Do not ... DO NOT forget to look ahead to when you can help someone in pain. Your G'pa and G'ma have experienced lots of help from doctors and nurses. Blessings!
Congrats! We are super proud of you Brett! You looked very nice in your new shirt and tie-thanks for the picture! Michael, Yuri, Kye, and I are so blessed to have you in our lives, and Michael and I (in particular) talk frequently about how fortunate our children are to have you as an uncle. We hope we can instill some of your great values in them, too-actually, is it too late to instill them in us?!? We love you very much and will continue to pray for you!
You write so eloquantly (sp?). I really enjoyed how you spoke of your transformation. The Bible is amazing in that we can read the same passages time and time again and get a different message. A recent initiative of our church is to read the whole Bible together (there is a schedule and journal that we use to do this). At a group once, we were talking about this when a retired pastor raised his hand to share. He said he was amazed that even though he has read the Bible, cover to cover, over 20 times, he still learns new things (and has much to still learn). Amazing! I am so glad to hear that even in a week of frustrations, God has show you His presence and divine providence in your life and the lives of those around you. Love and prayers!
continue the work Good to hear that some things are swinging back to a bit less frustrating. I think that we could all use a bit of Jere. 1 wake up about every day. You are blessed and are a blessing to those in Kenya and to us back home.
On another note, I'm going to KC today for two nights and three days. I'm not looking forward to it. It really sucks when you aren't there to bum around with. Hurry home so I can have someone to hang with in KC (very selfish I know).
Love you and we say a prayer for you every night.
Mike, EJ and Yuri
reflections on your experience... That's heartbreaking. So, hope is hard to have anywhere one goes in the world. I'm not sure about you, but I think I used to be an optimist. I guess that's what you get when you grow up Republican in Kansas. But, becoming an adult, I think so much in the world has shown itself to be disheartening that cynicism may be the only possible modern response, with a sole exception...God. The church says Faith, Hope, and Love are divine virtues not attained purely through our own practice, they are acts of grace from God, infused in us despite the realities of the world. May God give you the grace and faith this season of your life so your Hope may infuse every action you take in Kenya and for Kenyans. We love you, and are so proud of you, even while we're in Carolina and not Kansas anymore.
praying for you "You must have hope to give hope". Great advice. I can't say that I understand, because I haven't been in your situation, but I (we) are sure praying that you find some peace in this situation and that the people are still being served, even when its not in the way you think it would be.
We arrived with mom and dad this morning in Greenville. Their new digs are pretty nice and we moved them in all day today. Dad is really excited, and I miss having you here to laugh with me. Got to love them both.
We miss you, but we praise God that you are the man you are and that you are in Kenya doing his work.
God bless and love you
Praying in Colorado We always want to hear from you -- the good and the bad. We pray that as you give of yourself in whatever way you can, that you look to God for comfort and wisdom. Know that we are lifting you and your coworkers and the people who come to you in prayer.
We pray especially today that some more medical people will come to help you.
Thinking about our medical needs here in Greeley and all the doctors and others that are available. Wish we could send some of them to you. Much love, Grandma
in st. louis Mike and I are just sitting here with Yuri.....waiting on the women while they sit up for the party in the park. always great to hear from you. was great to visit with you on the phone yesterday.
Mike and I will unload their stuff from the van this PM and will head out to Knoxville tomorrow. anxious to get there.
sermon this morning was on living simply and not being tied to "stuff"......sounds like our lives right now.
Brett...this is Mike now, that was dad. Don't worry about Yuri's party...we'll try and have a good time without you. I know that its been said before, but its really the thought that counts. We read your blogs to Yuri every time you post them, so she got the message. Yuri says she loves you and that you should be safe. They are both going to be walking around by the time you get back.
Love you
this is a great insight. I wish everyone could finally "get it" in regard to the world and their cultures and societies. I would like every Sociology instructor at Christian Colleges to read this. God's Kingdom ALWAYS has to be our standard. It is so.....hard to do that because we are all like frogs in warm water.....you can finally boil us and we won't even realize it.......in other words, we get so acustomed to our culture that we think this is the way God wants things to be.....and it is NOT. May He help us to think like he thinks and see things like he sees things.......with the Holy Spirits help.... I think we can. The disciples were able to see like God after pentecost.......as seen by the writings of Peter, Paul, etc. in the N.T. We should expect the same. No excuses for us. I pray that God will give you His mind, His eyes, His heart, His soul and you will be His hands.
love you and miss you.....but thrilled that you are serving Him. That is what pleases us. Be safe and be wise.
Dad
hey Brett....been pretty busy lately and just now read your blogs. very interesting. you are experiencing soccer in many different cultures. it helps you to bettern understand those cultures....like that book we read last year that Rodney gave us on cultures/soccer, etc. you have now seen soccer in: USA, Paraguay, Spain, Italy, Egypt, Kenya.....did I miss any?
we moved out of the house at 11 a.m. yesterday. mom and I made one last walk through and cried. we thought more about memories with you in that house. you moved there when you were 8 yrs. old and so most of the family memories were with you. We missed you yesterday as we said good bye to a great house.
now we are ready to move on. we are in St. Louis with Yuri because Mike/Erin are in New Orleans for a meeting. will drive home today and Rod/Gina will come to Mac for the weekend for Phil's memorial. sad time. Jordan Fith will be in town over the weekend. we are living at Fith's until July 5 and then we will leave town.
We will meet with many old soccer families next Wed. to say goodbye. I gave all the old Strikers Tournament Trophies to Dave Ferrell. I hought they should stay in town and not go with us. let me know your thoughts.
love you and miss you a lot....but God is at work in Kenya and in you.
Dad
Love to you! Hi Brett, So good to hear from you and I hope we hear from you soon. With Phil's death you know I worry about you more but am so glad our Father loves and care for you even more than I do. He is in charge.
thinking of you Glad to hear that you are experiencing the culture but I really expect nothing less:) Michael, Yuri and I are praying for you nightly and we think of you often. We love and miss you! Blessings on your time working with the families in the slums.
Prayers and life back home Happy future father's day to you Brett (that is ambitious, I know). Went swimming in the fountains at Tower Grove Park yesterday. Little Yuri loves the water, and she said she can't wait to swim with you when you get back to the states. What an opportunity with the soccer game...I kind of close my eyes remembing the Paraguay/Brazil game and then multiply the experience by 10. We miss chatting about the Euro with you, but you have better things to do...
How is the leadership role treating you?
Love you, miss you, praying for you and your group.
Glad you are safe, Africa is in our prayers Great to hear that you are safe. I envy every part of your journey, but especially traveling in Indiana by bus. What a culture shock driving in hoosier land.
On a much more serious note, we can only imagine the need you are seeing, and it makes the small time "budget" issues that we deal with here in America just seem like nothing. To be honest, how can I let my life be run (or even misguided) by things like my family budget, when there is such abject poverty around the world (and in my own city?). I feel so guilty for thinking about my own problems so much and keeping my eyes on myself and not the rest of the world.
You may feel your post was a "downer", but it came at the right time for us. We know that the countless other small (and large) things you are doing in Kenya are going to make even changes in peoples lives; some that you will see, others that you will never see until a much better day.
Love you, be safe, enjoy the adventure and come home with a heart for returning to your new home (and maybe "real" home?).
Michael, Erin and Yuri
great to know it's begun Great to hear an update, Brett. We were really disappointed not to get ahold of you before Wednesday. I called Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, but no answer.
A fantastic account of the mission. Fantastic in the sense of the image you created for us. Not fantastic for the situation in Nairobi. I look forward to hearing more, especially efforts to improve these situations.
Imagine if Obama grew up in Kenya instead of Chicago...
Blessed Easter to you and all who read this! I am so glad Rodney was able to get ahold of you this last weekend. Most of the snow has gone, but probably not to India. Crystal's flight changed so we got up at 4:00 a.m. and got she and Jacob to Wichita for a 6:55 a.m. flight. So I am at work early :-) Love to you Brett and am anxious to see you on Sunday!! Hard to believe.
what a great story I really enjoyed that one. that must have been the miscarriage one you told us about on the phone. Hey, for whatever it's worth, a cold front just blew through and dropped 8 inches of snow on us today!!! April 5th!!!! our Maunday Thursday service was cancelled and mom and I got a movie, put logs on the fire and stayed at home. We have good friday off tomorrow, Crystal and David are flying in tomorrow night and we will drive to Muskogee to Jessica's wedding on Sat. OU has their red/white football game for $5 on Sat.......ba humbug.....can't go. if we had no wedding, I would be there. love you Dad
amazing That is a great story. Way to carry on the Malone male family characteristic of story telling. We are nearing up on Spring Break and the natives are getting restless. Much love, we miss you...
ncaa for whatever it's worth. Florida leads Ohio State at halftime by 11. Odom is playing well with only one foul. he is a force and factor but the total team for Florida is just better. we'll see how it turns out.
we got a check in the mail today for Umri.
love you, dad
Josh
non-member comment
Indeed
Loving your posts. Also, I don't mind your armchair philosophy and your theology as shoddy as it might be ;)