So it is official

The Big Green Chair has moved. Reset your news feed and bookmarks to www.tbgc.wordpress.com or just click here to visit.

News and moves

Shortly I will be launching the Big Green Chair on a new host. I have not been happy with blogger since it's "googleization." In the mean time I will maintain both sites but I will eventually close this one. The sooner the better. If you want to move on to the other right now and don't mind the construction phase you can find it here.
If you have any suggestions for making it better, send them along too.
Shalom

Belize 1

 
 
 


One of the things that the Belize team was able to do this year was to provide a hot lunch for the children at some of the schools. this was the first time at a hot lunch was given. As you can see from these pictures the children really enjoyed the hotdogs and eagerly lined up for them. For most of these kids this was the only hot meal they have each day. Suffice it to say that there wasn't any wasted hotdogs!

Facebook

The wonders of connections! Not too long ago one of the alumni started a group for Christ For The Nations Bible College at facebook. At last count there were over 70 "faces" involved with the group and it grows almost every day. If you are an alumni or current student and have not received an invitation to join the group it may be because we don't have your e-mail.
Go on over to Facebook and give it a try. You never know who you may reconnect with.

The long seperation is over

Staging in Seattle
The return of the Mission team has taken place and there are smiles all around. They arrived on time, if even a tad early from Houston where they had to change planes. The spouses were there to welcome back their better halves and it was joyous.

To hear the stories makes it even more pronounced that I did not go. I could understand them but boy did I feel left out. We will always wonder at the leading of the Lord that caused us to plan it this way for this year. As it turned out, it was the best solution. Many of you don't know but as soon as the team left I was diagnosed with shingles, a viral infection related to chicken pox. it has been three weeks and it is just about over. Bed rest, high end anti-viral medication and I was still in moderate to high discomfort. The doctor laughed when I told him that my wife was in Belize. He said had I been there with this, I could have suffered nerve damage and been in this type of pain for the rest of my life.
Now I don't want to start a debate about the healing nature of God, or His timing or sovereignty but me staying home seemed fortuitous.

I will be asking Sue to write up a mission trip report to post. With pictures, of which there are over 2000 to choose from. We looked at most of them over the last of couple of days.
On the field in Unitedville


Bless you all,
Shalom

Three more days

The Belize outreach team continues to shine! The latest reports indicate long term invitations for the team to remain or to return. That is always a good sign. It means the team have made themselves useful beyond the prescribed ministry. Of course none of them are planning to remain, that I know of. The "return" part is still up in the air.
To show the quality of the team, they voted to cut their sightseeing and R & R days at the end of the trip from two days to one day. The amount saved will pay for a student to attend high school for one year.

The Guatemala portion of the trip was very rewarding. The team ministered in the "back bush" among the Mayan people and enjoyed the challenge of three way interpretation. The picture count is now over 2000 so it will be fun harvesting the best for release here and on the Christ For The Nations Bible College facebook group.

We pick up the team on Thursday and I for one am ready. 17 days of my own cookin' is enough. Not that it is bad but it is lonely eating by myself.

Interesting development in the news

The same sex debate raging in the Anglican church took a decided turn recently.
Follow the link here to read it for your self.

Fighting the heat

No not here in BC but in Belize where the members of the 07 outreach team are working. They are building, painting, roofing and the heat is taking it's tole. The reports continue to be good. All the team is healthy but tired from the heat. Saturday will be a rest day for them but rest days means idle time which can bring on home sickness. Pray for them as they near the half way point.
They are headed to Gautama la next week to work with a group called Jungle Medics. They will be assisting Brian as he brings a mobile medical clinic t remote villages. The team will do screening, clean and dress minor wounds and help keep the many children who come entertained. Scenes like these are what they can expect. Taken from the 03 trip.