This summer, a bunch of guys in the CU men's soccer program are reading the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan along with me...I had a chance to knock it out on the plane rides to and from my recent missions trip to the DR...and in particular his thoughts on actually being obsessed with Jesus stood out to me...and I jotted them down to serve as stakes in my picture of what following Jesus with abandonment in response to His indeed crazy love might look like...here's the notes I typed up in summary of his descriptors of people obsessed with our Savior:
CRAZY LOVE Chapter 8 Summary Thoughts: Profile of the Obsessed…
OBSESSED: To have the mind excessively preoccupied with a single emotion or topic…
*People who are obsessed with Jesus give freely and openly, without censure. Obsessed people love those who hate them and who can never love them back.
* People who are obsessed with Jesus aren’t consumed with their personal safety and comfort above all else. Obsessed people care more about God’s kingdom coming to this earth than their own lives being shielded from pain or distress.
* People who are obsessed with Jesus live lives that connect them with the poor in some way or another. Obsessed people believe that Jesus talked about money and the poor so often because it was really important to Him (I John 2:4-6; Matthew 16:24-26).
* Obsessed people are more concerned with obeying God than doing what is expected or fulfilling the status quo. A person who is obsessed with Jesus will do things that don’t always make sense in terms of success or wealth on this earth. As Martin Luther put it, “There are two days on my calendar: this day and that day” (Luke 14:25-35; Matthew 7:13-23, 8:18-22; Revelation 3:1-6)
*A person who is obsessed with Jesus knows that the sin of pride is always a battle. Obsessed people know that you can never be “humble enough,” and so they seek to make themselves less known and Christ more known (Matthew 5:16).
*People who are obsessed with Jesus do not consider service a burden. Obsessed people take joy in loving God by loving His people (Matthew 13:44; John 15:8)
* People who are obsessed with God are known as givers, not takers. Obsessed people genuinely think that others matter as much as they do, and they are particularly aware of those who are poor around the world (James 2:14-26)
*A person who is obsessed thinks about heaven frequently. Obsessed people orient their lives around eternity; they are not fixed only on what is here in front of them.
* A person who is obsessed is characterized by committed, settled, passionate love for God, above and before every other thing and every other being.
*People who are obsessed are raw with God; they do not attempt to mask the ugliness of their sins or their failures. Obsessed people don’t put it on for God; He is their safe place, where they can be at peace.
*People who are obsessed with God have an intimate relationship with Him. They are nourished by God’s Word throughout the day because they know that forty minutes on Sunday is not enough to sustain them for a whole week, especially when they will encounter so many distractions and alternative messages.
*A person who is obsessed with Jesus is more concerned with his or her character than comfort. Obsessed people know that true joy doesn’t depend on circumstances or environment; it is a gift that must be chosen and cultivated, a gift that ultimately comes from God (James 1:2-4).
*A person who is obsessed with Jesus knows that the best thing he or she can do is be faithful to their Savior in every aspect of their life, continually saying “Thank You!” to God. An obsessed person knows there can never be intimacy if he or she is always trying to pay God back or work hard enough to be worthy. He or she revels in their role as child and friend of God.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
A Final Blog from the DR...
Hello for the last time from the Dominican Republic...we are just getting ready for a final team dinner together on a warm and breezy night...we said goodbye to new friends this morning at our ministry site and then headed into the capital city of Santo Domingo...we visited the market and then walked in and around some of the oldest buildings in the Western hemisphere, including the National Cathedral and National Monuments of the DR...these buildings are amazing structures and are almost 500 years old!
We then drove to the coast and spent some time this afternoon enjoying a resort on the ocean...there has been good food, lots of Dominican music, and a time to relax after a very busy week for us all...in many ways, it is somewhat strange to be at a resort after being part of a community with such great physical needs during our time in the DR...you find yourself feeling somewhat guilty and somewhat resistant to what you see all around you...yet in many ways this resort represents more of who we are as blessed Americans...and the greatest challenge of this trip is yet to come in many ways...God's calling to us is not to just feel guilty and grateful...it is to live with what we have seen, experienced, and heard from God in a place of prominence in our daily lives...it is the challenge of living in our own community and culture that God has placed us in as a Christian who is compassionate, communicates about the needs of others near and far, and serves out of a heart that is full because of what God has done in Jesus for us...that's really our final task of this trip...to spend time asking God to show us specifically what our response individually and as a team will be as we come back to Cornerstone and the summer months ahead...we'd ask you to pray for us to be motivated and passionate to be advocates for the people of the DR and to help us to build a community that is focused on others and creates a mindset of service and love and character in the basketball community and other places of influence in our lives...
We are tired and yet so very blessed after our time on this missions trip...we appreciate your prayers and support more than you know...we are excited to tell stories, show pictures, and talk about what God is up to in this world when we return...don't be afraid to ask questions of us when we are back with you...
Thanks for reading this blog and giving us encouraging comments back...I've loved being with young men who I believe will indeed change the world...CHIP
p.s. If all goes well, we should arrive back at CU sometime around 1 am or so after our travel day tomorrow!
We then drove to the coast and spent some time this afternoon enjoying a resort on the ocean...there has been good food, lots of Dominican music, and a time to relax after a very busy week for us all...in many ways, it is somewhat strange to be at a resort after being part of a community with such great physical needs during our time in the DR...you find yourself feeling somewhat guilty and somewhat resistant to what you see all around you...yet in many ways this resort represents more of who we are as blessed Americans...and the greatest challenge of this trip is yet to come in many ways...God's calling to us is not to just feel guilty and grateful...it is to live with what we have seen, experienced, and heard from God in a place of prominence in our daily lives...it is the challenge of living in our own community and culture that God has placed us in as a Christian who is compassionate, communicates about the needs of others near and far, and serves out of a heart that is full because of what God has done in Jesus for us...that's really our final task of this trip...to spend time asking God to show us specifically what our response individually and as a team will be as we come back to Cornerstone and the summer months ahead...we'd ask you to pray for us to be motivated and passionate to be advocates for the people of the DR and to help us to build a community that is focused on others and creates a mindset of service and love and character in the basketball community and other places of influence in our lives...
We are tired and yet so very blessed after our time on this missions trip...we appreciate your prayers and support more than you know...we are excited to tell stories, show pictures, and talk about what God is up to in this world when we return...don't be afraid to ask questions of us when we are back with you...
Thanks for reading this blog and giving us encouraging comments back...I've loved being with young men who I believe will indeed change the world...CHIP
p.s. If all goes well, we should arrive back at CU sometime around 1 am or so after our travel day tomorrow!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
A Final Day in Los Alcarrizos...
We are spending our last night in the community that we feel part of now here in the DR...we were back out in the sunshine this morning pouring cement for curbs and sidewalks to help prevent floods from reaching people's homes and helping students to walk to their local community school...
The guys have really put their sweat and hearts into helping the community here...and there has been a sweet satisfaction in being tired in doing God's work on behalf of the people here...
I loved seeing some of the guys walk through the neighborhood holding the hands of kids in their school uniforms and taking pictures with children on their shoulders...they have been ambassadors of God's love to people looking to receive love from the Father through them...
After another morning of work, we headed downtown to take on our final opponent at the University of Santo Domingo...it is a massive university that serves students from all over Latin America...the guys didn't have much energy but squeaked out a final win 64-62...they finished their Dominican Tour undefeated against some of the better players and teams in this country...and they shared the message of hope found in Jesus to hundreds and hundreds of players, coaches, and fans across the nation...using basketball as a ministry tool has been a privilege and pleasure, and athletics provides a platform for service and relationships and evangelism unlike few things that cross cultural boundaries...and it has been a fantastic week participating in God's Kingdom work in this part of the world...
I have to tell you personally this has been a fantastic trip...I've taken students all over the globe and I have loved these last days in the DR...what a joy to have the privilege to watch this team serve God with a heart that loves the people, cares for these kids, and is passionate about changing the future of a community that has needs God allowed us to help meet...in many ways, you see this generation of Christ-followers at its best...and tonite I praise God for what He is doing and will do...
Tomorrow morning we will head out of our camp here and visit the historical sites of Santo Domingo (there's lots of them due to explorers like Christopher Columbus) and a quick stop in a typical Dominican market...and we will close off the trip at a Dominican resort where we will get some rest, enjoy the beach, and hang out together...
We are getting excited to head home to share our stories with you all and appreciate your prayers as we share with one another how we will seek to live differently in light of our experiences and things God has allowed us to hear and experience here away from our normal lives...
I'll close tonight with some verses we've been studying and talking about in our devotional and sharing times together:
Isaiah 58:6-10 (New Living Translation)
6 “No, this is the kind of fasting I want:
Free those who are wrongly imprisoned;
lighten the burden of those who work for you.
Let the oppressed go free,
and remove the chains that bind people.
7 Share your food with the hungry,
and give shelter to the homeless.
Give clothes to those who need them,
and do not hide from relatives who need your help.
8 “Then your salvation will come like the dawn,
and your wounds will quickly heal.
Your godliness will lead you forward,
and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind.
9 Then when you call, the Lord will answer.
‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply.
“Remove the heavy yoke of oppression.
Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumors!
10 Feed the hungry,
and help those in trouble.
Then your light will shine out from the darkness,
and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.
For the CU HOOPS team in the DR,
CHIP
The guys have really put their sweat and hearts into helping the community here...and there has been a sweet satisfaction in being tired in doing God's work on behalf of the people here...
I loved seeing some of the guys walk through the neighborhood holding the hands of kids in their school uniforms and taking pictures with children on their shoulders...they have been ambassadors of God's love to people looking to receive love from the Father through them...
After another morning of work, we headed downtown to take on our final opponent at the University of Santo Domingo...it is a massive university that serves students from all over Latin America...the guys didn't have much energy but squeaked out a final win 64-62...they finished their Dominican Tour undefeated against some of the better players and teams in this country...and they shared the message of hope found in Jesus to hundreds and hundreds of players, coaches, and fans across the nation...using basketball as a ministry tool has been a privilege and pleasure, and athletics provides a platform for service and relationships and evangelism unlike few things that cross cultural boundaries...and it has been a fantastic week participating in God's Kingdom work in this part of the world...
I have to tell you personally this has been a fantastic trip...I've taken students all over the globe and I have loved these last days in the DR...what a joy to have the privilege to watch this team serve God with a heart that loves the people, cares for these kids, and is passionate about changing the future of a community that has needs God allowed us to help meet...in many ways, you see this generation of Christ-followers at its best...and tonite I praise God for what He is doing and will do...
Tomorrow morning we will head out of our camp here and visit the historical sites of Santo Domingo (there's lots of them due to explorers like Christopher Columbus) and a quick stop in a typical Dominican market...and we will close off the trip at a Dominican resort where we will get some rest, enjoy the beach, and hang out together...
We are getting excited to head home to share our stories with you all and appreciate your prayers as we share with one another how we will seek to live differently in light of our experiences and things God has allowed us to hear and experience here away from our normal lives...
I'll close tonight with some verses we've been studying and talking about in our devotional and sharing times together:
Isaiah 58:6-10 (New Living Translation)
6 “No, this is the kind of fasting I want:
Free those who are wrongly imprisoned;
lighten the burden of those who work for you.
Let the oppressed go free,
and remove the chains that bind people.
7 Share your food with the hungry,
and give shelter to the homeless.
Give clothes to those who need them,
and do not hide from relatives who need your help.
8 “Then your salvation will come like the dawn,
and your wounds will quickly heal.
Your godliness will lead you forward,
and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind.
9 Then when you call, the Lord will answer.
‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply.
“Remove the heavy yoke of oppression.
Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumors!
10 Feed the hungry,
and help those in trouble.
Then your light will shine out from the darkness,
and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.
For the CU HOOPS team in the DR,
CHIP
another blogsite to check in on...
Just a reminder that you can also check out some video clips, pictures, and trip moments at a blogsite hosted by Greg, the director of the mission we are working with here...the web address is:
http://untoincorg.blogspot.com/
http://untoincorg.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
A word from our post player and guest blogger for the night...
The days continue to fly by here in the DR...tomorrow is our last day in the community here...the heat is turned up and we are exctied to serve thru work and witness and relationship here...guys were sharing how they will see things differently as a result of this trip, and our final challenge is to see how we translate what God has been speaking to us and showing us as we come back to the world where the Lord has placed us...the team is loving sharing this experience as a team and continues to play great team ball here in the DR with another 116-97 win in the nation's capital tonight...one of the guys on the team has been here several times before and loves the people and community deeply...it's been great to watch Dan be so at home in this community and culture this week...here's his blog about the day that is coming to an end:
Today was an early one! Waking up and getting to work at 7 was pretty refreshing, but at the same time it made the day seem like an extra long one, even though it started only an hour and a half earlier then usual. We worked on building the stairs for the new weight room at the school, which was nice because all of us were in the same area, and the work place is always a good place for bonding. I personally spent most of the morning up on top of the building bending over and picking up buckets of cement with a couple other teammates...it wasn't easy on the back, but at the same time a good work out.
The afternoon was spent resting, swimming, talking about our response to the needs of others in this world, and getting ready for our game in Santo Domingo, which we ended up tipping off about 7:30. It was sweet to play in the big arena that we played in, even though there weren't too many fans, but there were enough to make it fun and exciting. Coach has been doing a great job along with some of the other players at sharing their testimonies to the other teams before games and at halftime. You never really do know who that testimony is going to get through to, but thats not for us to always understand and know; we just have to do what were supposed to do and God ALWAYS does the rest, even if we don't see it. Tomorrow should be another good one, as we'll be back to work, seeing kids, and playing our final basketball game.
For the rest of the team,
Daniel Possehl
PS. Bryce Semple led the way with 24 points tonight out on the floor!
Today was an early one! Waking up and getting to work at 7 was pretty refreshing, but at the same time it made the day seem like an extra long one, even though it started only an hour and a half earlier then usual. We worked on building the stairs for the new weight room at the school, which was nice because all of us were in the same area, and the work place is always a good place for bonding. I personally spent most of the morning up on top of the building bending over and picking up buckets of cement with a couple other teammates...it wasn't easy on the back, but at the same time a good work out.
The afternoon was spent resting, swimming, talking about our response to the needs of others in this world, and getting ready for our game in Santo Domingo, which we ended up tipping off about 7:30. It was sweet to play in the big arena that we played in, even though there weren't too many fans, but there were enough to make it fun and exciting. Coach has been doing a great job along with some of the other players at sharing their testimonies to the other teams before games and at halftime. You never really do know who that testimony is going to get through to, but thats not for us to always understand and know; we just have to do what were supposed to do and God ALWAYS does the rest, even if we don't see it. Tomorrow should be another good one, as we'll be back to work, seeing kids, and playing our final basketball game.
For the rest of the team,
Daniel Possehl
PS. Bryce Semple led the way with 24 points tonight out on the floor!
Monday, May 10, 2010
Quite the Day in the DR...A Guest Blogger/Point Guard Writes!
It is late and we are pretty tired...but full of energy and experiences from a unique Monday...it was a day filled with hard work in helping to build a kitchen that will feed hundreds of children before they attend school each day, helping young coaches impact the next generation of Dominican athletes, and sharing the story of Jesus with hundreds of folks gathered to watch night time basketball in a typical Dominican community...these are good days, and it has been an absolute ball for us to enjoy serving Christ together here...I've got a guest blogger tonight to tell you more...here's a recap of our day from point guard Dominic Allen:
Today was a wild day. The whole trip has been an outstanding experience for all of us, and today may have been the most exciting. We began the day early out at the school filling huge pillars with cement. Cement work is extremely difficult stuff, but we had a good time doing it. The sun actually was covered by clouds and that was a huge break for us (even though about half of us got burnt,including me). We worked until early afternoon and then got the opportunity to jump in the camp pool which was really refreshing. At about 2 o clock a group of coaches assembled and Coach E put on a clinic for them; it was great for us to teach the coaches because they can in turn teach their players and we can reach many more people. We basically went through an abbreviated practice and showed them some of our set plays we run. After this was over we ate dinner and headed to tonight's game.
One thing about these games is going in we have no idea what we are getting into. We knew the game was on an outdoor court but that's it. We arrived at the court and we were just wowed for about half an hour; the court was walled in with barbed wire along the top (most of us have pictures of it and this is something you definitely want to see). The place was jammed packed...kids were all over us, and of course we were passing out candy, t-shirts, and basketballs...and they loved us! That was so amazing to just see how happy the kids were to be around us. When the game finally started (an hour late, of course) we had no idea what to expect from the team. Come to find out they were good, very good. We led most of the game until the third quarter and they went on a huge run and took an 11 point lead. We definitely didn't want to lose, and we responded by having a great 4th quarter and won by 12 points, 115-103.
This time in the DR has been life changing for all of us and we have had the opportunity to experience so many things that most of us never thought we would be able to...we are all excited to see what the next few days have in store for us here in the DR...All of you reading this are missed and are on our minds. God bless you all and good night from the DR!
Today was a wild day. The whole trip has been an outstanding experience for all of us, and today may have been the most exciting. We began the day early out at the school filling huge pillars with cement. Cement work is extremely difficult stuff, but we had a good time doing it. The sun actually was covered by clouds and that was a huge break for us (even though about half of us got burnt,including me). We worked until early afternoon and then got the opportunity to jump in the camp pool which was really refreshing. At about 2 o clock a group of coaches assembled and Coach E put on a clinic for them; it was great for us to teach the coaches because they can in turn teach their players and we can reach many more people. We basically went through an abbreviated practice and showed them some of our set plays we run. After this was over we ate dinner and headed to tonight's game.
One thing about these games is going in we have no idea what we are getting into. We knew the game was on an outdoor court but that's it. We arrived at the court and we were just wowed for about half an hour; the court was walled in with barbed wire along the top (most of us have pictures of it and this is something you definitely want to see). The place was jammed packed...kids were all over us, and of course we were passing out candy, t-shirts, and basketballs...and they loved us! That was so amazing to just see how happy the kids were to be around us. When the game finally started (an hour late, of course) we had no idea what to expect from the team. Come to find out they were good, very good. We led most of the game until the third quarter and they went on a huge run and took an 11 point lead. We definitely didn't want to lose, and we responded by having a great 4th quarter and won by 12 points, 115-103.
This time in the DR has been life changing for all of us and we have had the opportunity to experience so many things that most of us never thought we would be able to...we are all excited to see what the next few days have in store for us here in the DR...All of you reading this are missed and are on our minds. God bless you all and good night from the DR!
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Sunday Stories...
It is Sunday here in the DR...and it is warm and humid and a great day for our team...
We started the day by heading to a church service...the service was alive and full of young people...students leading the worship time and about half of the congregation left the sanctuary when it was time for Sunday School...the global church is young and so many students are excited and passionate about their relationship with the Lord...there is almost always a sense of passion and joy in the church across the world that we sometimes seem to have missing in some of our American churches...it was fun to be able to greet them and celebrate with them the reality of the deep connection we have in being part of the church of Jesus Christ across cultures and ocean waters...I love seeing the freedom and authentic nature of people praising their Creator in simple ways and in simple settings like this church in San Juan...the pastor even was speaking about Revelation 2 where John writes about the church's need to recapture their first love...something I long for myself and the CU community and beyond...coming to worship tith Dominican believers here encourages us to do that very thing as we follow their lead...
After church we headed back to the basketball arena where we played our second game in San Juan...the heat was not an issue for the CU crew and the team won again by a 129-103 score...the game featured some big dunks from both teams and the guys really enjoyed the chance to play and make friendships with ballplayers from another country...at halftime, Bryan Pasciak and Coach E shared their personal stories of how Christ has changed their lives and how He longs to change each one's life through the power of the resurrection with the crowd at the game...each of the players was also able to give a Spanish/English Bible to each of the players on the DR team...all in all, the team had a great time playing and having the chance to use their athletic gifts to bring God glory and point people to Jesus...
We had a final dinner in San Juan out on a big Dominican farm...Cristian's 80 year old grandmother prepared a meal that most guys commented was one of the best meals they had eaten in a while...it was special to receive such incredible hospitality, a hospitality that often is demonstrated here in ways that surprise us who come from a seemingly so busy world...
We then drove back to our camp location outside Santo Domingo and just finished debriefing our weekend...several of the guys shared about the blessing it has been to meet and get to know the Dominican people, and the Spirit's presence in our church service here...we finished talking about our need to have this trip cause real change in our lives, and the challenge we have to ask God to demonstrate specific steps of personal and team response to what we have seen in another part of the world...we would appreciate your prayers for the ability to hear God speak to us as we seek those things out in the days to come...a trip like this provides a chance to be changed forever...and that's our passion for this team of guys...
Tomorrow we start our work project...we will be mixing cement and laying block in the Dominican sunshine...and then we will be involved in putting on a coaches' clinic and another evening game in the local community...it promises to be a full and tiring and meaningful day...
We are off to bed and pray for a great week ahead for all of our friends and family back home...and we miss our MOMS today...
Buenos Tardes from the DR,
CHIP
We started the day by heading to a church service...the service was alive and full of young people...students leading the worship time and about half of the congregation left the sanctuary when it was time for Sunday School...the global church is young and so many students are excited and passionate about their relationship with the Lord...there is almost always a sense of passion and joy in the church across the world that we sometimes seem to have missing in some of our American churches...it was fun to be able to greet them and celebrate with them the reality of the deep connection we have in being part of the church of Jesus Christ across cultures and ocean waters...I love seeing the freedom and authentic nature of people praising their Creator in simple ways and in simple settings like this church in San Juan...the pastor even was speaking about Revelation 2 where John writes about the church's need to recapture their first love...something I long for myself and the CU community and beyond...coming to worship tith Dominican believers here encourages us to do that very thing as we follow their lead...
After church we headed back to the basketball arena where we played our second game in San Juan...the heat was not an issue for the CU crew and the team won again by a 129-103 score...the game featured some big dunks from both teams and the guys really enjoyed the chance to play and make friendships with ballplayers from another country...at halftime, Bryan Pasciak and Coach E shared their personal stories of how Christ has changed their lives and how He longs to change each one's life through the power of the resurrection with the crowd at the game...each of the players was also able to give a Spanish/English Bible to each of the players on the DR team...all in all, the team had a great time playing and having the chance to use their athletic gifts to bring God glory and point people to Jesus...
We had a final dinner in San Juan out on a big Dominican farm...Cristian's 80 year old grandmother prepared a meal that most guys commented was one of the best meals they had eaten in a while...it was special to receive such incredible hospitality, a hospitality that often is demonstrated here in ways that surprise us who come from a seemingly so busy world...
We then drove back to our camp location outside Santo Domingo and just finished debriefing our weekend...several of the guys shared about the blessing it has been to meet and get to know the Dominican people, and the Spirit's presence in our church service here...we finished talking about our need to have this trip cause real change in our lives, and the challenge we have to ask God to demonstrate specific steps of personal and team response to what we have seen in another part of the world...we would appreciate your prayers for the ability to hear God speak to us as we seek those things out in the days to come...a trip like this provides a chance to be changed forever...and that's our passion for this team of guys...
Tomorrow we start our work project...we will be mixing cement and laying block in the Dominican sunshine...and then we will be involved in putting on a coaches' clinic and another evening game in the local community...it promises to be a full and tiring and meaningful day...
We are off to bed and pray for a great week ahead for all of our friends and family back home...and we miss our MOMS today...
Buenos Tardes from the DR,
CHIP
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Basketball in the DR
Saturday night in the Dominican Republic brought the first basketball game for the CU hoops team...and the team did not disappoint...
After a 3 hour bus ride and a great pre-game dinner of spaghetti, fresh fruit, and fried plantains at Crisitian's family home where he grew up (our Dominican host), the guys arrived at an indoor/outdoor basketball arena where a local team of Dominican all-stars was waiting to play them...
Dan Possehl and Coach E shared why we had come to the DR before the game...they talked about why we hadn't come just to play basketball, but because we want to serve the Dominican people in the name of Jesus...it was a great opportunity to clearly share the Gospel and offer those we were playing against the chance to hear about the new life Jesus offers to all of us...
We prayed together and then started an up and down, run and gun style game...perfectly suited to Cornerstone basketball tonight...the Dominican team had quickness and some good shooters, but the CU guys liked the soft rims in the San Juan Arena and kept scoring all night...Joey Saladino became the king of the DR basketball scene for a night as he brought the crowd into a frenzy with 8 three pointers, including a stretch where he couldn't miss on several consecutive possessions...everyone made shots and had a great time...the final score was 151-126 and plenty of pictures were taken afterward...and yes, some of the Dominican fans wanted to get pictures with their new favorite athletes!
We were treated to a traditional Dominican dish after the game and the guys are now sleeping in our hotel here tonight...we head to church in the morning and will play another game here in San Juan before leaving to head back to our home base tomorrow afternoon...
We are being well taken care of by so many gracious Dominican friends and loving being together as a team as we experience this culture and get to share our passion for Christ and for basketball...we miss you all and want to send love and Happy Mother's Day wishes back home from the DR!!
For the CU Hoops Crew, CHIP
After a 3 hour bus ride and a great pre-game dinner of spaghetti, fresh fruit, and fried plantains at Crisitian's family home where he grew up (our Dominican host), the guys arrived at an indoor/outdoor basketball arena where a local team of Dominican all-stars was waiting to play them...
Dan Possehl and Coach E shared why we had come to the DR before the game...they talked about why we hadn't come just to play basketball, but because we want to serve the Dominican people in the name of Jesus...it was a great opportunity to clearly share the Gospel and offer those we were playing against the chance to hear about the new life Jesus offers to all of us...
We prayed together and then started an up and down, run and gun style game...perfectly suited to Cornerstone basketball tonight...the Dominican team had quickness and some good shooters, but the CU guys liked the soft rims in the San Juan Arena and kept scoring all night...Joey Saladino became the king of the DR basketball scene for a night as he brought the crowd into a frenzy with 8 three pointers, including a stretch where he couldn't miss on several consecutive possessions...everyone made shots and had a great time...the final score was 151-126 and plenty of pictures were taken afterward...and yes, some of the Dominican fans wanted to get pictures with their new favorite athletes!
We were treated to a traditional Dominican dish after the game and the guys are now sleeping in our hotel here tonight...we head to church in the morning and will play another game here in San Juan before leaving to head back to our home base tomorrow afternoon...
We are being well taken care of by so many gracious Dominican friends and loving being together as a team as we experience this culture and get to share our passion for Christ and for basketball...we miss you all and want to send love and Happy Mother's Day wishes back home from the DR!!
For the CU Hoops Crew, CHIP
Reflections on Being in the Community
Just a couple quick thoughts on a warm Saturday morning before we head out to San Juan, a different community in another part of the Dominican Republic to play two basketball games, tonight and tomorrow before lots of folks!
As we were talking about the first sights and sounds in the world here, the guys were reflecting that even in the midst of seeing some of the most significant poverty they have ever seen, there was a sense of joy and hope that surprised them...we talked about how so often in our own worlds and lives, we define happiness as the accumulation of possessions and material resources...and yet when you enter into a community in other cultures, that definition changes...in many ways, there is a freedom and a contentment that cannot be found just in having enough...or even more than enough...the guys talked about the conversations, the community that they saw and felt in the neighborhood here...
This morning's devotion time focused on the notion of Imago Dei, the biblical truth that we are all created in the image of a magnificent God and we literally bear His character and qualities...as we build relationships here and interact with people whose lives may look so different than our own, we see and recognize the truth that each of us, no matter what we own or have, bears the image of our Creator and has incredible value, even to the point of having Christ love and die for each of us...we are excited about the chance we've been blessed with to share that truth with those we play against, work with, and get to know this week...and we are also praying that God would in the midst of being away from many of the things that typically define our lives, we will be reminded of how much God loves us, has grand plans for our lives, and how much He longs for us to care deeply about all who have been made by Him and to tangibly communicate the love of Jesus in what we do and how we view the people here in the DR...
We had a great and long night of sleep and look forward to using basketball as a ministry tool in the next 2 days here...pray for the opportunities we will have to talk with people here and for safety as we travel...below are some of the verses we are thinking about as we minister here today in the DR:
Luke 10:2,9
He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.'
Luke 6:20-21
Looking at his disciples, he said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.”
We will see if I can get online over the next 2 days...we miss you and especially will miss all our MOMS tomorrow on Mother's Day...
With prayers and thanks for all God is and will teach us as we serve Him,
CHIP
As we were talking about the first sights and sounds in the world here, the guys were reflecting that even in the midst of seeing some of the most significant poverty they have ever seen, there was a sense of joy and hope that surprised them...we talked about how so often in our own worlds and lives, we define happiness as the accumulation of possessions and material resources...and yet when you enter into a community in other cultures, that definition changes...in many ways, there is a freedom and a contentment that cannot be found just in having enough...or even more than enough...the guys talked about the conversations, the community that they saw and felt in the neighborhood here...
This morning's devotion time focused on the notion of Imago Dei, the biblical truth that we are all created in the image of a magnificent God and we literally bear His character and qualities...as we build relationships here and interact with people whose lives may look so different than our own, we see and recognize the truth that each of us, no matter what we own or have, bears the image of our Creator and has incredible value, even to the point of having Christ love and die for each of us...we are excited about the chance we've been blessed with to share that truth with those we play against, work with, and get to know this week...and we are also praying that God would in the midst of being away from many of the things that typically define our lives, we will be reminded of how much God loves us, has grand plans for our lives, and how much He longs for us to care deeply about all who have been made by Him and to tangibly communicate the love of Jesus in what we do and how we view the people here in the DR...
We had a great and long night of sleep and look forward to using basketball as a ministry tool in the next 2 days here...pray for the opportunities we will have to talk with people here and for safety as we travel...below are some of the verses we are thinking about as we minister here today in the DR:
Luke 10:2,9
He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.'
Luke 6:20-21
Looking at his disciples, he said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.”
We will see if I can get online over the next 2 days...we miss you and especially will miss all our MOMS tomorrow on Mother's Day...
With prayers and thanks for all God is and will teach us as we serve Him,
CHIP
Friday, May 7, 2010
Hello from the DR!
Greetings to all...I am blogging while the guys are getting in a first scrimmage on an outdoor basketball court here in the DR...
We had an easy travel trip (despite losing a night's sleep!) and arrived to sunny skies and 90 degree temps here in Santo Domingo...we arrived in the community we will be part of for the next week and had a chance to walk thru the community and see first hand what God is doing and how life is lived...
The ministry we are partnering with here is doing some extensive and remarkable things...they run a Christian school for over 1000 kids (many who have no other school option due to overcrowded public schools, have put in a water purification sysytem that provides clean water and ensures better health while also servibg as a microfinance opportunity of sorts for local pastors who serve as the distributors of the water, have built playgrounds, sidewalks and curbs, and local church buildings in the community with big dreams for doing even more! I was thrilled to see one new house for a desperately poor family occupied after we started to build the block foundation with other CU athletes just a few months ago...They are truly fulfilling their mission to share the Gospel in both proclamation and demonstration forms...
Our walk thru the local community took us through one of the poorest neighborhoods in the DR...the physical needs in terms of sanitation, housing, health care, and food are very significant...several of the guys mentioned to me that they had never seen poverty at this level personally...and yet we were welcomed by the people and children flocked to these tall "Americano" strangers as we walked the dirt path roads...seeing such real needs always reminds me that we have been blessed to then be a blessing in the lives of others God connects us to...I'm looking forward to hearing the guys reactions and reflections to this very different neighborhood walk they took today...
We ate a great Dominican dinner and are well taken care of in our new home for the next week...we will have some great opportunities for using the platform of basketball as a ministry tool and way to communicate the message and love of Christ in the next days...we will also be doing some laying of block on construction sites where new kitchens and gyms are being added to the school facility...
We love knowing you are praying for us and we look forward to traveling a few hours tomorrow for a game that has already sold over 3000 tickets in a DR community on the other side of the island...it will be a great chance to share Jesus with other players and fans...we will play again Sunday after church before returning to the Santo Domingo area Sunday night...
I'm not sure I'll be able to blog from our spot tomorrow, so it may be a few days before I get back to sending a written update...
All right, we are going to meet before we head to an early bedtime tonight...with full hearts and praise for God enabling us to come to this place with a great sense of purpose and humility for what it will mean to us and His people here,
CHIP for the Rest of the Team...
We had an easy travel trip (despite losing a night's sleep!) and arrived to sunny skies and 90 degree temps here in Santo Domingo...we arrived in the community we will be part of for the next week and had a chance to walk thru the community and see first hand what God is doing and how life is lived...
The ministry we are partnering with here is doing some extensive and remarkable things...they run a Christian school for over 1000 kids (many who have no other school option due to overcrowded public schools, have put in a water purification sysytem that provides clean water and ensures better health while also servibg as a microfinance opportunity of sorts for local pastors who serve as the distributors of the water, have built playgrounds, sidewalks and curbs, and local church buildings in the community with big dreams for doing even more! I was thrilled to see one new house for a desperately poor family occupied after we started to build the block foundation with other CU athletes just a few months ago...They are truly fulfilling their mission to share the Gospel in both proclamation and demonstration forms...
Our walk thru the local community took us through one of the poorest neighborhoods in the DR...the physical needs in terms of sanitation, housing, health care, and food are very significant...several of the guys mentioned to me that they had never seen poverty at this level personally...and yet we were welcomed by the people and children flocked to these tall "Americano" strangers as we walked the dirt path roads...seeing such real needs always reminds me that we have been blessed to then be a blessing in the lives of others God connects us to...I'm looking forward to hearing the guys reactions and reflections to this very different neighborhood walk they took today...
We ate a great Dominican dinner and are well taken care of in our new home for the next week...we will have some great opportunities for using the platform of basketball as a ministry tool and way to communicate the message and love of Christ in the next days...we will also be doing some laying of block on construction sites where new kitchens and gyms are being added to the school facility...
We love knowing you are praying for us and we look forward to traveling a few hours tomorrow for a game that has already sold over 3000 tickets in a DR community on the other side of the island...it will be a great chance to share Jesus with other players and fans...we will play again Sunday after church before returning to the Santo Domingo area Sunday night...
I'm not sure I'll be able to blog from our spot tomorrow, so it may be a few days before I get back to sending a written update...
All right, we are going to meet before we head to an early bedtime tonight...with full hearts and praise for God enabling us to come to this place with a great sense of purpose and humility for what it will mean to us and His people here,
CHIP for the Rest of the Team...
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Prayer Requests for the CU Guys Basketball Trip to the Dominican Republic
My name is Chip Huber and am just finishing my first year serving in the Spiritual Formation office at CU...I also happen to be a long-time coach, athlete (a loose term!) and lover of the game of basketball...one of my family's favorite memories of our first year here at CU has been attending home basketball games...and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to travel with other folks from the CU basketball community on this mission trip experience...
I am particularly excited about this specific trip because I had the chance to travel with the CU guys soccer team to this location this past January...we loved getting to know the community and parntering with the ministry work being done here by some amazing Dominican followers of Jesus...we continue to get excited about building a potential long term relationship between the CU athletic teams and the work and partners God has set in place in this beautiful community...
As we head off to the Dominican Republic in a few hours, here's a prayer update I want to offer to you...we covet your prayers as we seek to have a transformational life experience together as a team and with the people in the DR...I'll be blogging from the DR several times over the next week on this website and will get some help from the guys in sharing stories and experiences from our trip...…here are ten specific prayer ways you can pray for us:
1.Safety and health in our travels around the DR over the next 7 days
2.A good working out of schedule and administrative details as we attempt to see and be part of many different experiences in a short time period
3.Ability to connect with and love and learn from our Dominican brothers and sisters
4.The continued impact of the Christian school which is being used by hundreds and hundreds of students in this community, and the physical strength to help in the further expansion of this school to serve the needs of a growing child population...pray for our chance to help serve the school by doing basketball clinics for children and those coaching them
5.A deep sense of community and growth in our team as we seek to discuss and mull over the experiences and resulting questions we will encounter...we are excited to build deeper friendships with each other and use our athletic gifts in basketball as a ministry and witness tool
6.The chance to talk to others about Jesus and all He has done for us! We are particularly excited about the chance to talk about our faith in Christ this coming weekend in some high profile games we will be playing against local basketball teams here in the DR...
7.A fresh vision for future projects and personal involvement in the work God is doing in the DR and other nations around the world
8.A greater love for Christ and a heart that beats and cares for and loves the poor and oppressed and sick people in our world
9.Opportunities to pray for/with and encourage believers and the local body of Christ in the DR as they share the Gospel in word and deed with the children and adults of their communities
10.Ability to hear and receive stories and learnings that we can then take and use as powerful resources in being advocates and leaders when we return home
We can’t wait to return and give you the stories of our trip along with some photos and videos we will have taken…once again, thank you for being part of this Kingdom venture…your overwhelming generosity and partnership is truly a remarkable blessing in our lives…We thank God for your friendship, gifts of love, and your prayers…
Together in His Work and for the 2010 Basketball Missions Crew,
Chip Huber
Dean of Student Engagement at Cornerstone University
I am particularly excited about this specific trip because I had the chance to travel with the CU guys soccer team to this location this past January...we loved getting to know the community and parntering with the ministry work being done here by some amazing Dominican followers of Jesus...we continue to get excited about building a potential long term relationship between the CU athletic teams and the work and partners God has set in place in this beautiful community...
As we head off to the Dominican Republic in a few hours, here's a prayer update I want to offer to you...we covet your prayers as we seek to have a transformational life experience together as a team and with the people in the DR...I'll be blogging from the DR several times over the next week on this website and will get some help from the guys in sharing stories and experiences from our trip...…here are ten specific prayer ways you can pray for us:
1.Safety and health in our travels around the DR over the next 7 days
2.A good working out of schedule and administrative details as we attempt to see and be part of many different experiences in a short time period
3.Ability to connect with and love and learn from our Dominican brothers and sisters
4.The continued impact of the Christian school which is being used by hundreds and hundreds of students in this community, and the physical strength to help in the further expansion of this school to serve the needs of a growing child population...pray for our chance to help serve the school by doing basketball clinics for children and those coaching them
5.A deep sense of community and growth in our team as we seek to discuss and mull over the experiences and resulting questions we will encounter...we are excited to build deeper friendships with each other and use our athletic gifts in basketball as a ministry and witness tool
6.The chance to talk to others about Jesus and all He has done for us! We are particularly excited about the chance to talk about our faith in Christ this coming weekend in some high profile games we will be playing against local basketball teams here in the DR...
7.A fresh vision for future projects and personal involvement in the work God is doing in the DR and other nations around the world
8.A greater love for Christ and a heart that beats and cares for and loves the poor and oppressed and sick people in our world
9.Opportunities to pray for/with and encourage believers and the local body of Christ in the DR as they share the Gospel in word and deed with the children and adults of their communities
10.Ability to hear and receive stories and learnings that we can then take and use as powerful resources in being advocates and leaders when we return home
We can’t wait to return and give you the stories of our trip along with some photos and videos we will have taken…once again, thank you for being part of this Kingdom venture…your overwhelming generosity and partnership is truly a remarkable blessing in our lives…We thank God for your friendship, gifts of love, and your prayers…
Together in His Work and for the 2010 Basketball Missions Crew,
Chip Huber
Dean of Student Engagement at Cornerstone University
Sunday, May 2, 2010
BOOKS for BED NETS
Here's a way that you can save a life and fight one of the world's deadliest diseases this week...so much power in small decisions with huge ripples in other's lives...and we help eliminate MALARIA in Africa...
The CU bookstore is has set up a donation box for any textbooks that
students want to return at the end of this semester. The CEO, Darren
Campbell, met with some members of CUSG and explained that they would
send the proceeds from the donated books to help meet the needs of
others in our world today. The bookstore will not only take the value of
those donated textbooks, but would also add an extra 10% to be donated.
The proceeds from these donated books will go directly toward the
purchase and distribution of long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets
that will protect the life of two or more children in sub-Saharan
Africa. Each bed net costs just $6 and can reduce malaria incidence by
more than half. Every day in our world, malaria kills more than 2000
kids, mainly from the bites of mosquitoes.
There will be a book donation box with some more pictures and
information about this chance to respond to this global disease
available during textbook buy back time during Finals Week. If you want
to donate any of your textbooks and save the lives of children in
Africa, please drop off your books in the donation box provided in the
CU bookstore. The ACT:S student organization on campus will be
sponsoring more awareness and fundraising events to respond to the
malaria crisis next fall. Our plan is to distribute these bed nets as
part of a global opportunities trip to Zambia next summer in partnership
with World Vision. Thanks for considering to end your semester by
making a difference in the lives of people in our world today!
http://www.nightofnets.org/
The CU bookstore is has set up a donation box for any textbooks that
students want to return at the end of this semester. The CEO, Darren
Campbell, met with some members of CUSG and explained that they would
send the proceeds from the donated books to help meet the needs of
others in our world today. The bookstore will not only take the value of
those donated textbooks, but would also add an extra 10% to be donated.
The proceeds from these donated books will go directly toward the
purchase and distribution of long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets
that will protect the life of two or more children in sub-Saharan
Africa. Each bed net costs just $6 and can reduce malaria incidence by
more than half. Every day in our world, malaria kills more than 2000
kids, mainly from the bites of mosquitoes.
There will be a book donation box with some more pictures and
information about this chance to respond to this global disease
available during textbook buy back time during Finals Week. If you want
to donate any of your textbooks and save the lives of children in
Africa, please drop off your books in the donation box provided in the
CU bookstore. The ACT:S student organization on campus will be
sponsoring more awareness and fundraising events to respond to the
malaria crisis next fall. Our plan is to distribute these bed nets as
part of a global opportunities trip to Zambia next summer in partnership
with World Vision. Thanks for considering to end your semester by
making a difference in the lives of people in our world today!
http://www.nightofnets.org/
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