Category: Life

Posted in Life, Ministry

Kenya (July 15 in Kisii)

Posted on by William Douthwaite

We were up a little earlier this morning and actually on the road by 7:40. After we unloaded and set everything up for the clinic at the church, the Bishop led us is a brief devotion, and we began to see patients. Each person who came signed in, then waited for triage (vitals), saw a provider and then usually stopped by the pharmacy.

I wandered from place to place, left an eye on everyone, ran a few errands and did a little teaching in the main waiting room. I spoke about the devotion I had done the night before. Pastor Joel interpreted for me. The people loved it, and then I gave them a chance to ask me questions about myself and my family and America. It really was the highlight of my day.

We didn’t shut down the clinic until after 5, and had to send quite a few home. I think we saw about 130 patients. Dr. Jon got to see a young boy who may have had polio, one with cerebral palsy and another with meningitis. The hit of the day was the 100 year old woman who amazed and inspired everyone.

We are praying hard for Kimberly, who stuck her finger with a needle after a woman requested an HIV test. It probably nothing, but we need to take precautions anyway. She’ll get tested and may begin some meds.

Rev. Shauen Trump, the executive director for LCMS in Kenya and Tanzania was with us tonight for supper. It was good to meet and be encouraged by him.

We are still learning our lesson that relationships always trump tasks in this culture. Time isn’t an asset like it is in America. But the bonds I build with others always is.

Posted in Life, Ministry

Kenya (July 14 in Kisii)

Posted on by William Douthwaite

It was a leisurely Sunday morning after a good night's sleep. Breakfast was scrambled eggs, sausage, fruit and some bread. Instant coffee is often made with hot milk rather than hot water, so I tried some. Not too bad.

Botoro Lutheran Church was only a 15 minute drive. We were warmly welcomed by the Bishop elect who was in town, and I got a quick summary of my part in the service. I was handed a Swahili hymnal and could actually find a few parts of the liturgy I recognized. Several churches sent choirs who all sang great pieces for the service. I had been invited to preach, and it was my first time with an interpreter (the bishop). I think I did OK, and afterwards, the bishop said people wished I had gone longer. (With interpretation, I went 45 minutes). They are used to longer worship services here.

After worship, they fed us lunch and we scoped out the buildings we would use for the clinic which begins tomorrow. We are learning to be flexible as the local volunteers have a plan for seeing people, and we are here to work alongside them.

After we came back to the hotel we had time for a quick nap, then starts going through medications to get ready for tomorrow. By the time 9 pm rolls around, everyone is pretty tired. They are all good workers and seem to get along well.

We start early tomorrow, and are expecting a pretty big turnout.

 

Posted in Life, Ministry

Kenya (July 13: traveling to Kisii)

Posted on by William Douthwaite

After a fair night's sleep, we had a pretty good breakfast at the mission center and headed down the road to Kisii. Some of the road was nicely paved. Other parts were mostly potholes. But we made it in about six hours other a stop for lunch.

Along the way we saw lots of cattle and sheep, gazelle, monkeys and baboons. Most were just siting there looking curiously at us as we stared at them and tried to take a few pictures.

 

Every few miles we came upon a town or village, and it struck me how similar each seemed to those in Haiti. When I asked Jacob it, he told me that Haiti is much more African than other Caribbean nations. One big difference is that Kenya grows a lot of its own food and has a much strong economy. But the roadside stands, brightly colored signs and interestingly constructed buildings in Kenya reminded me a lot of Haiti.

Supper tonight was some really tough-to-chew chicken, rice, French fries and veggies at the Bluu Nile Hotel where we'll be staying. We're all still a little tired, but looking forward to church tomorrow and then getting to work.

 

Posted in Life, Ministry

Reflecting on an installation

Posted on by William Douthwaite

 

My son Adam was installed at his first church last Sunday afternoon. My wife, in-laws, youngest daughter and I travelled to Dallas to attend that service that would mark the beginning of his pastoral ministry. We were joined by a friend I went to elementary school with who lived nearby, a teacher who Adam had in middle school, and a number off pastors from his circuit.

Your first call, your first congregation, your first words of institution, your first absolution – lots of powerful firsts on the horizon for this young pastor. He is blessed to be the associate of a dynamic, energetic and faithful senior pastor who is very grateful for the help, gifts and ministry my son will bring. I remember how excited, motivated and terrified it was to be at that point. Terrified? Yes, for I was a sole pastor at my first church, and I didn't want to mess up.

I am so very thankful to have been there for his birth and baptism, and then did his confirmation, wedding and ordination. So many blessed moments along the way!

 

Posted in Life, Ministry

Youth Gathering (Days 4 and 5)

Posted on by William Douthwaite

 

Day four (Thursday) began with a worship service for everyone in the Alamodome. Worshiping with 25,000, hearing a great message from President Harrison, and a blend of music led by a talented choir, orchestra and band make it one of my favorite parts of the week.

Afterwards, we decided we had better eat early in the day, since the Riverwalk and dome areas were going to be very crowded later. We went to Dick's Last Resort on the Riverwalk, where the waiters are rude and the food is very good.

We didn't get back to the convention center in time for an interest center, so we revisited the exhibition hall and did a few craft things (headband and a backpack buddy.

We headed over to the dome early and listened to a Christian Mariachi band playing outside. Inside, the evening mass event included the amazing story of a young lady who was heard after spending six years in the hospital with a neuro disease contracted from a mosquito bite. Our guys in masks got on the big screen again, mugging a Community Life Builder.

After the evening event, we watched some fantastic fireworks outside the dome. We didn't get home til 11 pm, but everyone was hungry. Pizza? Sure, why not? Well, the delivery wait time was 2 hours, so I went to pick it up. Got done eating and asleep by 1:30.

Friday morning was pack, a final mass event, and head out for home. Liv and I were dropped off at a car rental place, so we could drive to Dallas for my son's installation. The rest of the group, who barely fit in the van, started east, spending the big in Lafayette, LA.

Overall, a great gathering. It took our group several days to solidify, and then it was almost over. We'll have to work more on that. San Antonio is a great city, but didn't seem quite big enough for an event of this proportion. Many of our group underestimated the amount of energy needed to last all week and do all the events. They were dragging!

 

 

Posted in Life, Ministry

Youth Gathering (Day 3)

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Our first activity for the day was an excursion to the Alamo. Just a short walk from the convention center, crowds were small in the morning for this famous Texas shrine. I hadn't realized it was considered a shrine until the men were asks to remove their hats upon entering. I also hadn't remembered the historical and societal significance of the battle and loss of life there. A very simple place, it contains familiar names, preserved artifacts and draws you into a great story of courage and commitment.

From there we walked some of the Riverwalk and decided on Fuddruckers for lunch. We just beat most of the noon crowd, and then headed back to the convention center. We spent about an hour browsing the exhibits, getting some cool free stuff, and then attempts to go to an interest center. I say attempted because they all filled up long before we arrived, up to 30 minutes early. It seems like the venues aren't quite big enough to handle the crowds. Liv and I just slipped into a session called, “Is there Jesus after high school?” It was well done, but I don't think most of the youth there really grasped how much life changes after you graduate.

Afterwards, Josh and Hayden bought some masks that wrestlers would wear, giving our group a distinctive look for the rest of the day.

 

Determined to get to the Alamodome a little earlier, we then bought some Subway to take with us, and then walked down to eat our supper there. We got to the dome about 6:00 pm, and found that thousands of people had a

 

Ready camped out at the doors which didn't open until 7:30. I gave the youth a couple of photo scavenger hunts to work on, and we just relaxed a little.

The evening event included some dramatizations of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. President Matt Harrison played a little banjo, and Evan's pic of his head stuck in a cannon made the big screen.

We stayed after the big event to hear the Skit Guys, which is always enjoyable, and the headed back to the hotel.

 

Posted in Life, Ministry

Youth Gathering (Day 2)

Posted on by William Douthwaite

 

Day two began with bible study after breakfast, followed by the successful quest to get our shuttle wristbands which hadn't been included in our registration packet. Mission accomplished.

The first interest center we attended was called, “Questions you can't ask your Mama.” The audience tweeted their questions, and the speaker deftly handled discussions mostly about sexuality. We heard him speak at the last gathering in New Orleans. He was humorous and very good, coming from the perspective that your current behavior has consequences, and God has something a lot better for you.

The second interest center was “321 Improv,” three guys doing a variety of improv comedy. They were excellent, and did tack on a short testimony at the end of their time, but I'm not really sure howmtheynfit into the whole gathering.

The sessions we attended were packed (meaning several thousand people.) We learned to leave a lot more time to do just about anything.

Mark and I then left the group with Rosemary to return his rental car.

When we returned, Olivia and I went and heard a few missionaries who had been in South Africa speak. Some were career, some were short term.

 

We headed out to a pizza place for supper, enduring an hour wait for our food. Of course around here, every restaurant is like that. On the way we ran into my brother-in-law Jeff with his group from Indiana. In the restaurant I saw Pastor Ingo Dutzman from First Lutheran Church in Boston, whom I knew from my years in New England.

We got to the dome about 8 for the evening mass event which focused on how we are so easily distracted from Jesus, which always leads to wondering if we're loved. We are always loved by him, and need that reminder often.

On the way to our shuttle, a voice cries out, Are you Adam's dad?” I have no idea who she was, but she said we had met before. Our youth are amazed when I run into folks know, but that's one of the blessings of being in the church for a while.

 

 

Posted in Life, Ministry

Youth Gathering (day 1)

Posted on by William Douthwaite

 

The drive from Mobile to San Antonio is very, very long. We left a little later than we wanted to, but made it with no problems other than a little group motion sickness. As soon as you hit the TX line, speed limit goes up to 75 and it is off to the races. A Corvette passed me doing at least 100.

In his quest for the world's best hamburger, Josh was not impressed by Whattaburger. His research continues.

Our hotel (LaQuinta) is pretty nice and I slept much better on a bed last night. I'm rooming with the Ore twins. No major bruhahas. Yet. Refreshing glimpses of maturity.

Best sighting of the day: a terrified Hispanic man driving a very small car 45 mph merging onto I-10 just outside of San Antonio.

We ate supper around midnight at a 24-hour Mexican restaurant, which was excellent and even had some Mariachi singers.

 

Posted in Life

Youth Gathering (on the road)

Posted on by William Douthwaite

After a quick circle prayer, we nine youth and two adults loaded up ourselves and our stuff into our white 15-passenger van, and headed out…first to get money one person forgot, and then a forgotten phone. Then we got on the road.

Not a very exciting day, apart from a few heavy showers. We made it all the way to Tallahassee before our first stop. Very impressive.

We had plenty of snacks. Josh didn't stop eating from the time we left until we reached Lake City, about two hours down the road.

 

At our second stop, we observed an angry Asian man outside the Waffle House, not enjoying his cigarette at all.

We gained an hour, pulled into Holy Cross Lutheran Church where my friend Pastor Russ Gipson let us spend the night at his church. A quick supper at Panera and Subway, and then a little time to relax.