WARNING! RAD blog ahead . . . blog advisory warning in effect:)

Well it’s 4 am on Tuesday morning, I'm sitting in the front seat of a truck and I’ve just returned from yet another round of the Smecta Shuffle. What is the Smecta Shuffle? Smecta is nothing more than powdered clay that you mix with water, drink it down and the clay hardens in your intestines to create blockage, thereby stopping or slowing the effects of diarrhea. Well for me, I’ve been dancing this dance for over a week now and so clearly this trip will be logged in my memory as the trip that truly “moved me.” Also I was thinking that in some cultures they clay to make bricks, but I guess I always thought it was a different process.

I thought I might catch us all up a bit on the trip since nobody else wants to sit around and chat with me at 4 am. The last few days our communication with the outside world has been very limited. We have gone from full on internet and ease of access to the world wide web, to only an emergency phone call on a borrowed cell phone from someone in Thailand. It hasn’t been for lack of effort, oh no, there’s been two air cards (basically, a cell phone modem) two laptops, two netbooks and hours of frustration to produce for you absolutely nothing. And yet despite our non-existent web presence we have so very clearly sensed the power of God’s people back home praying.

The team has been amazing. Harlene Steiner continues to bless us with her good spirit as we harass her about being the last person to remember to take off her shoes when she enters an Asian dwelling place. However on one occasion, she caught me with the shoe slip up in a room of the hotel we were staying at, yelled at me, “RAD, your feet!” In a clear Harlene Steiner kind of tone, to which Juana heard not “RAD” but “Rat”, jumped on the bed screaming something in Spanish which I felt best for her not to translate.

Juana Hernandez has brought a such a tender heart to our team, and especially for the children as her ministry position at Grace has allowed her to truly have a significant hand in bringing the work of our orphan ministry full circle. What a joy it was for me to watch her interacting with the very children that she does so much for back in Wooster, now finally getting to meet them.

Holly Clark has found the end of herself, maybe it was in Cambodia, maybe in Thailand, but wherever, she’s there and as we spoke just last night at the end of that road she has found Jesus to be the One that carries you onward when your personal road comes to an end. Right now as I write this, Holly is sleeping on a cement floor inside of a Hill Tribe village church wrapped in the Lord’s strength more than ever. What a blessing.

The final member of our team of ladies is a gal named Trish Walker. Trish and I have been friends since 2005 when we served together on a GO Team partnered with Campus Crusade as part of the Tsunami relief effort. Trish is the youngest member of the ladies on our team, and her raw openness to what the Lord wants to teach her and her clear heart for desiring His will above all else, combined with her general life transparency has been truly refreshing.

Now there is yet another female member of our team that didn’t leave with us from Wooster, but joined us in the journey once arriving in Asia. That person would be Faa. Faa continues to win the hearts of our team members with her own brand of unabandoned love for Christ, the children of the GROW Home, and her Thai humor and phrases that are genuinely special Faa.

On the fellahs side, the Lord had some very cool things in mind when he put this would be band of scruffy dogs together. Well actually, to call us a band of scruffy dogs really isn’t accurate, because now having traveled around the back roads of Asia for over a week, I’ve really seen some scruffy dogs. I’m going home and tell my dogs, “Ed, Daisy, you better straighten up, or it’s off to Asia for you!” Which will undoubtedly strike the deepest of obedience fear in each of them.

The senior member of our male team is recently retired Mike Ohlsen. Mike has had his heart shaked and baked in everyway imaginable and having the privilege to watch him push through, press through and love without limits has been an inspiration to each of us. Although we’d all have to admit that he sure does sweat a lot.

Jason Kinnebrew, powered by the love and support of his dear wife Ashley back home came with one thing in mind. He and Ashley participate in the orphan sponsorship program through their giving at Wooster Grace and I knew when I returned last time from Asia with a picture of “their” child and told them personally of his story it was only a matter of time until at least one of them would be making the journey to personally deliver the love and care they each feel for their sponsored children. Jason serves quietly, but energetically and it has been sweat to watch him take it all in.

From the four14 side of life at Grace we have several members on this team as well. First there’s Josh Graber. Josh plays in our band back home and has brought to our team his own brand of uniqueness. One thing about Josh is that he definitely doesn’t look Asian. Let’s see, he’s tall, definitely not an Asian trait, his hair sometimes can be found to be a bit long and disheveled, nope that’s not Asian either, and yet he totally flips the coin on all of us when he gets behind the guitar and leads our team and the various groups of people we have had the privilege to worship with. Josh’s openness to the leading of the Holy Spirit in his own life on this trip has reminded me again why I’m grateful he is a part of our four14 family.

Next there’s our very own rodeo clown, down to earth great guy, Brad Warner. Brad has been a part of four14 for a number of years and yet it has taken this trip for us to really spend some quality time together to catch up and genuinely share life together. With Brad what you see is what you get. And what I’ve seen is a strong, tall, country kind of guy, melting in his heart for the children of this amazing land. Brad let’s do it all, and I’ll help attitude as truly served as a blessing to our entire team. And fyi, if you happen to know Brad be sure to ask him about the pig.

Returning for a second time to Asia is Matt Yoder. Matt serves at four14 in our Tech ministries and Matt clearly desires to be involved in the work of ministry wherever and whatever that means. One of Matt’s gifts on this trip has been his love of photography and while he and others have sought to help us “capture the moments,” Matt has lead the way in ensuring that each of our orphan sponsors back home get fresh, and updated pictures of their sponsored children helping each one feel just a tad bit more connected to a world so very far from home.

Also returning for a second time is Jim Rhea, aka Stretch. If you need a pick me up, just listen in when Jim introduces himself to large groups of Asian children using the word “Stretch” and then have them pronounce it back. Precious. Jim returns as part of our four14 family, on-loan, from the Woodville Grace Brethren church in Mansfield. Jim, again by Asian standards, a giant of a guy, brings his own brand of demeanor that can at times seem quiet and reflective, until you put this giant of a guy next to a 3’ child and he turns out to be just as sappy as all of the rest of us. My friendship with Stretch over some twenty years has illuminated to me his long time legacy of selflessness and serving that in every situation makes our team stronger.

And then finally, there’s Adam Cruise. Adam is the youngest member of our team, bringing all the props from our Wooster Grace High School Ministry. Adam has been a blessing to each of us in his own way. His youth, his untainted desire to live in the moment with whatever situation we have found ourselves, has been just down right awesome to be around. Adam celebrated his 18th birthday a couple of days ago with us and I asked him later that day what was different about having a birthday in Thailand to which he simply replied, “I’ve never woken up on my birthday to the cries of a pig being slaughtered right outside of where I’m sleeping that’s for sure.” That was the start of the day, but the end of the birthday concluded with a fireside service with the kids of Grace Place singing “Happy Birthday” in both English and Thai, something none of us will forget.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot Pastor Ivanildo. No not really. Having the chance to work with him again in this capacity continues to challenge me for the brokenness of my heart for the poor and forgotten of this world. I love this guy like a brother, but if I have to hear, “I was born on the Amazon” one more time . . . he may find himself up for adoption.

Wow, you made it through! Congratulations! I’m fully aware that by blog standards this entry was way too long but I just really felt that maybe some of you at home needed to hear from us here about how we’re all doing. On the personal side for me, this entire trip has been nothing short of miraculous. From my rough go of it with pneumonia, to the flu which forced me to leave a few days behind the team, right down to my current dancing of the Smecta Shuffle, the Lord has been in this journey every step of the way.

The word “Ambassador” seems like such a high and lofty word, and yet I understand that it is in part the capacity which I serve. The dictionary defines ambassador as a “person who represents someone or something greater than himself.” True that in all regards. To represent our Lord and Savior is clearly the fulfillment of that thought. Whether it is to Asian people, Grace Place staff, missionaries on the field, our children, this team, whoever, wherever, it is an assignment I do not take lightly and yet feel honored beyond words to share in.

The forgiveness found through Christ’s shed blood, the joy of serving Him, and the hope of His return is a message that transcends culture, broken lives and distant lands and is the message we bring and we champion as a team and as a church family of Wooster Grace. Every prayer, every dollar, every act of service drives us closer to the heart of God and a relinquishing of ourselves for a greater good, a greater God, and a greater glory for His name. That’s why you’re here and that’s why we’re here, praise the Lord.

P.S. I'll post this first chance I get when I get back to Chang Mai.