tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77582437373866399052023-11-15T22:04:04.197-08:00Dustin In NigeriaDustin Mikschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17576904615683683645noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7758243737386639905.post-17514828535479860202010-09-27T09:39:00.000-07:002010-10-07T11:54:56.816-07:00First Day of School...Last Day of Nigeria<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPpbeUalYFrnfcKpphmPxAN13px3lXgAXlS03SMV06bF7RwV_hjk-I5s6xNNtUYljV2nIGUt9eWoJ3RN_VZ4uYcKOdHLniCuqBOxGAsdrm7CMI_6bq30x7DgTDhycmxrzjwnSRh7BcHlE/s1600/IMG_4896.jpg"></a><div>September 15th was a bitter sweet day for me. On one hand, excitement, as the school we'd been preparing to start since January had its first official day of class.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPpbeUalYFrnfcKpphmPxAN13px3lXgAXlS03SMV06bF7RwV_hjk-I5s6xNNtUYljV2nIGUt9eWoJ3RN_VZ4uYcKOdHLniCuqBOxGAsdrm7CMI_6bq30x7DgTDhycmxrzjwnSRh7BcHlE/s320/IMG_4896.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525379323799189954" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>On the other hand sadness, as the 15th was my last official day in Nigeria. As I said my goodbyes and got on the plane I couldn't help but reflect on how much God had done over the past year and a half. </div><div><br /></div><div>Arriving back in Austin I was greeted at the airport by my mom, stepdad, and a few friends. After some much needed sushi mom dropped me off at my dad's where I surprised my little sister for her birthday. She had been under the impression I wasn't coming home until next month. The family reunion as a whole was something I had dreamt about for months!</div><div><br /></div><div>While I am not exactly sure what the next chapter of life looks like, I am certain of one thing; my time in Africa will forever change they way I live and appreciate life as we know it. </div><div><br /></div><div>To all those who supported me along the way that I haven't got to tell in person yet...THANK YOU and God bless!</div>Dustin Mikschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17576904615683683645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7758243737386639905.post-59072813256860147482010-08-31T09:34:00.000-07:002010-08-31T10:35:17.278-07:005 Month Project Complete<div style="text-align: center;">Since early this year our care center at Gyero decided to start an internal elementary school for our 100 plus kids. The main reason for making this move was the lack of quality education the public school system was offering. Here's a picture of the previous school:<br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicL-SITSiW8ZIbi9bdP7_r58jZ6_67z_-epj19E7EjCTK0HBecwy4YN28y4qB6UEaOAvT5IrGx6WoY3URRMjhMD648lpv1_pqXlZxs0VNTT6EpfGyPelVh65VxmkfNItLrfq-anYZ6_84/s1600/Picture+1.png"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicL-SITSiW8ZIbi9bdP7_r58jZ6_67z_-epj19E7EjCTK0HBecwy4YN28y4qB6UEaOAvT5IrGx6WoY3URRMjhMD648lpv1_pqXlZxs0VNTT6EpfGyPelVh65VxmkfNItLrfq-anYZ6_84/s320/Picture+1.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511628280427452402" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>As you may have seen in the video posted a few blog entries back, my role for helping to get this school up and running was to paint the 5 classrooms needed to teach the kids.</div><div><br /></div><div>Don't be fooled by the pictures below, I'm not an artist...more of a glorified tracer. Upon taking the assignment, I recalled my friend Matt Golly telling me when he worked for an interior design company in Austin they used projectors to create high-end art work. Taking that advice here's a few pictures of the work I've been doing:</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8F0x33f4-gMiCuk9EoTvrKoZkRdUiO6a179KRCpCi_-wXEDjigExMJkNH7GCZetQ1eHAFWny2lsQrAPZw4kw5f6pR1End5KayeOkNasL9wZAyJVppaCMKQmgmbyJK_qLcNTlrtK94WbY/s1600/IMG_4883.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8F0x33f4-gMiCuk9EoTvrKoZkRdUiO6a179KRCpCi_-wXEDjigExMJkNH7GCZetQ1eHAFWny2lsQrAPZw4kw5f6pR1End5KayeOkNasL9wZAyJVppaCMKQmgmbyJK_qLcNTlrtK94WbY/s320/IMG_4883.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511623678965996210" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfW9UmfAFLJ5zJQUl4cYAhCz75GwUBGP4WdAlcKCIbq0rF1iupQ2hHF14DrxYKDd5GWzj3R68To_E7RpyF1LGcGmdW6Zj0H6rBq1Q4LPOaWd93yfZFLvhAosluNhqubvAigwial4mTRrg/s1600/IMG_4893.jpg"><br /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBaDQvxgsPTRyvAe_JMlvVX-qZ02NW-dmrJ6AOxLB9McUkcblb04O2gmbLq172YCg7sBOQxTNSOshXliKyGPEMRo4-V0zpM2xObT0A1I1OiORXWu3erBb3i82UzE4iUgo6rfGH9EaWO-w/s1600/IMG_4814.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBaDQvxgsPTRyvAe_JMlvVX-qZ02NW-dmrJ6AOxLB9McUkcblb04O2gmbLq172YCg7sBOQxTNSOshXliKyGPEMRo4-V0zpM2xObT0A1I1OiORXWu3erBb3i82UzE4iUgo6rfGH9EaWO-w/s320/IMG_4814.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511614715238275986" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></span></span></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXe0ZmiOImko0xUsHWxyVV0kPKfKZ9TWC34q9Tv9qD7oTlx6CkEAzzeLRmRamabD6CQDM2vi-whNe2uW8sGXgYRxIrG7fZbedGvK2DgqVGkIsE8_UhrHi2mrbpT-Og9Xex0qxTymU_6E/s1600/IMG_4887.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 251px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXe0ZmiOImko0xUsHWxyVV0kPKfKZ9TWC34q9Tv9qD7oTlx6CkEAzzeLRmRamabD6CQDM2vi-whNe2uW8sGXgYRxIrG7fZbedGvK2DgqVGkIsE8_UhrHi2mrbpT-Og9Xex0qxTymU_6E/s320/IMG_4887.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511624278301709954" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBEayAMgFkKCMVWlwaaV3fNTw_d7MunWfEuFL8odH7MpKddqb0eV_vH0mBdyYTb5moQtDqZf0t8fkVPPdRSzAjISoP3-YKbEnlvFaxOIBy4XTSha4JSHh0lIzBi6oBAodc11_gmpVu8dY/s1600/IMG_4819.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBEayAMgFkKCMVWlwaaV3fNTw_d7MunWfEuFL8odH7MpKddqb0eV_vH0mBdyYTb5moQtDqZf0t8fkVPPdRSzAjISoP3-YKbEnlvFaxOIBy4XTSha4JSHh0lIzBi6oBAodc11_gmpVu8dY/s320/IMG_4819.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511614744735612434" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_xouuaMwR12B8xSApjQzvCHPVm3r9CzOpQSSNc20EjLnZTycLf-tW7MZqraBpdPlHfv484P2uzKqb8TYkr3bMQ_c9b3j6gKlVxukKkKyDIKePgncOjcJXRe7J_C96oTdYBwVfLIcKLik/s1600/IMG_4882.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_xouuaMwR12B8xSApjQzvCHPVm3r9CzOpQSSNc20EjLnZTycLf-tW7MZqraBpdPlHfv484P2uzKqb8TYkr3bMQ_c9b3j6gKlVxukKkKyDIKePgncOjcJXRe7J_C96oTdYBwVfLIcKLik/s320/IMG_4882.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511623667611688226" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4DEMv5c_h3hIZei9eU4zIza3UxCRTOmHXYbN7dezzCCKVxVuIqm1fQAdel1P5hWNxheTFWmgopfqCqKH4m7U5a0XV7ZgESrnG98KGGk-mPY_R4c3bZab3CkKPHPlswZ57h-7zNQj5ZVU/s1600/IMG_4828.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4DEMv5c_h3hIZei9eU4zIza3UxCRTOmHXYbN7dezzCCKVxVuIqm1fQAdel1P5hWNxheTFWmgopfqCqKH4m7U5a0XV7ZgESrnG98KGGk-mPY_R4c3bZab3CkKPHPlswZ57h-7zNQj5ZVU/s320/IMG_4828.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511622779524383922" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfW9UmfAFLJ5zJQUl4cYAhCz75GwUBGP4WdAlcKCIbq0rF1iupQ2hHF14DrxYKDd5GWzj3R68To_E7RpyF1LGcGmdW6Zj0H6rBq1Q4LPOaWd93yfZFLvhAosluNhqubvAigwial4mTRrg/s1600/IMG_4893.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfW9UmfAFLJ5zJQUl4cYAhCz75GwUBGP4WdAlcKCIbq0rF1iupQ2hHF14DrxYKDd5GWzj3R68To_E7RpyF1LGcGmdW6Zj0H6rBq1Q4LPOaWd93yfZFLvhAosluNhqubvAigwial4mTRrg/s320/IMG_4893.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511624287984254130" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXpI59sK062q_T27xbTkhIF8JHx6tAPCx-Rpq5du-Gha32c8imfQbkZ8r7LQWHck6oEUov8ht3JKsGYkK7izYoINCFdIrgFd8hyLlLLouoy6XB_8XrRajxwV1O01bgK6y6ZE8zORF24Ik/s1600/IMG_4827.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXpI59sK062q_T27xbTkhIF8JHx6tAPCx-Rpq5du-Gha32c8imfQbkZ8r7LQWHck6oEUov8ht3JKsGYkK7izYoINCFdIrgFd8hyLlLLouoy6XB_8XrRajxwV1O01bgK6y6ZE8zORF24Ik/s320/IMG_4827.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511614750577841218" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div>Dustin Mikschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17576904615683683645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7758243737386639905.post-57584264998601962812010-07-30T09:01:00.000-07:002010-07-30T09:19:45.965-07:00Band Hero & Pool Party<div><div> The kids at our care center at Giden Bege are fresh off the streets and struggle with structure and disciple. Over the past few months we've started rewarding them for good behavior. Typically we do this by taking them on some sort of field trip. For example, a couple months ago we brought them to a friends house to play Band Hero...which proved to be quiet over stimulating for kids who have never played a video game before. </div><div><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0F6GL8wO2c1uIduyqs1OqGrfkI5-FFNcgkPDsaiWdAvp7oCxliKHspAZVHqsy44-rkunKh4JVzlVJTAH0wDBlcDxyQU4N_jAOJzEMOzHXlRJ7uxfiL9uzVyuyy_qO8AeMYuM9fGdiEGM/s1600/29803_10150191041985537_557750536_12153971_669039_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0F6GL8wO2c1uIduyqs1OqGrfkI5-FFNcgkPDsaiWdAvp7oCxliKHspAZVHqsy44-rkunKh4JVzlVJTAH0wDBlcDxyQU4N_jAOJzEMOzHXlRJ7uxfiL9uzVyuyy_qO8AeMYuM9fGdiEGM/s320/29803_10150191041985537_557750536_12153971_669039_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499731299769141842" /></a><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKV6ej8jF78xLk9d1mbWRS4gDfVLGX09c6D8OtubHzaQHepK19aBx7_FfoQF2l0nrnY8pLbsI9YLwCi0w9KN9Tbhqp6p4BtFaa26uavyu_E9xgZnOYw9UJN0WxBPLevKY_IW9tcCjuVt4/s1600/IMG_4007.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKV6ej8jF78xLk9d1mbWRS4gDfVLGX09c6D8OtubHzaQHepK19aBx7_FfoQF2l0nrnY8pLbsI9YLwCi0w9KN9Tbhqp6p4BtFaa26uavyu_E9xgZnOYw9UJN0WxBPLevKY_IW9tcCjuVt4/s320/IMG_4007.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499731289059228210" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>More recently we took them to the pool. For many of the boys it was not only there first time swimming but there first time to be fully submerge in water. <br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHcB1QE38HZ6E5XpXnS9h8Tymy7f-YqYz2CtuskrtaTxVmBYUYNovxCMUMHPJ7I0YtWIAuXYU1ILGyq63SsOAAYSSH-ix6V7g437ku7jfWodFPAL_xgsRtap-u-fJMdHDbOUeyUN4QuM/s1600/P1000106.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHcB1QE38HZ6E5XpXnS9h8Tymy7f-YqYz2CtuskrtaTxVmBYUYNovxCMUMHPJ7I0YtWIAuXYU1ILGyq63SsOAAYSSH-ix6V7g437ku7jfWodFPAL_xgsRtap-u-fJMdHDbOUeyUN4QuM/s320/P1000106.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499731294722828722" /></a><br /></div><div>Whether helping a boy learn to swim or teaching him how to play Band Hero, I realized these are some of the moments I'll truly miss. I often find myself enjoying these first time experiences as much or even more as the kids themselves. <br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Dustin Mikschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17576904615683683645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7758243737386639905.post-20794504174970256732010-05-31T09:24:00.000-07:002010-05-31T09:26:27.602-07:00Video From Nigeria<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14px; "><div>To those would did not get this via email....Here is a link to a 5 minute video which shows you a small glimpse of what life is like here. Its intention is to show you some of the work God has allowed <i>us</i> to do here through your prayers and support. I want to thank you once again for your partnership. I hope you enjoy! </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1ZpOcZepkA">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1ZpOcZepkA</a></div><div><br /></div></span>Dustin Mikschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17576904615683683645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7758243737386639905.post-61846539922110698562010-04-21T23:05:00.000-07:002010-04-21T23:58:14.994-07:00Northern Outreach<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiebKC9Ve2q0MZ9HfHbpI0Qhp5cvkI6dlD9xwosEPcGio7AMBn-JeHUC0KEwwB1cm3WcwDMMGhSqMXm6x_ht0oRHba38PchjwihVQO1_Vxrq-0Qn5jLRtzrTwz_5RngAoOTKvByT9gdFWk/s1600/IMG_4503.jpg"></a><div>Two weeks ago a team of eight westerners including myself and six Nigerians headed 10 hours north to the Nigeria/Niger border for a week long outreach. We spent six days in three different villages on the fringe of the Saraha Desert. <br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjdAJROf7e4OxE9UpmrH3Em8__tXGOltXGXiaMQ5bK1CvCWePNoI8gFUYjQBWiy8z688yH6pRGEIcd9xM3haq_IBdjAvjubI0Zlaz2gWPXYr_Zo2zCZbvL-Wt8OvTFW_2CBKy8rjpogkw/s320/IMG_4792.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462841845708716002" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span></div><div><br /></div><div>During the week we offered free medical care and played games with the kids. We used this as tactics to build relationships with members of the community in hopes of creating avenues to share the gospel. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiebKC9Ve2q0MZ9HfHbpI0Qhp5cvkI6dlD9xwosEPcGio7AMBn-JeHUC0KEwwB1cm3WcwDMMGhSqMXm6x_ht0oRHba38PchjwihVQO1_Vxrq-0Qn5jLRtzrTwz_5RngAoOTKvByT9gdFWk/s1600/IMG_4503.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiebKC9Ve2q0MZ9HfHbpI0Qhp5cvkI6dlD9xwosEPcGio7AMBn-JeHUC0KEwwB1cm3WcwDMMGhSqMXm6x_ht0oRHba38PchjwihVQO1_Vxrq-0Qn5jLRtzrTwz_5RngAoOTKvByT9gdFWk/s320/IMG_4503.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462843706088168306" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a><br /></div><div>Here some stories and pictures from our journey:</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Village 1</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Wada is a Fulani convert that joined our team at the last minute, which I must say was a God thing. Brief background...Fulani's are the largest nomadic people group in the world and are 99% Muslim. By nature they're a very closed people group and untrusting of anyone who is not Fulani. </div><div><br /></div><div>At the first village Wada immediately connected with the only Fulani within the community. Shortly into their conversation this man shared with Wada that he'd never met a Christian Fulani and didn't even think you could be Christian if you were Fulani. He mentioned that he enjoyed some of the teaching that he heard from Chrisians within the community but never felt comfortable enough to take it to the next step. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzsmdsdlRmpByxj3fHcUO-9l2yYicSeRnPcQEygEI5L5vZaBcJk6OuB9JUvS5hArODG0DkIfQUGveYP0SffKMk5eZQATbF6zw0mFwXbdrGC5gqr1MMwIjaPsXxgcTiYSKxzeyN8pCspQ/s320/IMG_3766.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462840807389612466" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div><br /></div><div>After just a few hours of the two talking one on one he decided to take the next step and give his life to Christ! Wada spent the rest of the night and the next morning talking with the guy. Upon leaving we were able to share the good news with the pastor of the community who agreed to disciple him after dark to prevent persecution. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Villages 2</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The second village we went was a stones throw away from the Niger boarder. In fact, one of the first things Stefan (western teammate) and I did upon arriving was made the short trek through a dried riverbed into the neighboring Niger village to greet the chief. </div><div><br /></div><div>After getting settled in, we set up for medical care. Within minutes women were lined up by the dozens. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7q94dI6q_fIxJHWdkLe4qYuZRhmU7wgxddO8nGhD-goiJtqB1QFNJFJVfS5XRIc7Mvz_HeoW9z0-VVKHSdUu0iXRUgfC1bkuaQ-VOqVcVVNnV2bnnazrYoz0yp-nKHUZpSfD-xD85ZsY/s1600/DSC03461.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7q94dI6q_fIxJHWdkLe4qYuZRhmU7wgxddO8nGhD-goiJtqB1QFNJFJVfS5XRIc7Mvz_HeoW9z0-VVKHSdUu0iXRUgfC1bkuaQ-VOqVcVVNnV2bnnazrYoz0yp-nKHUZpSfD-xD85ZsY/s320/DSC03461.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462840786430484562" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><br /></div><div>One of the more difficult things you see in the north is the oppression these women are under by a male dominated culture. In fact, men and women don't interact publicly. This happened to work in our advantage as the women who came to see us for medicine felt free to speak openly with some of the ladies on our team about Christ. More than one mentioned they had heard of Christ on a radio program but never talked openly about it due to the consequences they may face. They asked a lot of questions and almost all asked to be prayed for...it was amazing! <br /></div><div> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Village 3</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Our final two days were spend in a village in Kano state. For the first time during our journey, we ran into some difficulties. After spending 3 hours greeting local & district chiefs (proper protocol), we were told we didn't have the approved stamp from the commissioner of health. This was an indirect way of letting us know we were not welcome, even though all the drugs we were handing out were nonprescription and could be bought at any drug store in a major town.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5C9xwunqYHGfkAf-d0Knkdd1kUcVyrXsVrvriKkiaAU-SasiqPBT_yOUpeTqipb5753RpXyi6UY9aeWFJBpfVvgyeWdqqr-vjSBmRffUdoMa9im_q8X9K6sG7-rdT3DvKb9un1ZM6xfc/s320/IMG_3921.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462841838817315506" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Although frustrated with the situation we prayed and decided as a group to take a different approach. With obvious oppression from local leadership, we decided to spend the rest of our time loving and encouraging the local church body. A few ways that we did this was by providing a meal of rice, beans, and yams for the church members and handed our soccer jersey to the youth of the community. Even though our time didn't go as <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">we</span> had planned God used it for <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">His </span>purpose of serving His church.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_X5rewbmu9MqVo904Qst7hKP1W9_W0v1rD_k4aGX3kaik3Hj1uKyP5cgwlog8IhEY7jCpSby2YOQsGTv3yqHRrDRLK1nb0OD60YmvR7BxBXktpQLiZoHBQxSveER-3cOAeUQ9Pj3XgRI/s320/DSC03687.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462840805024237202" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div><br /></div><div>We are such a small part of this world, and he chooses to use us to be His vessel to carry the message of Jesus Christ from neighborhoods to around the world...What a privilege!</div><div><br /></div><div>For additional photos from the trip <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/dustinmiksch/NorthOutreach#">click here </a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Dustin Mikschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17576904615683683645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7758243737386639905.post-77137584222613105052010-03-03T05:17:00.000-08:002010-03-03T05:32:53.320-08:00Miracle Healing<div style="text-align: left;">I have a God glorifying testimony to share with you. Six months ago I traveled to the North, which is 95% Muslim, to visit 10 Nigerian 'church-planting' missionaries to offer encouragement and see how we can help with their church plants. While at one of the village we were approached by a Muslim mother who's 1-month old baby had been infected with tetanus during birth when the umbilical cord was cut. As seen in the photo of the baby below, Tetanus affects the central nervous system by causing painful muscular contractions.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf4XhcRFkxjsNW3df3KhjHeD8yokKbPJElC_fbaaa5v7Qxbo574ld2H1b-A4FnW104VcLoqLkePPEBSbaiz_tJTYttYk3ZunXOnl8oMK0BmjhSEJaI8ucR6TmGwmFukMqn4iZqMb_GNXA/s1600-h/IMG_0973_2.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf4XhcRFkxjsNW3df3KhjHeD8yokKbPJElC_fbaaa5v7Qxbo574ld2H1b-A4FnW104VcLoqLkePPEBSbaiz_tJTYttYk3ZunXOnl8oMK0BmjhSEJaI8ucR6TmGwmFukMqn4iZqMb_GNXA/s320/IMG_0973_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444398461270672514" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 241px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>With the mothers permission and in the presence of 20 to 30 members of the village we laid hands on the baby and asked God to do a miracle. Three days after we left God healed that baby! When I heard that I got so fired up! Last month I had to a chance to retrn the village and visit a 7 month old health baby!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsuIDOCv0kJGI8WMswTXGn98j6h_SRAFL4zFt4UqhGlugYo7_xHFmQjnDJJ9o3Z-5mmzbZyHneuewWOPw8fs1mc-NE9lCblx0ypDT1HFeXS-J1czztGcetu2kieShNW1Q8Pzsfh51wsI/s1600-h/IMG_3092.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsuIDOCv0kJGI8WMswTXGn98j6h_SRAFL4zFt4UqhGlugYo7_xHFmQjnDJJ9o3Z-5mmzbZyHneuewWOPw8fs1mc-NE9lCblx0ypDT1HFeXS-J1czztGcetu2kieShNW1Q8Pzsfh51wsI/s320/IMG_3092.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444398468728059474" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>According to www.medical-dictionary.com in the US (not a village with no electrical or running water) tetanus has a mortality rate of more than 90% in infants. God's still using miracles to being glory to His name....I just can't believe I got to witness it first hand.</div><div><br /></div>Dustin Mikschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17576904615683683645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7758243737386639905.post-366145120126284142010-02-16T03:05:00.001-08:002010-02-16T07:30:07.132-08:00A Week of Free Medical Care<div><div>Last week a colleague and I traveled to southwest Nigeria to team up with an organization called FamilyCare, which provides free medical care to rural villages. Working with local governments, hospitals, and churches FamilyCare sets up mobile hospitals that offers the locals free surgeries, drugs, dental work, eyeglasses, and more. </div><div><br /></div><div>Our role during the week was to help with the logistics of the outreach and evangelism to the large crowds waiting to get treated. With the days starting around 5 in the morning and not finishing sometimes until 10 at night, its safe to say we were quite exhausted. Halfway through the week I opened up my bible to Proverbs 20:13 which says, "Do not love sleep or you will grow poor; stay awake and you will have food to spare." this humorously kept us going on some of the longer days. </div><div><br /></div><div>All-in-all we had an amazing time seeing God work through this ministry. Below are some pictures from our adventures: </div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This is one of the film shows we did early in the morning before the doctors started seeing patients.<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdFuXuDb8RHMnrwCZyyAXnxiaxg_ws9_Nt5OTMTGM09pXzdpybR713mQWPJGj32FFkuOQof45ZsImkf9SwLbnvl_IZL9sxFBEXVrQATgZmrpszCK-AenfyLUJb_2fRzEMJ6wibQWXj1M/s1600-h/1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdFuXuDb8RHMnrwCZyyAXnxiaxg_ws9_Nt5OTMTGM09pXzdpybR713mQWPJGj32FFkuOQof45ZsImkf9SwLbnvl_IZL9sxFBEXVrQATgZmrpszCK-AenfyLUJb_2fRzEMJ6wibQWXj1M/s320/1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438861465797058978" /></a><br /><div><div style="text-align: center;">This is the line to see the general doctor<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSpQFch3rnsN-hl-CJPE6_0ycwLSsChr5VgnAd4pCdv7xXRGV_XmXbUVuYZOlMhYNoPiRnDXRwDL2JDc92MHz09xEabIA_rv-PIXJwyZoUqohfmwkz8przeNwV6CHNT0XOGU7xqrFc2N0/s1600-h/2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSpQFch3rnsN-hl-CJPE6_0ycwLSsChr5VgnAd4pCdv7xXRGV_XmXbUVuYZOlMhYNoPiRnDXRwDL2JDc92MHz09xEabIA_rv-PIXJwyZoUqohfmwkz8przeNwV6CHNT0XOGU7xqrFc2N0/s320/2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438860850844921330" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">One of the evening we setup our film show at an open field in the center of the town<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9JWKOagcV6RLnqxjg8fQA_oMEN_JQx1bfonH_Hy2Fm7KsEu6231Qe9KYJ1M11bB3ecJzgni6dIw4PH_lGuSYeMwxu6bh0t2QCGYEL1Xqory1cGCJDEp-25mOCFqRABJRgz5pX3UEyloM/s1600-h/3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9JWKOagcV6RLnqxjg8fQA_oMEN_JQx1bfonH_Hy2Fm7KsEu6231Qe9KYJ1M11bB3ecJzgni6dIw4PH_lGuSYeMwxu6bh0t2QCGYEL1Xqory1cGCJDEp-25mOCFqRABJRgz5pX3UEyloM/s320/3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438860195828912226" /></a><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>During the week Matt and I had the privilege of passing out the medical cards (the tickets for seeing the doctor). This was not as easy as it sounds as you can tell by this picture taken at 5:30am (can you find us?). At one point I had to managed to break free from the crowd, run about a quarter of a mile, and climb a water tower in order to pass out the cards with out getting mobbed.<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-bJKUX1u_i2W1GPRfO5GZEC9v0FVQ_uZBmiH6zurOvo6OnlGYaOZ8PdRQPYXTpDl42X9z3i3_xeijFsi2_-FYYp5e7ow3th_2KZ8VpyI1JmaHGJceaAVrUlhyphenhyphenoW_Oclmj8tmZeLS0vg/s1600-h/4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-bJKUX1u_i2W1GPRfO5GZEC9v0FVQ_uZBmiH6zurOvo6OnlGYaOZ8PdRQPYXTpDl42X9z3i3_xeijFsi2_-FYYp5e7ow3th_2KZ8VpyI1JmaHGJceaAVrUlhyphenhyphenoW_Oclmj8tmZeLS0vg/s320/4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438859702530449746" /></a><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">One of the volunteer doctors checking the BP of a patient.<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhx9UBrjqAtK923q0l4mrOcWax5M4HnpO4rrC2wedEn0nD_wueSCzIiWfnnJ-_Fkdgj_-AlTERBRXGeEinfmDkB7XJ1VZOCMFhurh9Jr42cegnyPTfDR63L_UaLk1c7hfcER_JtigRaOQ/s1600-h/5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhx9UBrjqAtK923q0l4mrOcWax5M4HnpO4rrC2wedEn0nD_wueSCzIiWfnnJ-_Fkdgj_-AlTERBRXGeEinfmDkB7XJ1VZOCMFhurh9Jr42cegnyPTfDR63L_UaLk1c7hfcER_JtigRaOQ/s320/5.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438858767670249522" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">This is Noel, a volunteer businessman, praying with a young man who was interested in receiving Christ.<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjynNOTbCppFQVle_8D8n1hmx3UJIiVtTGa6Wf7opPCzD4FLrEjgP4SE9N-YglfmxrBViFRLXzPDVqXvqIZQ6BL4SYV6kJzAKwUgC8cIZD7LQ50vg6t5vWe7752sD5oIIl0WmdtbRQ9DAg/s1600-h/6.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjynNOTbCppFQVle_8D8n1hmx3UJIiVtTGa6Wf7opPCzD4FLrEjgP4SE9N-YglfmxrBViFRLXzPDVqXvqIZQ6BL4SYV6kJzAKwUgC8cIZD7LQ50vg6t5vWe7752sD5oIIl0WmdtbRQ9DAg/s320/6.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438846053518029634" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">This photo is from one of the film shows we did at the local schools.<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6vncvWc-793Mnxu5yOWnEssFYpRkWU3Vu6c8m-AW5_rTm3H-dD20OxCQsHkfyjhcAPzMZ9xa_VaoCGb9FZOz5qOjwnwnV-BnRf2TtKe5EleHjRHv20IWZoW9GKAAXic4HqVuyeyAKbiE/s1600-h/7.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6vncvWc-793Mnxu5yOWnEssFYpRkWU3Vu6c8m-AW5_rTm3H-dD20OxCQsHkfyjhcAPzMZ9xa_VaoCGb9FZOz5qOjwnwnV-BnRf2TtKe5EleHjRHv20IWZoW9GKAAXic4HqVuyeyAKbiE/s320/7.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438846047471773282" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The entire volunteer team<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvo2Qt1Ch_-Jkjf1pmkbvVgq_1RmY5xxbvx_WqNTILgR5Lj6KcNx4PF9111lZ338GoiogfaAGPgam9indOm8DWnH5g4Eh_rjP9tjqZDc3gL39DvBazZKGS-p23Z6fP8hmi8RaQCTwrA0U/s1600-h/8.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 241px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvo2Qt1Ch_-Jkjf1pmkbvVgq_1RmY5xxbvx_WqNTILgR5Lj6KcNx4PF9111lZ338GoiogfaAGPgam9indOm8DWnH5g4Eh_rjP9tjqZDc3gL39DvBazZKGS-p23Z6fP8hmi8RaQCTwrA0U/s320/8.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438805818173076114" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">On Friday we got to due a little site seeing of the local lagoon villages via boat<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-0INREkkNO8lGG-1Quky2miphFFR1p4wUIA63DTP2NF56wqyWk8k0Tj7Kas1Be3LiIB43mlrq3nlp-1nlk19zonAz0FjBkdwfPLyqCu6RDxAK11s-tNOtj5zKX89y5OD_-cWZ98dwRaM/s1600-h/9.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-0INREkkNO8lGG-1Quky2miphFFR1p4wUIA63DTP2NF56wqyWk8k0Tj7Kas1Be3LiIB43mlrq3nlp-1nlk19zonAz0FjBkdwfPLyqCu6RDxAK11s-tNOtj5zKX89y5OD_-cWZ98dwRaM/s320/9.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438804327606510610" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This is Matt and I in Lagos, Nigeria. We got to see the ocean on our way home for the first time since being in Nigeria. <br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis145t7J65u5A7KvCYOz84Mx3zFPh_FFN0U_LOj2a0po1SWJdkIxCgl98qIi3fVeC0VU3ixsyYppzXqI4y7jW6900iJRjgC7CAKItvq5WNw4zb9zeUSG155zx0Uvtcb1rXF8N8YUXy3m0/s1600-h/10.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis145t7J65u5A7KvCYOz84Mx3zFPh_FFN0U_LOj2a0po1SWJdkIxCgl98qIi3fVeC0VU3ixsyYppzXqI4y7jW6900iJRjgC7CAKItvq5WNw4zb9zeUSG155zx0Uvtcb1rXF8N8YUXy3m0/s320/10.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438802131358913906" /></a><br /><br /></div></div>Dustin Mikschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17576904615683683645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7758243737386639905.post-41810412420905704502010-01-18T01:40:00.000-08:002010-01-18T01:48:35.158-08:00I Had Visitors!<div>After being away from friends and family now for 9 months I was incredibly blessed to have my dad and good family friend David pay me a visit. For the first time I had the chance for someone back home to step in my shoes and get a taste of what life has been like here. </div><div><br /></div><div>With only a short time at hand I wanted to make the most of their time here. As soon as the flight landed they hit ground with their feet running with an New Year celebration African style. The following day we headed north for a 6 day outreach that took us to the edge of Sahara Desert. </div><div><br /></div><div>After a full days rest back in Jos we made our way south to the largest mountains in Nigeria. There we trekked for a combined 7 hours and had 2 day medical clinic as stone throw from Cameroon. Exhausted from hiking and sleeping in tents we headed to one of the nicest pool in the country. From there we left to Abuja to say our goodbyes. </div><div><br /></div><div>17 days, 2,250 miles, and two countries boards later, it needless to say I didn't send them home well rested. Although it was very sad to see them go the memories we made will last a life time.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here some pictures from our adventures:</div><div><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/dustinmiksch/DadDavid">http://picasaweb.google.com/dustinmiksch/DadDavid</a> </div>Dustin Mikschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17576904615683683645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7758243737386639905.post-7267015760491741202009-12-29T01:31:00.000-08:002009-12-29T07:14:19.483-08:00Merry Christmas!<div><div>As you can imagine Christmas for me this year was a little different than usual. Although I missed family, cold weather, and good food the desire to be home wasn't as bad as I expected. With no lights hanging from houses, Christmas trees with presents, or seasonal marketing around every corner the month just seemed like another month. All that said I still had an amazing time that I'll remember the rest of my life. </div><div><br /></div><div>Since being with family wasn't an option we decided to spend most of our time with the boys at the orphanage. Starting on the 22nd we planned 3 days of events, games, and movies with the boys. It would be something similar to a youth group weekend getaway back in the states. Here's some pictures from our adventures:</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">The boys performing a drama of The Christmas Story to the village</span></div></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4MNg7OqQNneTCXC0r6EJ_FX-osl-6v-Mq71nJ1nGPQph6Tzc-EJVxrI7FKlgmegDE-YX6pysq7kgGo0yISlnKSTImmpgtdemR8LoMPxIHn5SiZTK3JrOvErRwnDPvFdvEYpirkxdCdGg/s1600-h/IMG_0636.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4MNg7OqQNneTCXC0r6EJ_FX-osl-6v-Mq71nJ1nGPQph6Tzc-EJVxrI7FKlgmegDE-YX6pysq7kgGo0yISlnKSTImmpgtdemR8LoMPxIHn5SiZTK3JrOvErRwnDPvFdvEYpirkxdCdGg/s320/IMG_0636.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420673650343523106" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Heather (G.I. Jane) and I (Major Pain) were in charge of Christmas Boot Camp '09</span></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGtImTvZZJZfmDDWgzW1qBDY-Cddl_ri8KdX2kxN4euInrDXhl6qfMdkw_ql5feboy9R-3vvfBal9RUKyziIC2g-8aAvFR9a6FBZoMAAvCDIo780jjDbbqSh5gcd_QxnJCFiFVLIkQOV8/s1600-h/IMG_0669.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGtImTvZZJZfmDDWgzW1qBDY-Cddl_ri8KdX2kxN4euInrDXhl6qfMdkw_ql5feboy9R-3vvfBal9RUKyziIC2g-8aAvFR9a6FBZoMAAvCDIo780jjDbbqSh5gcd_QxnJCFiFVLIkQOV8/s320/IMG_0669.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420673016748757026" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">ATTEND HUT!</span></div></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg7XZHA0CToqWO0lvlzEFsgPynA2w8lrOmhsYr_VvYAntSts_nKaOay-j33bLFZQD1xgDkr6LQcMW94F1XcMapNADi0YkvDpuxuHehrxQrGOxnl6ckHu5ce5O-xzL2qPyoPFiSFQE1pRI/s1600-h/IMG_0674.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg7XZHA0CToqWO0lvlzEFsgPynA2w8lrOmhsYr_VvYAntSts_nKaOay-j33bLFZQD1xgDkr6LQcMW94F1XcMapNADi0YkvDpuxuHehrxQrGOxnl6ckHu5ce5O-xzL2qPyoPFiSFQE1pRI/s320/IMG_0674.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420673013915936386" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Wheel barrow race</span></div></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx8HD4JokIyqfr2bnGWx4dQ_iVVL9ICwbNBkqa97ooMLy9-hT92lZSfzWEPvJemVSzO1VDa9gSLyQRtsEm6yzii_CAFhFA0uvpqI1l2JF31PqqWscv2wIyph9fRzdPhuQ6K_ut0N3ha3Q/s1600-h/IMG_0693.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx8HD4JokIyqfr2bnGWx4dQ_iVVL9ICwbNBkqa97ooMLy9-hT92lZSfzWEPvJemVSzO1VDa9gSLyQRtsEm6yzii_CAFhFA0uvpqI1l2JF31PqqWscv2wIyph9fRzdPhuQ6K_ut0N3ha3Q/s320/IMG_0693.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420673010121298338" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">We had the boys at our place one night for a movie</span></div></div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxu4QhoP-6bfdZqeD61KNuCKV_bXYmJQnV0WVn7SzX4PSFjemKB5bLXUymdvG3PYGxnVrUL4gjPldMM3lTaK1ZSVbONi_eFheA9ZyVW32CFIWCHXw4GnO_YfsXLZFKnyfFKcjqCdHXSSU/s1600-h/IMG_0784.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxu4QhoP-6bfdZqeD61KNuCKV_bXYmJQnV0WVn7SzX4PSFjemKB5bLXUymdvG3PYGxnVrUL4gjPldMM3lTaK1ZSVbONi_eFheA9ZyVW32CFIWCHXw4GnO_YfsXLZFKnyfFKcjqCdHXSSU/s320/IMG_0784.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420591319545807090" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">That's 22 boys in my car</span></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXVJheKl3G54gIopqpwS4f_l8zMIG70hyphenhyphenviS9VifhfEDqW3aTdZIT0UZozICRT7YP1c13RyITykD4KVG42qlhxTQ5EL_CMyC2aKvCOQoRWreAE-yOE934_2CdildUN3wqzbpnYiN8qyUw/s1600-h/IMG_0941.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXVJheKl3G54gIopqpwS4f_l8zMIG70hyphenhyphenviS9VifhfEDqW3aTdZIT0UZozICRT7YP1c13RyITykD4KVG42qlhxTQ5EL_CMyC2aKvCOQoRWreAE-yOE934_2CdildUN3wqzbpnYiN8qyUw/s320/IMG_0941.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420591312063492482" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Albert had to sit in my lap for the 30 min ride back home</span></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwnxqNvAbghdXvelzWmrCqUSDvtgePTV3v53BB1bV2hUim9JqN_CTNEiQS_NKH9NNHiNMxonfLgGP5SmzNUpXxwbpTKWqaWw3qA74t9bdTUg4WEEgl8GVdoFrky6YrWZxFDekowie5XzY/s1600-h/IMG_0942.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwnxqNvAbghdXvelzWmrCqUSDvtgePTV3v53BB1bV2hUim9JqN_CTNEiQS_NKH9NNHiNMxonfLgGP5SmzNUpXxwbpTKWqaWw3qA74t9bdTUg4WEEgl8GVdoFrky6YrWZxFDekowie5XzY/s320/IMG_0942.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420589843677512466" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">With a shortage in Christmas tree we had to make due with a cactus</span></div></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO2SvgtT43Di-34rO9ODkcF_JX7W1oFb53KC2fyPJ0rTjNlm1I4G932MxeYucNQFIG8FJGuWD1Zre3LEkFNOWFieYgiWR5hak32ZSnLxwczHMp2KR8ts70QipXY29zgxhOxSXRzwW4j2I/s1600-h/IMG_0960.jpg"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEFmFVBSX1U8dMF_vQ9KXzY3JJ1Q64hZEmVTIl5R2JOD8teLIRa9x3bMQM37ro5nVxfErV1cqOK8ewtabmMSVVwYJ3XouoBUtSG_9woFUiYnLK7oaxrDJA4VKeBJnfA1hFj-6tdi9sFRc/s1600-h/IMG_0602.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEFmFVBSX1U8dMF_vQ9KXzY3JJ1Q64hZEmVTIl5R2JOD8teLIRa9x3bMQM37ro5nVxfErV1cqOK8ewtabmMSVVwYJ3XouoBUtSG_9woFUiYnLK7oaxrDJA4VKeBJnfA1hFj-6tdi9sFRc/s320/IMG_0602.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420589849145096050" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Merry Christmas!</span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwnxqNvAbghdXvelzWmrCqUSDvtgePTV3v53BB1bV2hUim9JqN_CTNEiQS_NKH9NNHiNMxonfLgGP5SmzNUpXxwbpTKWqaWw3qA74t9bdTUg4WEEgl8GVdoFrky6YrWZxFDekowie5XzY/s1600-h/IMG_0942.jpg"></a><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO2SvgtT43Di-34rO9ODkcF_JX7W1oFb53KC2fyPJ0rTjNlm1I4G932MxeYucNQFIG8FJGuWD1Zre3LEkFNOWFieYgiWR5hak32ZSnLxwczHMp2KR8ts70QipXY29zgxhOxSXRzwW4j2I/s320/IMG_0960.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420589851622807106" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div><br /></div></div>Dustin Mikschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17576904615683683645noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7758243737386639905.post-86573926586204506362009-12-01T08:07:00.000-08:002009-12-01T09:44:20.538-08:00Join Me on an Outreach!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtDVnWnrftpUneO2xMC1ISr7On0wddRfmDv9teaJHSTmx1gszqmom4fFKdCjHa4PSFdbMY66VjXb7vas5_PthZ6TTWtzP8xB5wmmL3JBoJUB_KjonKoXlZqB5F5pKw3nkQBKKUNKWeCBU/s1600/IMG_32322.jpg"></a>Below is a photo journal of the most recent outreach/church plant I went on. While not all my trips are this adventures, this should give you a good idea of what a film outreach looks like.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOs_vcagKBo4ovD6cV0RtCCnbcvfW_tGSXjpVdYX0v6o6sC9cYcQR-Pg6Bq9NTu5SamcleCpmSkIwvNQoz5VCLagm92j9PbGed23YBo09TMmSsHkdy8o2Zkou8dbxbC0Il6Mv7ssHcLJ8/s1600/IMG_2259.jpg"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUXvqsfdGOwn4R0zGDuCPhAx1jyrxMZPT6w3FWUMZpbFiSbNAYVfwvH4wnN4Ar2yWUgrnqDBbltpdPm8lIU20TL0lBlajYF9-lAz2erHxbSJ0M0ouc1iYHx70ScKMzrOBjvARb4tW-Hdg/s1600/IMG_2372.jpg"><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUXvqsfdGOwn4R0zGDuCPhAx1jyrxMZPT6w3FWUMZpbFiSbNAYVfwvH4wnN4Ar2yWUgrnqDBbltpdPm8lIU20TL0lBlajYF9-lAz2erHxbSJ0M0ouc1iYHx70ScKMzrOBjvARb4tW-Hdg/s320/IMG_2372.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410307027328553554" /></a>Day 1: Finished packing the 4Runner with all the necessary equipment and hit the road by 10AM <div> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlcpfGfk9rBUv-6DpF5wqVjDw6lVTxkzrxSLWaLJuzUe63H7bxoF-c0V6Tm2lYkNaVz8S4S93HEa43hkfiuD3Blr034cx7NFFhGNOp9w08-6tbSkeBZDXK5388UlhzoqoE9HnoGa5Sv7M/s1600/IMG_2382.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlcpfGfk9rBUv-6DpF5wqVjDw6lVTxkzrxSLWaLJuzUe63H7bxoF-c0V6Tm2lYkNaVz8S4S93HEa43hkfiuD3Blr034cx7NFFhGNOp9w08-6tbSkeBZDXK5388UlhzoqoE9HnoGa5Sv7M/s320/IMG_2382.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410307023430182898" /></a>By 3pm we parked the car as far as the road allowed and started a 2 and 1/2 hike to the top of a small mountain were a remote church village was located</div><div> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pC5H9DHETYEbLVDYiRumqVcvdH6onlGOGQIgVUn8zquW60NuqPyxu9EhbNIgO2jQfD-0iPW89D77eri0JzrxN65iOHlIUbzAfpw2OnpnG-9ULS8N7H-xpES-s-Tg35TEJJChwGPQS-U/s1600/IMG_2401.jpg"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJQy8wAqBbF94QoihpWcHTLMes-gEHSX9HtAQwTa49YK5oUw5fXlzbj0YS_WQ63XR2rG4UHd8MUa8D6rRuJqTnOtgIOfDWWwwOW3fR-RIlye2-ost3OGGIbDVu-iKHn3umKjXJFImPqXk/s1600/IMG_2405.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJQy8wAqBbF94QoihpWcHTLMes-gEHSX9HtAQwTa49YK5oUw5fXlzbj0YS_WQ63XR2rG4UHd8MUa8D6rRuJqTnOtgIOfDWWwwOW3fR-RIlye2-ost3OGGIbDVu-iKHn3umKjXJFImPqXk/s320/IMG_2405.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410306242727351762" /></a>8pm the church pastor cooked us a village delicacy known as bushmeat (a.k.a giant rat) </div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizpd99AILt2zdT6b7hY81uZ8q2N5Sk6HifJ85vB9k-6xy_6CYWPcqeLJm6J-o0QuwmZS1x_o9lpUO7ymDv5G0BI3n2ni_lySzXSfiMkDnDFJIe-qqUA9S4EKJ-4mxyfnjQ2aYK6RU_58M/s1600/IMG_2402.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizpd99AILt2zdT6b7hY81uZ8q2N5Sk6HifJ85vB9k-6xy_6CYWPcqeLJm6J-o0QuwmZS1x_o9lpUO7ymDv5G0BI3n2ni_lySzXSfiMkDnDFJIe-qqUA9S4EKJ-4mxyfnjQ2aYK6RU_58M/s320/IMG_2402.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410306233776918738" /></a>8:10pm I dined on the bushmeat </div><div><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pC5H9DHETYEbLVDYiRumqVcvdH6onlGOGQIgVUn8zquW60NuqPyxu9EhbNIgO2jQfD-0iPW89D77eri0JzrxN65iOHlIUbzAfpw2OnpnG-9ULS8N7H-xpES-s-Tg35TEJJChwGPQS-U/s320/IMG_2401.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410307012933589506" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span><div>9pm bedtime on the church floor</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMByom34yoIQHFxnI32huWACwycONgRi5tewO_A8SOvzfHtyKFKNP93BRAEtJFyJdazGgPZeq3zgxHA05IFX5ETEexKKVbercDoBJ0PWuWJaIYj1yM0X3sgXIlTpSAeqOSrcvXNP2UnY/s1600/IMG_2424.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMByom34yoIQHFxnI32huWACwycONgRi5tewO_A8SOvzfHtyKFKNP93BRAEtJFyJdazGgPZeq3zgxHA05IFX5ETEexKKVbercDoBJ0PWuWJaIYj1yM0X3sgXIlTpSAeqOSrcvXNP2UnY/s320/IMG_2424.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410306229077322130" /></a>Day 2: 8am one of the church members gave us some sort of cross between an armadillo and possum which we ate for breakfast...forgot to take a picture eating it. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnyO7WNIsrIdTfvcTHfj38FqCuvCuTCpwqrWlJCsF0OSVOLSjzc2woH74Mybwu9og3DHRdALrOA06ZdSoyZmoJvheJugKlpByxOpx9DnJe4mNUpXcTg-FncsoLHp8rCvZgvclyAt1hDnM/s1600/IMG_2431.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnyO7WNIsrIdTfvcTHfj38FqCuvCuTCpwqrWlJCsF0OSVOLSjzc2woH74Mybwu9og3DHRdALrOA06ZdSoyZmoJvheJugKlpByxOpx9DnJe4mNUpXcTg-FncsoLHp8rCvZgvclyAt1hDnM/s320/IMG_2431.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410305347996643410" /></a>10:30am we refueled on water before heading down the mountain</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1yopc_vDA9GmOk30XSUhT_6oQi7awMNcohQkMtjPuhw2BUiyuRlEcyvU28aC4zfN_PJ0_ao5w5X3UUviuLbv_lqlpCdN9RtxiHnzUq-bJiNo6sPUyPoKT28cgleo5WT08o8-JKZY-JRc/s1600/IMG_2451.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1yopc_vDA9GmOk30XSUhT_6oQi7awMNcohQkMtjPuhw2BUiyuRlEcyvU28aC4zfN_PJ0_ao5w5X3UUviuLbv_lqlpCdN9RtxiHnzUq-bJiNo6sPUyPoKT28cgleo5WT08o8-JKZY-JRc/s320/IMG_2451.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410305345352496386" /></a>11:30am we stopped to take a photo on the way down...please notice the 3 church members who volunteered to be our sherpas. </div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCo4cUpalF-AFItLy0sELNt5YrP2h7kPdJ_bnH8z-rCfVSGwSNsdWx83B1hMIVMK9bxF4w6cvOIK5rXmbcQcN5SdQGEpqfsX0r4fRUbhsmuGh3zID5_9lkDP_xFLAj8nCBLKR_RsrnMg/s1600/IMG_2464.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCo4cUpalF-AFItLy0sELNt5YrP2h7kPdJ_bnH8z-rCfVSGwSNsdWx83B1hMIVMK9bxF4w6cvOIK5rXmbcQcN5SdQGEpqfsX0r4fRUbhsmuGh3zID5_9lkDP_xFLAj8nCBLKR_RsrnMg/s320/IMG_2464.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410304546068878338" /></a>4pm we arrived at the next village (not on top a mountain) and played some games with the kids</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHsXcDXFwIo94ncyyXuTTV_ilGHvoAsYuXpp_1jrmbgHiUxZk0MxoRZQk2lHs5-22Q6tQMDb_zXetcffCwlZCEkF0lVWKCkUlSG3Faq59TG0mJW51AemBam2yxxqhZERuXgnQ7iy3LhHw/s320/IMG_24545.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410307657625472034" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div>8pm we showed the film <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">More Than Dreams </span>which is a 45 min testimony of a Muslim man that come to Christ</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigJqOortk3yGe7aSg8exgJVT87O5ztjhcgh_BR_S3FaGBGADuGnbNBQiwzPiuv1PqTpivUMPlIp3prLno45rkUz8Jrr6JYd4Rv6uHUeJgbCPiJVFqDEkEqPx0iTGN4zmW4Y64NrNhNpvY/s320/IMG_2501.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410302997738618050" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div>10pm Bedtime in the church</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjejjo1Vy6XclemSvmXVk5vs94k9PWDKKHCRGMpAJZHgvnLVLtk3jA83n7A-oqHJovk8UOu9CwrgrvBCIgvlNQ9dtuaen6i48rclrvhgMS_wgp5cWklTXYRiuW_IGhiQGVsOcKtrmgus7o/s1600/IMG_2546.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjejjo1Vy6XclemSvmXVk5vs94k9PWDKKHCRGMpAJZHgvnLVLtk3jA83n7A-oqHJovk8UOu9CwrgrvBCIgvlNQ9dtuaen6i48rclrvhgMS_wgp5cWklTXYRiuW_IGhiQGVsOcKtrmgus7o/s320/IMG_2546.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410304541394468146" /></a>Day 3: 9am the pastor of the church gives us a live Chicken as we're leaving...which makes for a fun car ride.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqyJwjapuPAsZ_iEn1o3wiexT1hTLIRYoA4zE798J4MDiIBv3fXT-V4DdqQM57as_60Js-uV7v5ktHGYv55IiHgevF9bfhsR5p28XlwgzR3V_WQO1fsQI8GmmW28fUrrgHFVyPB-bUnZ4/s320/IMG_2510.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410302995599824962" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div>9:30am got a flat tire on our way to the next village...not to uncommon with the rough roads we drive on</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxsXYLYbmBZo7_BIn0GPm4Ce_6L2XhsMI_VnFEc_eic2-GY4sxzzQwZejJPL92aeO_1gGFSACl1NJzDryO8GwbvfHwHCuxbtFGkhrwRETkZg3X0rdnvsVg-NjC9qF47lcdHHpmThnCLY/s320/IMG_3434.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410307655277992034" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div>9pm another film show...this time a movie called <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Charms </span>which address the issue of ideal worshipping.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"> </span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-Sh67MPyrBJq7hNAQYMadBy08m5k_LeD3SxIv9Rbwp25EtU80X_K8Pp6N2Bu4p0CPw_gJDPSsL-oGL6GnBKZPqGJrBPwV0Dnj4ZRbQFCHRvBJ4yKxUyDiJsG7uLSb6hDZlbLc6HRgZw/s320/IMG_2550.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410304534115006370" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">10:30pm bed time...yes once again on a church floor..this time there were no doors and we had a few spectators as we were going to sleep</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOs_vcagKBo4ovD6cV0RtCCnbcvfW_tGSXjpVdYX0v6o6sC9cYcQR-Pg6Bq9NTu5SamcleCpmSkIwvNQoz5VCLagm92j9PbGed23YBo09TMmSsHkdy8o2Zkou8dbxbC0Il6Mv7ssHcLJ8/s320/IMG_2259.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410307644036174450" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigJqOortk3yGe7aSg8exgJVT87O5ztjhcgh_BR_S3FaGBGADuGnbNBQiwzPiuv1PqTpivUMPlIp3prLno45rkUz8Jrr6JYd4Rv6uHUeJgbCPiJVFqDEkEqPx0iTGN4zmW4Y64NrNhNpvY/s1600/IMG_2501.jpg"></a></div><div>Day 3: Finally got a shower....kinda</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-Sh67MPyrBJq7hNAQYMadBy08m5k_LeD3SxIv9Rbwp25EtU80X_K8Pp6N2Bu4p0CPw_gJDPSsL-oGL6GnBKZPqGJrBPwV0Dnj4ZRbQFCHRvBJ4yKxUyDiJsG7uLSb6hDZlbLc6HRgZw/s1600/IMG_2550.jpg"></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "></span><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtDVnWnrftpUneO2xMC1ISr7On0wddRfmDv9teaJHSTmx1gszqmom4fFKdCjHa4PSFdbMY66VjXb7vas5_PthZ6TTWtzP8xB5wmmL3JBoJUB_KjonKoXlZqB5F5pKw3nkQBKKUNKWeCBU/s320/IMG_32322.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410310620662500530" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqyJwjapuPAsZ_iEn1o3wiexT1hTLIRYoA4zE798J4MDiIBv3fXT-V4DdqQM57as_60Js-uV7v5ktHGYv55IiHgevF9bfhsR5p28XlwgzR3V_WQO1fsQI8GmmW28fUrrgHFVyPB-bUnZ4/s1600/IMG_2510.jpg"></a>2pm arrived safely at the next village and started teaching some of the kids American football<br /><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9MnbuQpdpLbjxsZguKBzEe6kt_GcHpLUi5KwOjgKemqeGowgT4C5RgA3VR6sKGSKzVMs_MQycsSCc_DjypiQTN_Xwcvxpq2q1xXGvVPjCeBTAjqFjO79jI_EgV-LYKTrtCOBTazLO8ok/s1600/IMG_12122.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9MnbuQpdpLbjxsZguKBzEe6kt_GcHpLUi5KwOjgKemqeGowgT4C5RgA3VR6sKGSKzVMs_MQycsSCc_DjypiQTN_Xwcvxpq2q1xXGvVPjCeBTAjqFjO79jI_EgV-LYKTrtCOBTazLO8ok/s320/IMG_12122.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410310612074972482" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a>4pm a little rest before our final film show</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4e6x9xAMr9du7KHwUJ9gM8q-BeLXysHddvkeI0ZD7vCdSnUrH6AG-lUZ4Zb_22ZsqO22MmLrNMMx_-VVfGrMOoyJ7x4X6ZMuBOJWac5l2PfO6XLxpIM1Sqp_SDkTRbWVCShdb2IE04ig/s1600/IMG_2268.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4e6x9xAMr9du7KHwUJ9gM8q-BeLXysHddvkeI0ZD7vCdSnUrH6AG-lUZ4Zb_22ZsqO22MmLrNMMx_-VVfGrMOoyJ7x4X6ZMuBOJWac5l2PfO6XLxpIM1Sqp_SDkTRbWVCShdb2IE04ig/s320/IMG_2268.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410310610304540882" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a>10pm to tired to set up tents in a small storage room</div><div><br /></div><div>Day 5: 7am headed home</div><div><br /></div><div>11:30am arrived safely back in Jos!<br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div></div>Dustin Mikschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17576904615683683645noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7758243737386639905.post-66396845751565992912009-11-11T11:53:00.000-08:002009-11-11T12:01:03.379-08:00What's The Price For You?<div>Imagine yourself growing up in a rural all Muslim village with no electric or running water. Starting at an early age you're taught that Islam is the only religion to follow. If your not farming or cooking you spend your free time literally doing nothing. Schooling is not an option as the closest school is 30 miles away and tuition fee run at about half your parents annual salary. One day you start having reoccurring dreams in which you're approached by two men that claim Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Upon further discovery you realize this is the teaching of Christianity...What do you do? </div><div><br /></div><div>Below is a true story one of my friends recorded of a man from a similar background of the one you just envisioned. As you will see the price for him to follow Christ is much higher than what we have to pay in America. The question that scares me is...If I was in his shoes would I be willing to pay the price?" </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">I DIDN'T LOOK FOR CHRIST, HE FOUND ME</span></div><div><br /></div><div>‘I didn’t look for Christ, he found me’ is the first statement Ishayaku made when sharing his testimony. </div><div><br /></div><div>Indoctrinated to hate Christians from a young age, he grew up with no other religion but Islam. During secondary school Ishayaku began having dreams where two people came and started talking to him about Christ. These men were dressed in long white robes with red cord round their waist. Whilst he had never heard the gospel these men explained that Jesus was the way, the truth and the life and shared with him from the book of John. During his time at secondary school this happened three times with the men disappearing as he woke. </div><div><br /></div><div>As he returned home from school during the holidays he told his mother about the dreams and she was convinced evil spirits had possessed him. She called an Islamic scholar who began to pray for him. As the men wore white and red, the scholar decided that they should sacrifice mixed red and white chickens to ward off these spirits. However even after doing this, these men still kept appearing.</div><div><br /></div><div>Three days later he decided to become a Christian and upon hearing this his mother cried and started ripping off her clothes. She told him if she had known this from the start when she had given birth she would have killed him. During this time his father was not around, but when he returned his mother told him what had happened.</div><div><br /></div><div>His father proceeded to disown him saying he would have no inheritance. Then having called over a dog said that it meant more to him than his son. Finally he fetched ash and threw it into the wind to symbolize the end of their relationship. </div><div><br /></div><div>Over the following weeks his mother tried to poison him three times. God protected him enabling him to see each time that there was something wrong with the food. In one instance the food looked the wrong colour (ie it was green) and in another they had injected his food with an orange poisonous liquid. </div><div><br /></div><div>Ultimately he was forced to flee home and yet at this point he was yet to meet another Christian. With no where to go and it already dark he entered a derelict building to sleep and was shocked when a man pulled up and told him to get in his car. He didn’t know this man and after getting in fear gripped him because at that time men were kidnapping and killing people for rituals. </div><div><br /></div><div>Ishayaku was told to keep silent in the vehicle, with the driver making it clear he already knew the situation. Having entered a town in Kano state where there were Christians, the driver took him to a church. It was here that a pastor from the church took him in and after doing so the driver promptly disappeared. While the gate keeper of the church compound had seen the car enter with him no one had left and the car and driver have never been seen since. </div><div><br /></div><div>The pastor of the church where he was taken decided for his own safety that he should be transferred to the safe house where he could be discipled in the word. It has been a long time since Ishayaku has seen his family but will sometimes speak to his mother by phone. Whilst she is one of the top Islamic debaters in Kano state, she has since admitted that her god is not as powerful as that of her sons as he has protected him through everything she has done. She has also asked who Jesus is, through which he directed her to Koran where there are over 99 verses which talk about Christ. </div><div><br /></div><div>Although his father has commanded if anyone sees Ishayaku to kill him, he is determined to visit his mother and share with her. For he believes the Bible when it says, ‘Greater is he that is in you than he who is in the world.’ Until it is God’s time to take him nothing can touch him. </div><div><br /></div><div>Ishayaku has come to know more than many will ever comprehend Psalm 27 v 10 ‘Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close.’</div><div> </div><div><br /></div>Dustin Mikschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17576904615683683645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7758243737386639905.post-38242045645804894722009-10-20T03:21:00.001-07:002009-10-20T03:35:16.702-07:00Vacation...Yea baby!<div><div>So last week I got to go on my first true vacation since arrive 6 months ago. About 7 hours drive south of where I live is a hidden getaway called Obadu. Tucked away in one of the highest points in Nigeria (5,000 ft) Obadu can give the illusion that your not actually in Africa, but rather somewhere in the rockies. </div><div><br /></div><div>Unrealized until I arrived, it was some much needed time off. I spent four days relaxing at a pool which sat at the base of 360 degrees of mountain viewing, hiking to and swimming at some of the many waterfalls, and eating my first "true" steak since arriving. While it was tough to leave I'm glad to be recharged and back in swing of things here in Jos. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here some pictures from the trip:</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCBt8WSocLtfleiaDndTBk4ul7ghd_Eqhk78JZLRntNgXf_aIqW-wEiervMcrXGuX9qjc_-3sqGETK_E2cMSJGcYV3NwjKIjGVITvOjjKc46wRKBFVgR1S6UXNli7DtUak6m9Bg-S7PVk/s1600-h/IMG_2227.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCBt8WSocLtfleiaDndTBk4ul7ghd_Eqhk78JZLRntNgXf_aIqW-wEiervMcrXGuX9qjc_-3sqGETK_E2cMSJGcYV3NwjKIjGVITvOjjKc46wRKBFVgR1S6UXNli7DtUak6m9Bg-S7PVk/s320/IMG_2227.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394627272388725826" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">That's right...there was diving board</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaKR8k2BtYFv4jyfF4r3V7z_e-aqtdAvKrp7jDRLpcJtByaWaCHuFUoh5jfuMZ9MM1Ob-vo9sRAcVyPv-RTFA-3Xr8TSnSrVs7A-4ylmw13np023caP-XN5ZFcgqADnlUiQ0Z8-xqQ0xo/s1600-h/IMG_2134.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /></span><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaKR8k2BtYFv4jyfF4r3V7z_e-aqtdAvKrp7jDRLpcJtByaWaCHuFUoh5jfuMZ9MM1Ob-vo9sRAcVyPv-RTFA-3Xr8TSnSrVs7A-4ylmw13np023caP-XN5ZFcgqADnlUiQ0Z8-xqQ0xo/s320/IMG_2134.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394625928310171042" style="text-decoration: underline;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;">And a slide</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_8WEysGLyTNwadRzdsailqSDnfwrf3IHi7vq9cIb4HE-fWtVHO7n_aSGHUVVOJorVs_mbY29qlzuJDxywTSCSeWGWfTNLAYyePhyA2kPJj-VIqcIzYOEsdXdeokeyRUhGac1Op1vmy5o/s1600-h/IMG_2197.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_8WEysGLyTNwadRzdsailqSDnfwrf3IHi7vq9cIb4HE-fWtVHO7n_aSGHUVVOJorVs_mbY29qlzuJDxywTSCSeWGWfTNLAYyePhyA2kPJj-VIqcIzYOEsdXdeokeyRUhGac1Op1vmy5o/s320/IMG_2197.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394627268647995762" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">This would be the village I'd want to live in</div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7w3wwdJJspppuXPtBrvaL99e1Mguni4FCqSSCmaOzAdYBjO3fxGSaHQqEbvfmpxGqyl69GiXndwN9a1mDTY_BMphUuTT8UhQLYcxIgt8AztOW9ipVf2XB0NwyOgBG2rI0PxMH4Awo9VE/s1600-h/IMG_2178.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7w3wwdJJspppuXPtBrvaL99e1Mguni4FCqSSCmaOzAdYBjO3fxGSaHQqEbvfmpxGqyl69GiXndwN9a1mDTY_BMphUuTT8UhQLYcxIgt8AztOW9ipVf2XB0NwyOgBG2rI0PxMH4Awo9VE/s320/IMG_2178.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394627050582765410" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">This was an hour hike at like a 40 degree slope...not for the babies</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDOfjTZ3G9fZy5uRRUS4jld_YLeq62gL1_Hor4aFq6gTF1VzRbZ-ngzx5-EpNaMSAg39P9F50D5qtqMbq-ibQRhAqGbN6A6_2fXL5b3F4bWSkc0DKoVQbADL75j-kibmNP7BmkmJPNWXU/s1600-h/IMG_2012.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDOfjTZ3G9fZy5uRRUS4jld_YLeq62gL1_Hor4aFq6gTF1VzRbZ-ngzx5-EpNaMSAg39P9F50D5qtqMbq-ibQRhAqGbN6A6_2fXL5b3F4bWSkc0DKoVQbADL75j-kibmNP7BmkmJPNWXU/s320/IMG_2012.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394627047816223746" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">The hike was worth it when you made it to the falls</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Dustin Mikschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17576904615683683645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7758243737386639905.post-58540455644600395572009-09-27T08:26:00.000-07:002009-09-27T08:34:49.167-07:00Stuck in a Rut<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Last week I went on a 3 day Church planting/film outreach to remote villages here in Nigeria. After an hour and a half of following a motorcycle only path and crossing a bridge I was nervous to even walk on, we managed to hit a patch of soft mud that buried the left side of the car to the fame. We were so deep that I had to exit the vehicle through the passenger side. <br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Xt6jahllDUOnf6zXbYiepayJks1lP_Hdmz8JGo8Bnro50VgdIBnUZyS0n7OEiVkL5NHiPYtnRov2YV1iSsLQeugngeWs2Qw1_ojtAMWvWXcqlkp3s8wDUSiqejO_tak4k016vCebSK0/s1600-h/IMG_1745.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Xt6jahllDUOnf6zXbYiepayJks1lP_Hdmz8JGo8Bnro50VgdIBnUZyS0n7OEiVkL5NHiPYtnRov2YV1iSsLQeugngeWs2Qw1_ojtAMWvWXcqlkp3s8wDUSiqejO_tak4k016vCebSK0/s320/IMG_1745.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386169661112019602" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoNNrA8IfNCPURE3CiqsftmLUi7FIGd5tJsd6DCiyLuiQLUSufeMeWhqcOrLoRaq7hzUi0WARyrUS-KbJlC95mHVAg2TnEZzebtV1mQZTMbcaRhOP4xwSB5AfNU6_2Z_wAfJ5rEBTcHjM/s1600-h/IMG_1753.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoNNrA8IfNCPURE3CiqsftmLUi7FIGd5tJsd6DCiyLuiQLUSufeMeWhqcOrLoRaq7hzUi0WARyrUS-KbJlC95mHVAg2TnEZzebtV1mQZTMbcaRhOP4xwSB5AfNU6_2Z_wAfJ5rEBTcHjM/s320/IMG_1753.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386170447565793186" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div><div>Aware from a previous trip that the 4X4 wasn't working properly I had the mechanic fix it before I left for this trip. Well...come to find out --the hard way-- he only fixed the 4X4 indicator light on the dash board...which comes in very handy when your stuck in mud.</div><div><br /></div><div>Thankfully before we left I purchased a shovel and tow rope. While the tow rope couldn't be of much use with not other vehicle in sight, the shovel was a life saver. Two hours and 10 Nigerian villagers later we managed to get free! </div><div><br /></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwzJW0TBfAjq1DedTpHT1PK4QSYz2WZhTEeEQllXoCelIBBBCV09AgHOruLKSnI7gVnbU1ykaQKTcmilz29KmaTQUIreTB1HFe2uZY0H9MQRat8TwBiykkFWgNvmt-09X9mFLN6P0Ot04/s1600-h/IMG_1758.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwzJW0TBfAjq1DedTpHT1PK4QSYz2WZhTEeEQllXoCelIBBBCV09AgHOruLKSnI7gVnbU1ykaQKTcmilz29KmaTQUIreTB1HFe2uZY0H9MQRat8TwBiykkFWgNvmt-09X9mFLN6P0Ot04/s320/IMG_1758.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386169339095595762" /></a>Unfortunately, due to the lost time and fear that we may get stuck again and not make our destination by night fall we had to turn back. Needless to say, it was an experience. Dustin Mikschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17576904615683683645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7758243737386639905.post-46583676165452890322009-09-13T08:19:00.002-07:002009-09-13T08:57:40.088-07:00Orphanage Football Match<div><div>A few weeks ago some others and I arranged for a football match between the boy at our two care centers in Jos. The match served as a good social stepping stone for the boys at Gidan Bege as they will soon be leaving to go to Gyero full time (much like moving from elementary to middle school). Gyero walked away with the victory 3-0.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's a few pictures:</div></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Team Gyero<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Team Gidan Bege</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNKIoCXqAwYdR3AZek_AXioGclOHkyf0IKPLNG3eiE9-heSMAX4q-G5O7Ia4_8IpYtwoZS1QhtNww58Y8k-zHb6k4sKQU_YOY7lrRwh0lkKdvA0E5mLUZewmaoFjFpTwIIN4oHPFCbb54/s1600-h/IMG_1308.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNKIoCXqAwYdR3AZek_AXioGclOHkyf0IKPLNG3eiE9-heSMAX4q-G5O7Ia4_8IpYtwoZS1QhtNww58Y8k-zHb6k4sKQU_YOY7lrRwh0lkKdvA0E5mLUZewmaoFjFpTwIIN4oHPFCbb54/s200/IMG_1308.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380976982584850354" /></a><div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwgFFTRYoiGKH9zgt35RvOtjCxpLrYwxVR07keQdDdHlWVL9O9fLABgFUIhebM1S-jsP4ZZMhf9Ea-DDRfS9v33Mpcf-VHHcdjhh3pB-wNziZbV_hELxeNJHQdz6u9CbK7Te0QeeiQUHQ/s1600-h/IMG_1309.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwgFFTRYoiGKH9zgt35RvOtjCxpLrYwxVR07keQdDdHlWVL9O9fLABgFUIhebM1S-jsP4ZZMhf9Ea-DDRfS9v33Mpcf-VHHcdjhh3pB-wNziZbV_hELxeNJHQdz6u9CbK7Te0QeeiQUHQ/s200/IMG_1309.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380976518146979010" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdwrlcioa_kL5zkjO5trWikRS9xZsoxKf9NPb6a61y-fOEHapbRneEun3NB0sodouJue0bDqfxq1KCJTNwAWGu3TzGVqqB_tbTg6LYFJM8TWLk4aWCJJnwpchb7f1qNnbHPBVZaRWD1CY/s1600-h/IMG_1310.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdwrlcioa_kL5zkjO5trWikRS9xZsoxKf9NPb6a61y-fOEHapbRneEun3NB0sodouJue0bDqfxq1KCJTNwAWGu3TzGVqqB_tbTg6LYFJM8TWLk4aWCJJnwpchb7f1qNnbHPBVZaRWD1CY/s200/IMG_1310.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380976182526511698" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkKC1ykOwzemBszO_SWGLpczlgi998WCS4u7MIjhjvuxWLNxPZAzymHaIebLXkHAZHA5mi3653Ju2zPauWIkPZS2E_0dlNr81efi3bIwGYCarL3CMp0c8iqv6U044P_LbwFD9PGp7u4O4/s1600-h/IMG_1311.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkKC1ykOwzemBszO_SWGLpczlgi998WCS4u7MIjhjvuxWLNxPZAzymHaIebLXkHAZHA5mi3653Ju2zPauWIkPZS2E_0dlNr81efi3bIwGYCarL3CMp0c8iqv6U044P_LbwFD9PGp7u4O4/s200/IMG_1311.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380975896515403586" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbVjUFMvIsA83iRqM_9S1KKFfCqodY9P5TVTtojHSDxp4qkXNxsiF-pgS9lf1OGCwGF1psKzUK2vXnFc_kk2KACqIFwIjvHFZuCh1-lb4kKB54oJlNLpMexMoqT7uIt80eqtwsgR_YdJg/s1600-h/IMG_1333.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbVjUFMvIsA83iRqM_9S1KKFfCqodY9P5TVTtojHSDxp4qkXNxsiF-pgS9lf1OGCwGF1psKzUK2vXnFc_kk2KACqIFwIjvHFZuCh1-lb4kKB54oJlNLpMexMoqT7uIt80eqtwsgR_YdJg/s320/IMG_1333.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380975541424914114" /></a><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTnZvuKbLXU4sp1fTjbxDW_UduT0Ybgz3oA5dkNuX4tlqDEwLy6A93Q1Tc8rNHh_bMxfo5EFWLtH-HBjdvaFZvEdIH30nfxROSNJVw25moLbmCCSuJE47nxJlmPREdUTQPdyGZ2-DHkz4/s1600-h/IMG_1304.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTnZvuKbLXU4sp1fTjbxDW_UduT0Ybgz3oA5dkNuX4tlqDEwLy6A93Q1Tc8rNHh_bMxfo5EFWLtH-HBjdvaFZvEdIH30nfxROSNJVw25moLbmCCSuJE47nxJlmPREdUTQPdyGZ2-DHkz4/s320/IMG_1304.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380974956614111394" /></a><br /></div></div></div></div>Dustin Mikschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17576904615683683645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7758243737386639905.post-7921202342965727832009-09-03T13:41:00.001-07:002009-09-03T13:43:54.633-07:00A New Man (Simon Update)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNnQZvlklIRyP6nM8_K_K39RVS7ZJkro1Ipz-gABhAomxUdHQE7tUC_L0R7o8CnDhCo8LWOyEDPvo7DDq-ISn6asffP8ABsv3BF-gspWZRw3neJMomtIbSSGAlBKYzv5PjuWWEkuA_Xs/s1600-h/IMG_1682.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNnQZvlklIRyP6nM8_K_K39RVS7ZJkro1Ipz-gABhAomxUdHQE7tUC_L0R7o8CnDhCo8LWOyEDPvo7DDq-ISn6asffP8ABsv3BF-gspWZRw3neJMomtIbSSGAlBKYzv5PjuWWEkuA_Xs/s320/IMG_1682.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377344369328750690" /></a><br /><div><div>A few months ago I shared a testimony of how God used a stolen Ipod to change a boy name Simon's destiny forever. In just a short time it's be amazing to see how God has worked in this young mans life. Below is a verbatim copy of a hand written letter he gave me this past week. It doesn't get much better than this... </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">Dear Uncle Dustin,</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">Thanks you for the things that have be doing for me. God will bless you and thank you for the bible I will more about God in that bible so that I will teach other people too. God will give you things so that you will give those who dont have. God will give you a good wife and he will bless your child. I dont have anything to give you only to say thank you. </span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">Good bye </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">Love Simon Daweng Davow</span><br /></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxgokyDE8Z-sh6hyYyMYmgPV0e0FAVw3r_t_T8JCH0x9KlJAOQTbZK04FIQguJpe650FEfpVLx4gkpPLHX7LOawp4qyWw8XZQ_NAzaRZFukF3CQisf_ufgyAWAwXD0TtZMDLWxJ4hSbJY/s1600-h/IMG_1643.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxgokyDE8Z-sh6hyYyMYmgPV0e0FAVw3r_t_T8JCH0x9KlJAOQTbZK04FIQguJpe650FEfpVLx4gkpPLHX7LOawp4qyWw8XZQ_NAzaRZFukF3CQisf_ufgyAWAwXD0TtZMDLWxJ4hSbJY/s320/IMG_1643.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377344184212076114" /></a><br /></div>Dustin Mikschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17576904615683683645noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7758243737386639905.post-68141516335973693842009-08-31T04:11:00.000-07:002009-08-31T04:24:57.060-07:00A Taste of Home<div><div>In coming to Africa for an extended period of time you know your sacrificing things often taken for granted. Family, friends, constant electricity, the lake, and mexican food are just a short list of the comforts left back home. But just the other day I managed to get one of these comforts back....Golf! </div><div><br /></div><div>About 15 minutes from my house in a more remote area of Jos I discovered Flamingo Golf Course. Like many things here it quite different than the norm back home. For instance, greens are called browns (you'll see why in the pic below) and large rocks in the middle of the fairway make for a much different hazard than sand. One positive quality of Nigerian golf is price, 18 holes cost about $5 plus another $2 for the caddy (no golf carts). While it's not exactly the same as back home I'm just ecstatic to stumble across an activity that I thought wouldn't be played until I returned. </div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRlS1Q5zJ_NCnZwEtLT8_CI2lc9j0zo8ujSUrs3qfDS-G4q33XrgZrrl9E1iWpKdNg_X9QBVw8xF9urqQr3ZYZRN_Ohbz9w7o0mTnJaW2trXoJgkDSl-RyDAiFj3U8obkTndiQTDWWWgg/s1600-h/IMG_0395.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRlS1Q5zJ_NCnZwEtLT8_CI2lc9j0zo8ujSUrs3qfDS-G4q33XrgZrrl9E1iWpKdNg_X9QBVw8xF9urqQr3ZYZRN_Ohbz9w7o0mTnJaW2trXoJgkDSl-RyDAiFj3U8obkTndiQTDWWWgg/s320/IMG_0395.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376087152511958562" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNYCo-I1QxNJ_cbxTg_faUguMNmb92xjQEH6LytVZDSIMpIgdNG5psiNu0S9I-5eu0BPvliDEow9Ib1Vnu3byDuQzh5lOs6XZL3R6LG8snTzVOs56AgEHmEoPgIqj52lZRggJGRWbO1Z4/s1600-h/IMG_0389.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNYCo-I1QxNJ_cbxTg_faUguMNmb92xjQEH6LytVZDSIMpIgdNG5psiNu0S9I-5eu0BPvliDEow9Ib1Vnu3byDuQzh5lOs6XZL3R6LG8snTzVOs56AgEHmEoPgIqj52lZRggJGRWbO1Z4/s320/IMG_0389.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376086734347006850" /></a>Dustin Mikschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17576904615683683645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7758243737386639905.post-3363152684609010242009-08-14T23:42:00.000-07:002009-08-14T23:57:18.494-07:00Ruth & Sarah Update<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8c9_qg-AyyVzNxnb68hlpm144_qpW0dV8QU54n_V5IRT9FXXMNW-pB6WHEZ6Mqg84BDu2EP5W8QHpEQhb2V2wwBuWcMXdF8D3E1yYxFd0a7VT_UzAYkaFDy-wM7GvSqpL_l_gTDuP8d4/s1600-h/Ruth+2.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="text-decoration: underline;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8c9_qg-AyyVzNxnb68hlpm144_qpW0dV8QU54n_V5IRT9FXXMNW-pB6WHEZ6Mqg84BDu2EP5W8QHpEQhb2V2wwBuWcMXdF8D3E1yYxFd0a7VT_UzAYkaFDy-wM7GvSqpL_l_gTDuP8d4/s320/Ruth+2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370078988914529666" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">(Ruth is the girl smiling on my lap)</div><div><br /></div><div>I want to thank everyone for the continue prayer and concern for the two girls (Ruth and Sarah) who were rescued from a demonic colt less than a month ago. I happy to report that the girls seem to be making a smooth transition. </div><div><br /></div><div>Ruth (age 6) has wasted no time making new friends and adapting to her new environment. She has quickly become one of my favorite girls at Gyero. As you can see in the attached photos she has an amazing smile. Sarah (age 11) on the other hand hasn't quite adjusted as quickly as her younger sister but is coming along very well considering what she's been through the last month.</div><div><br /></div><div>One really cool things to witness this past month was how the girls living with Ruth and Sarah rallied around them in their struggles. When the sisters were awaken with nightmares in the night, other girls in the compound - some who have been through similar situations - would wake up to pray and worship with the girls and their Auntie to help get them back to sleep...an unselfish act not commonly found in kids.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please continue to pray for these girls and others alike as this seem to be one of the fast growing need in our ministry. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Ruth</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFRu2LrkNc22r-oYsAeOPpuFzmb23Cjua819tp3yz5YBqE-8fHtBQT7a0tcxx5U9FvFCEm0BOhn3jUEUL9DIZHdEOrm_fpVFF6vAvGe9g7mZtHKfae1PbfSEQlxSN7WuAiyNYc1dGQts/s1600-h/Ruth+1.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFRu2LrkNc22r-oYsAeOPpuFzmb23Cjua819tp3yz5YBqE-8fHtBQT7a0tcxx5U9FvFCEm0BOhn3jUEUL9DIZHdEOrm_fpVFF6vAvGe9g7mZtHKfae1PbfSEQlxSN7WuAiyNYc1dGQts/s320/Ruth+1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370080609264501506" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sarah</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9hKirD9OOgptSV39MXyhzaM-DW_S61wCkKQ7Wb5YJwTl271aLsShb92jFHWQ3fsl0bTCHrWQLvDmRwSIhrmMoa282uggsd2kPJQg6CEE4-zi6HIIOzo6jxRZXQQOoKJwD-SUIdtNyo-w/s1600-h/Sarah+1.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9hKirD9OOgptSV39MXyhzaM-DW_S61wCkKQ7Wb5YJwTl271aLsShb92jFHWQ3fsl0bTCHrWQLvDmRwSIhrmMoa282uggsd2kPJQg6CEE4-zi6HIIOzo6jxRZXQQOoKJwD-SUIdtNyo-w/s320/Sarah+1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370080613390169330" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 241px; " /></a></div>Dustin Mikschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17576904615683683645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7758243737386639905.post-26970753787584708722009-07-28T02:00:00.000-07:002009-07-28T02:16:54.056-07:00Nigeria vs. Kenya<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD3TNAWGTvxJZTOrzPg91PA3IPVFeZXdUoJlFlgU9Bg41nBaRU7hzKxcbOx-gLzQ_90fBdGe4FDQl48AtwJUeSGLeKgVKVClks_OxbvYIoCdzFgv-0YivHWkU_QuzpNakbU85hg-H6hso/s1600-h/IMG_4476.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD3TNAWGTvxJZTOrzPg91PA3IPVFeZXdUoJlFlgU9Bg41nBaRU7hzKxcbOx-gLzQ_90fBdGe4FDQl48AtwJUeSGLeKgVKVClks_OxbvYIoCdzFgv-0YivHWkU_QuzpNakbU85hg-H6hso/s200/IMG_4476.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363435664564407186" /></a><br /><div>Last month a group of us here is Jos made the 4 hour drive to Abuja to watch Nigeria take on Kenya to qualify for the 2010 World Cup. Having never been to a professional soccer/football match my expectations were formed from the wild highlights I'd seen on TV. So, not wanting to look like a first time spectator I went all out by wearing a Nigerian jersey, waving a Nigeria flag, and painted my face green and white (colors of the Nigerian flag) with homemade face paint. </div><div><br /></div><div>In a stadium designed for 60,000 people, they managed to squeeze 70,000 in to the game by not leaving a stair or aisle unoccupied. As no good sport match is without, a small fight in the stands broke out a few rows in front of use. Spectator activity such as this and chanting helped to keep my attention in between goals. </div><div><br /></div><div>Nigeria ended up walking away with a 3-0 victory and a spot in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Although a little more mundane than American football, I have to admit I'm really starting to enjoy the "real" football. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY6Wd3tSY22H4xEzwAMVqXDM9-jrM75YIC_xTlrWLeomdx8bU-5qN8ScUv0Vp5Cq3wVK8O59r9NcICBMcFhgvsxWfcMq1j9k6rhmZ7P7mY4nCUS9E2n29aHRoredgQ7MEUu7-VRj4nfXI/s1600-h/IMG_4493b.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY6Wd3tSY22H4xEzwAMVqXDM9-jrM75YIC_xTlrWLeomdx8bU-5qN8ScUv0Vp5Cq3wVK8O59r9NcICBMcFhgvsxWfcMq1j9k6rhmZ7P7mY4nCUS9E2n29aHRoredgQ7MEUu7-VRj4nfXI/s320/IMG_4493b.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363436614968993186" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div>Dustin Mikschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17576904615683683645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7758243737386639905.post-10252924643821173372009-07-13T05:03:00.000-07:002009-07-13T05:37:00.712-07:00Ruth & Sarah<div><div><blockquote></blockquote><blockquote></blockquote><blockquote></blockquote>I’ve hesitated wether or not to publicly write about the story of two sisters who have recently entered our ministry. However, after much consideration I have realized that this blog wouldn't accurately depicted my time here if I didn't share at least some of the heartbreaking struggles we are confronted with. Here is a prayer email I sent out last week: </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"></span></span></div><blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Family and Friends,<br /><br />Our orphanage just rescued two sisters who are in desperate need of prayer. Ruth (6) and Sarah (11) were lured into joining a secret witchcraft society. To enter this evil colt they had to sacrifice something of value to them. Brainwashed by the members, they gave permission for their mom to be murdered. This happened last week. The funeral took place Saturday. <br /><br />Learning what had happened, their Uncle brought them to us immediately following the funeral services. Although finances have limited the amount of new kids we can take, we accepted these girls due to the urgency and nature of their situation. After an all day prayer session with the girls Sunday they gave their life to Christ...Hallelujah! <br /><br />I met the girls for the first time yesterday. Although you couldn't tell by their demeanor what the past 5 days had brought, they are in desperate need of people interceding on their behalf. Here are some things you pray for: <br /> <br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Protection</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> particularly between midnight and 3 AM (6 PM to 9 PM your time). Due to the nature of what they were involved in they are under heavy spiritual attack during the night. <br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Forgiveness</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">. As the reality of what has taken place sinks in chances are the enemy will try and use guilt to lure them away from their freedom in Christ. Please pray that they grasp the concept that there sin has been paid for in full and they are blameless in the eyes of God. <br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Aunty Altine</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">. She will be their new mother at the orphanage. Please pray for her and the other girls living in her house.<br /><br />Thanks in advance for your prayers.<br /><br />Dustin</span></span></div><div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div><div>Although the story of Ruth & Sarah is extremely tragic, I pray it doesn't discourage you, but rather encourage, as you see that there is a real need in this world for individuals like <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">you</span> and I to be a voice for the voiceless.</div></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ak64wSLDByHQFANdRk_nKU19UnBTZVWQCJvLA90mrOERTA4j0BfiXz3GntuXO0IKIWZOVQq23keiR3CVCstG_3kDWsqR_Qqc4nH0kqKwhDJ28LU4Xg3hQDVsWDE-QyaDlP5Sv29oG4c/s1600-h/sisters.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ak64wSLDByHQFANdRk_nKU19UnBTZVWQCJvLA90mrOERTA4j0BfiXz3GntuXO0IKIWZOVQq23keiR3CVCstG_3kDWsqR_Qqc4nH0kqKwhDJ28LU4Xg3hQDVsWDE-QyaDlP5Sv29oG4c/s320/sisters.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357915265695272178" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Ruth & Sarah</span></div>Dustin Mikschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17576904615683683645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7758243737386639905.post-5091788808995589842009-06-30T13:06:00.000-07:002009-06-30T13:57:41.230-07:00USA...Football...?!?<div><div>When the USA football team upset Spain in the Federation Cup a week ago the boys I work with couldn't stop talking about how big of a deal this was. Embarrassed that I was caught unaware that my home country had broken the Spaniards 36 game winning streak in the most popular sport in the world, I made it a point with the boys that I'd become knowledgeable before the championship match Sunday. </div><div><br /></div><div>Rearranging my priorities for the weekend, I made plans to spend the night at Gyero Sunday night. With 25 of the boys and I surrounding a 15' TV we watch the match on the one public station available in Gyero. Going into the game expecting us to loose, I was given a sense of hope with a surprising 2-0 lead at halftime. That hope vanished over the duration of the second half as Brazil displayed their dominance by scoring three goals to take home the Federation Cup in a 3-2 victory.</div><div><br /></div><div>Although the Americans didn't bring home the cup, the night wasn't a total lose as relationships were strengthened thru a commonality in sports. </div></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL67x27oPXP-x9cjMj5dk5RXbQAfAr9_7GCjV1iEcIXhiunPVgXHjGNg1aiCFsAXvPgCoAesZDkb0eAZO0z21dV-XXk1G5eltLTAJXruOeiloG7CqjyZSqTygZXyajebAQs054PSwq_kc/s1600-h/CIMG2004.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL67x27oPXP-x9cjMj5dk5RXbQAfAr9_7GCjV1iEcIXhiunPVgXHjGNg1aiCFsAXvPgCoAesZDkb0eAZO0z21dV-XXk1G5eltLTAJXruOeiloG7CqjyZSqTygZXyajebAQs054PSwq_kc/s400/CIMG2004.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353215494443757538" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Snapped right as Brazil score a goal</div>Dustin Mikschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17576904615683683645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7758243737386639905.post-45086947466872994322009-06-22T01:11:00.000-07:002009-06-22T06:44:42.235-07:00A Night to Remember Followed by a Day to Forget<div>A few weeks ago three others and I set off on a trip to Egbe (8 hours west of Jos). The purpose of our journey was to encourage the work of a recently established school for Fulani children.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>If you're like I was, you probably don't have a clue who or what a Fulani is. Fulanies are the largest nomadic people group in the world. With 99% of the Fulanies being Muslims, they're also the largest un-reached people group in Nigeria. Fulanies live in mud huts and typically move yearly as their lives are dominated by the needs of their herds. So, as you can image, I jumped on the opportunity to visit one of these remote villages.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNVp7HakgSjFBBmHMXFzzZ938Gca1Fd3UjQsPyHj8WqhFy9fKsE-Dn1X5TBfWhL4_dytGeXa4EkhGAilA_CI7YPKvCptvNjsG7E2JFrUYBSttGahNwRu2ZqG1IqpJUxA31FUVz3dXM_7E/s200/CIMG1932.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350064935375398882" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px; " /></span></div><div>The construction of this school has been an amazing window into building relationships with this very close knit people group. The very nature of their on-the-move lifestyle makes developing relationships close to impossible. The husband and wife team that run the school are Christ-professing Fulanies themselves, who have given their life to try and tell their own people the good news of Christ through education.</div><div><br /></div><div>After sitting in on one of the classes, some of the kids invited us to come visit their village less than a mile away. Although slightly apprehensive, being Christian in a Muslim dominated culture, we couldn't say no to the opportunity to get a peek into this very secluded lifestyle.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Xg7VLTW2MpoHeeFBcqUAxeUKU8oDUxIPIWKi4W2U3WQolposFB1BTwUhrLYPmBXGcPHKvcIY07WXjC8alE5kAlJxwYKPcTE3goBqHhY7W9HGYtjHSWSbHeIsS9qHvu5bEOdQN37bnRM/s1600-h/IMG_0839.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Xg7VLTW2MpoHeeFBcqUAxeUKU8oDUxIPIWKi4W2U3WQolposFB1BTwUhrLYPmBXGcPHKvcIY07WXjC8alE5kAlJxwYKPcTE3goBqHhY7W9HGYtjHSWSbHeIsS9qHvu5bEOdQN37bnRM/s200/IMG_0839.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350070024613977682" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px; " /></a></div><div>After taking a short walk through the thick bush, all of a sudden we looked up to see 10 or 12 mud huts with people, mostly women and children, scattered throughout a small village. It was the image that every westerner gets in their head at some point when they try to picture Africa. Completely surrounded by plant life was a small village with no electricity that created everything you see with raw materials found within a 500 feet radius.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnFVpVdYdZEa0-e-2df_1YyvdRy3JW1Xv7J1dy28SGMZtGkqm0okPVgTGHQw_MKUMcC0EQWsHrUTp-TLkZ0HQzA5TxAJvUiPBAN3Ixqh6pahOthqqHWcQ9kJAiL119R1BUbx1QtKkzB1Y/s1600-h/IMG_0868.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnFVpVdYdZEa0-e-2df_1YyvdRy3JW1Xv7J1dy28SGMZtGkqm0okPVgTGHQw_MKUMcC0EQWsHrUTp-TLkZ0HQzA5TxAJvUiPBAN3Ixqh6pahOthqqHWcQ9kJAiL119R1BUbx1QtKkzB1Y/s200/IMG_0868.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350066814633831154" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px; " /></a><div>As custom would have it, our first obligation was to meet with the chief of the village. Without his approval, our presence was not welcome. After getting the ok from him, the afternoon was spent touring and meeting people in the village (thru a translator), playing with kids, and watching the herd come in after a full day of grazing.</div><div><br /></div><div>As we were about to leave the chief extended an invitation to spend the night. Thinking this was a once-in-a lifetime opportunity we took him up on it. We trekked back to the car, grab some simple sleeping gear and lights, and returned shortly after dusk.</div><div><br /></div><div>When we got back, all of the children had gathered around a small fire for their nightly Koran reading/memorization. We joined the chief on a large mat as he instructed the children. With the chief's attention distracted by the kids, I took the time to make myself comfortable by getting horizontal and using my backpack as a pillow. Gazing up at the stars, the moment was surreal. I remember thinking how I could have never imagined when I was in college that at 25 years old I'd be spending the night halfway around the world in a remote Muslim village attempting to share the gospel. It's amazing the things God does when you give Him control.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglpNwepg1Z-8VNXVeQZJyHqwzSTkf9xfIsduMT24axqbsMmskahEeOc9yB7XBFsp61PydPY1stp74XBJzjc841fmKo8PnLSFP0hLUFB1gN2q8tOLR4oABDvDq5tOnB7ZN-B8DXq_XhRSs/s1600-h/IMG_0895.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglpNwepg1Z-8VNXVeQZJyHqwzSTkf9xfIsduMT24axqbsMmskahEeOc9yB7XBFsp61PydPY1stp74XBJzjc841fmKo8PnLSFP0hLUFB1gN2q8tOLR4oABDvDq5tOnB7ZN-B8DXq_XhRSs/s200/IMG_0895.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350146585890580834" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px; " /></a></div><div>Once the kids finished their nightly readings, the chief and another village member gave us their full attention. We spent the following 2 hours dialoging about one another's culture. Afterwards, we crawled, literally, into the chief's hut for the night. There we unrolled our sleeping mats on dirt floor next to his bed. Falling asleep wasn't the easiest thing to do. With no windows the mud hut acted more like an oven than a shelter. After an hour or so I finally managed to drift off.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was abruptly awakened somewhere between the hours of 4 and 5 by the chief's out loud morning prayer which was taking place about five feet from my head. Feeling a little uncomfortable, I started doing some praying myself...not out loud of course. Around 6 one of the boys brought us some breakfast, goat's milk and some stuff that looked like soggy granola. Not wanting to offend our host I didn't refuse. This proved to be a mistake in the hours to come.</div><div><br /></div><div>Upon finishing our breakfast we said our goodbye and thanked them for their hospitality. With a long car ride in front of us, we wanted to be sure and get an early start. Less than an hour or two into the trip home I got terribly sick. The unpasteurized goat milk that tasted so sweet going down early that morning didn't taste quite as good coming up. That 8 hour ride home ended up being one of the longest in my life.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sitting here writing this now I can tell you that it was all worth it. Now had you asked me that during the ride home you might have gotten a different answer.</div>Dustin Mikschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17576904615683683645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7758243737386639905.post-52768213705359478922009-06-10T06:45:00.000-07:002009-06-10T07:44:24.610-07:00Always Ready<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAuzeUCeYyqfAmcdZw0fm5KsSb9zBq0AS4gfZs33IwPtDIJ90p5wFP3tQHx0ehAWy2QhxiQnMhDhOlWO1fKG5hlZnmWfSlEhIZ0-pMAzLnwtCnC8LLOhudbxa7mlAbj08IIoRNZYRYJLU/s1600-h/IMG_1173.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 143px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAuzeUCeYyqfAmcdZw0fm5KsSb9zBq0AS4gfZs33IwPtDIJ90p5wFP3tQHx0ehAWy2QhxiQnMhDhOlWO1fKG5hlZnmWfSlEhIZ0-pMAzLnwtCnC8LLOhudbxa7mlAbj08IIoRNZYRYJLU/s320/IMG_1173.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345709266903934466" /></a><br /><div>I can't believe I haven't blogged yet about my first Nigerian church experience. The first Sunday I was here I visited a church with a friend that lives in my compound. Like many things here in Africa, it was quite different than what I was used to, let me explain... </div><div><br /></div><div>Attempting to fit into the culture as good as possible, I put on my best (only) Sunday kaftan. We attended a church that was held in an abandoned building on the edge of town. They were forced to move there because their original building was burned down in the November crisis. ( <a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/200811300001.html">http://allafrica.com/stories/200811300001.html</a> ) </div><div> </div><div>As service began, I,the newcomer, was asked to standup and introduce myself...not that unusual. So I stood up, and in my best Nigerian English simply said my name, where I was from, and what I was doing here. Thinking that was more than enough for an introduction, I took a seat only to have the pastor ask me to come up onstage and give the morning greeting. Come up on stage?...give a greeting? You can image the shock and confusion on my face. Let me remind you that this was my first week here. So, not wanting to offend anyone by refusing, I proceeded to the podium to "greet" the congregation. After basically repeating what I had just said, I handed the microphone back to the pastor. Thinking I was in the clear of the unwanted spotlight, I started to head back to my seat only to have the pastor this time insist that I stay and sit on stage with him for the duration of the service. So, without an appropriate “escape route” out of this situation, I spend the rest of the service facing the congregation with a point-blank view of the pastor’s backside. Needless to say, I didn't comprehend much that was preached that Sunday as most of my thought and energy was focused on not 'looking' distracted or scratching at my kaftan in a way that was inappropriate for someone in front of an audience of 60.</div><div><br /></div><div>While I am appreciative of the honor I was being shown, it was just quite different than the standard welcoming of first time visitors I've become so accustom to back in the states. Since then I have visited another church in which I was asked to stand, give my name and state where I was from, but was not invited on stage...and, I didn't feel nearly as welcomed! </div><div><br /></div><div>Since this quick indoctrination into my new surroundings, I have since been reminded of scripture from the Apostle Peter that speaks to situations like the one I found myself in where he simply states: …always be ready to give an answer for the hope that lies within you… (1 Peter 3:15). </div>Dustin Mikschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17576904615683683645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7758243737386639905.post-49070029801623924882009-05-21T06:48:00.000-07:002009-05-21T06:52:32.744-07:00Evil for Good<div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Cambria">God used a stolen Ipod to change someone's destiny forever. Let me explain...</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Cambria; min-height: 16.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Cambria">Two weeks ago was my first time to spend the night with the kids at our orphanage in Gyero (20 mins outside of Jos). Right before going to bed I realized my Ipod had gone missing. After looking for it a great deal of time, we concluded that it was stolen. With no way to search 60 kids at 10 o'clock at night, and thinking the culprit would sell it first thing the next day at the market, I was content on being Ipodless.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Cambria; min-height: 16.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Cambria">So, you can image how surprised I was to got a call from one of the house parents the following day informing me they found the Ipod on one of the kids. Unfortunately, the kid who took it was Simon, one the boys I went hiking with the previous day.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Cambria; min-height: 16.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Cambria">Simon is a 12 year old boy who I'd formed a quick bond with in the small amount of time we'd gotten to spend together. He was brought to the orphanage after both of his parents were killed in June of last year and his uncle didn't have the resources to take care of him.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Cambria; min-height: 16.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Cambria">After talking with his house parent I knew he'd be apologizing the next time we met. Knowing that he'd already receive punishment, I really sought out what I'd say to him at this time. I felt that God was telling me that above all, just tell him that He loves him no matter what.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Cambria; min-height: 16.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Cambria">The following week I went back out to Gyero to spend the night. During worship that evening Simon came up to me and said he like to talk with me. After everyone left, I pulled a chair up beside him and ask what did he want to talk to me about. Too ashamed to look at me, he stared at the floor and said he was sorry for taking my Ipod. I told him that I'd already forgiven him and that no matter what, I'd always love him but more importantly God loves him and there was nothing he's done or will do to escape that love. Informing him of that brought about a sigh of relief on his face. It continues to amaze me how His ways are not my own--but always so much better!</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Hoefler Text; min-height: 13.0px"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Cambria">After talking for about 10 to 15 minutes, I asked Simon if he'd ever accepted Christ into his life and if he knew what that meant. He informed me that he'd thought about it a few months ago, but never did. I briefly explained to him once again what it meant to accept the free gift of eternal salvation given to everyone, and told him that I'd love to pray with him if he ever wanted to give his life to Christ. To my surprise, he was ready then and there! So that night, I had the amazing opportunity to pray with Simon as he admitted that his sins separated him from God, he believed that Christ died in his place to pay for those sins, and he invited Christ to come into his life.</p></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijqo_JBv9lrbYozizZmstUrt_pyBsU0P6mYiyiB2_iXlqta8pLm92OJRDR9YXqhsmwe5pUpcv_JyD40Tzc2AY2BNIyG09X9xYercF6-NAw_9HpG8TxrTWkBELxt-r9K0t9x74R93fb7gA/s1600-h/CIMG1892.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijqo_JBv9lrbYozizZmstUrt_pyBsU0P6mYiyiB2_iXlqta8pLm92OJRDR9YXqhsmwe5pUpcv_JyD40Tzc2AY2BNIyG09X9xYercF6-NAw_9HpG8TxrTWkBELxt-r9K0t9x74R93fb7gA/s320/CIMG1892.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338274268642658882" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Simon and I</div>Dustin Mikschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17576904615683683645noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7758243737386639905.post-53402979565826183372009-05-13T13:39:00.000-07:002009-05-14T04:06:15.787-07:00Only In Africa<div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Hoefler Text"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">After being here for 3 weeks now, I've started to observe many things that I find to be unique to Africa. So, in an attempt to share these with you, I've decide to start a monthly picture series entitled "Only In Africa". I hope you enjoy it.</span></span></span></p></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This makes me smile every time I drive by. For those of you who've heard my business idea on funeral services, I think the business may have just gotten a new name.</span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoGtvoVu55cmVtVjeGRmgkrn00p-r7SosIhUWTh58paC8EbEYAPAG3O3o10Dz9SJEK63cG0yDIQtvSKMDz32itcLsQeuH6ApHaIIqyiQZLamWk8_oB53QJM4-ailKCL3GsD4ety_7hNQo/s1600-h/CIMG1902.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoGtvoVu55cmVtVjeGRmgkrn00p-r7SosIhUWTh58paC8EbEYAPAG3O3o10Dz9SJEK63cG0yDIQtvSKMDz32itcLsQeuH6ApHaIIqyiQZLamWk8_oB53QJM4-ailKCL3GsD4ety_7hNQo/s400/CIMG1902.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335630534491727538" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sunrise at Gyero orphanage</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUUG4dbBbLpbf74T2hcGKn_FK8LI_Q-LCkp4tiJ2_PoWY2pO5TE068C2NCgDFIfE7VQADgnmOO3l-ti4gaPbS53BaoOJRGKUn7Sje3A0W7NAqUAokam8UMTNOtwD8CfGbqFTVlwuGytI/s1600-h/CIMG1910.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUUG4dbBbLpbf74T2hcGKn_FK8LI_Q-LCkp4tiJ2_PoWY2pO5TE068C2NCgDFIfE7VQADgnmOO3l-ti4gaPbS53BaoOJRGKUn7Sje3A0W7NAqUAokam8UMTNOtwD8CfGbqFTVlwuGytI/s400/CIMG1910.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335630125811006466" /></a><br /><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Maybe they have these is NY, but I've never seen one in Austin</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKV-_wGhDT87ZfbJ8gaIRMDm7RAYbdrUOhVCOyxnooNEIX4ckI3HDpiiuD-WgjPF-VfURbRHT1VZBQzsr1pESNpk51D5J33b9i72JstSComvkSw9ANOSFvOT1Vq5eS7kAs5U8DIAGilKA/s1600-h/IMG_0758.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKV-_wGhDT87ZfbJ8gaIRMDm7RAYbdrUOhVCOyxnooNEIX4ckI3HDpiiuD-WgjPF-VfURbRHT1VZBQzsr1pESNpk51D5J33b9i72JstSComvkSw9ANOSFvOT1Vq5eS7kAs5U8DIAGilKA/s400/IMG_0758.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335629773118689122" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It tasted just as bad as you'd imagine</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi02KIx1FLPLikZjL_OX7YsLa8RKUK7GW3NJO8JCQd4bOi3oPh8nVRDEEaxjfXFaOLe_9vSdLkPSZpIEyxrfd25owB9u4dD5qx8JIJAtY1xERujdUL9IeHVV2cb9DksRuBIA8_v6KXEZ7U/s1600-h/IMG_0817.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi02KIx1FLPLikZjL_OX7YsLa8RKUK7GW3NJO8JCQd4bOi3oPh8nVRDEEaxjfXFaOLe_9vSdLkPSZpIEyxrfd25owB9u4dD5qx8JIJAtY1xERujdUL9IeHVV2cb9DksRuBIA8_v6KXEZ7U/s400/IMG_0817.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335411472042285554" /></a></div>Dustin Mikschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17576904615683683645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7758243737386639905.post-58926128835955198552009-05-08T13:31:00.000-07:002009-05-08T15:12:04.738-07:00Kaduna Medical Trip<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6gbkIsk-zzfQiVQhe_a8htvg2K1pgCNcpqqAkLD9_VD5XjhDXc6MUmyc5SmS0RCOgNn5-c_UMg1KqcKwB7_-A3TsCNg1yfNM1_nvAoGO1hWgRboSTAWEgxKI78mYBk2pEWC56uNRKebU/s1600-h/CIMG1804.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6gbkIsk-zzfQiVQhe_a8htvg2K1pgCNcpqqAkLD9_VD5XjhDXc6MUmyc5SmS0RCOgNn5-c_UMg1KqcKwB7_-A3TsCNg1yfNM1_nvAoGO1hWgRboSTAWEgxKI78mYBk2pEWC56uNRKebU/s200/CIMG1804.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333579270552669410" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Hoefler Text"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Earlier this week I joined one of our nurses on a visit to the care center we have in Kaduna. Kaduna is about 4 hours NW of Jos and is the 3rd largest city in Nigerian. The purpose of the trip was to give the kids their 2nd round of immunizations for hepatitis and polio. </span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Hoefler Text"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">When these kids enter the orphanage, 99% have not received any of the basic immunization that we take for granted in the US. It's very disheartening to think that much of the sickness and disease here is curable and even preventable. </span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Hoefler Text"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Take polio for example. Polio is a viral disease that invade the nervous system and can cause irreversible paralysis. Although the polio vaccines was developed in the 1950, the disease cripples thousands of people every year. Sadly, you see the effects of this terrible disease daily as kids, paralyzed from the waste down, with skateboards for wheelchairs uses theirs hands to propel themselves from car to car begging for spare change at crowded intersections. To think that this condition could have been prevented for about $10 breaks your heart.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Hoefler Text"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Knowing this, you can know image the joy I had giving the kids their polio vaccine. With two drops on the tongue, they're 2/3 of the way to never having to worry about contracting this horrific disease. </span> </span></p></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigCmS_8hXQl73jpUlrkJelJ2VoY49fpoxiNhTlBfTHLwRR_GfJWOEFvECgjxn-O-dZQe6-cExBTTlMTY7bu3qpXW3S2EbkB4WIsOQZ6Yr2BVwgvkLwGs9zy9L1dUeciSbJLR0pEhbCt-w/s1600-h/CIMG1779_2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 269px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigCmS_8hXQl73jpUlrkJelJ2VoY49fpoxiNhTlBfTHLwRR_GfJWOEFvECgjxn-O-dZQe6-cExBTTlMTY7bu3qpXW3S2EbkB4WIsOQZ6Yr2BVwgvkLwGs9zy9L1dUeciSbJLR0pEhbCt-w/s320/CIMG1779_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333554399544018290" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieZpTjFDBORiAs2XHBk6RBvlLmo5mveh6QsrqhUx4TxN0YGZMuLTIrv2FZF2u94tIp4C3vaJEKgQiTpSiMoTLQKwBlEQyt6px6W7RkYO-f0cQswzQo8nJFzgi9_6DQmhyImTCwqFP2WS4/s1600-h/CIMG1848.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieZpTjFDBORiAs2XHBk6RBvlLmo5mveh6QsrqhUx4TxN0YGZMuLTIrv2FZF2u94tIp4C3vaJEKgQiTpSiMoTLQKwBlEQyt6px6W7RkYO-f0cQswzQo8nJFzgi9_6DQmhyImTCwqFP2WS4/s400/CIMG1848.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333554940351150850" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div>Dustin Mikschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17576904615683683645noreply@blogger.com2