El Niño-Southern Oscillation (25 Years Ago)

It was 25 years ago, December 4th, 1982 that Yvonne and I took our vows as Claude Loney officiated the ceremony at Grace Bible Chapel, Parkhill, Ontario, Canada. It was the first 'up close encounter' we had with the El Nino effect as outside temperature reached 20 degrees C/68 degree F.

Here is a picture of our family at our celebration this past summer.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a global coupled ocean-atmosphere phenomenon. The Pacific ocean signatures, El Niño and La Niña are important temperature fluctuations in surface waters of the tropical Eastern Pacific Ocean. The name El Niño, from the Spanish for "the little boy", refers to the Christ child, because the phenomenon is usually noticed around Christmas time in the Pacific Ocean off the west coast of South America.^[1] La Niña, similarly, means "the little girl".^[2] Their effect on climate in the southern hemisphere is profound. These effects were first described in 1923 by Sir Gilbert Thomas Walker from whom the Walker circulation, an important aspect of the Pacific ENSO phenomenon, takes its name. The atmospheric signature, the Southern Oscillation (SO) reflects the monthly or seasonal fluctuations in the air pressure difference between Tahiti and Darwin. The most recent occurrence of El Niño started in September 2006^[3] and lasted until early 2007.^[4]. From June 2007 on, data indicated a weak La Niña event.

ENSO is a set of specific interacting parts of a single global system of coupled ocean-atmosphere climate fluctuations that come about as a consequence of oceanic and atmospheric circulation. ENSO is the most prominent known source of inter-annual variability in weather and climate around the world (~3 to 8 years), though not all areas are affected. ENSO has signatures in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans. El Niño causes weather patterns involving increased rain in specific places but not in others. This is one of many causes for drought.

More on wikipedia ...

Blessed Be Your Name

This past weekend …
Singing in church a song that is familiar, but now has new meaning, was quite an experience. Well, to be more honest, I was having a bit of a melt down. Here is the background ...
I just spent several weeks in Africa, seeing lots of wonderful friends, making some new ones and delving deeply into life there.
Through my good friend, 'Mama Tillie' (AKA Tillie Lichty), we arranged to spend time with Alex, a Rwandan refugee in Kampala, Uganda. He is a young man in his mid-twenties, a survivor of the genocide and marginally employed. However, this young man has a big heart and he has filled his small apartment with orphans and abandoned kids, 11 people in all! Four of the kids are HIV positive through no 'sin' of their own, and they must take antiretrovirals (ARVs) two times per day.
They are cute kids, in a home filled with love with lots left over to share with Tillie and me! One evening, I decided to read to them about Jesus, so I get my Palm Treo Phone with my travelling Bible and began to read. What an experience! The kids loved the story and the electronic Bible, taking turns reading out loud to me. Absolutely precious!
As Alex re-joined us, I played a couple of worship songs on my phone and soon these kids were signing along ... Blessed Be Your Name, on a road marked with suffering ... you give and take away and, Every blessing you pour out I'll turn back to praise. The context was so real!
These kids live on a road marked with suffering. Tears filled my eyes and my prayers that evening.
Back to my church service, and we are signing that song again ... well, in a moment I'm back in the crammed room in Kampala with those kids singing to me and to Jesus. I feel my body begin to shake as their faces come to mind. I try to sing, but my emotions quell my voice. Being the proud male that I am, I leave the auditorium and stand in quiet place in the hall, crying for kids who I may never see again!
In that moment, I once again commit my life to serving the poor Jesus loves so much. And again, I begin to understand why he loves them.

Ride Day ... Late

Wow!

What a day, what a powerful wind, but what a powerful event! Three locations, over 500 riders and although it threatened, we did NOT have rain. What a blessing.

I saw so many old friends, made some new ones and I was, once again, inspired by the people who joined us to suffer a little on the roads, to helps those who suffer on the refugee highway.

Wow!

For me, it was the hardest riding I did all season. The wicked wind, gusting in our faces for so much of the route, and so full of moisture ... it felt like a winter day. But once again, I was inspired to keep going by those who joined us ... on the road.

This week the volunteers will be all over our office, helping sort out and enter the data into our system. I have a great team who will lead them with excellence. So stay tuned, I'll update the final tally as it become available.

Wow, what a day.

Ride Day ... Early

It's a little after 5:30am, Yvonne has been up and getting ready, and I'm doing my last minute check of the weather conditions for 'ride day'. I have a mix of feelings for the day, knowing that we are going to have fairly cold ride and we could have rain. But, like I have said, you have to suffer a little, and we will be suffering for and with those that suffer greatly.

However, I checked the ride statistics, and wow ... I'm blown away! We have 501 riders today and together 'we' have raised just over 195k! Praise God. This is such a boost and encouragement.

A good chunk of those funds will go back to local churches who put teams into the ride and will support local efforts to love and serve refugees and former refugees. What a great partnership!

But, back to my day. I've got gear laid out on the floor of my room, and I have to choose 'how much' to put on given the cold temperatures.

More later ...

Coming up on the Ride for Refugees

Every day a little closer to the big Ride for Refugees -- Sat Oct 13th.

Training is done, now we just pray about the weather. It looks like rain! Argh! However, there will be 450 riders who have raised 150k to date! Wow, what a thrill this will be.

Loving and serving those who have suffered so much ... it is a priveledge, it is a responsibility, it is following Jesus and his mission to the poor.

Stay tuned ...

Echoes in the forrest

Last night I went for a run ... to think, to relax, to pray and to prepare for the upcoming 'Ride for Refugees'. I train with a heart-rate monitor and govern my pace according to particular 'zones' and in this case, I was planning a long run at a moderate pace.

It was a beautiful evening, with alight breeze and cooling effect after a warm October day, and I was warming up and feeling good. As I reached the first for rested section of the run, I heard the sound of another runner behind me ... and they seemed to be far off at first, then steadily coming closer. I looked down at my heart rate as I felt the surge of raw instinct to 'speed up' and not get caught by the approaching runner. But then the counter thought, this is not a competition and have embraced sports like running and cycling for enjoyment, exercise and not competition.

My mind flashed back to an earlier conversation I had with Dave Loney, my executive coach and friend. I described to him how I used to live, all-out adrenaline seeking, coffee chugging, multiple stimuli seeking, never satisfied unless over achieving! Years of that pursuit left my body, emotions and spirit broken ... and I needed healing!

That healing came in the form of a new outlook on life, on self and success. I needed to embrace the gospel of Jesus in a new way, and slow down the 'spin in my mind'. In my late 30's I was unable to ride my bike, run for any distance and sit for any length of time, due to a lower back problem. My inner healing began when a physiotherapist said to me, "you will not heal until you stop re-injuring yourself, and to stop re-injuring yourself you have to reduce your stress." She went on to say that I needed to change my vocation because the way I was responding to my vocational demands was quite literally 'killing me'. So, change I did, and thus began a ten-year journey of inner and outer healing.

Back to the run in the forest, and hearing the footsteps of an approaching runner. I looked again at my heart-rate monitor, sorted through my options and dismissed that idea that I could pick up my pace so as not to be 'caught from behind'. In a moment, I felt liked I passed a mini test ... keeping my focus on the long run, both physically and metaphorically.

I waited for the approaching runner as I came through an open area then finally turned around to see what I thought would be a young, strong person only to discover that the conditions were just right to produce an echo from my own steps. I was hearing myself and I laughed at the absurdity of situation. I went on with a smile and enjoyed the entire run with no further temptation to produce a burst of speed to 'prove' I could still do it!

My inner monologue quited and I found myself repeating in my head, "Thy Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven". What would this earth look like if we truly embraced the Kingdom? Thoughts to ponder for the next echoes-in-the-forest run.

Why I Ride

The fourth annual Ride for Refugees is in full swing, and yesterday (Sept 29) was the first ‘pre-ride’. For me, it was 50km of pure pleasure! I love to ride, and when I get the opportunity to ride for a cause I love and with people who share that love … well the kilometres just seem to fly by.

You have to understand that cycling has been my hobby for many years. But let me say again, I count it a real opportunity to ride with friends (old and new) who join International Teams in our annual Refugee Ride. But there is a lot more to this event that just riding.

When I was younger, and doing a lot of riding, I went to a London cycling shop, looking for gearing for my bike that would make things just a little bit easier on the hills. The storeowner and friend Derek listened to my request and then said through his thick Eastern European accent, “In cycling, you have to suffer”. I walked out of the store that day, having spent no money and with no new gear for my bike. From that day forward, I have been learning how to suffer on the bike … and then recover. Some days you take it easy and just have fun, but other times you ‘pound the pedals’ and press your body to its limits.

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege to meet a lot of refugees, people who have been forcefully uprooted and literally displaced. I’ve spent time with them, listened to stories filled with despair, taken meals together watched smiles appear when someone cares enough to learn their name. Let me make a disclaimer here. While I have interacted with those on the refugee highway, there are others who work with people caught in this emotional and physical turmoil everyday. These ones who walk alongside the uprooted daily are the real heroes!

But whether it’s been my personal interaction or hearing reports through colleagues, I know that refugees suffer, and all of them suffer greatly. But unlike me on my bike, they have no choice … they don’t get to manage their schedules so they can have hard days and easy days, or even rest days.

However, everyday, loving people from International Teams, motivated by their faith and God’s love for all people who meet refugees and former refugees and care for their needs. These and countless others from churches and organizations are present with those in suffering. This is what it means to be a follower Jesus.

So why do I ride in the Ride for Refugees? I choose to suffer a little on the bike. I choose to identify with those I know who suffer greatly. I choose to call others to join me in small and big ways. I choose to follow Jesus in his mission to bring good news to the poor … to care for the widow, orphan and refugee.

I choose to ride for the cause. Join me! Check out http://www.RideForRefugees.com

Stilling praying the prayer ...

I continue to pray the 'prayer of Jesus', each day, and many times. If I wake up in the night, the first thing I do is inhale ... 'Lord Jesus Christ, son of man, son of David' then exhale ... 'have mercy on me a sinner.' I find it an excellent discipline and a great opening to any kind of spontaneous prayer.

Also, as I have been praying for mercy I have become more aware of my own sin and shortcomings. But the great news is, I have become more aware of the depth of mercy and grace that Jesus brings and gives.

Breathe

Eugene Petersen, teaches that the simplest and most primitive form of prayer is 'breathing'.
" . . . the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being."
As an avid aerobic guy, you know, cycling and running, concentration on good, rhythmic breathing is important. For the past two weeks, while running or cycling, I have concentrated on breathing in deeply while saying the first part of the Jesus prayer. That is, "Lord, Jesus, Christ, Son of God", then exhaled, "have mercy on me a sinner".
The practice helps me keep my concentration, keep my heart beat down a few beats and remember who God is and who I am.

Praying the "Prayer of Jesus"

I've been away from my blog for a while, but now I have something to write about. Yes, there are lots of things that could be written, but for me, I needed this inspiration to pull me back.
My friend Dan, challenged us to pray the prayer of Jesus for one month, keep a journal and get back to him. Hmmm ... sounds simple, but in fact, like trying to acquire any new habit, it is in fact quite difficult.
Here I go, day three of praying this simple prayer:
"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."

Profound •Deep • Healing •Transforming • Reconciling

The following is a beautiful article written by friend and co-worker Anthony Jones, Managing Director of International Teams UK (ITUK).

The evening was unique and deeply moving. A group of 13 people from 7 nations wept together.
It began with a debate exploring the tensions that have or could arise in multi-cultural teams. We listed specific issues that could cause conflict within teams that have people from different cultures. The debate was robust and people were encouraged to be transparent and speak freely about past hurts and misunderstandings.

We selected the top four issues and discussed the top two. The first related to the tensions that arise when cultures collide when team members place high value on task completion whilst others highly value relationship building. The second explored the sometimes ‘know it all’ attitude of westerners and, conversely, the potential for the elevation of westerners beyond their true status. During our time, we recognised that many wounds are inflicted and received as a result of skin colour and our colonial history.

The question as then asked … "Are there any lingering hurts and resentments arising from our colonial past, that still effect relationships today?"

The floodgates opened. People felt able to express innermost damages that had been caused by attitudes of people from former colonial or western countries.

We stood. Spontaneously, we drew together to form a tight circle. Arms were wrapped around each other as we stood in silence.

The silence broken only with the sound of weeping. We prayed. Each prayer was heartfelt, asking for forgiveness for the sins of colonial forefathers and present attitudes. Each prayed for healing from those hurts. We looked into each others eyes … we broke apart and went around the room hugging one another and blessing each other.

It was now 11pm after a long day… and yet we again sat in a warm, comfortable silence. The comment was made that a healing had come and now everything else on our list suddenly seemed less important. None wanted to leave that overwhelming sense of unity and love.

A foretaste of heaven.

Anthony Jones, Kenya 2006