The Ocean in Dar Podcast

The chain starts in remote Minnesota, during a cold winter’s night. Dave and Cheryl count their pennies and write out their sacrificial check. $30 to send Charles and Tahnya to Africa.
The link continues In the urban area as Steve and Paula and their 2 kids bowed their heads to pray. “Lord, be with Charles as he travels and tells people about you.”
The current moves transcontinental. A lonely pastor catches a scent in the air. Something he had been waiting for. Hungry for more. An invitation. a connection. An offer to pay a plane ticket. Another huge sacrifice.
My sails are hoisted by the winds. A 2 hour plane ride. 2 more nights of teaching. A challenge is issued. ACTS 17. Our place must be a friendly place, the marketplace must be an engaged place, their place takes credibility. Simple teaching.
Young people, dedicated, move their all night prayer meeting into the darkest marketplace, and pray, walking among prostitutes. Business people risk and invite their friends to a banquet.  And they come. I speak about the economy, opportunities in uncertain times.
Sunday comes and the currents converge together. Wealthy business men and women come to visit our place for the first time. The 14 year old hopeless captive of her profession comes and finds love and deliverance in the arms of Jesus.
A family is the church fell into the current of God’s love and is following up.
Its been a good few days.

I’ve had a passion for a number of things over the last few years. Reaching the emerging African generation. Reaching into the business community. Challenging the church to move outside 4 walls and reengage the world. Teaching and equiping believers to use new technologies to further the purposes of Christ’s kingdom. Last week, in the space of 4 days, I got to see this all come together. Wed and thursday I did an outreach seminar for a church on the west side of Tanzania. The youth responded by taking their prayer meeting to the streets, half staying to pray totally, half taking the light into darkness. Friday, I preached to over 100 pastors at the bilble school in the morning, then taught leadership to all the elders, deacons, pastors, zonal leaders at my host church. Saturday I did a 5 hour sound training event with the music team, followed by a businessmen’s banquet. Sunday morning, several business people came to church, and one prostitute that we know of, a 14 year old girl.  Much of my free time was taken doing media training.  I’m pretty spent, but oh what a wonderful time of seeing how valuable your investment is, and getting to see a few of the dividends.

I’ve always known that we have neighbors on both sides. Pretty common most places. But my landlord went crazy with plants when he built this place. We have a veritable smorgasbord of fauna for the officianodo. One of the beautiful but more troublesome plants has been the bougainvillea. When we arrived, the home had been empty for a couple years, and the two neighboring ones were under construction. These unruly vines had climbed our walls, extended into the sky and spilled over into the neighbors yards.
I wasn’t about to take the sheers to them for the simple reason that they had grown up and entangled the electrical wires. A year later, the electricity company shows us to help correct the problem. My hedge now looks like it had a really rough haircut. Lots of my beautiful shade is gone. And the I can into my neighbor’s yard. And they can see me.
I wonder how much of my life is insulated from my neighbors? I’m in constant conversation with my music guys. They go from “worship” concert to “praise gathering” never once interfacing with those who’s souls are in darkness. Devout believers, here and elsewhere, go from bible study to prayer breakfast. All beautiful things. Never once speaking to their muslim neighbors, or their cynic sister. Once again, I am reminded that my Master spend large amounts of his time with his not so perfect neighbors.
I’m so tired of the excuses people make. Its not my calling. I’m called to be a worshipper. I’m called to be a bible teacher. I’m called to be a coward and hide from the commands of scriptures. No, that’s not what I meant.
I’d better sign off today before I get myself in trouble.

here we are march, and i haven’t updated the blog. Facebook seems to be where most people are migrating these days. But it doesn’t blog as easy as here. As we continue to try and stay in touch, we will change with the times as well.
That being said, this can be a place where i put some of my thoughts and writings.

For example, don’t know why, but i’ve been doing a lot of thinking about the lack of cohesion in the current evolutionist worldview. a leading geneticist last year got himself in trouble for saying that different groups of humanity might have evolved differently, then some might be smarter than others. Logically, it makes sense. Morally, and ethically, its wrong. Of course, what happens is that the morality of evolution came into conflict with supposed science. And the morality won. The guy had all sorts of bad press, negative reactions, etc. But in his science, he is simply following the logic. If life evolved from one single cell, then similar plants would for example evolve differently in different areas of the globe. A panda and a mountain gorilla would have similar ancestry and because of local conditions, evolve differently to their current state. The evolutionary advantages of big black and white stripes? but if that science is correct, so is that of this geneticists.
But he is wrong, and we all know it. With a biblical worldview, we have a way of explaining why he is wrong, something that those who believe in the religion of evolution can not. So they are morally conflicted.

Do you remember what you got for Christmas 3 years ago? 5? How about doing something agressively counter cultural? In the run up to Christmas, retailers are going to be pushing harder than ever because of the economy to get people to buy. How about buying some time? For us, that is. For our church, the Ocean International Community Church. Buy us some time to grow some more so we can pay our rent. how about if your family gave each other a gift. Pay one weeks rent (Around $230) for us. It won’t make you rich. you won’t drive a bigger car, or have health, wealth and prosperity. But it will make a difference for our church. and who knows, it might just drive a stake in our hearts, claiming some new areas for the Kingdom. Think about it. then write me. charles@charlesandtahnya.net

Hospitals are strange places. Tahnya’s gall bladder surgery meant Alana and I spent a large chunk of time, in the waiting area outside the operating “theater,” as they call it here. Pain has a way of opening doors between people. A muslim family waiting for their cousin/nephew/son/uncle/friend (by the end there were a pretty large number of them) shared their food with me. One of the ladies insisted on feeding Alana her bottle. I warned her of the danger of regurgitation on her head scarf, to no avail. That was one moment I wish I had not been a prophet. But it was handled in good grace.
For a while, a young businessman of German descent chatted with me. We shared our stories, albeit he a bit reluctantly. Turns out, he was there w\\aiting for his fiancée to have her bust enlarged.  “ A happy day for me,” he quipped.  Minutes after he left, another lady of British heritage at beside me. Again, we shared the moment, the concern. Her daughter, it turns out, was in to have her bust reduced. When I commented about the previous occupant of her seat, she smiled. Yes, we’re all in the same ward.
Ironic isn’t it? None of us are what we want to be, but we’re all stuck in the same ward together. We are all dependant on a surgeon to excise the sin from our souls, and stitch the fractured mosaic of our humanity back together.  I’m so happy that as my wife went under the knife, her life was not in a surgeon’s hands, but in those of a creator God who by his very Word sustains all life here on earth. Including ours.

News and prayer
    This is written from Johanesburg, South Africa. The hospitals here are the best in Africa, As you know, Tahnya had acute pancreatitis two months ago while we were in Kenya. The cause was traced back to gall stones, and removal  recommended.  Off we went to the Milpark hospital. Joshua remained behind with a young lady named Ashley who is interning with us for 3 months.  Tahnya came through surgery very well. These new laproscopic surgeries are just amazing. And its creepy, but we have a bottle full of gall stones on Tahnya bedside to confirm the word.
    Our Church plant, “ The Ocean” has finally started to see some growth. We are meeting in a movie theater, and God is starting to send us seekers. We’ve had as many as 63, but more exciting to me, we’ve had a muslim man visit with his wife a couple times, and we are starting to see people take ownership of their church. I have 2 profession video editors from one of the local TV stations who are now helping me in our video work. Please pray for us, our rent is about $220 a week, and our offerings are not there yet. The mission has helped us with 3 months, but here in a couple weeks, that money is done. Pray that God would increase our giving. Pray for a number of young Tanzanian men in the church who need jobs.  
    Interested in doing something different this Christmas as a gift? Check out my website for an idea, which also would help us. www.charlesandtahnya.net
    I’m continuing to try and upload short videos to our website and to facebook, but our internet connections are just terrible, so success has been limited.

With thansgiving coming up, I thought I’d share some gratitude with you
I’m thankful for
1. my children are both healthy, growing, and have fun personalities.
2. Tahnya has come through some dangerous moments physically and is getting healthy.
3. I have a wonderful home and a cool truck provided by Speed the Light.
4. faithful friends continue to give sacrificially during a financial downturn to keep the work of the Kingdom advancing.
5. I have the opportunity to work with some really great young people in planting this church. Sam, Steve, Meshack,  Sarah, Ashley, the Hopac teachers. What a blast.
6. my uncle Cornell, who passed away last month, was walking with Jesus after many years in the wilderness. Am I thankful.
7. For you, when you pray for us.

My list could go on, but I’m sure you’re ready to be done.

Hospitals are strange places. Tahnya’s gall bladder surgery meant Alana and I spent a large chunk of time, in the waiting area outside the operating “theater,” as they call it here. Pain has a way of opening doors between people. A muslim family waiting for their cousin/nephew/son/uncle/friend (by the end there were a pretty large number of them) shared their food with me. One of the ladies insisted on feeding Alana her bottle. I warned her of the danger of regurgitation on her head scarf, to no avail. That was one moment I wish I had not been a prophet. But it was handled in good grace.
For a while, a young businessman of German descent chatted with me. We shared our stories, albeit he a bit reluctantly. Turns out, he was there w\\aiting for his fiancée to have her bust enlarged.  “ A happy day for me,” he quipped.  Minutes after he left, another lady of British heritage at beside me. Again, we shared the moment, the concern. Her daughter, it turns out, was in to have her bust reduced. When I commented about the previous occupant of her seat, she smiled. Yes, we’re all in the same ward.
Ironic isn’t it? None of us are what we want to be, but we’re all stuck in the same ward together. We are all dependant on a surgeon to excise the sin from our souls, and stitch the fractured mosaic of our humanity back together.  I’m so happy that as my wife went under the knife, her life was not in a surgeon’s hands, but in those of a creator God who by his very Word sustains all life here on earth. Including ours.

News and prayer
This is written from Johanesburg, South Africa. The hospitals here are the best in Africa, As you know, Tahnya had acute pancreatitis two months ago while we were in Kenya. The cause was traced back to gall stones, and removal  recommended.  Off we went to the Milpark hospital. Joshua remained behind with a young lady named Ashley who is interning with us for 3 months.  Tahnya came through surgery very well. These new laproscopic surgeries are just amazing. And its creepy, but we have a bottle full of gall stones on Tahnya bedside to confirm the word.
Our Church plant, “ The Ocean” has finally started to see some growth. We are meeting in a movie theater, and God is starting to send us seekers. We’ve had as many as 63, but more exciting to me, we’ve had a muslim man visit with his wife a couple times, and we are starting to see people take ownership of their church. I have 2 profession video editors from one of the local TV stations who are now helping me in our video work. Please pray for us, our rent is about $220 a week, and our offerings are not there yet. The mission has helped us with 3 months, but here in a couple weeks, that money is done. Pray that God would increase our giving. Pray for a number of young Tanzanian men in the church who need jobs.
Interested in doing something different this Christmas as a gift? Check out my website for an idea, which also would help us. www.charlesandtahnya.net
I’m continuing to try and upload short videos to our website and to facebook, but our internet connections are just terrible, so success has been limited.

With thansgiving coming up, I thought I’d share some gratitude with you
I’m thankful for
1. my children are both healthy, growing, and have fun personalities.
2. Tahnya has come through some dangerous moments physically and is getting healthy.
3. I have a wonderful home and a cool truck provided by Speed the Light.
4. faithful friends continue to give sacrificially during a financial downturn to keep the work of the Kingdom advancing.
5. I have the opportunity to work with some really great young people in planting this church. Sam, Steve, Meshack,  Sarah, Ashley, the Hopac teachers. What a blast.
6. my uncle Cornell, who passed away last month, was walking with Jesus after many years in the wilderness. Am I thankful.
7. For you, when you pray for us.

My list could go on, but I’m sure you’re ready to be done.

My son has always made me smile. At first, it was simply the toothless grin and bright eyes. Recently, his antics and simple sentences are doing the trick.
Today, we were going out to the truck for our daily trek to school. Oreo, our puppy, trotted up and jumped for some Joshua love. For some reason, he couldn’t get her to leave him alone. I looked closer, and he was only using one hand. His other hand was holding onto the little toy airplane he was trying to sneak to school under his shirt. Busted by Oreo. I smiled at the obviousness of his attempt at deception. Did he really think I wouldn’t notice?
Hiding things from God must be a little like that. A big smile on God’s face, a little chuckle. Did you really think I didn’t see? Joshua is cute now, but if the behavior continues into his teens, my smile might turn into a grimace. So perhaps our heavenly father, who knows all things, must feel when we try to hide things from him.

Its late, i’m tired, Joshua is in the bath, so i’ll make this quick. I think this started the day we were to fly back from France, Tahnya had some deep chest pains. Doctors associated it with breast feeding, or stress. Over the last couple months, these pains have reoccured at various times. We know now they were most likely gall stone attacks.

a few days ago, they started up again while we were still in Dar. Doctor told her it was stress or something. So we drive up to Nairobi, the first night here, she’s in so much pain, she can’t sleep. Hot baths don’t help, massage, nothing. By late morning, I realized we were in crisis. Tahnya was saying she was in too much pain to move so I called our pediatrician. he said if she was in too much pain to move, I needed to get her to the hospital right away. We loaded up the car, (Fortunately, we have a 3 month intern with us who has lots of experience with kids, so we left the kids with her.) and drove to the hospital, tahnya moaning the whole way at every bump. We unloaded and got a wheelchair. The first doc we saw was an intern and he immediately admitted her, but a short while later, misdiagnosed her with a bowel obstruction. But they ran blood tests, and his overseer got involved. It was actually a doctor we had used 4 years ago when Tahnya was in the hospital then. He immediately diagnosed acute pancreatis, a condition caused most often by gall stones getting stuck in some ducts. the pancreatic enzymes use that same duct, and if the duct is blocked, they will go back into the pancreas and activate. those are the enzymes responsible for digesting meat, so literally, your body starts to eat itself. its very painful.

The treatment is no food or water for a number of days. So she got an IV (her veins were so bad they poked her 3 times before getting a line in. The second night in the hospital, it came out and they poked her another 3 times before they got it in another place. Finally, they got a specialist to come and put a deep line in, through which she started to get calories, not just fluids.

Today, her enzyme count had gone from 5000 to almost normal, around 100, a real miracle if you ask me. So she had her first sip of water in 3 days, and two small cups of tea tonight. Our intern, Ashley, and the baby are taking my place tonight and staying the night at the hospital.

So there’s the whole story. She’s doing well, and we expect things to be back to pseudo-normal by wed, discharge thursday or friday. Then in 3 months time, we’ll have to come back to have her gall bladder removed. Yikes.

OK, Joshua needs out of the tub. its too quiet in there.

We had a mouse invasion. They lost. got 4 of them in 4 days. The big one was killing me, emptying traps left and right. and i knew she had a nest. Well, we finally got her. seems one of her friends got up underneath the tub and died. and began to rot. we got that cleaned, and the smell moved to my office. Found that nest today and cleaned it out. No mom, no food, no kiddies. Feel bad, but glad to be rid of the mice.