j1.27

"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." (James 1:27)

To be honest, as a Christian and a pastor, this verse has always troubled me a bit. Not on the truth side or the understanding side, but more on the application side of it. It doesn't take but a few chapters into the book of Acts to see that the early church got it when it came to the application. They understood the 'least of these' and caring for those in their community. Fast forward 2000 plus years and it would appear the Church has abdicated its responsibility in large part and handed it over to the government. So what would it look like for the Church to reclaim James 1:27's mission? More specifically, what would that look like for individual Christians, like me?

We were grateful to our friends on the West Virginia team for allowing us to travel with them to Veracruz (outside of Managua) to visit the Remar Orphanage. This team has been working in Veracruz and with the orphanage for over 10 years and it was exciting to see some of the fruit of their labor. We traveled around to see some of the homes they had built there and handed out hundreds of pounds of rice and beans to families and coloring books/crayons and candy to children in the community. Word traveled fast (which happens with a team of gringos walking down the street) and we were quickly mobbed.

After returning to the orphanage, we loaded up the bus with somewhere around 60 orphans in tow to take them Christmas shopping at Wembes Market - a huge, local market that I take my teams to each year. They had a blast picking out their gifts and were so grateful. But to look deeply into their eyes and even through conversation with them revealed that even though the gifts were great, the orphanage is really top notch, their is a deeper longing... for family. So we hosted a Christmas party for them that night and tried to be their family. But as I walked away to load the bus, with my family, my heart was heavy. We visited the orphans in their affliction, but are we called to do more? We think so and we are praying about what that "more" could and should be.

We finished our time in Nicaragua in worship... which couldn't have been more appropriate. Once again we were at Verbo Church caught up in the worship of Jesus with voices in Spanish, some English, but more importantly our hearts humbled in service before our King.

It was a difficult drive to the airport... not physically, but spiritually and emotionally. It's always that way for me and the teams I bring, but now my whole family was experiencing it together. You always feel like you leave a piece of your heart in Nicaragua, but what you leave behind pales in comparison to what you bring back with you. God has been so faithful to my family and I to allow us to be a part of His global purpose of inviting the nations to give their lives to Him and find their greatest joy in a relationship with Him. We saw God work through us, but more importantly, saw Him work in us.

The mission never ends...

for the sheep

Today was another awesome day of ministry! We were blessed to be able to join another team from West Virginia and head over to Los Brasiles, where my buddy Coburn has an expansive ministry - providing education, meals, after school programs and spiritual development to this little community. Our camp team had the opportunity to fall in love with their kids three years ago, taking them down to to Campo Alegria on Lake Nicaragua.

I can't help but wonder what impact it makes for these kids to see familiar faces again. I have no intentions of heaping praise on our teams, since we can't take credit for anything good at all. Christ is deserving of all the glory! But to see the face of a child light up and begin to talk about their camp experience from years ago shows the power of relationships and more importantly the love of Christ that binds hearts together. "Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony." (Colossians 3:14)

So today, we threw a Christmas party for the morning kids (preschool), complete with some time coloring, playing on the playground, a pinata and cake! We then walked one of the poorer (a relative term for sure) sections of the community handing out coloring books, crayons and candy. These families live in very tiny single room homes made of scrap metal or plastic tarping, with few have running water or electricity. Seeing such a great need, we left to return with bags of rice and beans and water jugs to hand out. The people were very grateful to receive these gifts and it was a tremendous blessing just to be able to give so freely to people with such need.

One of my prayers, in returning here to Nicaragua so often, is that I never get used to what I see. The sights, smells, poverty, trash and most importantly the people. It is so easy in Western culture to forget how the rest of the world lives. In our family devotion time tonight we looked at Matthew 9:35-38

Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.

I always want to see people the way Christ sees people. Even beyond their physical need to the reality that in the depths of their souls there is a great spiritual need. That is why He calls them sheep without a shepherd - scattered and helpless. And He has given us the great privilege to introduce them to the Great Shepherd - Jesus Christ. May our time, energy and attention - our full lives - be given to this one resolve. That we would be the workers that the harvest so desperately needs. That our time, talent and treasure would be given to be used at the Master's pleasure. That we would daily understand what it means to deny ourselves - our plans, dreams, hopes, schedules, safety, comfort, etc - and take up the cross of Christ which is the Good News!

The night couldn't have had a better ending. The boys from Casa Robles and girls from Casa Havilah (rescue homes) were invited to the Buzbees for their Christmas party. We had a blast swimming, eating dinner together and then giving each one a gift. To see these kids outside their normal environment - most come from La Chureca (the dump) - and see how they have grown physically, emotionally and spiritually in the rescue homes is so encouraging and a testimony to God's love and grace to the least of these. They too were once sheep - scattered and helpless and many have met the Shepherd.

God is at work. I am so honored, along with my family, to have this opportunity to join God at work here in Nicaragua. So let me say a big thank you to those of you who are following us on this journey, but also those who are supporting us in prayer and through financial resources. Soli Deo Gloria!

it was just a little seed

Today was an amazing day. We loaded up our family, with Brinson leading the way and Moses in tow, to head out to the Ruby Ranch to put on an afternoon block party for the kids from the Las Parcelas community. For those up to speed on our Nica Missions, these are the same kids that our summer missions team took down 40 of them to Campo Alegria and put on a camp and then returned to their community for our Extreme School Makeover: Nicaragua Edition. To read more about what our team did this summer, click here.

Las Parcelas is a very poor and rural community. Some will never leave their community, swim in open water, ride a bus or even travel to Managua. Now that we have started a relationship with them, that the Buzbees are continuing to develop, we are continuing to look for ways to make an impact for the Kingdom on this community. And we knew this party would be a big draw, since the schools are out and the gringos were coming!

We arrived and got to work getting ready about 15 bikes - which all needed air in the tires or small tune-ups. Then we headed over to the playground area to set-up tables for the cookies and cokes we would have later. I had many "moments" today, but an early one for me was just watching everyone in the family helping in their own way and working together to get everything ready for the party.

Then the first group of kids showed up, probably not knowing what to expect. But within a few moments we had 50 kids and few adults running around going crazy. We introduced them to trampolines which was hilarious to watch as the realized they could fly up in the air as they jumped. Then they became true Nica trampolines, each with about 10-12 kids all trying to jump together! We also hosted bike races around the field for prizes (that my little boys had a hard time giving out since they were former toys that they "donated"). Turn #2 on the bike race course was a tough one that gave us many laughs as the kids would fly uncontrollably from the downhill (mainly due to brake problems) into the turn and miss, landing in a pile of grass, hay and sticks. The would disappear for a minute and then pop back up and rejoin the race.

In the middle of the craziness and fun... I had a God-moment. Or God had a moment for me. Either way, I was standing in the middle of the playground when I remembered the day our team spent out there this summer. We spent all day in the hot sun chopping down trees, clearing brush, leveling ground and digging up stumps. Another team prior to us had come in and installed all the playground equipment and then we were there to get the area ready for us.

But it was a hard day for everyone on the team. We had just spent 4 days at camp investing in relationships and loving on kids and there we were - just us - working on a project that seemed a little tedious and probably less important. In fact, I remember fielding some "concerns" about the work we were doing during the day, and then at our team time at night, hearing the struggle to find value in what we had done that day.

And so there I stood today, when the light bulb turned on and God brought to mind what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:6-9, "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building."

Little did our team know... and little did I know that the work we were doing that day was in preparation for the great day of ministry that my family and I had today. We were just a part of the seed planting process. The mundane task of clearing a playground area that would later culminate in a block party before the year was out! God made it grow. And when I think of what ministry will continue to take place at the Ruby Ranch - God will be continuing to make the seeds that teams are planting or watering to grow into fruitful ministry.

The kids and parents all came up to thank us today for coming out and putting on the party. And they even asked if they could have another party really soon. And so I sit here writing this tonight, thanking God for giving me a glimpse into the big picture. Thanking Him for inviting me in to a moment with Him when I see a bit clearer than normal. And thanking Him for allowing me to serve on a team this summer that was just a small planting a seed in the larger plan of God of revealing His love and grace to a tiny, rural, farming community in Nicaragua.

another son in the family

As if we didn't have enough boys in our family already, we've added another son to the family, however, today was the first day we got to meet him in person... Nelson David - our child that we sponsor through World Vision. We regularly pray for Nelson as a family and we are always excited to get updates, photos and letters from him. We've had the privilege of sponsoring him since he was about 3 years old and now he is 7 years old. We also met his mother and almost 2 year old sister.

Nelson is from the town of Nandaime, which was a pretty good drive for us from Managua, but I started to see familiar sights and realized we were in an area near Granada and Rivas, which is not too far from where I take our camp team each year. We arrived at the World Vision complex to see a shy Nelson sitting quietly with his mom and sister. (Oh, we have loads of pics, I just didn't get around to uploading them tonight). He seemed a bit overwhelmed, which would be expected when my three boys come crashing in a room! But his eyes lit up when he started to look through the Christmas bag we brought him that was loaded down with toys and goodies.

Hearing his story was difficult, but unfortunately, it's one that I've heard many times over here in Nicaragua. His mother is only 22, which means she had Nelson at the age of 15. The "dad" was likely never around, but after the second child was born, she found herself without a job and a single-mom to her two kids. So she is living with her family to survive. But she seems committed to being the best mom she can and is striving to raise her children in the faith.

World Vision was amazing in hosting us and showed us what they do and even drove us all around to other areas where they are working, so we got to see them in action. We also had a great lunch with Nelson's family. I was really impressed by the WV staff and how they are using their resources to bring Gospel hope and healing to the communities where they are working. They are meeting more than just physical needs for these children and families participating in their programs. In the Nandaime area along, over 3,600 children are sponsored.

I'm coming away from our time today just amazed at how God can so quickly graft hearts together. Our families couldn't be more different. We're separated by miles, countries and even language... yet the love that we already had for Nelson and his family has now only grown deeper. They boys now have a better understanding of why we support Nelson and what life is like for him here in Nicaragua. We all walked away wishing we could do even more, but realizing God is a faithful God and we will continue to pray for His protection and purposes for Nelson and his family!

what a dump

No mission trip I've ever made to Nicaragua has been complete without a visit to La Chureca (the city dump in Managua). Over the last seven years I've made numerous trips there to get a better picture of "the least of these." The numbers are continually changing, but there are well over 1,000 people, with a majority percentage of children, who call La Chureca home. The Buzbees have a long standing ministry presence there - caring for the sick and malnourished and also educating the children in their school.

So this morning, we all loaded up the van with the whole Buzbee clan to visit the school for their Christmas party. Even though I had just visited in August, I was amazed at the transformation that is taking place there. The government of Spain has taken on the project of taking a census of the residents, building temporary housing in preparation for the final goal of moving every resident out of the dump to a new housing area. They are even transforming the mountainous piles of burning rubbish into a modernized facility complete with recycling.

However, the drive to the school is still the same - a narrow dirt road, lined with houses made of scrap metal and plastic sheeting. The stench of burning tires and trash is still overwhelming. Children with open sores and rag-tag clothing are out either rummaging through the trash or playing in it on the streets.

But today was different. There was hope. We pulled up to a mass of children and their families waiting to enter the school. The Christmas party offered a respite from the daily routine. For a brief period of time you almost forgot that you were in a dump. Christmas music was playing, the children were performing in their program, presents were wrapped and ready to hand out and everyone was seated at tables with white table cloths waiting for a catered lunch.

Hope. It's what this advent season is all about. We celebrate the arrival of Hope. Hope that came in the form of a baby boy born to a young, rural, virgin girl named Mary. A Savior called Immanuel - God with us. Jesus. He would enter our dump and bring hope. He would walk through the refuse, sickness and disease that our sin created and offer life. Life that only is available because He gave His life for ours. Rescued. Ransomed. Redeemed.

You don't have to stay in the dump. As C.S. Lewis says, "He [God] offers us a holiday by the sea." An open invitation. A free gift. The best gift you will ever receive this Christmas!

Are you ready to move out of the dump?

beauty

But the basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can't see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being. So nobody has a good excuse. (Romans 1:19-20 MSG)

I'm always amazed at the sheer physical beauty of the country of Nicaragua every time that I'm here. Volcanoes, craters, Lake Nicaragua, the beautiful countryside of mountains and valleys, the waves of the Pacific crashing on the dark sand beaches and sitting on the third floor with a cool breeze watching a thunderstorm roll in over the mountains. The list could go on and on.

But the beauty is marred. It's stained by sin. We've lost Eden. That's also easy to see as you drive around. The beautiful view literally littered by trash. Discarded items mixed in with the seashells. And I imagine to those who call Nicaragua home, all of this is seen and yet hardly garners a passing thought. But for some reason, God has pressed it into my heart all day today.

This Lord's Day started by joining my brothers and sisters in Christ at Verbo Church. I love how physically, passionately and jubilantly they sing and worship. Of course, fist pump guy was leading the charge, but young and old are fully engaged. I love to sing with them in Spanish (when it's a slow enough song that my Spanish can keep up). The message was solid and I left with a full heart. All the while thinking... people from every tribe, tongue and nation are lifting up praise and honor to God. I can only imagine what that sounds like in Heaven. And then can only imagine what it will be like to participate in that in Heaven one day.

What a day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see. When I look upon His face, the one who saved me by His grace. When He takes me by the hand, and leads me to the Promised Land. What a day, glorious day that will be!

Eden as it is meant to be. True beauty. No more sickness, pain or death. No more trash or garbage dumps. No one who walks around there will be blinded to the beauty. What our eyes see dimly now, we will behold in full glory. And that's what our current creation does. It cries out, "Look at my Creator." There is a greater beauty than what can be seen with earthly eyes!

The beach actually had some people there today. Most times I've been out there it is usually just our team. So it gave me a moment (after some failed attempts at surfing) to watch as some walked up and down the beach. Do they see what I see? Do they know what I know? Can they look around as the mighty waves of the Pacific pound the volcanic sands on the shore and exclaim, "There is a God!"

Earlier in the first chapter of Romans, Paul says, "I am proud of the good news! It is God's powerful way of saving all people who have faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. The good news tells how God accepts everyone who has faith, but only those who have faith." (vs. 16-17)

May we add our voice to the song of creation, boldly and proudly proclaiming the powerful saving message of the Good News of Jesus Christ. There is beauty here... He is the Beautiful One... and His name is Jesus!

for the nations

The love of God extends salvation to all. Everyone who believes on Jesus has eternal life with Jesus, and everyone who doesn't perishes. Missions is the answer of our heart to that love. (John Piper)

I find myself more and more praying for a heart for the nations. At our family devotional/debrief time tonight, I was so encouraged to hear my boys start to get a glimpse of God's heart for the nations and our role to have that same heart and by living out God's mission. Watching them play at Casa Robles this morning (the Boys Rescue Home) was awesome. They found themselves restricted by language, yet found a way to share Christ's love. They played and laughed, explored their home - and I could tell they were just taking it all in. A flicker of the flame of having a heart for the nations was starting to burn. That's a flame that I want to fan into a great fire!

So, I'm praying that God's heart continues to grow inside them... and me. I have been praying that God would allow this generation to be the one that sees the completion of the Great Commission. That is a monumental task and at times seems like an overwhelming prayer to pray. Especially in light of the statistics.

The Joshua Project reports that there are 15,988 distinct ethno-linguistic peoples in the world. Of these, fewer that 2% are Christians (6,572 unreached people groups). In those unreached people groups they account for an estimated 2.6 billion people. Of the 100 largest unreached people groups, 44 are in India, 8 are in China, and 7 are in Indonesia and Pakistan... 43 are Muslim, 36 are Hindu and 9 are Buddhist. 22 of them have populations over 20 million. All that to report, there is great work to be done in obedience to the Great Commission. So what are we waiting for? What am I waiting for?

My prayer is that my life would be consumed in not just going... but studying, praying, preaching, leading and speaking in such a way that results in passing on a passion to this next generation of middle, high school and college students - that I'm privileged to shepherd - who would recklessly abandon their lives for the sake of the Gospel for the nations - whether near or far. It's a continual call on my life from God not to waste it. And one I want to shout to this next generation: don't waste your life!

And this great zeal, passion and heart for the nations can only come from catching a vision of the greatness of God and His great design for this world that we call home. May we see God for who He is, believe Him for what He says and live for what He loves!

thoughts on Germany

Well here I am sitting here in Nicaragua (up on the 3rd floor for my fellow Nica peeps, with a great breeze blowing) and I'm thinking about Germany. It's taken me a bit to process our time there and I'm sure more thoughts will come - at least I hope they do before I start to forget the details!

These two countries couldn't be more different. Just driving around today with my family the fact that this is the second poorest country in this hemisphere is so evident. The landscape is different, the cultures are different. You don't see anything like the Cologne Dome here. But you know what? The people look amazingly similar if you look behind their eyes. Sure the skin color is different, hair color, complexion and even language. But the deeper longings of the heart are revealed through the eyes.

The German people are a quiet people. Saying "hi" on the streets is uncommon. Hearing even quiet talking on the trains is unusual. They are seemingly devoid of national pride and some of that is understandable considering the monumental dark spot and atrocities under the oppression of Hitler. They were taught under communism to be needy without being "needy." So to reveal a need - like a spiritual need - is a difficult conversation to get in to. Many of the pastors and missionaries we had an opportunity to serve shared how long they often labor (years and years) to see a convert.

I was told that 2 out of 100 Germans are Christians. The harvest is plentiful for sure. It pained my heart to see these beautiful, giant cathedrals and churches that were once overflowing (post-Reformation) now either virtually empty or simply turned into a tourist attraction. But there is hope. Isn't there always! The Gospel always works and I was so encouraged to meet some of these laborers for the Gospel in Germany. My prayers are with them and for Germany that God's Spirit would fall in power and bring another reformation - a reformation of the heart!

I am so grateful to have had yet another opportunity to go and serve with my fellow a cappella alums. Bringing the Gospel through music is a strategic point of entry to the German's hearts. I was so honored to have the opportunity to preach the Gospel each night as well. My prayer is that the seeds that were planted will be watered and bear much fruit.

And so here I am in Nicaragua. Different country with the same need. The reality is everywhere we go, people are hurting. And the even greater reality is everywhere we go, the Gospel always works. Jesus is always the answer.

a new kind of busy

"When does being curious distract your heart away from what God wants you to focus on?" There the question was... in big, bold, red letters just seeming to flash at me from my laptop screen. A question that, oddly enough, I wanted to be distracted from answering.

To frame out the question in context, it came from an excellent and thought-provoking article that I came across on The Resurgence, which regularly provides some great material for learning, reflecting and in this case, some heart searching.

In Paul's first letter to his young apprentice Timothy, he writes, "Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to." (1 Timothy 5:13)

I've typically quickly passed by this verse, thinking it had more application to the "town gossip" and not something I really struggled with. And besides, "idle" is hardly an adjective that would get ascribed to my life... but "busybody"... what exactly is Paul talking about here?

Trisha Wilkerson says, "I hadn’t identified much with this particular sin until God gently revealed the Internet is my "town" to meander. I have found myself "going from house to house" or "website to website" seeking something. Information, book reviews, blogs, Facebook, email, all sucking my time and seducing my attention.

To ignore this comparison is, for me, choosing blindness. Blindness to the fact that I’m tempted to neglect the people and gifts God has called me to pay attention to. Sin is giving in to the temptation to be a busy-body by giving my attention to worthless and sometimes meaningless information that swirls around in my head, taking up mind and heart space that should be occupied by prayers and purpose."

Ouch. Hits too close to home for someone who not only enjoys technology, but finds it a useful tool for ministry. But where is the line? To be honest, I hadn't really given much thought to the fact that there actually is a line. In fact, there is a line that when viewed in light of this Scripture, becomes sin. And this isn't just a sin of time-management. This is a sin of misplaced desire. Idolatry. Finding someone or something else that we think will ultimately fulfill desire or satisfy, yet always ultimately fails us.

So instead of being more deeply connected to God, Wilkerson says, "... we slip into false intimacy and gather knowledge that doesn’t grow us, but instead wastes time. Like greed or lust, busy-bodying is a thirst for more. We are saying to God that he doesn’t satisfy our hearts."

God came to redeem our time and our time spent on the internet. So that means email, texting, facebooking, blogging and web surfing can and should be redeemed. They should be guarded against trivial idleness or busybodying. Our time and attention are gifts that must be stewarded. Boundaries must be set. Our attention must be refocused on the all-satisfying Christ.

This no doubt will be challenging. It already is as I sit here, oddly enough, on the internet to write a blog post.

You can find Wilkerson's complete article here... but beware... it's a challenging read!