Still Wide awake in my sleepwalking...(repeat)

Yes this is a repeat. Almost a year ago I started this blog and once again in 10 days we will be returning to Kenya. So I thought I would "re-blog" this for some new readers. Yes Im like the band that has one cd out and then follows up with a "greatest hits" In any case thanks for reading and for any followers, bloggers, leave some thoughts, blogs, feedbacks,,,even prayers and/or prayer request.

Wide Awake in the land of Nod
A few of my friends suggested I start posting some of my "ramblings" so lets start the Blogging with 16 days away from our trip to Kenya. But first I just want to "ramble" about life in general. Based on a book she recently read my wife suggested "Beautiful Ache" as the title for the blogs. I was going to use "Live Laugh Love" but I think "die, cry, hate" would have been more eye catching and just as true, as in its all part of life. Life is a Beautiful Ache, we indeed are living in the "Shadowlands." My friend "D" and I ramble via emails about life, from God, religion to music and the best places to eat. There's definitely a beautiful ache in all of us and its all around us but most of us are so caught up in self and the things of the world that we miss out on this thing we call life. I realize there's a slim chance no more than a few actually reading this, but in case this gets a following I know there will be Christians saying "whats wrong with him?' and non believers saying "Wow, now he wonders why Im not a believer?". So let my first blog clarify this one thing: I believe in God aka Jesus Christ. He is the Creator behind this beautiful creation. But His people including myself have the tendency to represent Him about as well as a bad used car salesman or one selling an Encyclopedia set door to door. So in saying that now I can continue to ramble on....I have been on several mission trips and all along volunteer at a local youth center. And in all these years there are those who wonder why we go overseas when there is such need here. And at the same time the need here remains a Need in a land of plenty. Again one doesnt have to go overseas to be a missionary. Matter of fact it seems much easier for local Christians to enter a third world country then to work inside a youth center with aircondition and heat. I still cant figure that one out. Maybe its because we can come back with some cool pics and impress others that "the natives are friendly and we changed the world" That is of course until we have a concert then the bandwagon is filled and people having their spiritual pennants and poms poms to cheer us on. They even say they are on the same team. But they never show up for "another game". And I've said off and on for years Im burned out but NO I now realize its not that its Im just TIRED of people, religion, Self (Yea perhaps even you) to quote my friend.. "I'm tired of church. I'm tired of church politics. I'm tired of religious people getting upset because a man preaching has a tattoo or a piercing. I'm convinced that if Jesus walked in to most churches, no one would recognize Him. The man that they say they strive to be like they would treat like the plague. I'm tired of humanism. We build up self esteem to let the soul die in it's sin. I'd shut myself in a cave if I wasn't afraid of spiders. God has to be God or He can be anything else. If God would open the earth and swallow people, the world would say that God is not a God of love. However, when we declares His love, the church say that God has to judge sin. What do they want? Everything?" (A year later, much the same?)I do wish You and I were "wide awake" to know what it means to love Christ and to live every moment cause most of us (including myself) are not fully convinced this could could be our last day and so much of what we give our time to has little eternal value. So 10 days till Kenya then hopefully I can blog daily on our stay there meanwhile any topic by suggestion or burden will be blogged. I will close with the words of C.S. Lewis. "We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."

Back to Kenya

This is to let you know that this summer we will be returning to Kenya to serve in summer missions through ICY (International Christian Youthworks). As most of you know we went last year to Kenya and while expecting the unexpected we never imagined that our hearts would be drawn to the people there with such a burden to at least attempt to meet some of the demanding needs there. While there we were able to provide shoes for over 100 boys in a juvenile home and since returning home through the giving of friends, family and local churches we were able to send contribution for their Christmas program which gave shoes to over 400 youth and fed over 1,000 of them as well. We said last year that we had no idea why we were being led to go to Kenya but just believed that God had placed on our hearts to go to Kenya.
So now this will be our first time ever returning to a missions destination (trips including Northern Ireland, Germany, Amsterdam, London, Morocco, & Canada). We will be leaving on May 26 and returning June 12th. While on this trip we have been informed that ICY’s leader, Colin Piper (Global Youthwork Strategist from the UK) will be in Kenya as well. (ICY is a worldwide ministry with locations including Europe, Middle East, Asia, New Zealand and the U.S.) ICY has been in Kenya for years working in schools, children’s homes, orphanages, churches, missions and camps in evangelism and discipleship. They also specialize in training Bible Teachers. The ministries are very diverse which allows them to develop a program to suit our skills. As they have advised us “Tell us your heart and we will do all we can to fit in.”
So here we go once again, looking forward to meeting old friends and making new ones. And our prayer is to be more open in reaching out and being more of a blessing to those we meet. Our thoughts are that places like the slums of Kibera are not something one gets use to and we believe our return will feel like our first time there as well. Our work will continue to be in the slums, orphanages and schools. There’s no doubt there is a great need in Kenya. Larry Jones (Feed the Children) was once asked, “Where do you determine where the need is?” to which he replied, “Take a map, turn out the lights and throw a dart. Where it lands that’s where the need is”.
Leaders from ICY advised us last year that “You will find nothing is predictable in Africa. It is both the charm and frustration of the place. Things will happen which will leave you feeling confused, baffled, and out of the loop! You will be challenged to your very core, but will emerge with a new perspective and a world view which will change the rest of your life for the better. Living in Africa can be tough. You can get sick easily. You’ll miss things you take for granted, and certainly miss loved ones back home. You’ll struggle with culture, relationships and the poverty about you. Without a very real call from God to go, you won’t last the place.” We found this to be true. Our hope is to build a connection that we use our sources here to be of encouragement to the believers there and at the same time be able to contribute in that our help with resources is not just taking place while we are there but throughout the year.
As with last time we believe God will show Himself and lead us as we are to go. To you the ones that pray for us and/or give towards this mission trip you are part of our team, part of this mission trip and outreach and helping the hurting. Thanks to some gifts already We will need apx 3,500.00, and ask that you would greatly consider supporting us financially but also in prayer for protection, guidance and that we would be blessed that we may bless others. Please make checks out to Roger and/or Adriane Miller. Thank You

At Heathrow, Anyone Home?...

Hey to all who may be checking this out now and then. We are here in London awaiting our flight to Kenya. Its 3:30 back home, 8:30 here and Kenya, well yea you get the picture. Jet lag is part of this wonderful experience. Anyway I asked for a window seat and they ended up giving us 2 windows and the emergency exit door which put me and my better half in charge of opening the exit door in case of emergency. And she added if you do open this door make sure to wrap your arm in this strap because people will be charging this door to get out so we dont want them to push you out. In total agreement. Our pay for doing this was lots of leg room which is a huge bonus and 2 feet from the restroom which is good and bad. So Im honestly still wondering what we are doing on this trip. We are sure God has said GO. But you know theres always something in us to want to know more. Now we board for Kenya in less than an hour. As we were landing here the flight attendent asked us where we were heading and when we told her she said hmm better you then me, ouch so comforting. OKAY GUYS/GIRLS IF YOU ARE READING ANY OF THESE BLOGS PLEASE SAY HEY OR COMMENT/BLOG AWAY... BY THE CHECK OUT THE PREVIOUS BLOGS AS WELL. WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHO IS ACTUALLY READING THIS. MEANWHILE WE WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR PRAYERS AND IF YOU HAVE REQUESTS LET US KNOW....BLESSINGS