Who is willing to pay?

Great problems are solved only at a great cost. Evil doesn’t go away quietly. Broken systems do not change without struggle. When Jesus stepped into our broken world to defeat sin and death, it cost his life. Not just his time, energy, and effort. His life. Redemption costs something. Someone has to be spent. I mean, name the issue, point to the place: trafficking in Cambodia and Thailand, the devastation in Haiti, genocide in Rwanda, hatred and killing in Sudan, ethnic cleansing in the Balkans, starvation in Somalia or China, gang violence and drug abuse in downtown Atlanta – these problems don’t just go away.

Someone has to be spent.














As I’m looking out the window at the trash dump that is Poi Pet, I’m overwhelmed. Halfhearted measures and temporary concern won’t change a thing in this place. I’m reminded of when Paul wrote in Colossians 1:24:

“Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body which is the church.”

There’s more work to be done, Paul is saying. More to be sacrificed. More to be suffered. He’s not saying that Jesus’ sacrifice was incomplete. No, Jesus died once, for all, for all time. But cultures are still broken. Peoples are still living in darkness. Things like sex slavery still exist. And if we want to take what Jesus has done and make it a reality in a place like Poi Pet, we’ll have to suffer too. We’ll have to sacrifice too. We’ll have to be spent as well. Because redemption costs something, and we’re going to have to fill up in our flesh what’s lacking, what is still yet to be paid.

People are going to have to give. Some people are going to have to go. Some people are going to have to go and stay a while. Some are going to have to choke on this dust and smell these sewers for a while. Someone is going to have to go to these muddy villages and teach for a while. Someone is going to have to love on these girls who’ve escaped the brothels for a while. Somone is going to have to give micro loans and cows and seeds to parents so they won’t sell their children for income. It’s going to take time. It’s not going to be easy or fast. And someone, maybe lot’s of someones are going to have to fund it all.





















Bottom line is that it’s going to cost us if we want to do something about sex trafficking in Poi Pet. Or hey Buckhead church folks, it’s going to cost us if we want to see salvation & redemption come to Buckhead. And I pray that I, that we would be a people who are willing to pay that price. I hope we will not shrink back. I mean seriously, imagine what we could do in our days. Imagine what God could do through us in Buckhead and in place around the globe like Poi Pet in these days! Imagine what we could look back on 10, 15, 50 years from now and say, “can you believe that God used us to do THAT?!” It’s possible. Seriously! God desires to do immeasurably more than all that we ask or imagine according to his power that is at work within us.

We just have to be willing to pay the price. Our God is a God who gets right down in the middle of the mess, the brokenness, the dirty, the ugly, and the sin of this world, and it will cost something to join him.

Good morning Cambodia!

Slept for 7 hour last night. That's awesome because it means I'm close to adjusting to the time change. It's a whopping 12 hours!

So I woke up this morning and saw Cambodia for the first time in the light. It is beautiful! It's also exotic. It doesn't look like anything in America. I really can't wait for the bus ride up to Poi Pet. I want to see more of this country.

Ate chicken fried rice for breakfast. Nothing says breakfast like fried rice :). We had a great time meditating and discussing Jesus quoting of Isaiah 61 in the temple at Nazareth (Luke 4:16). What does it mean to preach good news to the poor, and release to captives, and comfort the oppressed. This is the Gospel and it is meant to be applied spiritually AND physically. In Jesus' kingdom there will be no oppression, slavery, poverty of any kind. Our goal today is to be as best we can the presence of Jesus. What a daunting task. I truly feel poor in spirit.

The fired rice was awesome, by the way. So far the most interesting thing, however, has been the people. They are so warm and friendly. And they all ride motorcycles. Literally, it's like swarms of motorcycles. No helmets not pads, just a man with his motorcycle and his girl riding side saddle. But I've really enjoyed watching the people so far and trying to figure out how they relate to one another. On the way from the airport, we saw groups of young men randomly camped out in circles on the side of the road. Our tuk tuk driver (a rickshaw attached to a motorcycle...not a creature from Star Wars) told us that's what they do to hang out. They just go sit somewhere and will even sleep there on the side of the road. That's crazy! But it makes sense to them.

We're leaving for Poi Pet in just a bit but not before I get a massage! Yep, that's right. A massage. I've been told the most important thing is to make sure you tell the masseuse, "No happy ending please." I'm glad someone told me that before. That would have been a little awkward.

In the meantime, I'm also going down to the market to buy some sandals and maybe a shirt. There's a "look" here in Cambodia. All the men where a tan or white shirt, jeans, and sandals. Right now I don't have that "look". I'm going to try go recreate it without getting abducted or robbed. Here goes.

JD

prayer requests and schedule

So here we go. We leave in 12 hours. We need to be at the airport in the morning by 9am. I wanted to ask for a few prayer requests for us as we are preparing to go.

For me (Erin): my kitty died yesterday. While I know it is ok and that she was really really sick, it is still really hard and I miss her so much already. Just pray for me to be able to grieve her little life but to also not let it get in the way of my purpose for this trip. For my little bug (my daughter), she will be with grandma and great grandma. I know she will have a blast but she is a mommas girl, and I hope she doesnt miss me too much! I already know I will miss her!!

For Kelli: that she will stand firm against the enemies attacks. Her mind has been playing tricks on her.

For Jamey: he has been a bit under the weather.

For Tim: Pray for my shoulder – rotator cuff – as I am having trouble lifting my arm – and I don’t want to have to ask Erin to carry my bags.

For the team:

• Pray for us for our LONG LONG flight. it is 19 hours and then another 5! We will also loose 12 hours :) Basically Friday wont exist for us at all except for 2 hours or so.
  
• To see the beauty in the Cambodian people
  
• To know how to respond to begging children – who are mostly managed by handlers
• To understand clearly with whom and how North Point should partner.
• For a team with humble hearts and servant spirits

Here is our daily schedule so you can be praying for us!

team daily schedule
3/18 Depart Atlanta Korean Air 12:55 PM via Seoul, South Korea
3/19 Arrive Siem Reap, South Korea
3/20 PM meetings with Cambodian Hope Org (CHO)
3/21 Church with leaders of Cambodian Hope
3/22 Participate in CHO ministries
3/23 Participate in CHO ministries
3/24 Participate in CHO ministries
3/25 Siem Reap PM meeting with White Dove Ministry
3/26 Meet with International Justice Mission
3/27 Explore Siem Reap – tour Temple Historical Areas – identify future team opportunities
3/28 Debrief – develop recommendations for North Point globalX Evening depart for Atlanta via Seoul, South Korea
3/29 Arrive in Atlanta 11 AM