Tyler Bing! Wow, i cannot believe its been more than a year since you left. To me it seems that you have accomplished alot. I love reading about you are up to. Your seminar seemed really awesome; to implement your idea and see it through. . As for me, i moved back to California and am living in San Luis Obispo(central coast). I am working as an environmental educator at an outdoor school. Life is good. Miss you and happy very belated birthday!
Erm... hi!! Hey this is Laura from the combined blog below yours on this page! A little bit of a random 1 but just wanted to say we've not actually been anywhere other than Nouakchott as yet and are ridiculously eager to travel to Chinguetti, Atar, etc, and basically to see as much as possible of this strangely endeering country! Anyway apologies for the odd email but we really don't find many english-speakers here so its always good to hear what other people get up to! It sounds like you're making the most of your time here, enjoy!
Laura
one with your world Tyler, man of the desert, you make me smile. Widely. I always get taken in by your vivid descriptions and thoughtful writing. Putting words to your experiences is appreciated, half a world away. I'm excited for you to see your family soon. Every time I see the moon, which has been a lot lately under clear cold skies, I think of you and send a prayer of thanksgiving for you in my life. With temperatures in the teens today, ice on the roadways, your desert experience on the back of a camel warms me! You are definitely one with your world. Thank you, Tyler, for being such a contribution for those you meet. I honor your chosen path. In lovingkindness, Diane
What an amazing experience Tyler,
We are so impressed with all you're doing! Have you adjusted to the hot weather? What do you miss from home?
Terri Stewart
Watch out Rick Steves Another Great Blog, (although not one to forward to Oprah like the last one), glad you were able to take a nice trip. Sounds like you've been doing a lot of great projects and they've been really interesting to read about. Best of Continued Luck!
So if this is Disneyland was the camel the only ride? Still probably better then any experience they have...
You look very changed I see that you look very changed. Grown and matured, and....changed. If those you touch are only a tenth as changed, then they are changed, indeed. Congratulations on a year of service. We are all very proud of you, very inspired by you.
Love and best wishes for the coming year.
Congratulations! Congratulations on a job, well done, and on overcoming the odds. I am certain that you sowed some seeds in those young minds. The frustration you describe, working with officials, etc., is about par for the course. In the modern business world, they are not so honest, but it is still a bribe.
You inspire me, as well.
A day in the life of...
Looks like you're keeping busy man, and good to see you making a difference a person at a time.
People still offering brides for you?
:)
Tiger, I mean Tyler, It's good to see you're fully enjoying yourself there. Me and B definately miss you and personally as i read your blogs i wish i was there with you, but with your great discriptive writing i feel as though i am there. So keep up the blogs and i can't wait to read your next one.
Art Does it Again! It sounds very joyful. And your discription of the hard-working students pulls at my heart. Here, they are closing down schools, because the Bush administration does not share your appreciation of opportunities for students. Although he has recently suggested that he can sell OUR public lands, OUR forests, OUR beautiful open spaces, and OUR unique environments, to his cronies, for a nominal fee, that we could then use for education.
I sound so cynical.....perhaps a good concert would cheer me.
Alham-da-la- laye! Salut Tyler! I just discovered your blog. Magnifique! The writing is terrific and, of course, calls up many west african memories. I loved the story of tea with Muhamed. the heart of peace corps service is really about diplomatically fending off attempts to arrange your marriage! (not all are successful!) And, of course, what blog is complete without a courageous tale of softball redemption (and beer!) We had a tournament in Niger, more aptly called "NUTS" (Niger UNiversal Tournament of Softball) still have the tie-dyed shirt to prove it. I think we were more on the "humiliating defeat" end of things. congrats to you all.
SOunds like all is well. We are fine here -- did your mom tell you we await the arrival of another baby in August. well we look forward to sharing more of your adventures. keep the peace!
love,
Penny, Allison and Soren
another thing You mention the mud huts with T.V.'s--that is the same image we had when we were kids. Hard to believe so little could have changed. Still thinking about this entry....
Great to see you have prospects Good to read what you have written here. Yes, the thought of the gulf between those young ladies and our culture, to say nothing of the gulf between you and them, is pretty amazing. I am sure you are quite a gift to that area. I recently heard Bill Hybels, a pastor from Chicago, talk about being invited to a dinner of the poor in Africa. There was a chicken in the middle the table, but he didn't feel like chicken. They urged him to eat it, but he declined. The next day he learned that they butcher about one chicken a year due to their extreme poverty and the chicken from that night had to be thrown out. I'm glad you ate the chicken. Much love.
Remembering Mauritania Hi Tyler, I don't know you and I just happened across your blog while searching for pens for goats. (laughing) I couldn't help but read your blog when I learned that you were in Mauritania. I spent a few months there as a diplomat working at the embassy and I thought the Mauritanian people were amazing. I still often think of my adventures there. Thank you for taking me back and for sharing your experiences. You should be very proud to be a volunteer in Mauritania! - Janet
I miss my big bro! hey Ty this is really cool. its awsome to be able to keep up with you and check out some pictures that i have yet to see!! i am doing well but miss you tons i will write you soon. i have hade some complications with my laptop i'll tell you about it later! i love and miss you so much i could burst!
Found your blog! I was trolling through my junk mail and, for some reason, this was there. It was so good to speak with you last week. Great picture on your site, too. If only to keep your spirits up, I will blog away.
Gren's memorial went very well. Chaz played several pieces. They were pretty somber, like Bach's "Enter into thy Rest". You can imagine that was a toe-tapper. We gave Chaz your email and, if i see him again, I will give him your blog space.
I'll attach my eulogy to Gren below. Later, when Mark gave the message, he told the story of Gren being called to Chapel Hill. Mark kept asking him to come on staff and Gren kept saying he was retired. Finally, when Mark asked one more time, and Gren said no, Mark said, "Will you at least pray about it?" Gren replied, "I don't want to pray about it. I'm retired." But, of course, he did and the rest was a very sweet decade. Have a great day.
Dad
Grenville A. Daun
March 1, 1925-January 23, 2006
Grenville was the second son to Leo and Helen Daun on March 1, 1925 in his grandparent’s home in Mentone, California. Gren went to private schools during his growing-up years and excelled, not only in his course work but also as a young musician.
By the age of 17 he was an organist at a little, Baptist church. He was conflicted, though. He loved the music and the instrument. But he didn’t believe the message. He was an atheist. And it bugged the heck out of a 15 year old girl in that church named Jane Stutsman. After youth group, Gren would drop the kids off to their homes. Over time, Jane noticed that he always dropped her off last. They would have spirited conversation. Jane sparred with him every time, challenging his lack of faith with the truth of God.
She had an ally in that car as well. Sometimes, as they rode together, Jane would switch on Dr. Charles Fuller. His radio program touched millions of lives in those years, and his message started touching Gren’s life as well. Pretty soon, it was Gren who turned on the radiomaybe at first to pre-empt Jane. But pretty soon, to hear a message that was water to a thirsty soul. One day that young man went up to the tower of the little Baptist church he played organ for and went to his knees, a child who had finally come home.
But he was soon required to leave home. The War was on and he was drafted. He was about to be shipped to the battle in a tank brigade when it was discovered that he had terrible asthma. So he spent the war in Oklahoma as an Army Chaplain Assistant.
He came back from war and married Jane. Their first year as man and wife would prove their mettle. Gren had another year of college at Redlands and Jane had another year of her college as well. They lived in their school dorms every week and re-united on the weekends.
By then it was clear to Gren that he was being called into the ministry. And, once again, Charles Fuller had an impact on his life. He had just opened his seminaryFuller Theological Seminary. Gren graduated from the first class of Fuller Seminary. Back then, it was a fledgling effort, and it must have required some courage and faith to believe it would stand the test of time. Today, Fuller graduates more Presbyterian pastors than any other seminary, in addition to pastors of nearly every denomination. Back then, though, it was a very new proposition and Gren was ready to step up to the challenge.
After graduation, he served some very prominent Baptist churches as their music Director, including Hollywood Baptist Church. (He would often tell me of how Henrietta Mears applied to serve on their church school staff but they rejected her because she was a woman. She went across the street to Hollywood Presbyterian and founded what became one of the most effective ministries to children and youth of the past century. Gren would always shake his head at their shortsightedness.)
After serving several congregations as a pastor and as a musical director of choirs and organist, he found that his calling was leaning away from the Baptist emphasis and more towards Presbyterian. He appreciated the emphasis on evangelism, but he longed for a greater focus on discipleship. And his love for music led him closer to the great hymns than the gospel choruses. So, true to form, he took the brave step of deciding he would switch denominations.
The Presbyterian Church was glad to have him, but they needed to do something about that Baptist background. As Gren described it, they had him “dry cleaned” at San Francisco Theological Seminary. He took that year to do work towards a Doctorate. One year later, he was pressed and cleaned just right for Presbyterianism.
His first call was to Dupont & Tillicum Presbyterian churches (he served both churches simultaneously). There was a love bond between those little congregations and the Daun’s. By now, three children were in tow: Susan, Shirlee and Timothy. Gren was glad to serve in this new denomination, and they gave their best.
There were delightful stories from that ministry, the kinds of things that only happen in church. Like the time a woodpecker was on the roof of the church one Sunday. Gren would begin his message, and the bird would start boring into the wood. He would stop, look up, and the bird would stop. This little, sonic dance had two or three rounds before someone went outside and shooed the bird away. Or the Sunday when the Daun’s family cat, who had just had her kittens, decided to walk from the parsonage to the church and traipsed up the aisle with her little kittens all in a line.
The Vietnam Years brought a number of soldiers from Ft. Lewis to the church. When the service was over, Jane invited all of them over to their home for Sunday afternoon meals. Sometimes things had to stretchShirlee remembers waffles and cheesebut there was plenty of love to go around for young men who had a lot on their minds. Susan says she learned from those impromptu meals that it was fun to givethat opening your home and your heart was the best way to live.
After Dupont & Tillicum there was Bethany. After Bethany, Little Church on the Prairie. And after Little Church, there was Lakewood. Along the way, he served in the organizational structure of the larger church. He was member and chair of many Presbytery committees. He was a Commissioner to the 1969 General Assembly, he was the Moderator of the Presbytery of Olympia in 1977 and he was a Commissioner to the Synod on several occasions.
In 1990, he retired. For the first time. Pastor Mark will tell you the rest of that story. He served here at Chapel Hill from 1992-2002. He joined this staff the same year and month that I did and was a delightful colleague of mine for those ten years. He was generous with his praise, kind to my kids and a great support to me as my role increased.
I have spoken about his pastoral career. There is another role he had as well. He was a husband and father. Shirley remembers him as a man who was patient and understanding. She realizes, now, the gift that her dad gave her. “Daddy was someone I could always go to. We could discuss anything. It was as if I could just crawl up into his lap and he would hold me, even when I was grown and away from home. Thanks to him, that’s how I see God today: someone who accepts me and holds me.”
That quiet and patient wisdom was something Jane appreciated. She says he never yelled at the kids. He was the stabilizer when things got difficult between siblings, or mom was stressed.
That sense of being a caring presence is all the more remarkable when you consider that Gren cared for an entire congregation. Sometimes, too much. It was not unusual for the family to sit down to dinner and the phone would ring. They could even name the latest person who was so needy. Gren would be up and out in a flash. That was his way, to a fault.
What mattered to Gren was the longer range view. How would his actions impact others for their own spiritual growth. Jane tells the story of Gren agreeing to marry two kids from the Army. The groom was beside him, and there the bride appeared, in hot pants, with a low top. The organist just about stopped in his tracks. But Gren later told Jane that he asked himself, “What would Jesus do?” At that moment, he knew exactly what he would do. He would understand her need to be accepted, and he would marry them. So he did.
There are few persons who have ministered in one area for as many years as Gren Daun has ministered here. Elder Donna Rippon is here at Chapel Hill, where she enjoyed knowing Gren’s ministry. But then, she had known that ministry all her life. Because Gren also ministered to her parents, Stan and Eleanor Rippon. And, in that first church in Dupont, just prior to Gren preaching, Stan’s mother, Elsie would tell her deaf husband in a very loud voice that the pastor was about to speak. If you include other grandchildren of Stan and Eleanor, that makes four generations of a family being touched by one life. Along with hundreds of others.
Gren’s final passing happened in the context of those to whom he ministered here at Chapel Hill, with Jane at his side in the company of friends and familythe church embracing him from his earliest years until his last moments. Not a bad way to end a life of such outstanding service.
And now it is not too much to imagine that he hears music played at just the right tempoall the greatest hymns and works and not a contemporary tune anywhere on that eternal playlist. He hears the music, and he hears the one thing he has longed to hear all his life: Well done, thou good, and faithful servant.
grateful for your blogness What a treat reading your messages about goat pens, being web-homeless and your new home! I'm pleased your friend clued you in to the negotiation process, otherwise who knows where you'd be sleeping! This is my first time (ever)to participate in a blog and there are two reasons I am submitting a comment. To encourage you to write more and because you write so vividly, I feel like I'm there watching you go through your experiences half a planet away. I miss you, Tyler. I am so thankful for my memories of our heart-to-heart talks and for your photos on the frig that bring you into view. I'm very proud to say I know this amazing young man in Africa, making a difference as a Peace Corps volunteer. So - enjoy your great room, your real toilet, and of course the goat pen!
Chevre, quelqu'un? Your timing is impeccable. I had just started to wonder, last night, why I hadn't heard from you, and if you were alright. I see, now, that you are beginning to resemble a wealthy land owner!
You make it sound wonderfully exotic, and joyful. Come to think of it, that is also how I would describe your expression in the photo. Glad to see you are well.
I wonder what sort of news you get, of America? Here it is a bad dream of propaganda, lies, and corruption, while the current regime loots the treasury, sells off our public lands, drives us into economic depression and makes us the object of world hate, while making themselves and their cronies extremely wealthy.
I am still shocked at how many people remain misled as to the origins of the war. I feel the populace is highly polarized, and words like "civil war" come to mind. Fundamentalism hangs like a weight on the world, and I fear the pendulum will not swing back toward 'global community' in my lifetime.
That makes what you are doing, all the more important, and you have my deeepest respect.
But other than that, we are fine.
I do so enjoy these writings of yours. Keep them coming.
I was born in Palos Verdes, CA in 1982. I grew up in Gig Harbor, WA, where I graduated from Gig Harbor High School in 2001. I graduated from the University of Washington in Seattle with a B.S. in Applied and Computational Mathematical sciences in 2005. I worked for a month and a half as an intern at Metagenics in Gig Harbor, WA, before departing for Peace Corps service in July, 2005. I am currently a Peace Corps Volunteer serving in Mauritania, West Africa. I specialize in Information and communication technology, as a subset of small business development in a city called Atar, with about 25,0... full info
Dana
non-member comment
Tyler Bing! Wow, i cannot believe its been more than a year since you left. To me it seems that you have accomplished alot. I love reading about you are up to. Your seminar seemed really awesome; to implement your idea and see it through. . As for me, i moved back to California and am living in San Luis Obispo(central coast). I am working as an environmental educator at an outdoor school. Life is good. Miss you and happy very belated birthday!