Author: Dana

Kinsey and Jordan are now in Ethiopia for Jordan’s final rotation of his fourth year of medical school. They spent February in Uganda serving with Restoration Gateway.

In 2007, Dr. Tim McCall and his wife Janice followed God’s call and left their medical practice in Waco, Texas to establish a mission in Uganda. On 500 acres on the southern bank of the Nile River, a clinic, a school, a church, and several structures that house over 100 orphans bless a section of the world that has been brutalized by war and disease. On the northern side of the Nile the notorious Joseph Kony and his Lord’s Resistance Army have terrorized the nation. It is estimated that over the past two and a half decades 30,000-60,000 children have been kidnapped to fight as child soldiers in the LRA. Though many believe Kony is now in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the citizens of northern Uganda still live in fear.

There are 2.5 million orphans in Uganda. One in every five children between the ages of 6 and 12 have no parents. Kinsey and Jordan came to volunteer in the clinic, but soon Kinsey was given the responsibility of reading to children each day and Jordan was named soccer coach. Kinsey is pictured with a baby that had a difficult entry into the world. She and an African nurse had to work on the baby for over five minutes before he began breathing on his own.

On their last day, Dr. Tim asked that anyone who had been blessed by Uncle Jordan and Auntie Kinsey to gather around them in prayer.  Many children laid hands on them and prayed.

Meeting doctors, nurses, and educators from different parts of the world serving children and adults inspired Kinsey and Jordan greatly. The name of the school is Oaks of Righteousness (see Scripture below), as it is believed that God intends to transform the weak and poor into mighty men and women of faith. Kinsey told of the plan on the base of keeping only 10% of the produce from their gardens while giving away 90% to the surrounding communities. God’s Kingdom takes what the world says is ‘ruined’ and ‘impossible’ and establishes ‘hope’ and ‘life’ on the solid Rock of Jesus Christ.

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.” Isaiah 61:1-3

I rose early each morning in Ecuador and went to our hotel’s small dining room to read and wait for our team to gather for breakfast. John was usually close behind, but instead of reading, he made friends with the two men who prepared our meals. They invited the nine-year-old behind the closed doors of the kitchen to lend a hand. After tables were set and breakfast was prepared, these two friendly waiters sat down and played video games with the boy they called Juanito.

As a father and teacher I often wonder what impacts kids. How does God use life experiences to teach and mold his children? We’re never told any more about the little boy who gave up his lunch so Jesus could feed the five thousand, but I wonder if perhaps Andrew returned the boy’s basket with a word of encouragement. “Look what God did with your two loaves and five fish! If Jesus can do such a miracle with your lunch, just think what he can do with you!” (see John 6)

Each year Pastor Manuel performs a beautiful, simple gesture at the close of our visit. After the work is done he invites us to their family apartment that also serves as an after school ministry for children in the town of Cajabamba. We always form a circle and listen to Pastor Manuel thank us for coming to his country. With the help of a translator, he tells us that we are a part of his family and that we are always welcome in his home. He also asks that we pray for their work in the town and in the mountain villages that many will come to know Jesus and that all would prosper.

This year Pastor Manuel added another little part to his talk that brought tears to my eyes. He pulled John close to him and thanked him for returning to Ecuador. He told Juanito that he is special and that God has a plan for his life. Of course John beamed and as Pastor Manuel finished, a small man hugged a big boy.

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said, ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea… See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.’” Matthew 18:1-6, 10

I gave a great talk one summer morning to a group of campers as young as five and as old as twelve. My speech was centered on the quote: “Procrastination killed the cat” and I was quite surprised that no one knew this saying. The kids listened well as I shared the need to do things immediately without postponing intentions for a later time. Afterward, a counselor about my age named Shannon came to me and said, “Dana, I thought it was ‘curiosity’ that killed the cat.”

While no cat may have ever died from procrastination, we all know it kills. One of our important words in Ecuador last week was ‘ahora’ which means ‘now.’ We wanted to live in the moment; we wanted to seize the opportunities we were given each day; and we did not want to be distracted.

“Ahora’ is a word God wants us all to hear. The author of Hebrews repeated a Psalm three times in chapters three and four: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” How many souls will face Jesus at the Judgment with the haunting memory of hearing the Good News but failing to respond to it?

Or how many of us know of times God asked us to surrender an area of our lives to his Lordship? But instead of saying ‘yes’ in the ‘now,’ we postponed the decision for another day. So often that ‘tomorrow’ never comes.

I confessed to our team the ‘ahora’ challenge for me is to remember that Jesus is always present. I am in Christ and He is in me… now. As we drove up a high mountain on a narrow road in a large bus, I needed to remember: “Jesus is here… now.” No matter what the challenge or danger or opportunity, when Jesus promises: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age,” he means ‘ahora.’

“As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says, ‘In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” II Corinthians 6:1-2

The prophet wrote, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news…” (Isaiah 52:7) But what about those in the valleys?

Jesus once took three of his apostles onto a high mountain and miracles took place. Elijah and Moses appeared, Jesus was transfigured, and the Father spoke clearly saying, “This is my Son whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” But then they came down from the mountain. Jesus was not shining any more; Moses and Elijah were no where to be found; and God’s voice seemed silent. There in the valley, life’s problems quickly appeared: a distressed father, a boy being tormented by a demon, and faithless disciples. It seemed more glorious on the mountain. (See Matthew 17:1-21)

In some ways a mission trip is like being on the mountain top. Here in Ecuador, we have met precious brothers and sisters in Christ, we have taught and played with children in poor villages, and we have tried to serve local churches. It has been a great week and we appreciate your prayers. But now we look forward to returning home… back to the valley where we all need grace and power and love and close fellowship with Jesus to live the good news.

Here is a picture taken from high in the Andes of Riobamba where we spent the nights. ‘Rio’ means ‘river’ in Spanish and ‘bamba’ means ‘valley’ in the Quechuan language.

These are Quechuan children we met in one of the mountain villages.

“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you can find.’ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.” Matthew 22:8-10