Conversations w/ God's amazing gifts.

Sometimes, especially in the days leading up to my trips to Africa, I easily lose sight over God's provision. While in Africa, I see it all around me because I must. How will we make it from point A to point B on so little fuel? Where are we? What will these people eat today? God continues to provide for our needs! But in the states, there is just something about our ability to choose and take care of ourselves that hides how God provides for us!

These past 2 days have been INCREDIBLE! I've seen God working all around me. Folks, I can't underestimate the power of God and you shouldn't either! On Friday, I met the woman that started the AIDS clinic that grabbed my heart for Africa some 3 years ago. What an amazing honor! She and her husband are returning to Zim later this year. That time w/ them was perhaps one of the greatest pleasures of my life!

This meeting was followed by impromptu time with a man who lived in Zimbabwe for over 2 decades. What a blessing to briefly meet a guy who has dedicated 2/3 of my life to joining in God's work there.

Then, a gentleman unexpectedly called to ask if I had time that day to meet with an Anglican Bishops from Uganda who was traveling the USA. He had heard of our work and wanted to meet with me. Again, how amazing to see the faithfulness of a church leader and a commitment to a lifetime of service to our Lord. This man's heart for the Lord's work was so clearly seen when I looked into his eyes.

I am a guy that LOVES people. Throughout my life, God has used people to correct, inspire, remind, and break me. They are an instrument for his instruction. The past 2 days, my heart has been amazed at how much God loves each of us! How he crafts gifts of love for us in the way that we should receive them. For me, these gifts were found through these conversations.

They showed me that God wants us to be faithful for the marathon, not just the sprint. It's amazing to me how God provides both instruction & encouragement in a way that connects with me just the way I'm listening.

I'm not sure how God is amazing you these days, but I do know this...He is trying! God is always amazing and always showing his love to us. Look around and listen. I'm sure glad I was paying attention these past 2 days. My heart is singing.

Get the eVoice? You should!

Do you get our eVoice newsletter? It will be coming out every month, unless we are in Africa...then, it will come out every 2 weeks.

It's a great way for you to stya connected to not just my thoughts but what the organization is up to and what stories we have for you to share with those you meet.

The eVoice is produced by a team of people and compiled by a super cool guy named Jack!

You can sign up by visiting www.ForgottenVoices.org.

Quick Blog from Panera

This is just a quick thank you for all that have been praying. I've really appreciated the support this week as we prepare to go back to Africa and other the other things going on in life...job, tests, doctors appointments, etc that must be done before I depart.

It means a lot to me that so many of you have read this and responded. Sincerely, thank you.

Please continue to pray for Africa, for rain and for our funding! We have a lot of work to do! Together, by God's grace, we can and we will fulfill the vision that we have been given! Thanks for believing in Forgotten Voices and in me.

-Ryan

Looking for help...Technology from Africa

OCTOBER 10, 2007 @ 5:57PM

Friends - Do you have friends blogging or communicating with you from Africa or another developing country? I'm looking for ideas to improve our communication from Zimbabwe/Zambia to you all in the states.

From blogs to podcasts to videos to simple emails... if you have received something that you enjoyed & found helpful, let us know! We have a team of people working to improve communication so you have a better idea of what is happening w/ us.

If you have something to share or pass along, send me the example or the link. You can email me Rkeith@ForgottenVoices.org.

Thanks!

-Ryan

Overwhelmed and Gideon

OCTOBER 9, 2007 @ 10:11AM

Friends - What an amazing experience it is to wake up every morning. After 4 days of being incredibly overwhelmed, I rose this morning with Gideon on my mind.

These past four days, I've been working with others on addressing safety concerns for Zimbabwe. Things continue to decline and safety has been called into question by the State Department. I've also been overwhelmed with the feeling of inadequacy. Waking up every day and realizing that over half the things I must do are beyond my abilities or knowledge gets draining. When we started Forgotten Voices, I had NO idea what we were getting ourselves into. From tax law to the legal implications of $15 in gifts to understanding the rules about taking donations from Toronto...not to mention the actual raising of funds and working w/ partners in Africa.

In Zimbabwe, it is now not so much about you giving us $15 and us sending a kid to school. The process now involves bartering, fuel, importing goods, getting the best exchange rate, and THEN paying $15 to send a child to school. It can be overwhelming.

I don't write this to get you to feel bad for us. Instead, I write this to give you a better idea of how you can pray. Our team of volunteers and I do get overwhelmed sometimes. Especially when we are only 10 days away from returning to Africa.

But like I said, Gideon was on my heart this morning and last night. "Go with the faith you have and with the knowledge that I am the one that sent you!" What a powerful message from God!

Today, as you feel overwhelmed by life or feel overwhelmed for us, remember God's message to Gideon. If we go with the faith we have (regardless of how adequate we feel) and the knowledge that God is the one that prepared our day for us, it'll be OK. It's something I'll be remembering this week and something I'll be praying for each of you.

All the best,
Ryan

Plane tickets and prayer

OCTOBER 8, 2007 @ 10:12AM
In 11 days, I'm getting on a plane to go back to Africa. It's crazy in Zimbabwe right now. I'm both excited and sad to be going back. Just 2 months into my new marriage, I'll be leaving my wonderful wife to return to my 2nd home. It'll be rough going without her.


As you'll note on the video though, I do know how to have fun when I'm in Africa. :) i try to keep myself cheery, despite all the pain I absorb everyday. Pray that I am able to love as Christ loves us. I am overwhelmed already and can't fathom what I'll be feeling when I see the pain that I am hearing about each day.

This week, please pray for me and our team. Some of the team members still have a lot of money to raise for their trips. It's not cheap to go to Africa, even if its for a good cause.

Also - please pray for me as I work with our partners in Africa leading up to the trip. There is much going on in Zimbabwe (water shortages, fuel is almost gone, bread unavailable, 80-85% unemployment, etc). Pray that we can stay focused and accomplish the tasks that will make our trip a lot easier.

Finally - any time I leave for Africa our fundraising goes way down. It's amazing to me. It should be the opposite. But people need to be reminded to give and if I'm not here, that typically doesn't happen. Please prayerfully consider giving to Forgotten Voices as you read the blog. We still need to raise about 45,000 before the end of the year to meet budget. Pray with me that we are able to accomplish this large task.

Join us as we find leaders in Africa working hard to empower orphans in their communities. Join us as we join them.

This will be a crazy week for me. I have a lot of personal stuff to handle between now and Thursday afternoon, in addition to getting ready to leave in 11 days.

Please join me in praying for our trip and prayer.

Thanks for believing that you can make a difference. My deepest desire for you today is that you are able to make someone's day today. Have a fantastic Monday!

-Ryan

Building Boats in Boston

Last week, I attended an AIDS symposium in Boston exploring how to best care for kids that are left in the wake of HIV/AIDS. As over 200 individuals gathered from around the world, I listened to people talk about policies that have worked and exploring gaps in policies that haven't. The presentations were given by academics from places like Harvard and some of the best universities in Europe. Experts from UNICEF, USAID, World Bank, etc were all there to share their thoughts.

It was really informative and I definitely recommend you all checking out the initiative called the Joint Learning Initiative on Children and HIV/AIDS.

This analysis went on like this for over 4 hrs.

Then, something happened that I didn't expect. A woman from Malawi approached the podium to share and SHE SHARED AND SHARED...not like everyone else. She shared her heart, not her research. She came with slides that didn't really work because she was told she should have slides.. She said that she traveled all the way from Africa and expected some major new ideas. She talked about the long journey and her optimism about joining some of the great minds in international development. Then, she spoke of her disappointment. As she talked, a passion was growing within her. A passion to share the story of her people, the communities where she worked, and what people without an education were doing to transform their own futures with little resources...just because it is the right thing to do.

At Forgotten Voices, we deeply believe that the best policies only take you so far. We study them and learn them, like everyone else. We come prepared to help, using all our time and talent that we can muster. But we do something that this woman wanted everyone to acknowledge: we listen to the voices of local people who are doing most of the real work without much of a formal education and with very little resources.

Then she said something that I'll never forget: "We must build our boat, while we sail." She probably didn't coin the phrase, but it will stay with me. Her point was that we need to not over-plan and beat problems to death with policy analysis. We need to get out among the people and get to work... the people need us and the people know what is best. Sure, data is good and evaluation is good. But people need us NOW.

At Forgotten Voices, I'm always facing the urgency of the now with the threat of unintentional consequences. But we are working hand in hand with local leaders in Zimbabwe & Zambia to try and come up with the things we need to help make their boats sail better and better. We'll build it while we sail.

You can help! To find out what projects we are working with, visit us online and check out About Us!

I leave for Africa in 15 days. Get ready for another adventure.