In the Lay of Things

  One afternoon distributing food to children  in a   Maasai community      I recently finished a book during one of our camping trips called "The Burden is Light," by Jon Tyson. This book is about living a full life - a life of purpose, connection and impact. A life that you can look back on with pride when your final days are drawing close. Tyson presents an intriguing idea: each gravestone has two dates - the first being the day we enter the world, the second being the day we leave it behind. But the most significant part isn't those particular days engraved into the stone, but the dash that lies between. That small dash represents our entire life. Now the greatest question of all arises: How do we fill this dash in a way that leads to a great life? To be truly satisfied with our one and only chance while our heart still beats? As a pastor, Tyson has witnessed many lives unfold before him. He has seen people striving to achieve great things and othe...

It’s been a while since I've had the chance to actually sit down and write - life feels like it's been moving so fast, catching up with me. Right now, my team and I are currently staying at a base beneath Mount Kilimanjaro, however every few days, we pack up and head out to camp in the middle of Maasai land. My heart feels drawn to the Maasai people, especially the children. We had the pleasure of ministering to school kids, and in just a few hours, I found myself completely in awe of their sweet hearts. One of the primary school teachers shared with me that most of these children walk around twelve kilometres every day just to get to and from school. For those of you who don’t know, that journey would take around three hours at a walking pace - every single day, under the blistering heat of the African sun. To think I used to complain about a 40-minute bus ride in middle school, you can probably imagine how quickly I was humbled. After a long, difficult walk, these children a...

    Engikaret Arusha, Tanzania     This past week has been incredibly challenging - but in all the best ways. As I reflect on the way the Lord is moving in the village of Engikaret, I feel an overwhelming sense of joy. My team had the privilege of serving in this community, focusing on meeting the needs of the people in the Maasai tribe. Tanzania is home to many tribes, with the Maasai being one of the most well-known. These people are gentle and kind, often first to give the shirt off their back. However, their lifestyle is largely nomadic and traditional, which leaves them significantly behind the rest of the population. In this tribe, it's normal for men to have multiple wives, often marrying young girls in their teens. It is also forbidden for children to attend school, as education is seen as a threat - something that could "take away their wives." The Maasai men view education as a risk; if the women decides to pursue further schooling, it would mean ...

     It's hard to believe it has already been a week since arrival - my eyes have taken in so much. My team and I have been staying at YWAM bases in Arusha and Singida, and one thing that has deeply impacted me is the extraordinary hospitality of the people we have encountered at each base. How is it that we came here with the intention to serve, but we end up being served in return? The majority of the workers here at the Singida base, for example, receive no financial support for themselves or their families - their position is entirely unpaid. Yet, they still serve with such joy. They simply rely on their faith to provide their needs, and somehow, every single time those needs are met. Whether it is preparing meals for us and waiting to eat until we've finished, driving long distances into town for water runs, or just pouring out their hearts into translating for us, they always give their all. The way the Tanzanian people serve is so significantly different than ...

     It's truly hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that I am currently writing from a YWAM base in the city of Arusha, located in Tanzania, Africa. My team and I officially departed from Kona, Hawaii, just a few nights ago. Crazy,  isn't it? It feels like  I just sent in my application for YWAM yesterday, how has time flown by so quickly? The past three months have been a blur, as if time were a paper airplane slipping too quickly from my hands, leaving me chasing after it, trying to catch the tail. Can I rewind please? Can we do it all again, just a little slower this time? It's bittersweet, closing one chapter while stepping into the next. As I prepare for this transition, I want to take a moment to reflect and share a few thoughts before I dive into this next adventure. One final sunset in Kona, Hawaii A much needed team nap in the Instabul, Turkey airport     The past couple of m orni ngs have been full of hea...