millet, Ben and I with 200 pound bags of millet, hands holding millet, and the entrance to the center called 'Pan-Bila'

Lots of Travel

2009-05-28T21:33:00.000Z

In just 10 short days, I managed to fly from Burkina Faso and arrive in Dallas, Texas; drive to Pensacola, Florida; attend an incredible 4 day conference; and drive all the way back to Dallas again only to fly out the following day! It all feels like a blur at this point, but I know that God did some pretty awesome things in my heart and I am looking forward to each day as it comes. (pictured above: Tyler, Texas.... I have not actually been there, but I had to get a pic as we drove by )

Memories....

2009-05-26T14:44:00.000Z

Getting back together with 100's of BRSM students/graduates in Pensacola, Florida. The conference really was incredible.

First stop....well, almost the first stop

2009-05-26T14:37:00.000Z

So after arriving in the States, I had to make a quick run to the post office and then found a Starbucks! Ah the memories spent at Starbucks!!!!

Short trip back to the U.S.

2009-05-26T14:33:00.000Z

May 18th-28th short trip back to the U.S. for a conference in Florida. Had an incredible time.

Soccer Match!

2009-05-14T16:56:00.000Z

The boys that I work with here in Burkina Faso warming up for their very first official soccer game! They played a great game; and even though they lost, it was an incredible opportunity for the entire team!

The kids that I work with...

2009-04-27T23:02:00.000Z

The month of April held a wonderful opportunity for us to share the Gospel of Christ with many kids - some for the very first time through the Kids of Hope program that Kate Royal heads up here in Ouagadougou.

Out in the Village.....wait, where's my camera???

2009-04-14T22:39:00.000Z

So, I'm outside of the city the other evening on an outreach and forgot my camera. Luckily, a friend of mine had one along. You really gotta love point and shoot cameras these days - so handy and small. Anyways - in the background there is a bunch of kids playing this fun little game called "life boats." You might remember it from way back - someone calls out a number and you all have to get in groups that match the number.

Out in the Middle of Nowhere!

2009-04-03T00:49:00.000Z

On a recent village trip, we had the opportunity to travel just 6 km off the paved road to a village that seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. After jumping out of the van and setting up a battery powered speaker, we had a pretty good sized group of kids begin to wonder over to scope us out. Pictured above is that group of kids surrounding Ferrin (visiting youth pastor) as we were wrapping up a time of games and a short Bible lesson.

Just a little HOT.

2009-03-24T15:14:00.000Z

Just a little sample of what it feels like here at the end of March and all through April.... Inside the house, it was about 94 degrees - I put this out in the sun for just 3 minutes and it shot up to 120 degrees!!!

Pic of the new place in Ouaga - at night.

2009-01-14T17:07:00.000Z

Pictured above: I have moved into a new place here in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Upon arrival, I noticed that the neighborhood was quite dark and local theft problems were occurring on a daily basis. I decided to take some initiative and added a few lights (500 and 1,000 watts). I took this picture around 11pm at night from across the street.

Handing out "The Book of Life" to kids at a school outside of Ouagadougou.

2008-12-20T15:57:00.000Z

From Last Ouaga outreach of 2008

Give a Kid a Christmas outreaches.

2008-12-09T19:46:00.000Z

Getting in just in time for the last cluster of Giva a Kid a Christmas outreaches in the village of Piela. Seen above: Handing out backpacks to some really excited kids!

When left to ask, "What next?" God responds with "Suprise!"

2008-12-09T17:51:00.000Z

Only hours after my flight had landed here in Burkina Faso, I found myself preparing to head out to the village of Piela for what would prove to be the most interesting trip so far in our Give a Kid a Christmas travels.
I landed just before 10pm Monday night, arrived at the place I was staying at, unpacked and re-packed a bag for the trip the following morning. At 6am I was awake and still trying to figure out where exactly I was at. Within a few hours, I found myself on the road to Piela - a road that in years past has plagued us with strange problems. By 2:30 pm we had discovered that one of our 3 vehicles (the red van - as we call it) had broken down. Apparently the barings had been broken to pieces, seizing the wheel and actually causing a small fire! (no injuries). Two hours later, the vehicle that I was in came to rather harsh stop. We didn't know it at the time, but a ring in the piston housing had broken to bits - leaving us stuck on the side of the road.
I could go on about other details - sleeping on the side of the road, having the power supply in our speakers go out, and the 3rd vehicle snapping two belts at the same time; but the main reason of this post is to show you a small and very short clip of why I do what I do.
ABOVE: You'll see and hear the kids screaming and shouting as they have just received new backpacks filled with school supplies and other treats. That same night we did an outreach and saw just shy of 200 of these very same kids come forward to make a decision to follow Christ. With no speakers and just two flood lights - God still came through with a "Suprise" reponse.
[update 6:15pm - problems uploading video - will try again in a few hours. Stay tuned]
[update 9:58pm December 13 - was not able to complete the video upload after multiple attempts. I guess I will stick to pictures for the time being]

A VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

2008-11-27T21:48:00.000Z

A HUGE THANK YOU!!! to all this Thanksgiving weekend. May you have a relaxing and wonderful time - and may the Lord bless you each and every day this holiday season.

(stay tuned for more updates as I will be returning back to Burkina Faso in just 4 short days!)
[pictured above: All smiles at Christmas time for the Kids of Hope (taken 2007)]

Certified with Leadership Training International and trained by Crisis Consulting International

2008-11-24T04:24:00.001Z

For the past 5 days, I have spent over 50 hours in a class room environment here in Jacksonville, Florida. (the location of the world headquarters for Calvary International). I have been able to spend time with and learn alongside top notch missionaries representing 11 different locations around the world. It truly has been a "growing experience" in the sense that mentally I have jumped leaps and bounds in just five days.
[pictured above: The awesome missionaries from around the world together for a quick 'class picture' juast after completing our certification with L.T.I. (Leadership Training International) ]

Up by Paradise...

2008-09-26T15:56:00.000Z

I was recently able to get down to Mt. Rainier here in Washington with my family and take some amazing pics of the mountain! Growing up just 4 hours north of here, I could always see Mt. Rainier on a clear sunny day, but never have actually taken the time to drive down to it! Quite an amazing sight indeed!

Hiking in the Cascades.

2008-08-08T22:18:00.000Z

On a recent trek up to the ice caves, I was able to get up into the snow at barely over 1,000 vertical feet!!! There was a rather excessive amount of snow fall this year, resulting in an amazing snow pack that is still around well into August!

Out on an island...

2008-07-07T05:17:00.000Z

So this weekend, the sun came out and kinda warmed things up. I was able to get out and enjoy a local kite festival in Everett on a little island. Behind me is one of the rare "sandy beaches" in Washington state. Most everything else is covered in rocks and wonderful beach dwelling creatures - like barnacles.

Local Kite Festival

2008-07-07T05:14:00.000Z

Fireworks on the water

2008-07-04T20:20:00.000Z

So I left eh exposure on my little
point and shoot open just long enough to get the
whole "blurr" effect. It's hard to tell what's going on here
but if you look closely, all those little multi colored lights
on the water are boat lights. We were just a few hundred feet
from the barge and were having blast (no pun intended).

Fireworks on the water

2008-07-04T20:16:00.000Z

Out on the lake in a boat for the Big Lake
Fireworks display here in Washington State.
It truly was an awesome evening!

Home Sweet Home

2008-07-02T16:19:00.000Z

Within the first month of being home,
I had the opportunity to get up to Wallace Falls
just an hour or so away from where I'm staying.
It was an amazing hike and with the snow level
just a few hundred feet above us, it was quite chilly
as well!

Latest Video Release

2008-05-03T01:03:00.000Z

Okay - so there are still revisions to be made and this is only a trial run; but I wanted to put it out there for all of you who can't make it on Sunday night or are in other states/countries. Enjoy!

Upcoming Event:

2008-05-02T21:10:00.000Z

As many of you already know, I have been back in Washington State now for about a month. I will be speaking this Sunday evening (May 4th) at 6pm at Arlington Assembly of God, during which I will be sharing just a few of the awesome things that God is doing in Burkina Faso, West Africa.

The Weather Back in Burkina.....

2008-04-28T22:51:00.000Z

So with the rain/snow/sleet/sun that we've had over the past two weeks, I thought I would jump online to see what the weather was like back in Burkina. Looks like another HOT week back in West Africa. Scope out the forecast. Thank you God for cool Washington rain!

Back in Washington State and doing well....

2008-04-17T23:06:00.000Z

The past couple weeks have flown by and found me with quite the large appetite. Having been born and raised in the Northwest, I enjoy seafood and love my coffee. I had the opportunity to visit the first Starbucks in Seattle wile my sister was in town. (Pictured above) My sister and I with about 5 pounds of coffee - enjoying the smells and sounds of the first Starbucks!

Traveling Home.....

2008-04-02T05:08:00.000Z

Well - I'm here at last! It was a smooth flight from Ouaga-Paris-Seattle and I was very happy to arrive home to some crisp cool air and a cup of Starbucks in my hand.

On the Move

2008-03-29T07:05:00.000Z

Well - with recent power cuts and such, this could be my last Blog post from Burkina Faso for a long time! I will be heading out on Monday night to return to the states for aprox. 5 months. Things I'm looking forward to are seeing family, Starbucks, good food, and even getting up into the snow before it all melts. The main purpose of me going home for a while is to raise more funds as recent finances have dramatically shifted.
Most likely - I will see many of you soon.

In my dreams....

2008-03-09T15:19:00.000Z

So - if you're reading this for the first time in a long time then the news that I will be home in April may come as a suprise. Then again, if you're reading this and it's already April - then HEY - I'm home! Let's do coffee sometime and I'll tell ya all about the past 19 months in West Africa! Favorite Starbucks drink - Tall, Peppermint, light room, Americano - (with a touch of cream and a little bit of raw sugar)

New Newsletter in the mail….

2008-02-13T12:04:00.001Z

Well, 2007 was an interesting year and so far 2008 holds a very promising future for me. I will traveling back to the U.S. around the first week of April and hope to see many of you in person. Of course with the change in location, there will no longer be pictures of elephants or our kids club on this blog, but instead you will be seeing and hearing great posts from Washington State!

I miss you all very much and hope so see many of you very soon. Just today (Feb. 13^th 2008) I mailed out a fresh newsletter with plenty of pictures and information on what will be happening. If you did not receive a copy of my newsletter and would like to – simply leave a comment and I'll try and get one to you as soon as I can.

Each Saturday.........

2008-01-28T15:10:00.000Z

Each Saturday, I help lead the "Kids of Hope" club here in my neighborhood. I've been posting to another blog with pics from the program over at this site (CLICK HERE). Browse on over there and check it out to see more pics of what happens each Saturday!

More elephant fun......

2008-01-24T11:09:00.000Z

Love taking pictures - and video..... Need I say more?

Chillen with the elephants.....

2008-01-24T10:35:00.001Z

So I was driving around a few people this last weekend
and we came across this rather "not so happy" bull elephant
that felt like he needed to make it known that we were not
welcome on his turf. I love it when they do this!

Don't forget to check your mirrrors!

2008-01-22T17:08:00.000Z

With yet another opportunity to go down south to see the elephants, I was able to take plenty of pictures and even a little video this time - all while driving more than 15 people around in (and on top of) an SUV.

Cutting it a little close.....

2008-01-17T14:14:00.000Z

So after all was said and done with the Christmas outreaches, I had yet another opportunity to head on down to see the elephants in December. As you can see in the shot, I'm standing about 20 feet from this guy trying to get some good video and not get stomped on. It was a great rush and YES - the video turned out quite nice as well!

Back up and running in 2008!!!

2008-01-16T11:19:00.000Z

Soooooooooo, 2008 has been quite an interesting year so far. In keeping with our newest tradition here in Burkina Faso, we (Joel and I) like to start off the new year with COMPUTER PROBLEMS and all kinds of crazy errors, viruses, crashes, trojans, and the like! Okay - not really - but i have been spending the last 3 weeks trying to get my computer back into working order and it has been a HUGE challenge.
It all started right around Christmas, when I thought I was doing someone a favor by putting some music (recorded by a friend here in Africa and PERFECTLY legal) onto a USB key for him. As soon as I inserted the key into my laptop and looked to see what was on it, I knew I had made a mistake - WAMO @#$@#$#@$!!!! - and just like that, I had a trojan horse planted deep within my system. So for those of you who think you have to be connected to the internet to get a virus 0r the likes of one - BEWARE!!!
To make a long story short, I spent most of the following week hunting this rotten thing down on my laptop. I then made the second BIG mistake. I installed YET ANOTHER virus that - YES - I paid for!!!!! in the hopes of protecting my computer (see pic: above right). Yes folks - that's right - for the next 3 weeks, I battled this rotten virus that I had a TWO YEAR SUBSCRIPTION to trying to figure out strange things on my computer - like WHY my broswer stopped working - of course this was only Firefox and Internet Explorer 7 but NOT Opera. Why I couldn't access certain sites - like my Yahoo! Mail or even THIS BLOG!!!! Strange things indeed - like why the firewall program showed that I was connected to the internet and gave access to ALL the programs that I chose (latest versions and updates included) but I STILL could NOT connect to the internet!!!!!
LONG story SHORT - Mcafee IS A VIRUS!!!!! For those of you having problems with your computer - check your "ANTI-VIRUS" program FIRST! In an attempt to prevent ALL bad things from happening to your system, these companies think that blanketing and blocking everything possible from accessing the internet is the ticket, and though that may be partially true, I would have to say that in the process Mcafee has become a VIRUS itself.
Well - that is all for today. Thanks for reading and don't worry - my virus problems have been solved for now - which means - more posts to come!!!!

The final stretch in Didyr.....

2007-12-20T13:46:00.000Z

Off to the last distribution!

2007-12-16T10:19:00.000Z

A clean Christmas for all!

2007-12-14T23:03:00.000Z

First week of GAKAC wrapped up....

2007-12-10T10:00:00.000Z

Going To The Nations

OnE Week in OnE Year.

So here's the STORY. Next Saturday is my birthday (MAY 15th); and this year after being inspired by a good friend, I want to do something different.

So here's the GOAL - over the next week - I will be aiming to raise $1,460 for the Kids of Hope program in Burkina Faso. This will allow the purchase of 36 1/2 bags of rice at $40 each (see above pic) - which in turn will feed the boys for ONE ENTIRE YEAR!

Scope Out the New Site!

From the moment I wake up....

Enjoying the sights in Washington - Lake 22 - more than just an alpine lake hike.

The road ahead....

With a fresh direction - missions still burns deep in my heart.

In Redding, CA for the week.

A Very Merry Christmas.

African Foosball Table.

All moved out....

Counting down....?

Thanksgiving Day in Burkina Faso - a different perspective

Snack food in Burkina.

Focus BLoCK

Rare cloud formations roll on through Ouaga.

Tug of War!

Just a quick video update to say hello.

Such different expressions.

Recent Village Trip to Gampala.

A Strategic Response.

Lost in the flood.

Larger News Networks Finally Grasp the Depth of Devastation in Burkina Faso and Neighboring Countries.

More Flood Damage.

Unexpected Deluge Reeks Havok on Burkina!

New Kids of Hope property was a smooth transition.

Crazy weather!

WIRED 30 HOUR FAMINE AND FOOD DISTRIBUTION

Faces (cont...)

Faces

The real purpose of a 30 hour famine... (very small video due to low bandwidth)

Death of a smartphone....

The cats will play when the .....power goes out???!

What I dream about when it's hot and humid......

Craving something different....

Things Change.....

More awesome night "Lights."

Have you thought of trying the "West African Cuisine?"

Ever wonder about gas prices in 3rd world countries???

You call that tea?!

Weekend ministry and activities.

Lighting up the sky

A Wall of Dust = Amazing Pic

Just before the rain...

The night sky....

"The stars around the fair moon fade Against the night, When gazing full she fills the glade And spreads the seas with silvery light."

There is wild life in the city....it's just a rare thing is all.

The bathroom is ..... over there.....somewhere.

Dream Machine! (No - I do not own it)

More Frequent Blog Posts....

Recent Rain

Food Distribution

Lots of Travel

Memories....

First stop....well, almost the first stop

Short trip back to the U.S.

Soccer Match!

The kids that I work with...

Out in the Village.....wait, where's my camera???

Out in the Middle of Nowhere!

Just a little HOT.

Pic of the new place in Ouaga - at night.

Handing out "The Book of Life" to kids at a school outside of Ouagadougou.

Give a Kid a Christmas outreaches.

When left to ask, "What next?" God responds with "Suprise!"

A VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Certified with Leadership Training International and trained by Crisis Consulting International

Up by Paradise...

Hiking in the Cascades.

Out on an island...

Local Kite Festival

Fireworks on the water

Fireworks on the water

Home Sweet Home

Latest Video Release

Upcoming Event:

The Weather Back in Burkina.....

Back in Washington State and doing well....

"The stars around the fair moon fade
Against the night,
When gazing full she fills the glade
And spreads the seas with silvery light."