Appleseed Travel Journal

— Church Planting on the Personal Side

An international conference where church planters can connect and learn and exchange with each other is not always about tools, stories from the field and prayer.

Sometimes those out in the field are extremely isolated, alone and fighting it out in remote regions of the world completely by themselves or with just their mate and children. It’s not easy living in another culture, far from home and support, friends and family. Yet, their passion to share the gospel, to love people, to give their lives for what they believe in more than anything else is worth it and they will choose it over and over again. One young mom with tears in her eyes told me, “I am so sad to leave, but when we move (in March) to (name of nation protected), I am praying that God puts unbelievers over me, under me, all around me in our new home. I love those people so much and I want to be with them.”

So, what does an American mom who is living in a volatile Asian nation with an 18 month old need or want when she travels half way around the world to be at this conference? What does a Brazilian mom of three teenagers who lives in a remote village in Africa want? What about a mom of adult children who have estranged themselves from her need or care about receiving in a week-long conference? Connection. Relationship. Someone to listen. Someone to care. “Yes, I am out working and serving Jesus and I’m very focused on the Great Commission; it’s my life, my passion. But, day to day, my heart is breaking…over my kids, over my relationship with my husband, over our apartment that has water leaks and mold, over betrayals of friendships.”

Real people living their real lives, choosing the values and roads “less traveled.” Why?
Because He first loved them…
Because He said, “Go into all the world and make disciples…”
Because “God so loved the world…”
Because … “if not them, then who???”

— Don't Ask for Antacid When You Fly

Yamir, who has an amazing ministry among refugees in Sudan (pictured below), loved the church planting conference in Malta! But read on to hear about his onboard heartburn trial.

First his comment about the conference:

“Last week I received one of the best trainings in church planting and church multiplication that ever exists for people like me. I thank God that he had awarded me a full scholarship to attend that special training and be encouraged by many… leaders and seasoned coaches and church planters.”

We are praying for Yamir and his work among the displaced!

But he had quite the experience on the plane to Malta while suffering from heartburn:

I had my own small, personal growth experience. While I was in the Persian Gulf trying to catch the plane to Malta, I was having heart burn. While it was not severe, it was enough for me to ask the flight attendant for antacid. She said, we have got antacid but let me talk to the captain about it. To make the long story short, the captain decided to make me leave the plane and see the airport clinic doctor. He was fearful that I was having a serious medical condition. He said he needed to get a letter from the doctor stating that I am fit to travel! Well, the doctor wrote the medical report without even checking or touching me. He wrote that I am fit to travel. However, by that time the flight had left without me! So I had to wait 24 hours for the next flight to Malta. My advice: don’t ask for antacid while waiting to take off. When I boarded the next flight, this time I waited until the plane took off and then I asked the flight attendant for antacid, just wanting to see how they will react. I wanted to see if they will land. Of course they did not land. They gave me the antacid without me showing them any letter from any doctor. I am glad I can laugh about it now.

And we are glad that Yamir did make it and to hear of the impact he is having on his people in Sudan.

refugees in Sudan

— News from Madagascar…

Francis, one the of church planters that we worked with in Madagascar a few years ago, was at the conference and shared his vision:

“To see 700 simple/house churches in 7 strategic locations in the next 7 years…

“The northeast part of Madagascar is counted among the least reached places on the world’s third largest island. Due to severe isolation (very damaged roads or no roads at all – 3 days journey for only 150 km), the population is cut off from many things and very few outsiders go there.”

Traveling from the northernmost city of Madagascar first by bus, then walking for three days into the depths of the jungles of Madagascar, even using canoes at times to maneuver the rivers, Jesus-followers passionate to be the Pauls of our day go forth. There are three people groups making up a population of 900,000 living in this region. When they finally come across a cluster of homes, curious villagers sit on logs to greet and listen to their visitors’ stories…stories of a God who loves them and knows them by name. They hear for the first time about the God above all other gods who needs no appeasing to make them happy or to accept and approve of them…the God who created the heavens and the earth, and even holds eternal life for them. Before long they come to accept and want to worship this God. The disciple-makers of Jesus do not inflict their culture on these people. Instead, as the new believers want to worship Him, they respect their ways of acknowledging the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Drums are for placating demons and practicing witchcraft, they say, so no, they dance and sing a new song for the God who does not need or want these kinds of demonstrations. They know He is more powerful than all the things they have worshiped and cowed down to before. These are simple people, simply worshiping a simply Wonderful Loving God.

— Firing Up the T Blog

We have been slow at getting the travel blog started because we had to hit the ground running in Malta. We will do our best to catch you up over the next couple of weeks.

Because we co-hosted this conference for church planters, we had much to coordinate the moment we arrived:

  • 25 people arriving from 15 different countries by air
  • Transportation from the airport to the conference grounds
  • Getting the leaders oriented and introduced to one another
  • Setting up the conference rooms, schedule, and program, etc., etc.

And THEN we headed into five full days of facilitating sessions of sharing, teaching, hearing stories from the field, personal coaching, and much more.

BUT, it has been an AWESOME time with these church planters who are working in areas as far away as remote islands in Mozambique, to Palestine, to Thailand, to Bangladesh, to Pakistan, etc.

Stay tuned for stories that we will share though pictures are scarce due to security issues for the participants.

As a side note, the history of this island is amazing. For starters, consider that Paul was shipwrecked and imprisoned here which was the start of 2,000 years of church growth here. Also, the island’s coastline is stunning. I captured a sunset where we were dining bbq-style and worshiping together one evening.

Malta's churches are still filled with worshipers on Sunday morning unlike most of Europe.
church

Sunset in Malta:

— Last Day in China

Sunday morning in China…and wanting to squeeze out every last moment to soak in the people, the culture, and the beauty of Shanghai…

We had hurriedly passed through People’s Park a week ago and I just had to go back. All throughout the park, we had seen men and women in small groups, clustered together in designated (by the people themselves) sections of the park. It was very obvious that those who wanted to play mahjong gathered in one area; others wanting to play cards in another; dancers in another; and then anywhere and everywhere seemed just the right spot to practice qigong…movements or even exercises that are done to aid in both their spiritual and physical health.


People’s Park


This huge park is right in the center of downtown Shanghai. So much beauty in the midst of the many skyscrapers in this vibrant, beautiful city.

Although Saturdays and Sundays are reserved specifically for matchmaking, public parks seem to be a place for either an escape or a meeting place out of the many and massive apartment buildings throughout the city. Early each morning you can find clusters of two’s and three’s or even an entire class exercising together, practicing Tai Chi and other types of martial arts, some even gracefully using swords as an extension to their movements.


Huge, tall apartment buildings are found everywhere throughout the city, a sharp contrast with the old and the new.

We watched elderly folks practicing an interesting health discipline of beating their bodies against trees. Interspersed throughout the wooded pathways we would see men or women who were leaning and bouncing their backs against a tree or sometimes even standing freely, swinging their arms back and forth across their bodies. I’m told this is a great stand-in for a massage and is great for relieving aches and pains. However, there is a strong admonition to NOT hurt the trees. Seriously! Some of the trees have literally been beaten to death, and China is very intentional about beautifying and reducing pollution in their cities by planting trees. Traveling even just a short way outside of Shanghai, it’s easy to see massive tree farms to supply the city with its 100 trees to be planted each day policy. Definitely, going to a park in China is not just a playground with a few swings. Instead, it’s literally a forest within the city! Absolutely beautiful and peaceful providing just the right place for whatever activity you’ve chosen.

And, of course, what would a park be without a children’s area? This one even included an ingenuous giant sandbox where kids could master large construction machinery…after a merry-go-round ride, of course!


Trees and trees everywhere and check out the top right directional sign. And, yes, we did go there!


Gardens and beauty are integral to life in China. To qualify as a garden (or park), however, it must have three elements: water, architecture, and rock.


Masses of people not only play mahjong, but also observe. It is so quiet, no one speaks, on-lookers or players. It’s very solemn, serious and lots of heavy duty smoking as players make their next moves.


This group is playing cards and even with observers, it is absolutely quiet as there are high stakes as part of their game.


This gentleman moved from the tree behind him where he had been slapping the tree with his hands, then striking it with his whole body. Now he is swinging his arms around his body, again slapping his body. He’s smiling, so I think it must feel pretty good!


An elderly woman who was doing the same, leaning against a tree while bouncing her body against it.


This young man was amazing to watch. His skill was incredible, his concentration and focus, his balance and control. His master was close by every once in awhile coming close to stop him and give instruction on a move just made and to begin again.


This was some kind of beautiful dancing. I’ve no idea what it is called, but the lady on my right invited me to join in. The ladies in black are the experienced ones while others were like me just trying to follow the teacher. Both the dance and the music were beautiful, smooth, restful, but very intentional.

But, the most interesting of all the happenings today: Matchmaker’s Corner!!! This is the most serious business for parents and grandparents looking for the perfect mate for their children. A carefully written out description of their son or daughter including their height, weight, age, education, salary and position of the eligible mate is carefully placed on an umbrella. Interestingly rarely, if ever, are photos included. Literally hundreds of parents come each weekend to post their child’s stats while others peruse the prospects trying to find the exact right match. With the one child policy this is even more important to family and lineage. While eligible children may not approve of this practice today, it doesn’t stop the fierce and hopeful pursuit of the parents for the perfect mate for their child.


Roger quickly surmised that while matchmaking may be the required activity of the day, many of the husbands left their stations to the keen oversight of their wives in order to hang out with the guys to discuss some of the other important topics of the day.

As you can see, China is pretty amazing and we are definitely on the front end of the learning curve. Takeaways from our very short stint there so far are:

  1. There are TONS of people in China! One/sixth of the world’s population!!! That’s a lot of people!
  2. Beauty is everywhere…in the architecture, the countryside, the gardens, the parks, and especially in the people.
  3. People are stressed and driven by a very perfectionistic society. The standard to “do well” is very high.
  4. Consuming things is important.
  5. Status is important.
  6. They search for and want peace from all of this pressure.
  7. Young people are open to the Gospel, looking for that peace.
  8. They have a LONG, LONG history!!!
  9. They keep secrets from each other and from the government.
  10. Eating healthy is part of their heritage.
  11. There’s nothing that is not edible.
  12. Anything and everything can be copied and done even better.
  13. I thought the U.S. was the center of the universe; turns out maybe it’s China. smiley
  14. We all want more than we have…for ourselves and for our kids.
  15. Most importantly, people really are the same everywhere: we laugh, we cry, we suffer; we all want to experience and know contentment and peace and hope.

Thanks for joining us in this awesome place. Hopefully, we’ll get to see and learn more about China in the days ahead.

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