I had high hopes of updating this blog on the trip. Perhaps its the fact that I'm not one of those that likes to chronicle every action of the day. Or maybe its been the lack of wifi and power intermittently that seems to just take it out of me.
The truth is that I'm at a loss for words on this trip. It will take quite a while, maybe a lifetime, to fully digest this experience in context of my life in the States. As I try to capture this for you that might still be reading this blog, let me at least just give you a few things that I've started to pull from the experience here in Colombia.
1) I have a new definition of "I am third": We have a saying in F3 about being third. God first, Family/Others second, and you third. For the most part that is a nice saying, makes for a great t-shirt. Watching a man kill his best goat for you, cook it, and then serve it to you while you are in the chair, at a table, under the shade in the middle of the desert while his hungry family and he looks on with gratitude and hospitality.... that is I am third. I've never felt such generousity in my life. I actually have tears in my eyes as I write this.
2) I have a new set of heroes: Meeting the missionaries who go in to these parts of the world, raise their families in challenging conditions, and all while smiling and serving God. We can never appreciate their sacrifice for this work until we walk a mile or two or more in their shoes.
3) A saying I heard here.... "These people have nothing but God....we have everything but God"... Yep, that might just sum up the differences between our comfortable christianity and what these folks experience every day. When they pray for a sick child, pray for a son that is away in incarceration, pray for a family member, there is no Plan B. There is not immediate back up for the doctor in many cases. They pray believing God every time for his intervention in their life.
4) Can I love without judging with full compassion and grace? The experience of just serving and not asking questions of a man raising 8 kids in a hut on the side of a mountain who needs a few steps up to his house was a powerful experience. It was so moving to just go serve and not ask questions. Just do. As Christ did, he just went and ministered to people with no preconception, judgement, or qualification.
5) We have a huge mission field at home in the states. For all of those that have prayed, funded, and supported our trip. Thank you. We do have such an opportunity to share more with others where we live at home. Said differently, this is not an event, but a step on a journey of serving.
I'm sure I'll have more over the next few weeks when I can digest all of this fully. Right now I'm having a hard time uploading photos.
Friday, September 11, 2015
Saturday, September 5, 2015
Day 1 - the universal observation on men...
Day 1 in Colombia:
Last night we enjoyed a fantastic cookout with the leadership of the LaEsperanza church here in Santa Marta. 25 of their men from the church leadership and school came to greet our team of 10 with open arms and a traditional cookout complete with Chorizo, Carne Asada, and some peach tea. We spoke in broken English and Spanish.
Mostly we just smiled at each other. We sat together, tried to cut steak with breaking plastic forks and knives on styrofoam plates. I was blown away at hearing some of their stories of faith, how long they had been serving as leaders of the church and the hardships they have endured to build a community of believers in this city and part of the world.
I was humbled to share a message with the men from 1 Peter 4: 7 - 11 talking about serving each other with hospitality without grumbling. It also discusses the role as stewards of God's grace to each other. We were humbled by their great show of hospitality. God's grace was certainly present as we just experienced each other as men unified in our great understanding of God's grace and mercy in our lives.
This morning, as we are about to deploy to the desert for 4 nights, we enjoyed a breakfast on the roof here. (pictured here). I watched a young Colombian family join us for the wonderful breakfast spread they offer here at our hotel. This man, his wife, and two kids are decked out for the beach. You could tell, just like me and most of the men reading this blog, that he had a tough morning already. Sunscreen all over the kids (halfway I might add), his wife looked like she barely was speaking to him, and they were trying to get the kids to eat some fruit loops before they went over to the beach 2 blocks away.
I thought - hey, this guy isnt much different than me - right? I mean he probably busted his tail all year for this vacation, drove who knows how long to get here, get these kids out to the ocean and just enjoy a nice time with everyone. And like some of our vacations, the best laid plans sometimes go off the chain when we least expect it.
As men, we all want to provide these nice things for our families. We want to build memories and traditions that will last lifetimes. Regardless of culture or place in the world, we are called to keep pushing to make that happen. It has been such a great experience seeing how other men across the world struggle to be that man and yet all of us are blessed with God's grace and mercy.
Off to sleep in the hammock with some alleged wild desert dogs. Can't wait to see what God has in store for us with the Wayuu people.
Last night we enjoyed a fantastic cookout with the leadership of the LaEsperanza church here in Santa Marta. 25 of their men from the church leadership and school came to greet our team of 10 with open arms and a traditional cookout complete with Chorizo, Carne Asada, and some peach tea. We spoke in broken English and Spanish.
Mostly we just smiled at each other. We sat together, tried to cut steak with breaking plastic forks and knives on styrofoam plates. I was blown away at hearing some of their stories of faith, how long they had been serving as leaders of the church and the hardships they have endured to build a community of believers in this city and part of the world.
I was humbled to share a message with the men from 1 Peter 4: 7 - 11 talking about serving each other with hospitality without grumbling. It also discusses the role as stewards of God's grace to each other. We were humbled by their great show of hospitality. God's grace was certainly present as we just experienced each other as men unified in our great understanding of God's grace and mercy in our lives.
This morning, as we are about to deploy to the desert for 4 nights, we enjoyed a breakfast on the roof here. (pictured here). I watched a young Colombian family join us for the wonderful breakfast spread they offer here at our hotel. This man, his wife, and two kids are decked out for the beach. You could tell, just like me and most of the men reading this blog, that he had a tough morning already. Sunscreen all over the kids (halfway I might add), his wife looked like she barely was speaking to him, and they were trying to get the kids to eat some fruit loops before they went over to the beach 2 blocks away.
I thought - hey, this guy isnt much different than me - right? I mean he probably busted his tail all year for this vacation, drove who knows how long to get here, get these kids out to the ocean and just enjoy a nice time with everyone. And like some of our vacations, the best laid plans sometimes go off the chain when we least expect it.
As men, we all want to provide these nice things for our families. We want to build memories and traditions that will last lifetimes. Regardless of culture or place in the world, we are called to keep pushing to make that happen. It has been such a great experience seeing how other men across the world struggle to be that man and yet all of us are blessed with God's grace and mercy.
Off to sleep in the hammock with some alleged wild desert dogs. Can't wait to see what God has in store for us with the Wayuu people.
Sunday, August 30, 2015
And GO...
Today our church commissioned our team during the first and second services. We leave Friday at 7AM. This time next week we will be waking in the desert after our first night in a hammock. We will be worshiping with our brothers and sisters in Christ next Sunday morning.
Many of you have given generously and have provided such encouragement for us. We are humbled by this and look forward to taking you with us on this journey. We will take your investment in God's kingdom and invest it wisely. We promise to be good stewards of your gifts. You are with us in spirit.
Please stay in touch with us via this blog as our technology allows us to communicate with you.
Scott Cornwell (Santini)
Sunday, August 16, 2015
Casting Lots
Today in church we read a scripture from John talking about the roman soldiers who had crucified Jesus, casting lots for his Tunic or garment under the foot of his cross.
23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom,
24 so they said to one another, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be." This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, "They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots." So the soldiers did these things, - John 19:23-24
I've read and heard this scripture since I was a young boy. And while our Pastor was discussing this scripture in a totally different context, I had an insight into this scripture that I've not had before in reading it.
The Tunic in this culture was a form of identity. From what I know it was even part of the identification of the individual. People could recognize you from your Tunic. The passage says it was woven of one piece. Chances are this was your most expensive piece of clothing and perhaps in Jesus case might have been the most valuable of his possessions. I imagined what Christ must have been thinking as he watched these soldiers argue over his Tunic, gasping for his last breaths of air. I sat in church judging those soldiers. Didn't they know they had crucified the son of God?
But then, I wondered where in my life I've borrowed Christ's identity - even not meaning to do so. I wondered if perhaps I've taken his tunic and just tried it on and looked Christian. I wondered where I've been guilty of the same actions of the soldiers, borrowing the pieces of Jesus identity that were convenient? I can't help but wonder if maybe I've not been to different than those soldiers.
I then imagine Christ's eyes of grace looking down on me at the foot of the cross and saying it's time to not just put on his identity, but to walk with him, invite him into a place that is deeper, more real, a close walk. Not on the surface like a tunic, but at a level of understanding and peace that I can't understand.
In many ways, this trip is about moving from a tunic wearer to a Christ follower. I am humbled by the opportunity to have Christ walk and lead this journey for me and my brothers. And where he goes, I'll follow.
23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom,
24 so they said to one another, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be." This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, "They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots." So the soldiers did these things, - John 19:23-24
I've read and heard this scripture since I was a young boy. And while our Pastor was discussing this scripture in a totally different context, I had an insight into this scripture that I've not had before in reading it.
The Tunic in this culture was a form of identity. From what I know it was even part of the identification of the individual. People could recognize you from your Tunic. The passage says it was woven of one piece. Chances are this was your most expensive piece of clothing and perhaps in Jesus case might have been the most valuable of his possessions. I imagined what Christ must have been thinking as he watched these soldiers argue over his Tunic, gasping for his last breaths of air. I sat in church judging those soldiers. Didn't they know they had crucified the son of God?
But then, I wondered where in my life I've borrowed Christ's identity - even not meaning to do so. I wondered if perhaps I've taken his tunic and just tried it on and looked Christian. I wondered where I've been guilty of the same actions of the soldiers, borrowing the pieces of Jesus identity that were convenient? I can't help but wonder if maybe I've not been to different than those soldiers.
I then imagine Christ's eyes of grace looking down on me at the foot of the cross and saying it's time to not just put on his identity, but to walk with him, invite him into a place that is deeper, more real, a close walk. Not on the surface like a tunic, but at a level of understanding and peace that I can't understand.
In many ways, this trip is about moving from a tunic wearer to a Christ follower. I am humbled by the opportunity to have Christ walk and lead this journey for me and my brothers. And where he goes, I'll follow.
Sunday, August 2, 2015
The Great Wait
Roughly 30 days till departure. Final fundraising in coming in and we are looking forward to our trip ahead. Our itinerary is very ambitious. On our 8 day trip, 4 of those nights will be spent in the desert with various projects and ministry with the Wayau people. We are looking forward to the work ahead and know that God is already preparing a path for us.
August 8th is our pancake fundraiser. Yet again, another step in this process where we learn to serve and sacrifice for his kingdom. Thanks Applebees for opening up the doors for our cause.
Check back here for updates as we get closer. Thank you for you prayers and support.
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