Adventures of a missionary on a mission trip.

A group of neat men that God brought together to share a story & and an adventure in Haiti.

So I finally got Internet connection, yesterday I found internet in a big room filled with reporters for AP, so I made my self at home, Skyped Lucas, but after about an hour, they realized I wasn't a "real" AP reporter and they kicked me out of the room. I finally found the hotel business center, and here I am. Anyway, Tuesday and 9:30 PM We left a chilly cold LAX and arrived 12 hours later in a hot and muggy Haiti. My first impression as we entered the airport was CHAOS, even though it's been a year, things are still pretty primitive at the airport. We made it outside and immediately we we're almost mobbed with people asking to help carry our luggage, for money, food, anything we could give them. I was a little overwhelmed by the thousands and thousands of tents of the people who have lost their homes, all crammed in very close to each other, they are all over the city. We arrived at the hotel, which felt weird because inside it was like and oasis, nice pool, restaurant, AC and etc. and right across the street is a large tent city with people barely surviving. There are armed guards at the front of the hotel. Because it is the 1st anniversary of the earthquake, every news outlet from all over the world is here, from CNN to German News. Even Bubba Clinton was in town for the ceremony.BUT, it's not as bad as I thought it would be, but it's still pretty dire. After checking in we went and met a missionary to the deaf here, his name is Leny Funtecha. He and his wife have a deaf church and are starting to build a school for the deaf since the local school collapsed. He took us to the "Friends of deaf Haiti" camp that I mentioned in my previous blog.  It was very cool. They were so happy to meet me, and eager to  converse with me. Wilder, one of the camp leaders showed me around. they had just moved from tents into small wooded houses on Friday, so they were pretty happy with their new homes. There are about 400 people living here. Tthey are helping with the building of their new homes and at the same time learning a new trade  in construction. I should point out that most of these homes were a result of Friends of deaf Haiti and the International Red Cross, and they can still use more money to build more homes (www.friendsofdeafhaiti.org), I want to thank Richard Cohen from FDH for his help in not only being a part of FDH but for helping me make the connections. It was a special day, I know it has been hard for them. I met a young man who lost his leg in the earthquake, many others told me their stories. One after one they would come up to me, sigh their name. After a couple of hours of visiting and talking with them it was time to leave. I did not want to go, I could have stayed there all day, all week if the group would let me. So they all got together and I shared with them that the deaf children (and adults) of Mexico  knew about them and were praying for them, they were encouraged by that. I prayed in front of the group then almost every one of them came up to me, hugged me and said goodbye. What a day.  Stay tune for day 2; Luke and the gang digs a big hole.

Some of the deaf who lived in FDH camp.

My Trip to Haiti...

Dear Friends,
As I embark on this journey to Haiti, I will be honest, this is the first time I have been a little scared going to another country, I have been to Panama, Guatemala, Ecuador and scary parts of Mexico from Tijuana to Mexico city, but Haiti scares me. With the cholera and disease's, political unrest, poverty, witchcraft and the uncertainly of what will happen, I am going there with a little trepidation. But none the less, I know this trip is of God and I hope that He will use me to encourage anyone that He brings before me.
I have already made for sure 2 contacts and still trying to connect with a third.
I am going with an organization called 7 Day Hero http://www.7dayhero.org/ . There are 8 of us going and we are going to build a playground for a church and look for another location to build a future playground. My buddy Jerry Huson invited me along a while back, and I said I would only go if I could meet, minister and see how we can help the deaf of Haiti. The first contact I made was through Friends Of Deaf Haiti http://friendsofdeafhaiti.org/Home.php Through their efforts and the help of Gallaudet University a large deaf tent city was built after the earthquake and right now it is estimate there are 400 people living there, deaf along with their families. So between helping the group build the playground I will be visiting the deaf. Wednesday all of us will be visiting the deaf camp. Thursday we will all go work on the playgroud, Friday (the men will continue to build the playground) but I will be going to visit other ministries and an orphanage in Mirebalais that has some deaf children there, and hopefully connecting with a missionary that has a deaf church. Saturday visiting a pastor and see where the next playground will go, then Sunday fly home. As you can see it will be a busy time. I got all my shots, I'm taking Malarone, I'm packed and ready to go, all I need now is for you to please pray for me. Pray that we will be safe, stay healthy, meet all our contacts, and be used by God to comfort, encourage and lead people to Jesus.
Thank you and stay tuned, I will do my best to update you daily.

New Years Resolutions, who really sticks to it?

I recently read this about resolutions and decided to try an make these my new years resolutions.

It seems that many resolutions are broken quickly.  I know each year I resolve to exercise  more, compete in more races, eat better,  and etc, We always look to others or heros to inspire us, well look no further.

Heres some resolutions we should all try to do:

 Here are some good resolutions for you to make this coming year - 

I resolve like: Noah to live righteous in a wicked world (Genesis 6:8-9). 

I resolve like..Enoch to walk with God (Genesis 5:22). 

I resolve like...Abraham to live by faith (Hebrews 11:8-10). 

I resolve like...Aaron & Hur to uphold the hands of my spiritual leaders (Exodus 17:12).  

I resolve like...Caleb & Joshua to refuse to let superior members lead me astray (Numbers 4:6-9).

I resolve like...Joshua that our family will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15). 

I resolve like...Esther to boldly speak for justice, whatever the consequences (Esther 4:16). 

I resolve like...Job to trust in God when I do not understand His ways (Job 13:15).

I resolve like...Daniel to continue in prayer (Daniel 6:10).

I resolve like...Andrew to try to lead my relatives to the Lord (John 1:40-41).

I resolve like...Stephen to have a forgiving attitude toward those who hurt me (Acts 7:60). 

I resolve like... Mary to obey God in heartache (Luke 1:38).

I resolve like...Onesiphorus to be refreshing to others.

I resolve like...Paul to forget the past and press toward the mark before me (Philippians 3:14).

I resolve like...Jesus to live for others  (John 15:12).

I resolve like...the Disciples to fulfill the great commission to preach the Gospel and teach the Word of God (Mark 16:15).

I resolve...like John on that I will look forward for the Lord’s return (Revelation 22:20)

 resolve....That with God’s help I will seek to make this coming year my best ever!

I resolve to love Jesus and love others more.

Have a great New Year! I know with God's help I will.

getting back on-line

hey,
I'm thinking of updating my Blog and basically using it to help people become more aware of the deaf around the world and how you can help them. I recently returned from Guatemala where I met some deaf people and the missionaries to the deaf there, and in January will be traveling to Haiti to see the deaf and how can we help them. SO I hope to have this blog be an information place where you can see how you can support, help and pray for the deaf as God leads me to them.
thank you, gotta catch my plane home.
Luke

Trip to Los Mochis & Chihuahua

Sitting in the lobby of the Corintios hotel in Los Mochis Sinaloa. It´s a warm and slightly muggy night. There is some light smoke in the air and a thick smell coming from the sugarcane factory that is SWEET! I am on day one of my fact finding missionary trip to see how my buddy Dave Bonsell and his deaf school is going and the situation with the deaf in Chihuahua. Dave has been here for 10 years reaching and teaching not only the deaf, but children at risk and other special children for Jesus. He currently has 30 children going to his school. And like all mission work, really can use more staff and support. So pray for my buddy, he and his hard working wife Michelle are goood, good people. The name of their ministry is COLEGIO CRISTIANO MAGDALENA RINCON http://handsattheplow.org/ They recently were able to buy a nice piece of property with some large empty buildings/warehouse that they are converting into classrooms, apartments, kitchens and etc. So if you have a church group thats looking for adventure and a wonderful place to serve, this is the place.
So, here we go, tomorrow I will be hanging out with Dave, running errands, helping at the new school, my buddy Jim Kirk Johnson is going to do some painting and it´s gonner be a great day. I will soon be adding pictures of this part of the trip because right now I am on the hotel lobby computer and can´t find the usb port. Keep praying for us.  Good night now!

"Earthquake"!

Back on Easter Sunday I was kicking back in my bedroom watching a movie with my wife, she turned to chat with me and while she was signing I was thinking to myself, she is really shaking the bed with her sign language, then I looked up to see the ceiling fan bobbing up & down and I realized what was happening, freaking out a little I grab her and ran outside, I know you're supposed to stand under a doorway or get under a table, but when you are surrounded by boulders the size of your house, I don't think a door frame or table is gonner stop a 5 ton rock from flattening you.  We ran outside and looked up the mountain. But Thank God no rocks came tumbling down, and other than a little scare, we are OK.

God is not done with me yet...

A few months ago I was ready to hang it up. I was TIRED! I have been living here since 1969, started working in the boys dorm when I was 14 years old, became a teacher at 18, in 1981 I became the school principal, a couple years later principal and staff director and around 1986 became one of the executive directors. My responsibilities were; school director, staff director, visiting groups coordinator, liaison between the children and their parents, Ranch pastor/spiritual leadership, Ranch representative and speaker at churches and conferences, husband, father and much more. Over the years the toll of losing 2 brothers (one in a car accident the other pancreatic cancer) and one sister (leukemia), watching my parents die, watching a dear friend of ours die in my car as I rushed him to the hospital, watching my wife almost die, the work and pressures here, the many travels and constantly dealing with back pain almost forced over the edge. It got to the point where I was afraid (and still am to a degree), that if one more personal tragedy were to beset me, I would lose it. I had even asked a couple of senior staff members to take my place, because I wanted to step down. They couldn't, because they were moving to Guatemala to work at a deaf ministry there. So, what to do? Some people on my mission board suggested admitting me to one month of counseling and therapy. Not wanting to be away from my family for a whole month, I nixed that plan. Instead I took the summer off. No speaking dates, no traveling. just stay home, be with my family and get better. First of all my wonderful doctor (Thank you Dr Patricia) helped me get off pain meds. I had been taking them for 2 years, started taking too many, so I needed to quit. That was NOT fun. However thanks to an amazing medicine called Suboxone, It was not as bad. Once off the pain meds I began seeking alternative pain relief, acupuncture, electro therapy, hanging upside-down, stretches and etc, it's helping a little. The next step was to see a Christian counselor. So every other week I drove to Chula Vista and met with a counselor that was recommended to me by the church that ordained me. His name is Dennis Harris and he is a good guy. The final and most important step was; getting back to Jesus, spending more time with Him, in prayer and His word. For a long time I have been dealing with anger issues with God for all that He has allowed my family and I to go through. I'm still not completely over it and it still bugs me that my beautiful wife had to go through the brain aneurysm, surgery, strokes and everything that has altered her life forever (or at least till she gets to heaven). Almost every time I see her struggling to walk it saddens and bugs me, but I am not as angry at God as before and I press on. The cool thing about God is He is like our dads, we can get made at dad, but he still loves us, God will always love us too.

So where am I going with all this? I am feeling the best I have felt in like over 2 years, both physically and spiritually. I am excited once again about serving at this amazing ministry, and good thing too, because God has some big plans. Stay tuned for those plans, and other stuff that I'm going to be doing.