English Language Hardships

English can be a tricky language to master. Here are some examples of what I mean.

• Rumor has it that the only language that has a spelling bee is English. Since all other languages are dependibly phonetic, there really is no point to spelling words since they are as they sound.
• Why is it that second person singular and plural (you) are the same, except to those in the south (y'all)?
• Why is it that second person singular "you" takes a plural verb? So for example, it is "How are you?" instead of "How is you?". You would never say "I are going..." or "She are gone". Can you explain that?

We have friends that are recent arrivals from the Middle East. Great people who I really enjoy being around. They have a great sense of humor as they attempt to learn our confusing language.

Other day, the dad told me that his 13-year-old son was at the store "getting some enema". Oh really?, I asked. Then he said, "Yeah he wanted some candy."

Ohhhh you mean M&Ms! We had a good laugh together.

Later when his wife came home, he explained what he said and we all laughed again. Then the wife said she was struggling with the difference between "kitchen" and "chicken". chik-uhn vs. kich-uhn.

Yeah, it can be a confusing language.

The Bees: Her Highness Reigns

Continuing with the bee story that started here, the queen bee needed to be checked on. Upon arrival, she was relegated to a small marshmallow-plugged chamber with some of her attendants. This provided time for her to be adopted as hive royalty.

So five days after the swarm moved in, we opened up the hive to check on her well-being. The first thing we had to do is get a small smoke-producing fire going to help calm the swarm. 

After five days, it is clear that the bees have been busy. Comb is already visible. Many of the bees have yellow pollen-loaded feet, having returned from their search.

This whole bee thing seems complex and fascinating at the same time. The queen mates only once in her life, and that is at 200-300 feet up in the air. After mating, she is able to lay upwards of 60,000 eggs in a year for up to eight years!

Then there are the drones. The suckers exist just for the off chance that they get to mate with a queen. What are the odds of that? But if you are the lucky drone, you and your legacy are set by the approx 500,000 offspring you've sired. Come winter, most drones are kicked out of the hive elimante dead weight. The whole thing's nuts.

After pulling out several bee-covered racks, the hunt for the queen is underway. To me, the search for her is kinda absurd. This is needle-in-the-haystack stuff. Queen-in-the-colony stuff. But after a short search, here she is! The one with the longer abdomen.

Now I know what you're probably thinking: How many times did you get stung? Not once. I have been stung a fair bit in life and have a healthy respect for stingers. But these bees are different. They don't seem to have an attitude.

Poverty Redefined

There is a good-sized apartment complex about 100 yards from my house. I have some good friends who live there. These apartments consist of 33 multi-unit buildings on the town’s main drag. In addition to the US-born residents, many if not most residents are literally from around the world. Here is a brief list of countries the residents emigrated from:

Iran, Somalia, Bhutan, Congo, Ethiopia, Myanmar,

Lebanon, Vietnam, Cuba, Eritrea, Mexico, Iraq

As churches partner together to live out the love of Christ there, we have grown in our understanding about how to see the goal realized. One of these areas relates to how poverty is defined. How would you define poverty? Perhaps you might say a lack of money, food, or inadequate housing.

While talking about the definition of poverty may seem academic, “the definition plays a significant role in determining the solutions used in attempting to alleviate poverty” (54).

It is helpful to think of poverty in terms of broken relationships. Relationships with God, self, others and creation have all been deeply marred because of the fall in the Garden of Eden.

Below are listed a number of prayer requests that seek God to bring about the restoration of relationships, particularly with our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for taking time today to pray for the residents and that God’s name would be honored here. Pray too that God’s will would be done at the Apartments as it is in heaven. 

Relationship with God

• Pray for the Holy Spirit’s gracious ministry of conviction to point out people’s sin, the righteousness of Christ, and the judgment of the ruler of the world (John 16).
• Pray that people would experience the presence of God as their heavenly Father and live in joyful, intimate relationship with Him as His children.
• Pray for the believers that do live here, that God would open a door for an opportunity to explain the mystery of Christ (Colossians 4).
• Pray against the worship of false gods and spirits.

Relationship with Self

• Pray against the profound sense of depression, personal worthlessness, humiliation, shame, powerlessness, social isolation and social despair that many may struggle with.
• Pray that people would receive the gift of worth from God as an Image bearer.
• Pray that people find peace as they reflect on traumatic situations experienced, especially as it relates to being a refugee.
• Pray for that people would experience dignity as they become more proficient in English and the American culture.
• Pray that people would experience a healthy self-sufficiency as they earn enough money to support themselves.
• Pray for the medical needs that many of the people struggle with.

Relationship with Others

• Pray for reconciliation and racial harmony between different ethnicities.
• Pray that the self-centeredness and exploitation/abuse of others would cease.
• Pray that the church at Wheaton would be mobilized into relationships with the residents.
• Pray for the development of community among the diversity.
• Pray for the sometimes tenuous landlord and tenant relationships.
• Pray for the relationship between the children and other students and teachers at their schools.
• Pray for the relationships with employers, especially for those who are unemployed.

Relationship with the Rest of Creation

• Pray that people would interact with creation in order to sustain themselves from the fruit of their stewardship.
• Pray that the extremes of laziness and being a workaholic would be avoided.
• Pray for that the idea of a community garden would come to fruition.
• Pray that any bug problems would come under control.

 

To learn more about the idea of how poverty results from broken relationships and ways to alleviate it, see Corbett’s and Fikkert’s book, When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty without Hurting the Poor…and Yourself, which is published by Moody Press.

CareFest 2011

Last Sunday, eight local congregations cancelled their normal services and met together for CareFest ’11. This is the second time we have done this. And it truly is an overwhelming day.

It starts with a worship service which launches us into serving the community at 16 different project sites. CareFest is one way love God by loving people.

Reflecting on the morning, I came away with some thoughts.

The power of the body of Christ. When churches combine their efforts to live on mission with God, greater power is on display than if each church went off on its own. Yes there is strength in numbers. But there is also a broader cross-section of gifts, ideas and wisdom that would not otherwise be available.

The power of single exposure. Having eight churches together in the same place at the same time listening to the same sermon and serving in similar ways is incredibly valuable. Even though these eight churches may not meet together for another year, each person was exposed to the same truth at the same time.

The power of the outside voice. Perhaps it’s like the kid who won’t respond to a parent’s instruction on playing the piano but will respond well to a teacher’s piano instruction. Hearing the truth from someone else’s lips outside our normal circles can bring authority to the concept.

The power of Christ's reputation. As stated by some of my colleagues, it is great to see the reputation of Christ connected with serving, with no strings attached. Often Christians are known more for what they are against instead of their love and compassion.

So in thinking about future CareFests and other opportunities to be on mission together, I wonder how the church at central DuPage County can work together to provide multiple opportunities for every man, woman and child to see and hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The church must exist for the world.

Not Your Typical American Fruit Stand

OK - this is why the world fascinates me. Unbelievable.

The Bees: The Swarm Arrives

My friend Tim, who I used to work for back in the day, just got into the honey-making business by starting a beehive. If you have ever studied bees, you know they are a fascinating creation. Anyways, he bought 10,000 bees and moved them into their new hive. 

The bees are calmed down by the sugar water that is squirted into the box. I wonder if my sons would calm down if I squirted them with sugar water...

Tim won't be able to take honey until next year. A hive needs approx 70 pounds of honey to live on through the winter. That's a lot of honey!

Nathan and the hive

So these bees will travel up to three miles away to get pollen to make honey. Crazy.

Inside the hive



The queen bee is inside the small box below. The wooden plug was replaced with a marshmallow which the queen and her attendants will eat through. This gives the hive about 3 days to get used to the queen and accept her as their devoted  emperor. She will live two years and then Tim will need to buy another.

The queen (she has a big rear) and her attendants

10,000 bees get moved into their new home. I know what you're thinking and it didn't happen: no one person got stung. Weird. Tim's dad said that if these were African honey bees, you'd want to be a mile away!

In this video, you'll see the small opening to the hive. It starts small so that it is easier for the colony to keep out invading bees until they are strong enough. Later this summer when it gets hot, bees will stand at the entrance to help move air in and out of the hive.

Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste. Know also that wisdom is like honey for you: If you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off. Proverb 24:13-14

The Curse

My 98 year-old grandmother is spending the month in an assisted living facility. She is in the section with other residents who have dementia.

It is hard and sad to see the decline she is experiencing. On a visit last week, my feelings were compounded as I witnessed the other residents in various stages of their struggle. It really felt tender towards Grandmother and the others as they wrestle with the Curse, the consequence of sin.

It seems to me that that the world system struggles with the elderly, especially those who are not well. You will never see a dementia patient used in advertising like a baby or young model. It is as if the world, in its rejection of God, really isn’t all that eager to embrace the effects of the rejection and the subsequent curse.

1993: Stephanie with Granddad and Grandmother

“For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body” (Romans 8:19-23).

Leadership 101: Tell 'Why'...often

I so appreciate people who bring their experience and wisdom gained from the marketplace to help the church achieve mission and to empower me for effectiveness. On Sunday at the end of services, I was giving instructions about CareFest that is next Sunday. I was giving the 'what'.

Afterwards, Jim encouraged me share the 'why' of CareFest? Why are 8 different churches worshiping together and then serving in the community? People will engage better with the vision if they are told the ‘why’ up front. Perhaps they will do the ‘what’ a time or two. But for long-term commitment and impact, the ‘why’ has to be included. Good words.


Leadership 101: Tell 'Why'.....often



Mission on My Doorstep

It is truly amazing to see how the community is changing - even Chicago's 'burbs! I thank God for the churches and individuals who have a desire to take responsibility for all the people of their geography.

Here is a video that was shown at a conference to equip us to serve more effectively in cross-cultural contexts here in the US.


Mission On Your Doorstep 2011 Video from Mosaic DuPage on Vimeo.