"Deliverance!" Please Look Through the End

street girls selling trinkets... arent't they lovely?

take away... my money (lunch stand)

ancient and old together...

couldn't resist asking them if we could take a picture together

the only vendor allowed to come inside our bus to sell us post cards

the old and the new... in this traffic the camel wins!

father negotiating through traffic with son in tow

more daily scenes in the Pyramid Valley
the sphinx

that's me being irreverent in front of the second pyramid

pyramids

our police escort, a nice guy, but don't mess with him, on his right, hidden under the coat, he had some mean piece of artillery...

on the way to the pyramids

old coptic street in cairoinside and outside "the hanging church"

our most knowledgeable female guide

outside the egyptian musuem

Our theme today was "deliverance." Pastor Bob took us back to Exodus and the story of the deliverance of the people of Israel from Egypt after 400+ years of bondage. Ironically it was to here that Joseph was instructed to take the baby Jesus in order to flee the fury of Herod. Jesus fled to Egypt to escape the evil and the people of Israel fled out of Egypt to experience the Promised Land. Here the drama of salvation was displayed and God won. What is more, the idea of deliverance also solves the problem of the "tipping scales." If the famous scene from the Egyptian tomb were true, none of us would stand a chance of the scales tipping in our favor. Why? Because according to God we are all guilty, no exception. We have sinned and offended a holy God and that is enough to send us to that ugly place we call hell. But the good news is that in Jesus God satisfied His demands for justice by allowing Him to die on our place, as the Bible says, the "just for the unjust." Thus we are delivered and the reason we know it is that not only did He die but He also rose again according to Scriptures an event we just celebrated during Easter.

Pastor Ivanildo C. Trindade

itrindade@woostergrace.org
my one and only picture of the nile

Capturing Egypt in 12 Hours

Hello everyone!

We started the day with breakfast at our hotel (more like brunch at 8:30 a.m.!) and after that we went to the Egyptian Museum, supposedly one of the biggest museums in the world, displaying 300,000 items. Our male guide told us that it would take six months to see every piece, if we only spent two seconds looking at each piece!

Well, we only had approximately two hours, so our female guide, and Egyptologist, did the best she could to highlight some of the most important pieces. This lady spent the day with us and at the end of the day Pastor Bob offered to pray for her husband who is stuck in Dubai because of a sticky job situation involving a former employer who wasn't exactly honest with him. She was so moved and started to tear up. After the prayer, she grab the mic and expressed her thankfulness ("beyond words," she said). She said that she had just asked the other guide, "What sort of people are these who are so tender with their emotions?"

I sure hope and pray that she can clearly see that Christ is the only who makes a difference in our lives. We spent quite a bit of time looking at a painting from one of the Pharaonic periods depicting the judgement day in the conception of the ancient Egyptians. The scene depicts a harrowing experience in front of a multiplicity of gods in which the deceased is asked whether s/he did good or not and then her/his heart is weighed on a big scale against a feather on the other side and if the scale tips toward the heart the person goes to hell, if it tips the other way, the destiny is paradise.

This is obviously not a new concept of "salvation," but nevertheless it still grips your heart when you hear about it because of so many who have died in agony over their final destiny, hoping the gods or a god or even the God will be merciful to them, but without never being sure. Well, I asked our guide which side she thought her scales were tipping. She said, "50/50." I said, "This is too important a decision to be left to chance," then we moved on to something also.

After the museum we went to the "Hanging Church," one of the most famous sites of Coptic Cairo, a church that marks the flight of Joseph, Mary and the baby Jesus to Egypt. From there we went to St. George's church and had a chance to see the crypt where it is alleged that the trio spent two months during their stay in Egypt.

The bulk of our time today was spent visiting the site where the pyramids are. Having studied about this in elementary school and having seen so many pictures, I can't tell you how incredibly amazing it was to stand in front of those monuments of human engineering. The rides on the camels were just a nice touch.

We took time to go to a store where several of our team members ordered cartouches with their names impressed on them in gold. This is also a tradition that dates back to the times of the Pharaos. In the same store we saw a demonstration of how the papyrus plant is turned into paper and bought several paintings made on papyri. This was a very instructional stop and I just wished we had more time.

As I write this, the team (minus my wife, and I and pastor Bob) is enjoying a cruise and dinner on the Nile.

Tomorrow we leave for Jordan. Please continue to pray. I know that pastor Bob is not in the best of health and I am sure he would appreciate your prayers. Things are very good overall.

Pictures from April 6, 2010

two people hurrying away from the airport

an observant muslim, hurrying for mid-day prayers, this just as we heard the call for prayer coming from a mosque nearby

lots of people waiting for our luggage

two guys riding a motorcycle -- light load compared to cambodia

arriving in Cairo traffic police -- hurrying to give tickets?

crossing the street -- according to our guide, the only really dangerous activity in Cairo (he forgot to mention being a follower of C_ _ _ _t too!)

sidewalk just outside the airport

Pastor Ivanildo C. Trindade

itrindade@woostergrace.org

We are in Cairo!

Hello everyone!

We arrived safely in Cairo after a nice overnight flight. There was a medical emergency onboard, a gentleman in his 50's had heart trouble and was not doing well for a while. Later he got better and when we landed we had to wait until he was taken out of the plane by medical personnel. We were all praying for him even though we didn't know his name.

After the customs and visa formalities we were greeted by our kind guides, who led the way out of the airport to the tour bus waiting for us right across the street. The bus ride to the hotel can be 40 minutes or 40 days, as our guide put it. Traffic in Cairo has a reputation of being horrendous. Praise God it took only about 45 minutes.

Everyone is now comfortably installed in their nice air-conditioned rooms in the hotel freshening up a bit. Dinner will be in about 45 minutes.

On the way to the hotel we had a nice "windshield tour" of Cairo. Our guide kindly reminded us that Egypt is also part of the "Holy Land." He was quick to point out that both Jesus and Moses were once here. He also said that 80% of ancient history resides here in Egypt, a claim that I found a little more ethnocentric than usual but hey we are his guests, we are not arguing with him! He also pointed out some of the oldest buildings in the city, including the building that houses the Coptic Church, a large segment of Christianity here in Egypt, a group that has at times suffered persecution but has never given up their faith.

I will try to post some pictures here later.

Thank you for your prayers. Pastor Bob is feeling better. Everyone is healthy but we are all very tired. Thanks for thinking of us and bringing us to the Lord every day!

Pastor Ivanildo C. Trindade
itrindade@woostergrace.org
PS.: Sorry for the typos. The computer automatically reverts to Arabic on the blogger site here and I don't have time to change the settings right now. So, according to the spell checker, every single word here is misspelled. Maybe this makes all of them right then?

Greenhouse Blogging

The sun is setting over New York City and we are awaiting our flight to Cairo leaving around 9:30 tonight. I wanted to ask everyone to pray for Pastor Bob, as he is fighting some kind of a bug. Obviously, we want for him to be 100%.

Flying to NYC was fun, except that the super nice stewardess kept saying we were going to Cincinnati. Later we found out that's where she lives and she is just anxious to get home. She told me she had spent a whole summer in Israel in the 70's as part of an archaeological dig. She said it was a life time experience. I am sure it will be the same for us, dig or no dig. ..

Right now I am ready to move away from this area close to gate 14, the only area where wireless is free. We are right next to these big glass windows, from where I took this picture, and the effect is truly that of a greenhouse. Bob has already bailed on me and escaped to more agreeable climates. Surely, global warming has arrived in NYC.

Later and please keep praying!


Pastor Ivanildo C. Trindade
itrindade@woostergrace.org

Israel Trip Itinerary

13-DAY TOUR OF EGYPT, JORDAN AND ISRAEL

HOSTED BY : PASTOR ROBERT FETTERHOFF

DAY 01 - APRIL 5, 2010 - MONDAY - DEPART USA

Our journey of a lifetime begins with a late afternoon departure from Cleveland on a Delta Airlines wide body jet. We change aircraft in New York and depart on our flight to Cairo.

DAY 02 - APRIL 6, 2010 - TUESDAY - ARRIVE CAIRO

We arrive in Cairo, Egypt, in the afternoon where we are met by our agent who assists though customs and security. Transfer to the Cairo Marriott for dinner and overnight.

DAY 03 - APRIL 7 - 2010 - WEDNESDAY - CAIRO/EGYPTIAN MUSEUM/PYRAMIDS & SPHINX

Our sightseeing tour starts with a visit to the world famous Egyptian Museum which hosts the treasures of King Tutankhamen. Before lunch we visit the "Hanging Church" which commemorates the flight of Joseph and Mary into Egypt. We move on to the unforgettable Pyramids of Giza where we visit the Great Pyramids and see the Sphinx. The day concludes with a dinner cruise on the Nile River in Cairo before returning to the Cairo Marriott for overnight.

DAY 04- APRIL 8, 2010 - THURSDAY - CAIRO/TABA/AQABA

After breakfast we depart Cairo and drive south for Egypt's Taba border with Israel. After border crossing formalities we proceed to Eliat. We stop in Eliat to visit the underwater observatory before we proceed for our border transfer to Jordan. We arrive in Aqaba, where we are met and transferred to the Moevenpick Hotel in Aqaba for dinner and overnight.

DAY 05 - APRIL 09 - FRIDAY - AQABA/PETRA

In the morning we depart Aqaba and drive to Petra, the ancient Edomite and Nabatean capital, and "Rose Red City half as old as time." We'll see the spectacular "city of the dead," with its famed gorge, ancient streets, temples, dwelling places and tombs carved in solid rock. Our visit includes a two-mile journey on horseback or a walk through the famous Siq (the natural gorge) to arrive at the Treasury. We can see Roman temple ruins of the Roman City, the Nabatean Judgement Hall, palace tombs, famous Unr Temple and the Roman Amphitheater. A climb of several steps to the "high places" might appeal to the adventurous. Dinner and overnight at Petra Moevenpick Hotel.

DAY 06 - APRIL 10, 2010 - SATURDAY - PETRA/MADABA/MT NEBO/ BETHANY BEYOND THE JORDAN/DEAD SEA

Drive north along the historic and biblical King's Highway to Madaba and view the 6th century mosaic map of the Holy Land. A few kilometers away is Mt. Nebo, where Moses stood to view the Promised Land. We proceed to the baptismal site where John baptized Jesus at Bethany Beyond the Jordan at Wadi El-Kharrar. Drive to the Dead Sea Marriott for dinner and overnight.

DAY 07 - APRIL 11, 2010 - SUNDAY - KING HUSSEIN BRIDGE BORDER CROSSING/JERICHO/ MT. OF TEMPTATION. BEIT SHAN/GAN HASHLOSHA/TIBERIAS

Early in the morning, we cross the King Hussein Bridge into Israel and head for the tel of Jericho - a favorite spot for archaeologists. We enjoy an excellent view of the Mount of Temptation. Jericho is an excellent location to buy world-famous Hebrew pottery. Following a stop for shopping and lunch, featuring eighteen layers of civilization where Saul and his sons were nailed to the city wall. We depart for Gan Hashlosha, near Gideon's Spring, which feeds the Jordan for our baptism in late afternoon. Dinner and overnight at the Gai Beach Hotel in Tiberias.

DAY 08 - APRIL 12, 2010 - MONDAY - CAPERNAUM/GOLAN HEIGHTS/MOUNT HERMON/CAESAREA PHILIPPI/KUNEITRA/MOUNT OF BETITUDES/BOAT RIDE ON THE SEA OF GALILEE

Today we follow some of the stories of Mark 4-6 about the ministry of Jesus. Our stops include the Mt. of Beatitudes where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount. We move on to Capernaum, our Lord's hometown for two years (Mark 4:13) and marvel at the multitudes that were attracted to the miracles performed by Jesus. We move into the Golan Heights where we arrive at the base of Mt. Hermon, Banyas, the Ceasarea Philippi of the Bible, is a main water source for the Jordan River. Here Peter made his great declaration about Jesus (Mark 8:27ff). When we approach Kuneitra, we are only 36 miles from Damascus, on the same road Saul of Tarsus used during his encounter with Christ (Acts 9:1-19). Our day concludes with a memorable boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. Return to the Gai Beach Hotel for dinner and overnight.

DAY 09 - APRIL 13, 2010 - TUESDAY - CANA/NAZARETH/MEGIDDO/CAESAREA BY THE SEA

An early walk along the shore provides a spectacular memory of sunrise over the Sea of Galilee. After breakfast, we drive past the city of Cana where Jesus performed his first miracle and arrive in Nazareth, the boyhood home of Jesus to visit the Church of the Annunciation & Mary's well. We stop at Nazareth Village for lunch and a tour of the village. We move on to the ruins of Megiddo, one of Joshua's victories, which dates to 4,000 B.C. We then head toward Caesarea by the Sea. This ancient seaport, built in honor of Caesar Augustus by Herod the Great, was the Roman capital in the Holy Land for nearly 500 years. We view the majestic ruins of this great site and the nearby Roman aqueduct. Then to the Grand Court Hotel in Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.

DAY 10 - APRIL 14, 2010 - WEDNESDAY - EIN GEDI/MASADA QUMRAN/BETHANY

This morning, we cross the Judean wilderness toward the Jordan Valley. Our first stop is a visit to Ein Gedi where David hid from King Saul. Enjoy moments of worship in this desert oasis or watch the Ibix follow their rock paths, along the mountainside. We move on to Masada where we observe the two palaces of King Herod and remember the account of Josephus concerning the capture of Masada by the Romans in A.D. 70. Our day concludes with a stop at Qumran, home of the Essenes, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. We return to Jerusalem by way of Bethany, the home of Mary and Martha the close friends of the Lord.

DAY 11 - APRIL 15, 2010 - THURSDAY - YAD VASHEM/ISRAEL MUSEUM MODEL OF THE CITY/WAILING WALL/BETHLEHEM/CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY/SHEPHERDS' FIELDS

After an early breakfast we enter the Old City through the Dung Gate and head to the holiest site in the modern Jewish world - the Wailing Wall. The Temple Mount is home to two of Islam's holiest sites - the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque. The history of this area includes the sacrifice of Isaac (Gen. 22), Solomon's Temple and Herod's Temple. Later, we move across Jerusalem and turn our attention to Yad Vashem (The Holocaust Museum) to be reminded of the recent tragedies of Jewish people and the rebirth of the modern State of Israel are displayed, as well as an outdoor scale model of Jerusalem as it looked in Jesus' time. We conclude the day in Bethlehem at the Church of the Nativity and the Shepherds' Fields, where God first saw a manger through human eyes. We make time for shopping before heading back to our hotel in Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.

DAY 12 - APRIL 16, 2010 - FRIDAY - MT. OF OLIVES/GARDEN OF GESTHESAMANE/POOLS OF BETHESDA/VIA DOLOROSA/CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE/GORDON'S CALVARY/THE GARDEN TOMB/TEL AVIV

We begin our final day in Jerusalem with a visit to Gordon's Calvary and the Garden Tomb for communion and worship. We ascend to the top of the Mt. of Olives to view the Church of the Ascension. We then follow the path Jesus took during His "Palm Sunday" ride into Jerusalem. We view the city from from the courtyard of the Church of All Nations where Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. We enter the Old City through the Lion's Gate and make our way to the Sisters of Zion convent to see the Pavement, the level of Jerusalem in the days of Christ. We visit the Pools of Bethesda, which remind us of the healing recorded in John 5. Through the crowded streets, we follow the "Way of Sorrows," the Via Dolorosa, to Calvary and to the tomb of Christ at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Our afternoon concludes with shopping on David Street or optional visits in the Old City before we proceed to the Ambassador Hotel to freshen up before our farewell dinner; then on to the Tel Aviv airport for our early morning flight.

DAY 13 - APRIL 17, 2009 - SATURDAY-TEL AVIV/USA

Our flight departs early morning and we arrive in New York for a change of aircraft. We arrive in Cleveland this morning, with life-changing memories of what it was like to walk in the footsteps of Christ.

Pastor Ivanildo C. Trindade

itrindade@woostergrace.org

Blogging From The Holy Land

Credit: Holy Land Photos

Hello everyone!

Pastor Ivanildo here. I wanted everyone to know that my wife and I will be in the Holy Land April 5-17, with a group led by Bob Fetterhoff, our senior pastor here at Wooster Grace. While there, as long as technology and time allow, I will be blogging.

I will post the itinerary on another post. Please use it as a prayer guide as well. Ask God to keep us safe and to transform our hearts and minds so we can learn more about this wonderful Messiah we love so much, as we walk in the region of the world He once lived.

Thank you for your interest in this and please leave your comments. Remember: you don't have to have a google account to leave comments. You can leave comments anonymously, but it will be nice if you wrote your name at the end so we know who you are!

Thank you for your prayers!

Pastor Ivanildo C. Trindade
itrindade@woostergrace.org

Re-entry!

Thanks to Phil Plait & Soichi Noguchi
When things re-enter the earth's atmosphere things happen.  If you are a meteor, you hit the atmosphere and condense the gas so that you glow in a fiery yellow flame and fall to the earth in a ball of fire.  If you are a satelittle, you also get singed and fall to the earth at maximum speed.  But if you are the space shuttle, then you brace for the re-entry, endure the fire by making S-turns through the atmosphere, glide to the earth wherever you designated.

Sometimes I wonder if missions trips are little like re-entry from space. Most people don't go outside their comfort zone, let alone a new world.  Then you can return either as a meteor, satellite, or space shuttle.  

I would love missions trips to be like space shuttle re-entry.  You know what to expect. You are equipped to handle the heat.  You glide to a safe landing.  Yet I know that others have experienced crash-and-burn re-entries. 

I intend to formulate a way to go through re-entry where you are refined.  You've gone to serve.  You sacrificed.  You experienced new things.  These new things have reshaped you. Warped you.  Catalyzed new contortions. Burned you up.  Drained you.  Marred you.  You are never the same. But in the end, the trip has refined you like a fiery kiln. 

One passage of Scripture that informs a "space-shuttle" type of re-entry is Acts 14:26-28. Four things emerge from this text. Your team:

1. Finishes their work
2. Returns to their sending church
3. Shares what God had done in them and through them
4. "Rubs-off" on everyone

Thanks to Neal Pirolo for writing The Reentry Team (San Diego, CA: Emmaus Publications Intl, 2000). He directed me attention to this passage of Scripture (ch.2 pp.22ff).   His application of this passage focuses on long-term missionaries, but I believe the principles apply to short-term missions as well. 

I need your help as short-term mission teams re-enter life back home--in Wooster or wherever.  Please send me links, files, or lists of titles for things to help with re-entry. I will share a few thoughts in a later post.  But what things do you need to know about re-entry.  I wonder what your thoughts are. Please post comments on my blog. 

Your prayers are answered in a positive outcome

Tim Harley shared how an ICDI well drill team was being held at gunpoint in a CAR village.  You prayed and here is the answer:

Good morning from sunny Bangui!!  I thought I would sent a quick note concerning the well team that was being held at gun point.  They were released by the villagers who said that they were sorry and they had gone about getting help the wrong way.  Isn't that amazing how God works!!  Pray for that village that they may soon receive a well through proper channels.
Have a great day!!

Tim

Coming Home from Central Africa

Well, we made it!

We are now back in the capital city of Bangui.  Tomorrow night (Thursday, March 25) we leave at 11pm (6pm OH/PA time).  This will probably be my last message from the CAR.  Thanks to all who have faithfully prayed for us.  It has been an adventure the last two weeks but God has been so gracious to all of us for sustaining us as well as challenging us. 

We all have seen and experienced more than we will be able to describe, so be patient with us when we come home.  There is a process we go through, we are ready to come home but we have been deeply impacted by what we have experienced here and it takes time to adjust back to American life.  This is called reverse culture shock. 

All we have seen for the last two weeks is extreme poverty.  We have seen people who survive day to day, there savings account only includes goats.  Having enough food to eat is a daily struggle that sometimes doesn't work out and one goes hungry.  Most live without what we would consider necessities: electricity, tv, internet, video games, toilets, running water in your house, cups, and etc. 

When we come home sometimes it is a shock to see how much we waste as Americans or what Americans complain about.  Our perspective has been changed. 

But we also bring lots of stories of hope that only comes from God working through people who love Him to help those who are the forgotten.  We have seen the hope that comes through drilling a water well, planting fruit trees, digging lattrines, radio programs, rescuing orphans, and just showing that you value everyone.  A simple wave driving past a village brings smiles and shouts of thank you, thank you.  Simple acts of kindness goes a long way.

Our two weeks is coming to an end but ICDI's work continues so please join us in supporting ICDI with your prayers, finances, skills, and other resources.  We have had a small glimpse into the challenges of this ministry. 

In fact, even today we found out that the drill team that is drilling in the northern part of the CAR was being held in a village at gunpoint.  They were told "you can leave as soon as you drill us a well".  Unfortunatey that village is not scheduled to get a well because of limited funding. 

How would you handle today's dilemna?  There have been other major dilemas happening while we have been here, this is not easy work.  Please pray especially for Jim Hocking as he feels the weight of these situations. 

I am glad we serve a big and awesome God whose wisdom is unmatched and who we can "cast all of cares on Him because He cares for us."  No problem  is too big for God to handle.  This however doesn't only apply to those working in Africa, this is the same God that can work in your life in the midst of your daily struggles.  Trust Him, read His word and pray to Him!!

It has been great to get to know John, Kevin, and Sonny from Hanover, PA.  Thanks to all of there friends and family for reading this blog and praying for all of us.

1Peter 4:7-10 says,"The end of all things is near.  Therefore be clear minded and self controlled so that you can pray.  Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.  Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various form."

Serving Jesus Christ

Tim Harley

Well drilled answers prayers for Wiang Pa Pao

God answers prayer!  

"Praise awaits you, O God, in Zion, to You our vows will be fulfilled. 

O you who hear prayer, to you all men will come (Psalm 65:1-2)."

Pastor Ivanildo has shared a great thing for our rescue home in Thailand.  Wiang Pa Pao (WPP) needed a source of water. Water is scarce. Lack of water affects several projects in WPP.  Not only the rescue homes but the Widows’ Silk Project is directly affected. 

Praise God for the generosity of God's people.  Through the generous giving of a church in Virginia, a well was dug and now water is running… abundantly. We praise God for His provision from His people even when we don't know the church who drilled the well. What an awesome God we serve!

Last Night in Berberati

From Tuesday, March 23
Today we finished up our projects.  We were thankful to God for helping John, Kevin, and Sonny get the Beatle drilling rig to run.  They spent all day yesterday and most of today trying to get the engine started.  During lunch we prayed about this and sure enough after lunch it started to run. 

We also had the opportunity to help unload a shipping container full of supplies from the US.  I got to help load this container back in Indiana so it was fun for me to see everything on this end. 

We enjoyed a special meal tonight.  We invited Elise and her children for dinner.  Elise did such a great job cooking for us and taking care of our laundry.  She always has a smile on her face and sings while she works. 

We wanted to meet her children and express our thanks.  Elise has 7 children Lydia, Saida, Frank, Prince, Heritier, Kareen, and Serge.  Elise is a single mom which is extra difficult here, she is looked down upon and struggles to care for her children. 

Her children ranged from 21 to 4 years old.  We enjoyed playing with them and getting to know them.  We gave the kids some gifts and Sonny roasted some marshmellows with them.  Hopefully we brightened their night.

I am also including pictures of our watch dogs, these dogs are very good watch dogs but they are very friendly, some times too friendly.  There names are Cajun, Kossi, and Melody.

Please pray again for us as we will be traveling back to Bangui starting at 5am on Wed Mar 24 (that's 11pm Tue Mar 23 for us in Wooster). This trip took 13 hours last time.  Pray for safety, unhindered travel, and no major mechanical breakdowns.

Tim