Listening to the Children...

I had an amazing visit today with some local children who are standing up for themselves and leading other young people to recognize their rights and fight disease. I wish more of my meetings were like the one today.

Check out the full story on my work site here.

Day 4 in Tanzania

We have been keeping a very busy schedule while in Dar and I am been attempting to keep track of things for work's sake!

Our hotel is on a penninsula and provides a great setting next to the Indian Ocean. I haven't seen much of the city other than while driving since we have been keeping meetings routinely but I am hoping to get out in the next few days. I still have not had to exchange any money so that should indicate that I am only buying food at the hotel and not getting out much...

I am enjoying meeting some interesting people doing important work. I wish we could be more effective in how we fight this disease and I think so of the things we are trying to implement with get us a long way.

Enjoyment of the work aside, I will be ready to be home next week. There is something about home that is enticing... oh yeah my wife.

Back to work!

Roughing it!

In Tanzania - will write more soon. Here is my hotel room to let you know how I am getting on...

So much for seperating theology and ministry...

Quick Getaways

My wife is an amazing woman and she loves to surprise me so on Sunday we headed out and ended up in Chesapeake Beach at a spa for a day of relaxation and rest. It was an amaing treat and it was good to get out of the city and away from the busyness of our daily lives. We then spent Monday hanging out with each other while cruising around Southern Maryland. Fully rested.

I am so thankful for rest and for a wife that recognizes we need it on ocassion. Even a quick recharge can be so meaningful and just the break you needed.

I might trash the tv...

At the Advanc 09 conference John Piper rather abruptly deflected a question about his not owning a television. In a insightful and correct article lays out the real answers and apologizes for how he acted on stage.

I often talk about how Stacy and I don't have cable and while we probably don't have it to save money, I am thankful that we don't have it for the amount of stuff that would just be a waste of time and frankly trash we would take in and be deadended by. Don't we get enough of that trash already without cable television...

Piper summed it up nicely:

One more smaller concern with TV (besides its addictive tendencies, trivialization of life, and deadening effects): It takes time. I have so many things I want to accomplish in this one short life. Don’t waste your life is not a catchphrase for me; it’s a cliff I walk beside every day with trembling.

TV consumes more and more time for those who get used to watching it. You start to feel like it belongs. You wonder how you could get along without it. I am jealous for my evenings. There are so many things in life I want to accomplish. I simply could not do what I do if I watched television. 

Minus soprts... maybe I should stop with the tv all together (and maybe Jeopordy).

D90 Test

On my way to the Tanzanian embassy today to pick up my visa, I brought the new Nikon D90 along for a test run. I am liking it and think it is a good addition to the team!