Ecuador recap #1

As promised, this is the first of a few updates from our recent trip to Ecuador. This was the fifth trip for Courtney and me and we absolutely loved it. In fact, next year I invite all of you to come with us. It will change you. Your heart will break. You will see God in ways that haven’t seen Him before.

There it is, you’re officially invited for 2009. I dare you…

The first morning: Court and I were given a set of keys to Maloy’s Suburban. Off we went to one of our favorite restaurants located at Mitad del Mundo (middle of the world). We first became acquainted with this restaurant on our first trip to Ecuador.

 

I’m going to stop here for today. I hope you enjoy the pictures.

Tonight I’ll be leading worship at Grace with my friend Joel.  I’m pretty stoked about that.

Have a good evening.

Word. A-Rae

Home Sweet Home

After an amazing trip to Ecuador, we are home.  The laundry is in the dryer and the dogs & cat are back in Akron. Life has begun the process of regaining normalcy (whatever that means!!)

It was an interesting flight back – our plane from Miami to NY had mechanical issues. It sat on the runway for 3 hours before leaving FL.  The delay caused us to miss our final connection home, so we had an overnight stay in NY.

Many thanks to Mom & Dad Harnett for watching the babies, as well as to Ann & Brad for being so kind with airport transportation!  We are very, very grateful!

We will be posting numerous pictures and stories soon (probably starting this weekend).

 

Love to all, Court

Ecuadorian Entertainment

Many Ecuadorians sell random things by the side of the road (chips, visors, ankle braces, etc) – this guy sells entertainment!

Bien Venido a Ecuador!

I really love this country – these people get inside my heart. Especially those at Zambiza (the city dump).

Zambiza will always and forever break me. The workers at the dump are some of Quito’s poorest. Many used to live in the dump, but the government does not allow this any longer. I cannot comprehend a life that is lived in a dump. Raising children, searching for food, building a “home” from what can be collected, digging for materials to sell to the recycling… Even after 4 years, I still cannot wrap my mind around such a life. The workers may not live in the dump any longer, but most (if not all) still have an equivalent standard of living. For instance, many now build their “homes” directly outside of the dump. About 3 weeks ago, those homes were razed by the government – leaving many of these workers homeless once again. All I can do, the only reaction that is worth anything, is to pray and love.

Here is a video that shows the daily reality of those who build their lives on the city’s garbage:

Be sure to check out the other Extreme Response videos as well – I believe that they will show up as related videos in YouTube.

much love, Court

Oh, How He Loves Us

I stumbled upon this song/video, and it has gotten into my marrow.  Oh, how He loves us…

I love the hugeness of the chorus (it comes around 3 minutes into the video).  The imagery and passion of the words stun me:

He is jealous for me.

Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,

Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.

When all of a sudden,

I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,

And I realize just how beautiful You are,

And how great Your affections are for me.

 

I’ve been dancing around my house singing… 

And oh, how He loves us,

Oh, how He loves us,

How He loves us so.

Oh, how He loves us… 

 

I pray that His love and passion will be real in your life & in mine – so real that we cannot breathe without His name on our lips.

much love, Court 

Sun to Snow

It’s so hard to believe that when Court and I left Florida Sunday afternoon it was in the 80’s. We arrived to Cleveland and were greeted with 18 inches of snow and temperatures in the 20’s.

(Florida before we left and our backyard at home)

The retreat went really well. The first talk was based out of Exodus 20:3 and Mark 12:28-33. We talked about what it means to live a life fully for God and not just give Him pieces here and there.

On Saturday morning Court led her Lectio Divina prayer session. She based it out of Psalms 145:8-10 and it was truly amazing. After the group session the students had 3 different options to choose from for their solitude time. This was incredible to be part of as well as observe. Watching junior high students embrace God in a new way was incredibly humbling.
Saturday evening we rocked out Mathew 26:6-16 and John 12:1-6. We looked at Judas and discussed his intentions as well as our own. The service went well.

Following the service we played ‘find the counselors’. The idea is for the adults to hide somewhere on the campground and the students have 15 minutes to find them. While Ken was giving the instructions to the students he mentioned that he had not been found ever. This must have stirred the students because Ken was the first person found during round 1 and the only adult found in round 2. This was a humbling experience for him. (I think I failed to mention that I was not found either round!)

The retreat ended with us looking at Genesis 25:19-34 Sunday morning. I asked the students what they are truly hungry for – Is it God or other things? Esau basically gave up his birthright for a bowl of soup. This changed his life forever. He was known as Edom for the rest of his life, which means ‘red.’ This is the color of the soup he sold his birthright for.

The retreat ended as all retreats should, with a trip to Starbucks!

Thanks again to Water’s Edge Student Ministry for allowing Court and I to be part of your retreat. We had a great time and look forward to hanging with you again.

Ken and I (and yes, that is a Stryper shirt that he’s rockin’)

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Here is the final Nessy update.

Word. A-Rae

A brighter sunshine state

                      Today Florida got a whole lot brighter. Court arrived this morning shortly before 10 and Ken and I were there to greet her. We made our way back to Ken’s house to drop off some luggage and quickly realized we were hungry. After a quick rundown of local restaurants we decided on Smokey Bones. Court and I have not been to Smokey Bones since we lived in Columbus a few years ago.  There’s something about BBQ and sweet tea that makes me very sleepy.

I promised that there would be an update on how big the ‘grow a child’ was getting, so you will find a picture below. I also failed to mention in my last entry that Wes and Avery named him ‘Nessy’ in homage to Napoleon Dynamite.

(Avery, Nessy and I)

(Wes and I with his crazy hair)

I’m pretty stoked about the retreat starting tomorrow. We are putting together the retreat booklets tomorrow morning and so everything needed to be done this evening. I did all the questions for the reflection time after the sessions. Court did 3 different options for her Lectio Divina session on Saturday morning and Ken did a weeklong devotional guide for seven days following the retreat. If you think about it this weekend, take a second and pray for us as we lead the retreat this weekend.
Did I mention that it’s supposed to be 83 degrees tomorrow? Akron is supposed to be 30 degrees.

Word. A-Rae

It’s 75 degrees outside

Friday morning I was sitting in Cleveland Hopkins Airport and realized that in a matter of hours I would be in a much warmer state. I was on my way to Florida to visit Access Church and to speak at a retreat for Center Pointe Community Church.

My friend Ken met me at Orlando International Airport shortly after 3:00 pm – did I forget to mention that it was about 75 degrees? Ken is one of best friends and it was so good tosee him again.

On the ride back to hisplace he informed me that we would be eating at the Macaroni Grill with thestaff from his church (Center Pointe) because they were interviewing a possible candidate to oversee their children’s ministry. I can honestly say that I have no idea what questions were asked (if any) but the Chicken Parmesan was incredible!

Ken drew the picture below on our table during dinner:

Saturday morning I had the privilege of attending my first ever Upward Bound basketball league. Ken and his wife Chris have two children Wes and Avery and they each had a game.

After the madness we rolled to Margarita’s for lunch with Chris’ parents. I rocked the Chicken Enchilada lunch special.

The afternoon consisted of a hearty game of foam rocket fighting with Wes and Avery and we opted to open our ‘grow a baby’ and dunk it in the water. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen these things before? You just drop this little foam child into a bowl of water and it grows 300% in 72 hours.

I will keep you updated on our baby growing process.

A year ago, some friends of mine started a church in Jacksonville called Access.They are a portable church much like the church plant that Court and I are apart of. I was able to visit the church and gain a lot of insight.

Saturday evening I found myself rolling from Orlando to Jacksonville in Ken and Chris’ Scion XB and it was a beautiful drive.

I arrived at Kevin’s house and we got caught up on life for a little bit and then headed out for dinner. Kevin suggested that since I was in the south that I needed to partake in some southern BBQ. I agreed and we found ourselves at Sticky Fingers.

I will say this about our meal – You know it’s going to be great BBQ when your silverware is wrapped in an actual hand towel instead of a napkin.

The insight that Kevin had about church planting was invaluable. Do you know how hard it is to take notes while you’re eating BBQ?! He threw out several ideas and options that I hadn’t even considered yet.

Today I had the opportunity to visit Access church on their one-year anniversary. I mentioned earlier that they were a portable church but I didn’t really explain what that meant. A portable church is a church that sets up and tears down each week because they don’t have a building of their own.

Access rents out a performance hall at the University of Northern Florida. They begin setting up at 4:30 in the morning then they tear it all down about 1:00 in the afternoonand load it back in their trailers until the next service.

This morning was great forme. I had full access to Access (pun intended). I was able to meet with the children’s pastor and tour the rooms they use for their children’s ministry.

I have included some pictures for you to check out. Remember, everything is portable- Keep this is mind as you view them. Each room is completely empty when they arrive in the morning.

Access Church, job well done! I pray that you will continue to be blessed. Thanks for allowing me to invade your space.

Word. A-Rae

confessions of a homebody

For the past 3 or 4 years, March has been crazy for this little Rae family.  This coming month is no exception. We are leading retreats in Florida, Ohio, and Ecuador, leaving us at home together for a total of 5 days the entire month!

 

Though I am a homebody, I am very excited for these trips – I will have the opportunity to lead Lectio Divina prayer sessions, set up multiple “worship experience” sessions, be a counselor, write devotionals for morning quiet times, and help where needed.

While away, I will inevitably go through my “I just wanna go home” emotional freak-out (Homebodies, you know what I mean!)  This will probably hit me about ½ way through Ecuador, as it always does.  I think the distance is a huge factor, plus it’s just a long time to be gone (2 weeks).

 

I think it may be different this year, though.  Lately, life has been a training ground for dependence on Christ.  I have felt so stripped – so bare, so emptied… with nothing left to offer.  I have discovered how it feels to have nothing to cling to except my dependence upon His mercy and grace.

Through His kindness and patience I am beginning to grasp how He provides, prepares, softens, loves, cares, gives… I group this all into the idea of His “goodness.”  This goodness is deep, solid, and truth.  It is not necessarily happy, but it is so deeply good.

I find myself compulsively trusting this deeply good God, striving after Him, seeking His face and heart…

I pray that He will help me to depend only on Him, even with the smaller things in life – like homesickness in Ecuador.

 

Much love, Court

To all the Marionettes

Court and I were asked to lead a retreat at Water’s Edge student ministries in Orlando, Florida. A good friend of mine named Ken is one of the youth pastors there. The retreat is for junior high students and will take place in March. I was asked to help come up with a title for the retreat. Ken shared that he wanted the retreat to focus on “being the church” instead of just “going to church.” I thought long and hard and the thought that kept resurfacing was a line from an old Thousand Foot Krutch song called “Puppet.”

“Wake me, c’mon and wake me up now I
Want to cut off my strings and break

Loose of your control of me,
Cut your strings and be free with me,

Everybody, shake your body,
Lift your hands, stop frontin’,
You’re just a puppet”

That led me to call the retreat “Quit frontin’ you’re just a puppet.” I pitched the idea to Ken and he shortened it to “Quit frontin’.” I’m pretty stoked. I sent Ken this image to promote the retreat. It may be a bit much for 7th and 8th graders but it works.

I have a lunch meeting today with Dr. Smith from The Chapel. I’m pretty stoked to get caught up on life with him. He seriously is one the most creative speakers I have ever heard/seen. Feel free to visit his blog “Incoherence” and check out what he spoke on December 30th of 2007. He actually has two entries on his blog regarding this sermon:

Happy New Year

Teaching Tool (peace of mind)

A full version of Dave’s message is available on iTunes for free (if you do not have iTunes you must download it. It’s a free application). Search “The Chapel, Akron, Ohio” in the iTunes search engine. This will prompt you to pick from Akron, Green, or Illuminate. Choose “Illuminate” and download their podcasts. Dave’s is entitled “Yoke” and was delivered on December 30th.

Word. A-Rae