Color. film. dirty. beautiful.

BW. film.

I concede...

Ok, i admit, this was a brilliant, and oh so risky, move on the Republican's part... bravo. McCain picking Gov. Palin for VP just made this campaign interesting again...

Religiosity

Did anyone watch the Democratic National Convention tonight? Didn't it feel like a religious service? I like Obama. I like McCain. But neither are saviors, even in their own right. We should be wary of the religious-devotion overtones all throughout these campaigns....just look at the smiles and streamers. A little dose of false hope? I hope all people vote with fear and trembling, and take their ability to vote seriously, whether they choose to vote or not. There is always a lot at stake when the US seeks a new president (or keeps the old one)... let us be good stewards of our democracy, even if it is somewhat flawed. Are we "the last best hope for the world" or is Christ? And tell me this, do you think that Martin Luther King Jr would look down on this moment (1st African-American to lead a party as a presidential candidate) as be as excited as people say he would be? I don't know. It'll be interesting to ask him when we get to heaven huh? ah, by the time we get to heaven we'll have more to talk about than this! Anyways... It should be an interesting few months....

Ssenge photos (from Hannah!)

Sarah, Abby, Coreen, Hannah, and Jessica, The Ssenge girls!

That's the house as we're leaving...

I don't know why, but that really looks like Roscoe on that Boda, I think it is...

Jr practicing his "stride"

Men and ASU

Today was my first day of school back at Phoenix College, and now Arizona State University. As juvenile as this may sound for a 24-yr old attending his first day of school at a University, it was pretty cool. Mondays are a busier day, I have Marriage & Family Life at PC at 8:30 then I go directly to Women & Film at 11:00, which is a pretty cool class from what I can tell... at 3:30 PM I have Women, Cultures, & Societies at ASU and tomorrow I have The Evolution of Ideas as a night class. With the addition of my History of Photography online class, that's 15 credit hours. 6 upper level, and 9 lower level. Not too shabby. I'm excited to start my Women's Studies classes at ASU already! For those of you who don't know I'm an Integrative Studies Major at ASU, but in that major you choose a concentration, which can be in many different areas, and the one I am creating is the concentration of Women's Issues in ...... I haven't decided for sure, but I'm going to look at how women's issues, aren't women's issues, they are products of men not being men. Think about it. Almost every "woman's issue" is related to men in some way. And I'm not pursuing this because I hate men, far from it. I've seen how important it is for men to be men, as a biblical mandate, as what God requires of us. After what I've seen here and in Africa, I think it's a conversation that needs to be had, to (and I'm quoting someone else here) free men to be men. This frees women to be women... I could go on of course, but I just wanted to express my excitement to see where this all goes and the amazing things I'll learn over the next year. As this is a huge passion of mine, that is hard to bring up in normal conversation, I'll expound more in the future, but I am very excited about where this is all leading. Not to mention my college adviser is awesome, and a believer as well. I appreciate her so much. So, day one down of some 340ish more days of college. Thank you for all of you out there praying for me in this exciting time of my life. God Bless, dan

Congolese refugee situation update...

Hello friends-

This is an update concerning the situation with the Congolese refugees in Kampala, Uganda, that many of you have been prayerfully and diligently keeping up on. This will be much shorter than the previous update. That is not because not much has changed, as this is a fluid situation, in which things are always changing, but because the needs from us remain more of the same.

As it stands now those who are involved in Kampala are looking with the utmost of intensity for a place for these refugees to live, and so far have been mostly unsuccessful. It's such a complex situation and great measures have to be taken to ensure the safety of all people involved. Please pray that they can find a place to live because the Congolese cannot live at African Hearts any longer, and this is not necessarily because of anything African Hearts has to say, it's a legality issue, and all parties helping the Congolese have to be protected. Finding a place for them to live, and hopefully a local church community, that will take them under their wing is the utmost of importance, more so than even the prosecution of the police which is pending. I am sure that how this is being presented conveys the message that this is a huge mess, and that the people involved are frustrated, yet doing all that they can. This is true, especially for the Jumah, Abby, Lutaaya, and Jessica who are dealing with this issue directly in Kampala, and have given so much of their time and energy and resources to this debacle, at the expense of their own peace and ministry. They are doingso much to help these people, I cannot impress upon you all enough to please pray for these servants of the Lord doing what they can to help.

We had been trying to mobilize all kinds of legal action and trying to get people here who know people to call people, but that has been slowed almost to a crawl for now as we seek to support those there in finding the Congolese safe shelter to begin their regrouping and start on a new life. Honestly folks, these things will take more money because supporting the whole group of people is around $450 a month (of which we've raised some). Now that's not much for 20+ people (assuming some leave the camps, if they are allowed), but it is something. The holistic goal of this is to get churches pouring into these people's lives so they don't look to the government, or their status as refugees, for help. They have to stand up on their own and move forward, regaining their dignity, and helping one another to move past the needy mindset of before. It's a long road for everyone involved, and we don't know where it all ends, but we know that God is control of this crazy situation. Pray that we're able to find a church to walk along side these people. Pray for these people and their relationships, pray that they would be open to the hard, but redemptive, road ahead.

If you want to help out these people you can write a check to "Mending the Soul Ministries" put "Congolese Refugees" in the memo and send it to:

MTS Ministries
c/o Mike Rehm

P.O. Box 97636

Phoenix, AZ 85060

the money will be given to the people there on a needs basis through Jumah, a friend and affiliate of ours in Kampala.

God Bless you all for caring, and stay in touch. If you have any questions, comments, or ideas, please email me. Thank you.

Dan

CEPIMA: Caring for the forgotten & despised

CEPIMA, where the most broken and mentally unsound people come in Beni to meet Jesus and be healed. Never have I been humbled enough to meet so much brokeness face to face. Walking in was a party, walking out was a different outlook on life... the people greeted us as if we were rockstars, mostly because this team, not me, had been there last year, and had spent quality time praying with these people, and even gave enough money to help move their ministry along for quite some time, even buying them two motorcycles that they could use to help people out of the city. Even now, over a month after this experience, it's hard to simply say what I experienced. I would have a hard to explaining what it's like to pray for a boy who was so emotionally abused he just stared at a wall. I would have a hard time telling you about Jean Claude, a former Mayi Mayi rebel, who was so traumatized from what he'd seen and done that he was like a small child holding onto his daddy. I would have a hard time telling you about Naama (II). I would have a hard time conveying to you the joy of the people who worked there because of the miracles they've seen. They really don't have a "model" there other than some Mending the Soul materials and a bible. They don't even have a trained psychologist. Just a pastor, some nurses, a few old drugs, and a passion and trust for the Lord that overcomes all other shortfalls. No state funding, no board of directors, no models and protocol, just a willingness to be Christ and share him with these devastated people. Christ heals them, they plan on it, and he eventually does... that's how God works.. he performs miracles...

I've never cried so much in my life. It was too much for me to handle... this is the wages of sin... the wages of war... the wages of tribalism, of hate, of ignorance, of greed, of colonialism. And these people were paying that price. I praise God for his abounding mercies, and that He is healing each and every one of these people as they learn of him and trust him, in their hearts, even as their minds are lost.... Our goodbyes...

a former government soldier, dressed up in his gear

talking with Jean Claude, the former rebel soldier, he was a dear brother

Naama, and two boys we prayed with

The Pastor of CEPIMA

Jeff, Christine, and Celestia

Jean Claude (he wanted my sunglasses)

Our Welcome!

on a positive note...

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
quote of the day: “Chewy, you have a magical life ahead of you, because wherever you go, it will be better than Tucson.”

Call to arms....

God's beautiful people.

As many of you know the situation with the Congolese refugees in Kampala has gotten worse. Yesterday, August 20th, they were picked up by the Ugandan police and beaten and those who did not escape were taken to refugee camps in western Uganda. I am working on a case referral to International Justice Mission in Washington DC. IJM is an amazing Christian organization defending the rights of the oppressed all over the world. The situation explanation I gave them can be found here. I'm currently working on the case referral form that they'll need to consider any action. Please pray that what needs to happen will happen. Pray without ceasing for those beautiful people in Uganda.

The injustice here is our battle to fight, our call to arms. Let the Lord guide us and give us the strength and wisdom for this engagement. After all.... "who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14)


are you ready?

Calm before the storm

Ezekias, one of my beloved Congolese brothers
(how can you not love that smile!?!)

Where the Congolese have been living post-tent, pre-beating

I love these people

S E A S O N S

Written after a day of unexplainable tragedy and heartache...

equinox

I came home to the heat
We came home to a blanket and a shoe
I laid back and dreamt
We laid back and feared them
My head on the pillow
Hoping these sounds will help me forget
They laid back on the ground
Hoping to forget the sounds
I felt my heartbeat
It feels so solitary
They felt the beat of a stick
It feels so ordinary
Underneath a starlit sky and miles apart
In some way things are equal
In some ways we crossed paths like the sun
But I remember nights under stars
Spent with you…
But we’d both agree there is time to break from our crossing
After all, it’s nice to be held sometimes…


solstice

Moving slowly to and fro
Nothing but chance tells it where to go
I’ve been watching from afar
Knowing each buffet from the wind
Changes its direction
Knowing each wave and rain
Says it is goodbye
The last nail sealed it shut
Inside are many memories
Inside are the remnants of hope
It floats on the air of the nothingness it was
It floats proudly before the reality sets in
Water is leaking through
Blurring the faces of photos, the lies on the paper
Soon we’ll be indistinguishable; forgotten
The aroma of treasures and hopes present
Now only rotted, things we all resent
We meant what we’ve said and drove the last nail
A thousand hopes prayed, alas, to no avail
My heart utters a plea, but this…
this is a burial at sea.

Addis Ababa Photos (briefly)

Dubai Photos

Kenyan countryside

Some of the prettier Kenyan countryside I experienced during my brief, and somewhat regrettable, time there. Nairobi area is pretty bland and looks a lot like Kansas, except with more burned out buildings from their little civil war last Christmas...