24 Hours

finding a 24 hour slot that works for 12 different individuals can be very tough.  each year that i've gone to cambodia, we've managed to find a time to come together for 24 hours and.....unite.  communicate.  listen.  learn.  hear.  focus.

 there is so much going on in our lives, all around us, all the time, that it's important, vital, to come together to focus on what we've been brought together to do. and as different as we all are, we have the common goal of feeling the pull to this far away land to go and make a difference in these children's lives.

this weekend consisted of a lot of talking, a lot of sharing, a lot of planning, a lot of listening and lots and lots of calorie consumption from sweets, treats, pizza and chips.  and gallons of coffee.  okay, maybe not gallons, but we consumed a mighty fair share of it.

we spent hours (24, to be exact) getting to know one another better and allowing ourselves to be open and honest.  we broke up into our groups to prepare for our week with the kids.  this always gets me giddy.  i begin to think about the children's smiles, their laughter, their hugs.  i think about how they will listen and learn.  i also crack up thinking of how they will dance, sing, run and play while we are there.  kids are kids wherever you go!  these kids are full of fun!  they will completely wear us out.

and we will love it.

just like each year that i've gone, this 24 hour retreat together is what truly begins my trip.  it's when i start to see the clay forming into something.  i can feel us being molded, shaped and shifted.  i still don't know what the final piece will look like, but i have no doubt it will be beautiful.  how can it not be?  we have the best Potter doing all the work.

within this 24 hours, there was plenty of laughter and even a few tears.  it always amazes me how people can come together for a common goal and unite as one. just average, ordinary, simple people.  at least that is how we start.  however, it's the average, ordinary and simple people that God uses time and time again to make a difference.  to carry out His purpose.  to be His hands and feet.  i'm speaking for myself when i say that i know i would not be able to do this work on my own.  nowhere near it.  but i do know, that with these 11 others and God's simple nudge in His direction, we can do some really great things.


“God does not call the qualified, but qualifies the called.”  -Bill Hamon


i am so grateful to those who are praying for our group.  i'm thankful for our financial givers.  and i'm thankful for our spouses, parents, children and loved ones who are allowing, encouraging and pushing us to go on this journey.  without all of you, we would not be able to go.  it takes us all to make this work.  so, thank you.

24 hours may not seem like much, but it's the beginning of something really great.  and i, we, you, are all a part of it.  we are in this together.  there is a lot that can happen in 24 hours.  let's see what God allows us to do within our time in cambodia.

Team Retreat Recap

I can't believe that we are just 16 days away from our departure date. The trip always feels like it's so far away as we first turn in our applications, but then the planning process starts, and then all of a sudden we are just days away from leaving. It's crazy how time flies. So with that in mind, I wanted to update everyone on the current status of things, and fill you in on our journey over the past several weeks. For those of you who aren't familiar with the Daniel Fast, it is a 21 day fast that for the most part involves a lot of vegetables, no meat, no sugar, no caffeine, and no refined or processed foods. For folks like me who go to sleep thinking about their morning coffee, and love to grab a quick bite at Chick-fil-A, it is a very challenging exercise. The fast serves many purposes in preparing our team for the trip, but specifically it causes us to rely more upon God for strength, our teammates for encouragement, and presents a constant reminder of the fact that we need to be preparing ourselves for this trip to ensure we are mentally, spiritually, and physically ready. So we timed our fast specifically so that we could finish it together this past weekend at our retreat. It was a great time of celebrating with caffeine and sugar. The 12 of us stayed at Lake Oconee at the family home of one of our trip leaders (Jon). We arrived on Saturday afternoon and everyone brought some of their favorite foods so that we could share meals together. Team retreats are always one of the highlights of our time together because it provides us with time to share our stories, do some team building, review our plans and schedule for the trip, and become more unified in intent and purpose. The culmination of that experience took place when the 12 of us climbed aboard a pontoon boat for a short ride around the lake and a time of communion. Sitting there together on the water, talking about how important it is for us to be unified, and then to share in the Lord's Supper was such an amazing experience. We truly have a great group of men and women on this trip, and everyone brings a unique perspective and gifting to the team as a whole. For those of you who do not know how our particular trip is structured, it is focused on encouraging and equipping the orphans using Biblical teaching, as well as participating with them in various activities such as sports, games, arts/crafts, community outreach, singing/dancing, and even a road trip to the beach. For a group of orphans that does not have very many opportunities to experience these types of activities, our Global X trips are some of the highpoints of their year (they have told us this on many occasions). We all talked this weekend about how much our lives have been impacted and forever changed by our time with these kids. It's really hard to explain it to the new members of our team, but we have assured them that they will come back home full of joy and passion, but thy will leave a piece of their hearts with the kids. Our team cannot thank our friends and family enough for your love and support, and we want you to know that you play a huge role in the work that God has in store for the nation of Cambodia. We are encouraged by our Church to "Be the Change" that you want to see in this world, and that is exactly what you are doing by partnering with us on this journey. With the retreat now behind us, we head into the last couple of weeks of finalizing the details and raising the last of our funds. Please pray that we will hit our financial goal for the team (deadline is June 28), and that our time of final preparation will go smoothly. Mike