Six : Nine & Ten

Unpacked!

2011-06-29T16:47:00.000-05:00

My intentions were to be able to blog daily about our trip, however, as it has been with all my trips to Africa and Asia, internet is severely limited.

So I apologize,there is too much to try and pack into 2-3 blogs, so I summarize. These trips are so full of action, reaction, emotion, thought, awe, inspiration, etc. Usually the trips blur by and there is little time to sit down and unpack most of it, prior to coming home. The trip home is usually not a good time for reflection, as I am usually spent. This trip is a bit different, as we sent the team off to the airport on Saturday to return to Texas, but our family and the McKowns headed down to the Masai Mara game park to “holiday” as the British world says. We spent 2 nights at a beautiful lodge called Mara Simba which was on the banks of a river, where we could eat our meals and watch hippos and crocs frolic in the river. The place was amazing and serene, as we drove across the savannah and saw some of the Creators amazing work. The landscape and animals were very beautiful, being 10 feet from an elephant and a cheetah is cool. Our stay there also included some family time and some down time; where I was able to start unpacking the journey and what impact it has had on me and my family. More on that to come.

After our safari, we went back to Naomi's Village and took the McKowns to the IDP camp to meet with Joseph and see his new “house” and his old “house.” His old house was a UN white tent that was about 10x15x8 and he had lived in it since 2008.

His new house which was completed last month by Habitat for Humanity is a block and concrete house with a metal roof and has 3 rooms. All in all it is approx 400 SF and he calls it his mansion! Joseph is so proud of his house and the extra rooms, and we were so happy for him, because it represents dignity and hope. The families at the IDP camp are slowly getting real shelter, safe from the elements and dirt floors, which were prone to flooding and bugs. They now have some privacy, raised concrete floors, walls that will not sway in the strong winds, and locking doors and windows for a since of security. It is humbling to realize all that we take for granted. I have said it before and so have others, but to see what it is to have almost nothing; to wake everyday and have to fight for what little you can call your own, and to try to scrape up enough to feed and cloth your children is a feeling that I can not identify with. As a husband and father, it overwhelms me to think what the fathers and mothers must feel as this is their reality, and they have it relatively good compared to others in Africa and the world. I am overwhelmed by a mixture of gratitude, guilt, compassion, and sympathy; its so hard to know what to say, coming from me it sounds trite and hollow. Paul says in Philippians 4:12-13 “I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things though Him who strengthens me”
Most of us, including myself have always had more than we needed. So what is the proper response?, and how should I react?, what would I do in their situation? Would I call it a blessing as Joseph does? He describes losing everything, but finding everything in Christ as a result. I know God does not call all of us to this, but He does command us to be willing to give all up for Him. It is easy to say I/you would, but it has never been asked of me, so its all speculation and hope. Paul states we can do all things through Him (Christ) who strengthens us, that is the only way. We must seek Christ and pray that we would yearn for him, “As a deer pants for water.”
All together, this is one of my top 2 favorite trips ever, putting it together and getting to Kenya was stressful, but the team was amazing. The kids were inspiring and brought out the best in us. The medical team helped to heal people physically and spiritually. Kenya is a special place, it is a place of great beauty, but also much tragedy. The statistics ready:700 kids a day orphaned, 5000 babies a year abandoned, many more than that neglected and abused. I am hopeful and inspired buy what is going on at Naomi's Village and am humble to be part of it. Asante Sana

Naomi'sVillage

2011-06-23T15:17:00.002-05:00

Finally we have internet here in Kenya! The team had a long arduous journey to get here. We left Friday night out of DFW, but our plane was delayed 2 hours, which in turn caused us to miss our flight in London. Not the worst thing in the world, but it took about 7 hours in the airport to sort out our options. We ended up spending the night in London and heading out Sunday morning. Surprise our flight out of London was delayed almost 3 hours, which put us getting to be in Nairobi at around 2:00 am Monday morning! It was a crazy journey, but the team was awesome and rolled with the punches. It gave us time to gel as a team and get to know each other.

Monday morning we were picked up in Nairobi and drove out to Maai Mahu to Naomi’s Village. All the craziness of the journey was worth it. The home looks very different than when we were here last year. There is grass everywhere and it is now a home. We toured the facility, while the kids were in school. Around 3 the younger kids came out of school and we got to meet them. The rest of the day and night we played with the kids and had a blast. The medical team headed straight out to the IDP camp to begin working the medical clinic.

After a few hours the kids really warmed up to us and we began learning all their names. We ended the night eating with the kids followed by hanging around and talking as a team.

Day 2 was the start of the swing set. Several of us worked all of day 2 & 3 to get the smaller swing set completed. It was a challenge, all the wood was an actual tree about a week ago, so it was wet, heavy, and had to be milled to make the lumber here on site. The medical team had their first full day and had approx 300 patients. I was extremely proud of Emily and Kaleigh as they did the evening devotional story with the kids. They walked the kids through the story of Jonah. It was really cool, to see them pass on what they have learned.

Day 3 was amazing. The medical team again had a great day, at the end of the day they saved a baby who showed up malnourished and close to death. The baby was being fed with a bad bottle, the medical team had a proper bottle brought down and then showed the mother how to feed the baby properly. It always amazes me how much we take the little things for granted.

We also finally finished up the swing set, and hung the swings. The kids by now had figured out what we were building and they were so anxious. The look of joy and wonder that was on their faces as they began to swing was more than worth the effort. They were so happy, it was the first time some of them had ever been on a swing. It was moving to know that we were able to make a difference with a swing set!

Galatians 6:9-10

Rescued!

ALL IN GOOD TIME

2011-06-18T21:25:00.000-05:00

Well it was too easy, I kept telling myself as we got 19 people and 57 bags checked in at DFW in around 30 minutes. It was awesome smooth...but I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. Once we got through security and found a snack, we got to the gate only to find our plane was delayed 30 minutes. No big deal, well that turned into 2 hours and me standing at the ticket desk desperately trying to re-book 21 people because we were told we would miss our connection in London to Nairobi.

I have to commend British Airways, it hires the most patient and friendly people, I think Southwest employees are great, but BA might be my favorite.

They confirmed us on a Sunday morning flight (instead of our Sat flight) and put us on the plane and we headed for London, hoping that some way we could catch our original flight or get a couple of people on the 1 other flight to Nairobi on Sat from Heathrow. We landed just as our connection flight took of...30 minutes was all we would have needed!

So we trudged through the miles of hallways and escalators and the Amersons and I left the team (11:00) to head to the customer services to see what we could do and to confirm our re-booking. One hour and 3 minutes later we finally got to step up to the “lucky one” BA Customer Service Agent. Andriez, He was awesome and kind, but it took us another 2 hours to book 2 guys on a late night flight to Nairobi, and confirm the other 19 of us, issue vouchers for hotel and food. By that time it was 2:45 PM and the team had sat down for a late lunch. $350 and 75 minutes later we left for the hotel.

At this point many were at least hopeful to get into the city and see London, however after a 8 hour flight and 6 hours at the airport, only a few braved the chilly rain and hour trip into London, the rest grabbed a bite, a shower, and crashed. - Short lived; as tired as I am I find myself awake at 2:45 am on 6 hours sleep in 2 days blogging!

In a couple of hours we will head back to the airport, hopefully walk through security quickly and quietly, hope on a plane and head to Kenya. In retrospect, it was a long, long day and at time frustrating, but He is so good and it could have been so much worse. London is not a bad place to be stuck and in the long run, it is merely a small bump on the the journey.

Please pray for the rest of our journey and for health. A few are feeling a little under the weather and all are tired.

Rescued!

24 hours

2011-06-16T22:19:00.001-05:00

24 hours from now, 22 of us from Texas and Alabama will be on our way to Maai Mahui, Kenya to serve Naomi's Village and the kids who live there. We are going on behalf of Lost Orphans international, who works with NV and other child advocacy and rescue organizations around the world.
Naomi's Village opened up for kids in January of this year and currently has 21 children.

Our team is going to construct a wooden swing set and play ground we are also hosting a 4 day medical clinic for the children, workers, and people of the surrounding area.

It is going to be an amazing time serving our Creator and living out James 1:27 in the Great Rift Valley of Africa.

Please pray for our team

Mike, Jennifer, Emily, Paige
Bill, Chrissi, Cole, Kaleigh
Ryan and Elizabeth
Misty
Emily L
Joy
Noelle
Vickie
Gary and Debra
Steve and Alex
Jim
Emily M
Elizabeth S

Hopefully we will have good Internet access and be able to post pics and blogs

Galatians 6:9-10

Rescued!

Mike

This is the week

2011-06-13T08:55:00.001-05:00

We leave Friday for Kenya and Naomi's Village. We are taking a team of 22 to support NV, live on the 21 kids they are caring for, build them a swing set and fort, and host a medical clinic at the 2 IDP camps. Pray for us as we get ready to go. I will be updating the blog on our trip.

James 1:27
Michael Henry

Africa!

2010-06-24T19:15:00.002-05:00

At this time 3 weeks from today we will be soaring high over the Atlantic on our way to London for a 28 hour lay over...followed by a flight to Nairobi, Kenya. All four of us, myself, Jennifer, Emily and Paige are all going and leading a team of 11 others as we go to visit Naomi's Village.

Naomi's Village is a children's home that the Mendonsa family along with our organization Lost Orphans International is building outside Kijabe, Kenya.

When God laid this trip on our hearts 7 months ago, we were excited, but very unsure of if we were walking down the right path, but as is His way, we knew that if we followed His prompting all would come together. Making the decision to take our 8 and 7 year old girls was a major decision, one that we have and still struggle with at times; but ultimately we know they are meant to go. I can not wait to see how God reveals Himself to them and the experiences that will last a lifetime with them. I know God will use this trip and a corner stone in their lives that He will build upon and use to mold them. They will (as will we) get to see the "reality" of this world and to see what it means when Jesus said to love your neighbor.

I will be posting more as we get closer and while we are on the trip, you can also follow the official Lost Orphans International Blog at www.lostorphans.com Go ahead and check out the blog from the recent trip to Vietnam.

He Makes All Things New

2009-12-31T09:38:00.003-06:00

...And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be His people and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

He who was seated on the throne said, " I am making everything new!"... Rev 21:3-5

Happy New Year!

I pray your new year finds you as blessed as I feel I am right now, we spent the day (New Year's Eve) in 2 remote villages feeding approximately 220 families who are extremely poor, we visited the home of a family who collected cow dung and sold it as fertilizer, as their primary source of income. They invited us into their houses and into their lives, it was humbling and uncomfortable. But through ut all we say Him!
We have had some guests with us on this trip, one couple from HCM and their infant son. Ester and Tuan, have blessed us in the short time we have gotten to know them. Today she started the day off with her testimony, Wow. She decribed a life of bitterness, despair to the point of the entire familiy attempting suicide, oppression, and pain. But as He promises, one day she found Jesus, and her whole family soon followed. The result is what I belive is the same result we have, though we take it for granted.....HOPE. See Jesus makes "All things new" He delivered Ester and her family from despair and gave them a forever! Their current lives show no resemblance to their past, I am not sure I have met a more joyful, loving, caring, warm person in my life. The radiance of Christ is overwhelming in her life and it is contagious and convicting, because we have all been offered the same salvation from our dispair and depravity, yet even those of us who accept the salvation, do not fully understand our depravity enough to accept the full glory of Chirst in our lives. Every where we went and with everyone she could, she shared her salvation and offered His glory to others. It was a blessing to watch.

We finished the day by playing with the kids and then taking the older kids out to eat ice cream, again what a joy to be part of His love to these precious little ones. Many have been saved from death, while others have been rescued from horrible abuse and mistreatment, and now have a chance to find The Hope and cling to the promise that all things will be made new and there will be a day of no more tears.

Peace

Tale of Two Cities

2009-12-29T16:19:00.007-06:00

Today I traveled to Nha Trang, a beautiful city up on the coast, where the 2008 Miss Universe Pageant was held. it was a very nice tropical resort city, with many foreigners and European and American 4-5 star resorts. It is surrounded by mountains on on side and the beach on the other. It is a place were foreign wealth comes to play.

We were there to visit another community that had been started by some local families and are now being supported by some sisters and the local bishop. Originally there were 6 familes that felt the call to take the aborted babies and give them a burial. With that came the opportunity to minsiter to the mothers to be and they have ben able to save some of them.

Over the last year, the local authorities have applied pressure to this group to stop and as a result 5 of the families have stepped aside, leaving one couple in their 70s and the sisters to care for 15 orphans and 7 birth mothers. It was very humbling for us to be invited into this couples home, where they house multiple orphans and birthmothers, while also being the primary support for a community home down the road that they have established with the sisters.

While in their house they brought out picture albums, which much to my horror, I quickly realized contained photographs of their lifes work, which is taking aborted babies and giving them a Christian burial. They prepare the little bodies right there in the living room and make little boxes, then in a ceremony, held a couple times a year, they bury them up in the mountains.

Since 2005 they have bnuried over 18,000 of these preciouse gifts.

I have to say that this disturbed me, I have seen some propaganda from the US depicting abortion, but to see a picture of a baby that was aborted and looks to be near term was tough. But I rejoice in those that have been saved and the dedication this couple has made to do this work in the face of danger,ridicule, and personal sacrifice.

Peace

Good Morning Vietnam

2009-12-29T16:03:00.003-06:00

Woke up the first day in HCM to a beautiful day. Our hotel has a restraunt on the roof/12 th floor and you can sit on the balcony overlooking the city while you eat. Great way to start our trip. We had a great breakfast and a time of prayer and reflection.

We spent the day shopping at the market (canton on crack) and eating some incredible food (sorry ladies we eat well!) But at dinner was my favorite part. We had 11 others join us for dinner that were locals. It was great and very rewarding to watch everyone interact and meet. This group of locals were people that He has put in our circle over the last year and they all have incredible ministries here in HCM. We wanted to connect them and see where it lead. Immediately you could see some connecting of dots and some common goals and even friends were discovered. I know that these new relationships will strenghten the cause here and will help LOI as well.

In Him

Vietnam 2009 Winter Trip

2009-12-20T16:41:00.002-06:00

In a little under a week, the day after Christmas, 19 of us will be heading to Vietnam to serve with the organization Lost Orphans International. We will be working with the children's home LOI sponsors and serving over 500 families a months worth provisions and bibles. In addition many of us will be working to expand the organization with new opportunities and strengthen the community we are involved in.

I will be posting periodically an update about the trip. You can also follow us at www.lostorphans.org

We covet your prayers and encouragement and feel free to ask me how to get involved.

Merry Christmas

What to do?

2009-10-23T16:05:00.003-05:00

140 Million…What does that number represent? It represents a little less than half the population of the US, or 2 % of the world’s population, also about 7% of the kids under the age of 17 years old on the Earth today. Stunningly, 140 million also represents the approximate number of children in the world that have lost their mother or father, are parentless, or have been abandoned. Think about that for a minute…………… For every 100 children in the world, 7 of them are orphans. To make matters worse, 13 million of these kids have no one, they have lost both parents and have no family to speak of to take them in.

So the question is “What can you and I do about it?”
It is easy to become overwhelmed by these numbers and believe there is nothing you can do to make a difference.

HOWEVER

You can take action, and believe that together we can make a difference 1 child at a time. How, you ask?

Visit the LOI website- www.lostorphans.com.- There you can read about the crisis in Vietnam and see the Hope that is being provided to abandoned children and expectant mothers. This Hope is soon to be expanded into Kenya and other parts of the world. To be part of this Hope:a. Click on the Rescue a Child tabb. Click on the “Click Here to Donate” line towards the bottom of the pagec. Click on the Give Now buttond. Select Lost Orphans in the pull down menue. Select “ Support a Child” (if you want to support a specific child I can get you a code to enter, otherwise your money will help support all the children at LOI)**Your donation will cost you less than a cup of Starbucks (or Texas Roast) a day, but will make the difference in 1 child’s life!
You can “GO”….. a. What that means is that you can physically go. Our trip this December is full, but in 2010 we will have a summer trip to Vietnam, and we are planning some trips to Kenya to start our new partnership with Naomi’s Village. b. Or you can go financially with me. I am on the advisory board for LOI and will be traveling to Vietnam the day after Christmas to help expand the ministry in country. I will be working with the founders of LOI to try and gain favor with the local government, help set up better health care and water conditions for the community, as well as identifying future opportunities to serve the least and lost in Vietnam.
You can pray! Pray for the 140 million orphans, that their plight will not go unheeded in our world today. Pray for the team and their families as they prepare to go and serve. Pray for the ministry of LOI that we would be wise in the decisions that are made and to gain favor where ever we go to make what ever difference we can make! (with your help)

So I am asking that you consider this request. This time last year I was sitting in your shoes and being challenged by someone I respect to answer the call. This will be my second trip to Vietnam and I look forward to serving with 23 others as well seek to live James 1:27 “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you”

If you would like to donate, I would first ask that you consider sponsoring a child. Their plight is far greater than my need to raise funds for a trip.

If after that, you feel lead and want to help offset, part of the $3000 cost of this trip, please follow the same instructions above for sponsoring a child. But after step “d.”, select TEAM MEMBER DONATIONS and put my name in the comments section so the funds will be properly applied.

Another option is to send a check made payable to Lost Orphans International.

Lost Orphans International P.O. Box 1388 McKinney,TX 75070

Please put my name and “Winter Trip” in the memo line. I covet your prayers for the team, the ones we serve and the ones yet to be served.

In Him

Michael Henry Mshenry20@yahoo.com

What is it all about?

2009-08-05T12:17:00.003-05:00

Only thing I have to say is that I challenge each of us to read or listen to the following items, and pray that God would speak to you about what it all means and what your response should be.

1. http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/

2. go to http://hv.thevillagechurch.net/sermons and listen to the following(you can also print them off to read)

6.24.07
Buying the Field
Heart Matters (Part 5)
Matt Chandler

6.10.07
The Talents
Heart Matters (Part 4)
Matt Chandler

6.03.07
Treasures
Heart Matters (Part 3)
Matt Chandler

5.27.07
Some Answers
Heart Matters (Part 2)
Matt Chandler

5.20.07
The Question
Heart Matters (Part 1)
Matt Chandler

3. Read "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan and "A Hole in the Gospel" by Richard Stearns

4. Go, give, seek

In Him

Mike

Jennifer's Journey

2009-06-19T08:20:00.002-05:00

Last night Jennifer and 22 others started their journey to Veitnam, to work with the LOI community there. I am excited for them and the experiences they will have. Join me in praying for them daily.

"We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name." Daniel 9:18-19

JUNE. 18TH - Pray for a safe travel for the team, that each of us would remain healthy and energized. Pray for cohesiveness of our team, our focus unified, that our fatigue and travel would not hinder our spirit.

JUNE. 19TH -Pray for no opposition from the government of Vietnam. Intercede on behalf of Vietnam as a nation as Daniel did for the nation of Israel in Dan. 9:4-19

JUNE 20TH - Pray for our families left behind at home as we usher apart from each other( husbands taking care of the children without their mommy )

JUNE 21st - Pray that the Vietnamese would not see foreigners but ambassadors of Christ. Pray that God would prepare the hearts of those we come into contact with, allowing God's purpose be accomplished.Pray that Satan would not be allowed to distract us from our purpose there, that our own comfort would come from the Lord. Pray for our strength, that we would not grow weary and homesick.

JUNE 22ND - We have some ' literature ' to distribute. Pray that it would go into the right hands. Pray that each of us would be sensitive to the Spirit's leading, in all things!- Pray as God presents opportunities, we would be bold and courageous to share Christ, beyond just serving.- Pray for our joy in serving the the orphans, the sick and handicapped, the unlovely.Pray that God would make himself known to each of them.

JUNE 23RD - Pray for each of us by name.
1. JACK HARRISON ,
2. JOHN DAT NGUYEN
3. CHRISTINE THUY NGUYEN
4. TIMOTHY CYPERT ,
5. MONICA CYPERT ,
6. DEBRA AMERSON
7. GARY AMERSON
8. CELESTE GWYNN
9. LEE ANN FILLEBROWN
10. JENNIFER HENRY
11. NINA HAYES
12. MICHELLE MC NARY
13. VICKIE SMITH
14. PRISCILLA SWANSON
15. JESSICA TERRY
16. ALLISON TERRY
17. KATELYN TERRY
18. BRIDGETTE KING
19. CHRISTINA MC KOWN
20. JENNIFER WURSTER
21. LINDA CALVERT
22. MISTY BOUNDS
23. LORI WILKERSON

JUNE 24TH - Pray God for our freedom and pray for the troops overseas who protect that freedom.- Pray for our stamina. We must be tired.- Pray for our own spiritual growth in this experience, that each of us would be an encouragement to one another.- Pray our eyes be fixed on Jesus, that as we hope to minister to these destitute people, our own discomforts and ' issues ' would not matter.

JUNE 25TH - Pray that others would see our good deeds (action behind our faith) and that it would spark a desire for others to help.

JUNE 26TH - Pray that a system of adoption would be put into place so that the orphans there would have Christian homes and families. - Pray for Lost Orphans International Organization.

JUNE 27TH - Pray how we can further our involvement as a church.Pray for our safe return trip HOME!

2009-03-10T22:38:00.002-05:00

I am not sure why I am writing, other than I have to work some things out, and this seemed as good a place to do it as any. As you can read or have read in previous posts I, along with several close friends and my wife have gotten involved in helping Lost Orphans International. In the process we have also begun working in other ministries here in our area, we go down a couple times a month to a facility owned by Cornerstone Church (MLK & Grande Ave..aka South Dallas) where every Sunday 150-200 homeless find their way to the former liquor store, now used as a kitchen, to get a hot meal, a sack lunch, and the opportunity to hear a good word. But most important they have the opportunity to leave it all behind and make a new beginning. They are offered the chance to go out to a place in Kaufman county to live and work in a program designed to help them get their life back together.

Our involvement is to cook (100 dozen eggs, 40 lbs of bacon,toast, oatmeal, and assorted pastries and baked goods), but also to engage these people in conversation and offer to pray with them and just to listen to their "story."

Our "group" has also recently visited a nursing home on Valentine's day where our kids handed out Valentine treats to the men and women in the facility, we are scheduled to work at a community center in a couple of weeks that serves a large Hispanic and economically challenged neighborhood, here in Rockwall. Also we are scheduled to serve in a dinner worship service at a church in Oak Cliff that opens the doors to the homeless and mentally impaired people in that community. This organization offers a warm dinner and a place to worship every week.

Now I write this not to say look at us, but because I am struggling with the questions is this what I am supposed to be doing? Is this it? On the surface I get a great "feel good" from all this and I believe in the work that is being done, but in reality, it requires very little from me. Sure maybe a little courage and a Saturday night here and a little sleep there, but is that really a sacrifice?

I was introduced to a blog by my wife "The Journey" (you can find it in the section on the right side of this page in blogs I like). It is the blog of a 20 year old woman from Tennessee, who lives in Uganda with 15 kids (orphaned), the only way to describe her is to say she literally is "Jesus in skin" to that community. I challenge you to read her blog and see what I mean. I also have recently read about a couple of local high school kids who have done amazing things, in raising money to build water wells in 3rd world countries and serving the homeless of Dallas, and raising money for the Invisible Children of Uganda. Top that off with what we witnessed in Vietnam, where the sister who run the community there in LaGi are so selfless, that they beg for money, not for themselves, but to give away. And the family who basically left a cushy ministry job in a prominent church to start a ministry for the "crazies" on the streets.

In light of this and all the need, injustice, poverty, disease, hunger, the billions who live on less than$2 a day, the millions afflicted with HIV, the approx 140 million orphans world wide, and the millions who die each year having never heard the Gospel of Christ; are my deeds sufficient? Is my action or reaction to these challenges only enough to easy my conscience? Or should the fact that my Savior humbled Himself to give up His God form, to become flesh, and limit himself to humanistic traits; He gave all, including humility on a couple a pieces of wood, so that I could live the American Dream? No so that I can live eternity with my Creator. That should elicit a response from me that shows gratitude and an understanding that the effectiveness of our deeds in this world come from a focus on a promised one!

Final Thoughts & Thank You

2009-01-08T09:02:00.004-06:00

Wow, I can not believe that 18 weeks ago tomorrow, a group of us meet with Tim & Monica Cypert about Lost Orphans and a potential trip to Vietnam. I remember the fire in Tim's eyes as he shared the mission and the details of the emerging organization. I knew then that I was to go on the trip, but was too scared to admit it then. I remember Tim saying that if 4-5 people commit to go the trip would be on.

Funny that 17 weeks later when we finally reached the community, there were 20 of us. I am thankful that I am surrounded by a group of friends that help me see clearly. I have always said I am a better coach than player; I like to challenge people, but people like Bill, Aaron, Mike, and Brian are good at throwing it back at me. It was clear to several of us that we were being called to go, but all had doubts, that is until He, decided to squash them in a matter of hours.

I have learned so many things on this journey, many I still have not been able to digest, and others that I don't know what do with yet. But the one thing reinforced in my life is never put Him in a box. I am now challenged with what to do in my daily life to continue to live true faith. Going on the trip and being faithful is one thing, while there you have very little to distract you from the mission, but at home, well, we all have a million things to do. I think the next step for me has to be to care for the "least and lost" in my everyday life that I typically ignore and to work us unto Him so as to be a good steward with the many blessing I have.

Below is a note I wrote to a few people who supported us on the trip, however I realize that there are so many more that supported us in thoughts and prayer, some of whom I may not even know. so this is for you as well and thank you.

I just wanted to say thank you to all who have supported this trip. Your donations and prayers are very appreciated and went to a great cause. I invite you to check out my blog at http://sixnineten.blogspot.com to see evidence of the work God is doing in Vietnam through your support.

Over 400 families received food and money provisions; we were able to give every family at the food distributions a 22 lb bag of rice, 1 lb of sugar, 1 liter of fish sauce (protein), and a 5 Lb box of noodles. This along with the equivalent of $6 US will feed a family of 4 for 2-3 weeks. We also gave much needed clothes and shoes as well as balls and small toys. We also handed out over 400 Vietnamese Bibles.

All this was in addition to the supplies and love we shared with the kids at the Community in Vietnam. That community is the orphanage that the Lost Orphans organization supports. There are currently 49 children there and 1 expectant birth mother. There are also I believe 5 ladies who have recently had babies that are living and working there and will probably leave their babies there, because they have no way to care for them. The day we left another young lady stopped in who was expecting and agreed to give her baby over to the Sisters who run the community, this girl had the baby yesterday and they asked Tim Cypert to be the god father, sponsor the baby, and name the child. We had so much fun loving on these children and spending time with the them. We were able to provide them with some new clothes, shoes, took them for ice cream, and to the beach.

I was encouraged after seeing the community, these kids may or may not get adopted at some point, but regardless they will have the best care. They get a very nice home/facility to keep them safe, they get to eat 3 meals a day, they get to go to school (which is not free and many kids in families to do even get to do this), and the organization is working on a way to send them to college. The Sisters provide love, education, discipline, and teach the children about Christ's love. In many ways these kids have more opportunity than a large portion of the children living with families in Vietnam. Some of the older kids were left at the community as toddlers or young children and have heart wrenching stories. 4 of these children, the oldest are girls ages 5-7, they were the hardest to reach at first, but gradually came to trust us. These girls are beautiful and I am hopeful of a bright future for them. The rest of the group was either born into the community or left there as babies. It was awesome to watch the way God organized the team, with a diverse mix of people with different talents and passions. Everyone had a place that they naturally fit, so all aspects of the trip and the service were covered.

I again appreciate you willingness to be part of this, and know that I was blessed far beyond anything I could have imagined. I know that we don't have to travel literally to the other side of the world to see what I saw, but there is something to serving the least and the lost outside of our comfort zone. It challenges in ways you can not anticipate and removes barriers and strips you bare. I hope you all have been blessed in supporting us, that is my prayer for you, and I pray that God shows you and your family favor.

We are all called to give, pray, and go, though not everyone can do all at the same time, so I challenge each of you to continue to get uncomfortable and answer the question " wanna go?" as often as you can. Also please let me know how my family can support you as your walk down the roads God has put you on.

In Him

Michael Henry

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Gal 6:9-10

Leprosy & The Beach

2009-01-06T09:15:00.010-06:00

Day 4- Jan 2, 2009

This was our last full day in LaGi with the Sisters and the kids. It was by far the most fun day we had. We started the day by picking up the Sisters and 2 of the kids. Twins My (Me) and Dat. They were all dressed up, My is a beautiful little girl, who I think is almost 3. we went of to a remote mountain village that is government sponsored for an ethnic minority group. We provided provisions for 96 families and again the people were very grateful and it was a joy to bring them a blessing.

The Vietnamese people are a very sturdy and strong group. They also surprised us with their strength. The other thing I noted was their sense of community, it seems they looked out for each other, I guess as a matter of survival.

We also toured a few homes in the area, which were the homes of some men who have Leprosy. These men live in huts outside the family home. It was very difficult, because at first it was very awkward. The men thought we were there to make a spectacle of him, but the Sister explained, that we wanted to pray for him and talk to him about Jesus. This turned the situation around, as he explained that he knew Jesus and wanted to Bible to read. So we presented him with the Good Word and prayed over him. It was very surreal seeing him and imagining what it would be like to be afflicted with such a horrible condition. But God is good and this man was filled with joy from the encounter.

After our work, we had lunch and went to the community (Orphanage). There we loaded up 20 of the kids and headed to the beach. The sisters were able to round up 7 mopeds and we got to jump on them and ride the 10 miles to the beach. It was crazy, 14 adults an 5 kids on 7 mopeds....now that is Vietnamese style!! See in Vietnam the main mode of transportation is a moped..though these are more like a cross between a moped and motorcycle. The Vietnamese will carry an entire family on 1 moped, so 2 adults and 2-3 children will be on 1 moped!!! The craziest part is that only the adults are required to wear helmets!!!!!

I drove with Kim Cook, my dad had Jennifer Wurster, Frank had Lauren Burden, Aaron drove Bill and Nhoung, and so on. We were quite a site rolling through town and attracted alot of strange looks and laughs from the locals. We also were blessed that no one was injured, even though there were many wrong turns and of course we drove in Vietnam where there are no real driving laws.

At the beach we had a great time, the older girls were timid at first, but soon trusted us and went out into the surf with us. It was a little chili, and as you can see the kids do not have swim suits. The waves were pretty big with a massive undertow, we tried to body surf and got slammed into the bottom so many times, I ended up with sand burns all over!

We also engaged a few locals in beach/surf soccer. It was very funny, a bunch over big out of shape very white Americans against very lean locals! They however thought we would be easy targets and underestimated us. All of us have or currently play soccer, so we surprised them a bit. It was a fun time and they were all great sports, after the short game we shook hands and embraced, it was amazing. We were in Vietnam, on a beach, playing soccer in the winter!

The Sisters even got in on the beach day, as you can see below with Frank. They wore shirts that First Melissa gave them on the last trip.

It was a great time and we bonded with the children even more during that time. Please go to www.lostorphans.org and see how you can help support these kids!

Running from the Commies!!

2009-01-06T07:30:00.005-06:00

Day 3 New Years Day

Our third day in Vietnam was amazing. We started the day by going out to a remote village near the mountains. We were not able to get the bus down the dirt road to the distribution point, so a local brought his ox drawn cart to help. We loaded it up and went on down the road!

Once we unloaded and began the distribution, we were having a blast handing out food, clothes, candy, and toys. I was asked to say a prayer and it was translated; what an awesome experience to pray over people in another country and pry the peace and love of Christ upon them. The Sister then explained that we had Bibles for anyone who wanted it, that triggered an angry response from some who were not allotted to get food that day. The Sisters have a system in place to identify those who really need help and those just looking to get an easy score. So many show up who were not invited, the sister visit with them and if they are truly needy they will make provision for them, but if not they are turned away. Apparently one of these turned away heard the comment about the Bibles and called the authorities. It is illegal to share the gospel in Vietnam, the phone call was overheard and so we had to pack up our stuff, leave the provisions in the hands of the local leaders and scramble out of there. I am not sure we were in any real danger, as the area we were in was pretty remote and we had plenty of time to leave. But it was exhilarating to think that we were breaking communist law for the sake of Christ!

The next stop was at a seaside village, where many very poor people reside. These people would be considered homeless in the States. However in Vietnam the government provides shelter, but no food or water. Where as we provide food and water then shelter. So we traveled to the area to feed about 120 families along with the help of the local Red Cross. Aaron was asked to pray at this stop. We had a great time interacting with the people and helping them carry their provisions. These people were so grateful and happy we were there, but also had a great spirit about them and dignity.

It was a moving experience, as Frank is pictured with a former leader of the S Vietnamese military, who was stripped of all property and status after the war, yet still organized and lead this group with dignity. I was asked to help this man (18 yrs old)to be carried along with his provisions to his family. He is one of many children born severally incapacitated because of the effects of the chemicals used during the war. It has become so apparent that while the US suffered a severe emotional, mental, and physical loss in the war, the Vietnamese suffered so much more. Regardless of your opinion of the war and the politics involved, the toll on these people is tragic. There are parts of the country side still devastated by our herbicides and a large portion of a whole generation of men is dead. And those still alive are handicapped from a war injury or face other obstacles. We saw very few 40-60 year old men who were fully functioning and healthy.

We ended the day by taking the oldest children 2+ year olds out to a local cafe for ice cream. Here is Hoa (Huh-Wha) waiting for her ice cream. She is 5 and full of life and energy!

It was a great day filled with hard work, excitement, and ice cream....what else can you ask for in a day? We were far more blessed this day than those we served.

Working with the Least and the Lost

2009-01-03T04:20:00.004-06:00

Day 2

We went to the hospital and served rice soup to the families of the patients and then also gave them 20,000 Dong (equal to $1.50 ) the hospital does not provide food for patients or the families. So the sisters d this 5 days a week.

We then went to the cemetary that the sisters have purchased plots in to bury unknown war heroes and also the aborted babies.
We also saw the grave of a 3 month old orphan that was sick and died the day we arrived. I was moved by the grief Sister Mia and the other nuns, not that I would not expect them to be sad, but they were crushed. I shows the love and devotion that these sisters have for the children.

We ended our afternoon with a food distibution to the families of the disabled. Many of which were affected by our use of Agent Orange during the war, which they say passes on genetically. Regardless it was very emotional and watching these people come in, many being carried, wheeled, or on crutches. We gave them a 22 lb bag of rice, 1 liter of fish sauce, a 5 lb box of noodles, a 1 lb bag of rice, and 100,000 dong ($6).

These pictures are of 2 of the older girls, Tram and Ngung.

La Gi

2008-12-31T23:58:00.002-06:00

Well first wifi is very hard to come by, the hotel we are in says they have wifi, but not so much!

The past 2 days have been incredible...we arrived at the Lost Orphans Orphanage and met the children for the first time on Tuesday the 30th. They immediately ran to us and hugged on us. It was awesome, the kids just wanted to be held and loved on. The sisters who run the place were extrememly glad to see us and are so funny and warm.

There are 4 little girls who are 5 and 6 years old, who have heart breaking stories how they got to the orphanage. They have taken to the guys, and have become our little buddies...we have played ball, piggy back rides, and tickle time with them. They are beautiful little girsl and smart, they are fascinated with our digital cameras and want to play with them...one Yuhm, probably took 200 pictures last night with Aaron's camera. I can not post pictures yet, as the wifif signal is too weak, but will as soon as I can.

We also went to the local childrens hospital and visited the children- 3 of which are Lost Orphans kids. While there the sisters let us help them do a soup kitchen, which they do 5 days a week, for the families there. The hospital does not provide food for patients or families, so the sisters do so 5 days a week. We helped feed 100 or so families. Later we ha a food distribution event at the Orphanage, which the sisters do 1 time a month for the diabled, again we were honored to take part in this. We handed out provisions (22 lbs of rice, 1 qt of fish sauce, 1 lb of sugar, and a box of noodles, with eq of $3 dollars) to 150 families. Many of these disabilities are thought to be the result of Agent Orange used during the war, the area we are in was targeted heavily and you can still see the effects on the land and people.

We finished off the night by taking the older kids 2+ to have ice cream. It was so much fun and the kids were in heaven. I doubt any of us stayed up to see New Years here in Vietnam, we were all sacked!

So Happy New Years and I will try to write more soon.

Peace!

Ho Chi Minh (Saigon)

2008-12-29T05:34:00.004-06:00

Today we spent the day as a rest day trying to recover from the long day of travel plus a 13 hour time difference, so we got up ate breakfast and went to the market. What a great place everything you could imagine plus it was the main food market for this part of the city.

Later we went to dinner at a Vietnamese Italian restaurant..go figure right? Then we played hacky sack with a shuttle cock (feather thing from badminton) out on the side walk and in the street with 3 locals. Not sure what we were thinking as we not only had to practice our cat like reflexes to play, but we were also dodging traffic. Tomorrow we head Lagi to start our work.

Gooooood Morning Vietnam!!!!!

2008-12-28T20:24:00.003-06:00

Well we are here and just finished our breakfast. We arrived last night at around 11:00 Pm and after driving through a mass of humanity we arrived at our hotel.

Our drive to the hotel was amazing as Vietnam beat Thialland in the IFFA Suzuki cup (soccer) and there was a huge celebration in the streets as all the young people took to the streets on thousands of their motor scooters. I will try an upload pictures soon, as I did not have my camera (packed in a bag I could not access) and used my phone. It should have been a 15 minute drive and ended up taking over an hour, but so worth it to see the chaos.

The flights were long, but bearable, as the 14 hour leg was in a 777 with personal video in each seat, with a large selection of recent movies. We had 4 hours in Seoul, Korea at the airport, where we ate some great sushi.

More later....

One Week

2008-12-19T23:17:00.002-06:00

One week till we leave for Vietnam, its hard to believe that it is almost here.

This journey up to know has been so amazing, God put it on our hearts to go only 3 months ago and took what looked like a group of 4-5 and turned it into a group of 21 people. We raised all the money for the trip and for the bible, supplies, and food that we will be distributing in short order, God showed us again and again that when He is involved nothing is impossible.

I will be updating the blog as much as possible while there. Please pray for us; the evil one is already on the prowl, but we know God is sovereign and His will be done!

VIETNAM TRIP UPDATE

2008-11-25T22:15:00.001-06:00

I wanted to update all on our trip next month to Vietnam:

Myself, Bill Mckown, Aaron Swanson, Charlie Morgan, Kim Cook, and Tim Cypert, have now been joined by my father Mike Henry, Charlie's 7 year old daughter Emily, and Jennifer Wurster a long time family friend and member of our small group. We will be traveling with a total of 20 people to Vietnam, Dec 27-Jan 4 to serve with the Lost Orphans organization. www.lostorphans.org.

We will be working with the orphans and birth moms that live there and serving with the nuns to feed the hungry, pass out bibles, love the people, and scout out a site for a new orphanage in another part of the country.

This whole process has been awesome; God has blown all of us away in so many ways, and confirmed us at every turn. Just our little part of the group (8 of us) has raised about 85% of the $23,000 needed in a little over 8 weeks.

I (we) want to thank everyone for their words, prayers, and financial support. Your continued prayers are needed: pray for the trip, the people going, the people we will serve, and also for our preparations, scheduling, and our families we will leave behind. God is already working in a mighty way in many of our lives.

Also I challenge you to check out the Lost Orphans website and look at ways to support this ministry.

You can follow our journey on my feeble attempt at a blog.http://sixnineten.blogspot.com/

Peace

Trip Update

2008-10-13T09:38:00.000-05:00

Many of you already know, but some are new to my posts, so:
Myself, Bill Mckown, Aaron Swanson, Charlie Morgan, Kim Cook, and Tim Cypert, along with several others are traveling to Vietnam, Dec 27-Jan 4 to serve with the Lost Orphans organization. www.lostorphans.org.

We will be working with the orphans and birth moms that live there and serving with the nuns to feed the hungry, pass out bibles, talk to the hospitalized, love the people, and scout out a site for a new facility.

We have to raise $3000 each for the trip, which at first seemed daunting. However nothing is daunting for God, and He has provided beyond our wildest dreams!!! I am less than $500 from my goal, and several others are between half way and completely funded...all in less than 3 weeks! I think God made a statement in our lives.

Most important, we covet your prayers. Pray for the trip, the people going, the people we will serve, and also for our preparations, scheduling, and our families we will leave behind.

Also between now and then several of us have committed to memorize James chapter 1 and to journal our thoughts and prayers between now and our departure.

You can follow our journey on my feeble attempt at a blog.http://sixnineten.blogspot.com/

Peace

Mike

Challenge

2008-10-13T08:51:00.002-05:00

Several of us, who plan on going on the Vietnam trip this December will be memorizing the following passage of scripture:

James 1
Testing Your Faith 1 James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings.
2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
3knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
4And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.
7For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord,
8being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9 But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position;
10and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away.
11For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away.
12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
13Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.
14But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.
15Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
17Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.
18In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.
19 This you know, my beloved brethren But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger;
20for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.
21Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.
22But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.
23For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror;
24for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.
25But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.
26If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless.
27Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Join us in memorizing this passage!

2008-09-24T22:57:00.000-05:00

“Wanna go to Vietnam….” That is how it all started. A good friend of mine and someone who really impacted my spiritual life, Tim Cypert, sent me an email that started with the same greeting. As I read his email and subsequently read his blog (http://timcypert.blogspot.com- scroll down to July) of a trip he made in July of this year, God began to put a tickle in my soul. At the same time this email also reached several of my friends (accountability partners) and they felt the same urging of God. So after praying and discussing with these men and our families, we have decided to journey to Vietnam this December 27-January 4 to serve with the Lost Orphans organization. www.lostorphans.org.
Lost Orphans is all about rescuing children from abortion and abandonment. In the 2.5 years of its existence they have been able to rescue over 60 children, give hope to many birth moms considering abortion, assisted thousands of impoverished Vietnamese with food, finances, and Bibles, and erected a beautiful 10,000 sf orphanage! What is more fun than that? We will be taking part in the food distribution, bible distribution, ministering to the children of the orphanage, and traveling to a new site to pray over a future Lost Orphans home in another part of Vietnam.
So that brings me to my question……… Wanna go? I know that you will not be able to go physically with me at this time, but you can go with me in prayer, which is so desperately needed! You can also join me by financially supporting me on this trip. I know times are tough and to do this for many of you will really stretch your budget, but I can promise to you that Lost Orphans is an organization that is really making a difference every single day! If you would like a detailed cost sheet, let me know and I will break down where your money goes. Remember that 100% of your donations are tax-deductible. You will be able to track our journey on my blog http://sixnineten.blogspot.com, where I will post updates and photos while on the trip.

Here are more details about joining my team.

Pray – We need wisdom on how best to rescue these children for the duration of their lives. We need wisdom on how to become a major influence in the communities we are in, for the glory of God. We need favor in the eyes of the local governments. We want to see these children attain the ultimate adoption…by God, as His child!
Give – The trip will cost about $3000/person. I need financial support. You can join me financially by sending a tax-deductible check to First Melissa – First Melissa is the sponsoring church for this trip. Mail to my attention at the address P.O. Box 158, Rockwall, TX 75087. You can place my name on the memo of the check. You can also support us online by visiting www.firstmelissa.com. The donate button is on the main page. If you choose to do this, please email and let me know so I can notify them and make sure the money is credited to my trip.

If you feel led to pray or give, please write an email to me at mshenry20@yahoo.com or call me at 214/288-7775 and let me know.

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Galatians 6:9-10
In Him
Michael Henry