6/12: Safe & here - now on Twitter

Friends - we are here safely. A great morning with James & The Rock church. You can see an interview with james on YouTube to learn more about the man that is a dear friend to me and the ministry of Forgotten Voices.

Now, we are off to the leadership center that we sponsor, then off to the Free Methodist Church to meet with 2 adorable, 16 year old twin girls that just finished exams. We'll be talking with them about what school has meant for them over the past 3 years... after they almost had to quit school. The FMC helped them out and now their lives are going in a different direction. Anxious to spend some more time with them.

BIG NOTE: Follow us now on www.twitter.com/forgottenvoices

Bye for now.

Traveling "Home"

We have finally pushed back. About 30 min late. Not too bad.

They want to shut it down. Time for a movie, lunch and some sleep. Talk to you all in 15 hrs.

All the best,
Ryan
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

one more quick announcement

our first 3 saves / high fives of the trip:

1) steve dropped his boarding pass walking to our gate. thankfully we found it without issue
2) darren found out how to use SMS technology instead of internet. whatever that means, but he was pumped, so we are pumped
3) steve bought a hat, as he didn't own one. it is subtle and looks sharp. all that know him apparently will enjoy that he has a hat now. :) so i'm adding a picture here.

thankfully, he's not a big yankees fan. being in ny, i've been hearing it for my sox hat all morning. after last night's 7-0 sox's win over the yankees... all is good.

ok now that those important notes have been made, we are NOW putting away our tech toys to focus on surviving 15.5 hrs together. i'm sitting one row behind them so i can watch them -- make sure the behave and not disturb other passengers. darren should be a handful. :)

peace out,
Ryan

Ready to Board and Chillin with a GoGo

We were talking about the Zimbabwe dollar by the gate, when the kindest old woman turned around and started chatting it up with us. She had come to NYC for her granddaughter's graduation and was returning home to Harare after 3 weeks away. What a joy she has been and a good introduction for the guys about Zimbabwean wit, hospitality, and all around good nature. In Zim, grandmothers are called GoGos. So, it was fun to chill with a GoGo.

She has been giving Darren & Steve advice on what to do in Zimbabwe, like "don't date our women, but sample anything else." and "don't wear pants like that, Darren. those holes will make people think you are poor and throw you in jail." all joking, of course. :)

She has been a good resource and introduction to life in Zimbabwe.

Ok. we are getting ready to board soon, so I gotta jet. but pray on, good people... pray on.

also - if you follow twitter, follow @darrenleblanc. he thinks he's rigged up a way to tweet from zimbabwe. :) we'll see. if he has, he's my new technology hero and i'll learn from him.

peace out,
probably until zimbabwe,
Ryan & Crew

On plane for JFK waiting to leave

Watching a piece on how to make desserts and pick good movies. JetBlue is great! On time (so far) and tv! They need this on Air Zimbabwe.

Will write from JFK. For those of you on twitter, you can follow me today at @forgottenvoices before I take off late morning.

Off to meet my boys in NY. Doors closing for departure. Peace.

-Ryan

Ps real quick. Hilarious exchange between a little boy and his mom getting ready to go to disney world at the next gate over before I got on the plan. Boy was telling mom how he bravely "convinced" dad to let him get a chocolate, chocolate icing doughnut. :) dad looks amused, as son says "I wanna sit next to you, mom." Mom groans with a smile as boy jumps up and down for joy at all the sugar. Dad watches slightly, smiling while trying to look preoccupied. :) families are great.

I wanna go to africa to help more churches make sure those that have lost their parents have someone in their lives crazy about them - sugar and all.
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

6/10: Off to southern Africa right now & I never remember...

As you read this, I'm beginning the long road/flight/journey back to Africa. It's always an adventure, each trip with its own unique stories of love, laughter, tears, pain, agony, and devotion that runs so deep it would make even the sternest man cry.

But no matter how often I go, I never remember the pre-trip ordeals until I'm in them like right now.

It's funny that no matter what I do to prepare, get ahead, etc before an Africa trip, I am always humbled by some piece of technology that apparently makes our lives easier, but ALWAYS causes me trouble.

Despite packing 5 days ago and doing the lion's share of last minute phone calls a couple days ago, I decided it would be nice if I would could share with you by video some of my final reflections.

Over 3 hrs today, I wrestled with my small Canon digital elph... a camera I've used hundreds of times to do the thing I wanted to do, but with no margin time to do it in. THis is after spending nearly 3 hrs 2 days ago trying to use my video camera to do the same, without success, despite having done the same dozens of times. It was as if I was being told to go, trust that people know and move forward. Then, in one last battle of wills, I thought I beat the camera by recording a short video, only to discover that my raw, tear filled, honest video reflection before departing would not play. If I get it working after I return, I'll post it. It was and is the desire of my heart.

So this blog will have to do. These little reminders of life in the developing world, where things should work, but don't, is good preparation.

Today, as you are reading this, I'm bound for Zimbabwe, via NYC and Johannesburg, South Africa. I'll be traveling with 3 friends (Darren, Steve, and Matt). They'll be with me until June 20, when they head back to the States and then I head on to Zambia until I return to the US on July 1.

We have 3 primary objectives:
1) To document the work of Forgotten Voices through the eyes of children. Rather than bounce around, we'll be staying with a few kids, walking to school with them, talking to pastors, families, community members, and their friends. Spending time listening to the voices of just a few kids and trying to capture their stories to bring them home to you. Most of our time will be spent with a young woman who has been receiving care for nearly 5 years through a partnership between her church and Forgotten Voices. She and I have become pretty good friends over the years and I'm pumped to introduce my friends from the states to her. When I met her, she was just a child. Some may say she still is. But, she now moves around our world with a bit of confidence & wisdom beyond her years, after a rough few years following the death of her parents. We look forward to sharing her story with you.
2) Exploring the beginnings of new ministry components to Forgotten Voices that will ultimately, Lord willing, help rural and urban churches meet the grief counseling needs of kids. In a cultural context that does not often acknowledge the mental and emotional toll death of parents has on kids, we have been asked by local churches around Zimbabwe to dream with them about what can be done. This is the beginning of that dream. Pray with us.
3) Take a look at relatively new projects and proposed projects that we may support. Going into new villages and new communities in Zimbabwe & Zambia is always a joy, but also challenging to think that we may be the only organization that ever comes across the good work of the local church.

Please pray for the following four things:

1) Pray that we choose joy daily. This is the cry of my heart. That we would be singing the Psalm 61, crying out to God, casting our burdens at His feet, and resting on the solid rock of God -- KNOWING that He is God, and we are merely His ambassadors of love. Amidst the overwhelming conditions and desires of churches we encounter...and the agony of holding the hands of dying children...or watching them grow without their parents alive to see them flourish... we will choose joy! Pray that we seek God's pleasure and joy with every day on the journey.

2) Pray for safety as we travel to/from/around Zimbabwe, then especially for me as I travel on to Zambia for 10 days by myself. Pray for safety & health, especially for the other 3 guys, who have never been to Africa before.

3) Pray for discernment for me. As I travel around, I do realize the immense privilege you all have given me to go on your behalf. The needs are great, the resources must be stretched, and everything often seems like a top priority. It is one of the greatest burdens I've ever encountered to look into the eyes of a pastor and tell him we have to wait or we don't think the project aligns with what we are trying to do. Often, it's not malice or mismanagement, as is often perceived of Africa, but rather misalignment.

After decades of relating to white men and women from the US who come to "save" Africa, it can take months or years to gain the trust and relationships to build and equip the local church to lead the way...and see that Forgotten Voices would like nothing better than to drift to the backdrop and allow the recipients of the church's good will to know nothing of where the funds came from...instead leaving the people to give thanks, glory, and praise to God for His provision...just as you and I give thanks to God for the opportunity to give to Forgotten Voices. The task is tough, as I balance the needs of the people, the pressures on the local church, the difficult financial crises in the States, and the pressures on many of you that you have shared with me. I know none of this is my money or even our money, but God's. Pray for discernment as we go.

4) Finally, on a far more personal note, please pray for my dear wife, Katie, who I love sooooo dearly. To be away from Katie for even a day is hard, but 3 weeks? A few times a year? Going for this long stretches your investment in Forgotten Voices, limits all the emotional ramp up time that is taxing before and jetlag recovery after. But 3 weeks is a long time, often going days without being able to hear from us. Pray for safety, joy, and discernment for Katie, as well. Pray also for peace.

I'm so deeply thankful for each of you, even those of you I've never met. It is with great humility that I again depart on another adventure. Today, as I fly 15.5 hrs to South Africa, ten 2.5 hrs to Zimbabwe, I will be praying prayers of joy for you all. Praising God for the way your hands have extended mercy and love to so many people you have never met.

As always, I pledge to love and serve our friends in southern Africa to the best of my abilities and capacity. And I pray that God will continue to honor that, as well as the loving sacrifices you all continue to make to help us equip the church to care for the physical & spiritual needs of AIDS orphans in their communities.

To make a gift to support our work that you read about over the next 3 weeks, visit us online at ForgottenVoices.org.

Throughout the trip, join us for the adventure at www.ForgottenVoices.org or right here on this page. Both work the same.
My sincere thanks,
Until I try and write from JFK before departing for Joburg,
My thanks, love, and prayers for you & yours,
Ryan

A Love blessing we will forever cherish...

This is indeed "A blessing we will foever cherish...", one woman echoed from within the small gathering as their leader got a cheque for supporting orphans in their ministry. The ministry of Forgotten Voices is going to help support over 500 kids; Yes, over 500 children will be sent back to school and some will continue with their schooling because of brethrens like you. It is because you have decided to say “yes I will remember orphans in Africa”. Words would never express the feelings we all have right now; but we can say THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

Just yesterday, a total of six projects in our partnership with churches around Ndola area were empowered in their orphan care ministries. Some of the pastors and church leaders could not hide their happiness; “this is what we have always been praying for especially that we do witness first hand suffering of our people,” one of them said. Another pastor further said that their intentions of purchasing a hummer mill has now been fulfilled; “the help has come at the right time because people are busy harvesting their maize and the mill will not only help the church members, but also bring revenue from the surrounding community who will use it to grind their harvested maize into mealie meal at a fee,” he said.  “This will sustain some of the ministries of our church,” the pastor reiterated. I was equally happy for the men of God because I know their struggles in meeting their ministry obligations under very difficult conditions has been very hard. The church in Africa is (rightly so) seen as a place of refuge for those that are in need, but its resources has always been meagre.   

The ministry of Forgotten Voices, through local churches in Africa could never have come at the right time. It has brought life to not only the spiritual aspect of the church’s ministry, but also to its social ministry. To you, who are holding the hands of FVI to make this possible, I say, please don’t grow weary. We are always on our knees thanking God for what you are doing; for through this ministry, the evil one’s efforts are rendered useless even when the vices are so great to clump these kids. The ministry of the church, especially towards children is being fulfilled.

It was also gratifying to hear kids sharing their dreams for the future; “When I grow up, I want to become a teacher” one said; others hope to be doctors, mechanics, pastor…the list is endless! Well, just know that you are helping to make some of these children’s dreams come true.

I have always believed that Christians hold the key to the real hopes of mankind. One of these hopes is, the hope to love and to be loved; which according to 1Cor. 13, is the greatest gift. And you have shown your love for the pastors and their flock through your generosity even though you have even never met them.   

This will indeed be "a love blessing we will forever cherish in our hearts!"

Your fellow servant in the Lord,

Remmy.