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From Vietnam #8

forefrontchurch — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:34:10 +0000

Hi,

We leave in a few hours to head home. We had a very nice dinner with two of GVI’s staff last night. We ate and laughed a lot. It was really a fun night. We came back and Gina led us in our devotional time for the day. We met like this as a team each day. Basically, each person was assigned a day to lead the rest of the team. Each person found a spot in the Bible that spoke to them in some way through some situation we may have encountered that day. The hope was that these devotional times would spark some dialogue about how we were impacted by what we saw, how we think God may have worked that day, and what we learned that might actually bring us closer to Him. For us it often lead to deeper discussions and prayer about the people we served, the people we love, and how we can let God do His thing instead of us trying to do it alone. Last night after our devotional, one of our team hooked up 2 little speakers to her mp3 player and we just sat and listened to a song that had captured her attention during this trip. It was a cool time.

It’s time for me to make the coffee and get a shower. I’m the early riser of the team. We’ve got about 30 hours or so in airports and airplanes ahead of us. I already know I’ll be thinking and thinking and writing notes about what could happen next year and the year after that, and the year after that. What will it all look like and who will come to this place and experience what we did. Most importantly, how much deeper will our newly formed partnerships and relationships get? God knows already and I can’t wait for Him to show all of us.

See ya in a day or so!

Dan

From Vietnam #7

forefrontchurch — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:28:58 +0000

Hi all,

Back in Hanoi after the train ride back from LaoCai/Sapa. We just had breakfast courtesy of Monica and Gina. We’re in the Glocal Ventures Guesthouse. It’s like a nice townhouse with bedrooms a couple of bathrooms and all the things that make a long trip nice to come back to. Everyone is readjusting luggage, showering, or calling loved ones. We’ve made a list of things to do in Hanoi today. A couple of people need more money so we’ll look for an ATM and then we’ll shop a little and visit the Hanoi Hilton Museum. This is where some of our POW’s were held during the Vietnam War. Most notably was John McCain. They have quite a display on his time there including his flight suit and parachute. We’ll be accompanied by too really nice Vietnamese that work for Glocal Ventures. One has been with us the whole time. He is attending college in Ohio this year as a freshman. We’ve invited him to Virginia Beach to spend a long weekend with us. He’s a terrific young man.

That’s it for now. We head your way tomorrow morning our time, Thursday Evening your time. We come bearing gifts, dirty laundry, bits of newly mixed concrete and a boatload of stories, memories, and pictures. Get ready!

Until next time, pray for safe travel for this group of world changers!

We love you,

Dan

Lost Souls

forefrontchurch — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 03:30:57 +0000

Did you read that the Oregon State Hospital was just closed. It was a mental institution and happened to be where the movie, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” was filmed. I guess politicians had been talking for years about the need to replace it, amid complaints of overcrowding, crumbling floors, and sexual abuse of children by staff members. But what finally convinced them was a tour of the facility in 2004 where they found …

… the cremated remains of 3,600 mental patients in corroding copper canisters in a storage room. The remains belonged to patients who died at the hospital from the late 1880’s to the mid-1970’s.

Oregon Senate President Peter Courtney dubbed the chamber “the room of lost souls.” Courtney added that seeing the urns “created such an emotional momentum” for replacing the hospital.

It’s too bad they had to see the remains of dead people to inspire them to change. Maybe they should have cared enough about the living to do something to improve their lives while they were here?

And so what about us? I wonder if someday when we get to Heaven we’ll get to see “the room of lost souls.” If so, I’m sure it will create in us an “emotional momentum” to share Jesus with those people, but unfortunately it will be too late. Maybe we should care enough about the living to do something now to improve their eternities while they’re still here?

From Vietnam #6

forefrontchurch — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:07:10 +0000

Honestly I can’t see through the tears in my eyes to say anymore than this.

We went to the school today.

We sang songs to each other - staff anf Forefront.

We thanked each other.

We took lots of pictures.

Government officials and school staff smiled and begged us to come back

The teachers cried and clinged to Gina and Monica

Mr. Pho from the village came by.

We hugged, we clinged, we got into the van.

We waved

We drove off

I’m going shopping now - it’s raining - maybe people won’t see my tears. I have smile on my face and a pounding in my heart for this time here. Same for the rest of the team. Sorry if this sounds all sort of mushy. If you’ve been here you know and if you haven’t just know that you were here in our hearts and minds with your love and support.

See ya soon,

Dan

Baseball Fever

forefrontchurch — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 18:10:27 +0000

Man, the last two nights have been fun. Baseball was my first love. (Seriously) So on Monday night the Home Run Derby was cool. Josh Hamilton didn’t win, but put on an unbelievable show.

More amazing is Josh Hamilton’s story of how God saved him from a life of drugs and alcohol that almost ruined him. He said, ”When I get the urge to have a drink or do something I’m not supposed to do, I think about what a hypocrite I would be to my Christianity and my sobriety.” He continued, “My wife told me in the midst of my addiction that God was going to let me get back to baseball.” Then Josh Hamilton added, “Being able to share my story, that’s what it’s all about.” If you want to read more about his story here is one version in the Dallas News. The best line of the night was from one of the ESPN announcers while Hamilton was clobbering homer after homer out of Yankee Stadium, “It’s not a good night to be an atheist.”

Then last night the All Star Game was incredible and went 15 innings. Unfortunately it ended at 1:30 and I went to sleep at 12:30…

From Vietnam #5

forefrontchurch — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:12:18 +0000

Since arriving here I’ve heard Gina and Monica say the same words over and over again. Gina says “fabulous” and Monica says “awesome.” I think big adjectives like that are often overused. I think they should be reserved for the really fabulous or the really awesome, and this week deserves both in bunches!

The concrete pad was put down by about 30 very hardworking concrete workers and a few American wanna-be concrete workers! The school officials wanted a photo of me paying the contractor the money for the job. I said fine but I didn’t happen to have 39,000,000 Vietnamese Dong on me. I had mailed the check for the job to our reps in Texas before we left. Fortunately our GVI rep had it and the photo op and the pad is now finished complete with two hand prints, mine and the headmaster’s in the fresh concrete at the base of their flagpole. For those of you that don’t know the headmaster has gone from arms crossed, not sure about us, back in March to our friend. He has been laughing with us, posing for pictures with us and totally engaged in each project. Pretty awesome huh?

Gina had the teachers full attention yesterday. I don’t know how she kept it all straight. She was at the board teaching away, the translator was, well translating, and the teachers were in groups doing the activity Gina was teaching them. At the end of the day they were sharing pictures, talking about each others families and enjoying each other’s company. Yep - it was fabulous.

While Gina taught, Tony, Cori, Rhonda, Monica, and I walked the water project with the headmaster and our GVI reps. About mid-way we encountered a villager named Mr. Pho. Turns out Mr. Pho was elected the water manager for this part of the village. What you need to know is that the project we funded back in March not only serves up to 300 at the school it also serves 245 in the village. Mr Pho makes sure that the water is unobstructed, fairly distributed and free of animal waste. When he saw us in our Forefront shirts he got very excited. He remembered having met Chuck and Michael in May and hung out with us all morning. He invited us into his house, gave us a snack and thanked us over and over for the water. He said he used to bathe once a week at a local river. Now he bathes everyday as do the rest of the 245 in this village. Awesome and fabulous, don’t you think?

So, I’m not sure how you top those experiences. I’ve been all over the world and I can hardly think of anything that has come close to this. Couple that with being able to hang out with some of the nicest people anyone could be around well I guess all I can say is that it’s fabulous and this whole experience has been awesome.

Have a great day today. I know we will!

Dan

From Vietnam #4

forefrontchurch — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:23:34 +0000

Hi all,

Very good first day. Gina worked with the teachers and the headmaster on techniques to inspire learning. The response seemed very good. They were engaged and eager to learn. The coolest thing is that they seem very comfortable with us I think these are good signs that speak to the state of our relationships with them.

At the clinic, Monica and Cori delivered the medications to the staff, got to know them a little and talked to them about the kinds of things they see in the clinic and what kinds of tratments they use. Monica began to see patients but as sometimes happens here the plan changed a little to more of a sanitation/hygiene training time. Monica looked at about 15-20 Red Dao (Mien) villagers feet and taught them ways to improve their foot health. Most of these people walk miles a day selling various items and their feet become pretty bad. Meanwhile Cori was handing out blow-pops and showing people that big heart she has. We were then taken into 4 houses owned by the villagers to assess conditions. The medical staff at the clinic accompanied us. We learned that to allow us this deep into the village and visit these homes was very rare.We walked deep into the village away from all tourist sites and saw very raw conditions. It was very sobering and enlightened us to the scope of the issues they face. There are many, many villages and people groups living in extreme conditions. This was very impactful for Rhonda. She was able to assess agricultural methods, how they manage thir farm animals, and how they themselves maintain hygiene. Too much to try to go over on this front. We’ve got some brainstorming to do for the future.

Concrete was moved to tomorrow because they need to get a mixer onsite. The site of the pad looks to be about 100X50. I measured it by walking it off so that may not be exact. It’s already flattned, leveled and ready to go for concrete.

The team continues to do a fantastic job being flixible and loving those they serve. It was a great day. A special shout out to our partners at Glocal Ventures who have done a masterful job arranging projects, transportation, translators, and finding great places to eat!

That’s it for now.

More later,

Dan

I Miss You But…

forefrontchurch — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 06:40:41 +0000

I’ve spoken at a couple of other churches the last few weeks, and I’ve really missed being at Forefront, but I also think it’s healthy for everyone. Why you ask? Here’s a few reasons:

1. It helps us not to be built on one person’s personality. - It’s difficult for a church not to be built on the personality of a key person (or two), and that may actually help to grow churches, but I don’t think it’s a healthy and enduring kind of growth. I can’t think it’s a good thing that if you asked someone, “What is church without Vince Antonucci” and everyone says, “I don’t know. I can’t imagine it without him.” Me being gone once in awhile helps people to imagine that. We understand that it’s not about any one person.

2. It helps to develop other preachers from our staff. We have some guys on our staff who are (already) great speakers, but pretty much the only way to get better is to do it. And so me being gone gives them that opportunity.

3. It stretches me. Being at other churches the last two Sundays - one newer and smaller than us, one older and bigger - has given me all kinds of ideas. Both are great churches, doing great things, and we (at Forefront) definitely have a lot in common with them. But there were a few “minor” things that they did in set-up, or in their pre-service run through, or in their service, where I was like, “Ohhhh. Hmmmmmm.” And I came back thinking, “We have to try that,” and “I wonder if that could work for us.” Me being there will make us, here, better.

And, by the way, I’ll be at FF this Sunday (and the next) (and the next).

From Vietnam #3

forefrontchurch — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:47:22 +0000

Hi all,

Today we arrived at the Ta Phin school and met with the headmaster. The Sapa District Education Director was also there. This is a big deal especially if you’re the headmaster because he’s your boss! The meeting was awesome. We gave them a bunch of needed school supplies and a digital camera which they immediately started using. When we pulled up to the school about 6 workers had already broken ground on the concrete project and the sand and stone were ready in a pile to go under the concrete. Me and Tony and 21 Vietnamese workers start pouring concrete tomorrow! I checked in with the foreman and got our work assignment!. We also checked in with the medcal clinic in the village and Monica talked with the doctor. She and Cori start seeing people tomorrow morning. Today the village leaders are canvassing the people who have medical issues to come tomorrow. Gina met the teachers she will be teaching and got that planned for tomorrow morning. The Education Director took special notice of her, smiled, and said the word “teacher” when she was introduced. We accomplished all of this on a Sunday which is typically a day they take off. The fact that they all showed up, including the Education Director speaks volumes to the work that has already been accomplished through by our other teams to build these relationships. We have consistently come and done what we committed to do. That means a ton to these people.

Personally it was amazing for me to sit at that meeting and see all of this come together. It was only a vision in my mind for so long and now it’s reality. The people we have brought here and their reactions and responses to all we are doing are beyond my expectations. I have to say that it’s an answered prayer and a feeling I hope I never forget.

So, beginning Monday it’s off to work we go. Team is doing great. The level of professionalism and care that they have brought to the people of Ta Phin is amazing to watch.

More later,

Dan

From Vietnam #2

forefrontchurch — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 13:26:48 +0000

We just arrived in Sapa after our overnight train ride from Hanoi. Everyone is feeling great. After breakfast we’ll go to the village of Ta Phin to deliver pens, compasses, rulers, a camera and we’ll meet witth the headmaster of the school. We should be able to get a glimpse of the start of the concrete project.

Weather is comfortable - rainy in the afternoon and as always the scenery is stunning.

More later,

Dan