I am a “thanked full” man (Over 1.5 million severed)

I remember when I was little going to McDonald’s and seeing the big sign of the Golden arches. Nothing makes a 7 year-old happier than to see the McDonald’s sign. By the time I started going to McDonald’s they had stopped counting how many people they had served and the sign only read “millions upon millions served”. I always found the sign interesting.

With the McDonald’s sign in mind I made an interesting observation while I was talking to Angie the other day. Lately we have started to receive a ton of thank you emails. Just the other week we received one from Spain, later Peru and lastly Columbia. Since I started adding our contact list to Facebook a ton more people have been blipping in saying thank you for some way our ministry has helped them. I was talking to Angie about how I am a very “thanked full” man.

I guess you could say it all started on September 9th 2003. That was the day that we decided that we would send out our first Spanish leadership email. We were searching for ways we could help pastors and church leaders around the Latin world and not have to physically be there. So our solution was to send a weekly leadership teaching that I would write geared towards giving the Christian leader tools to more effectively reach their community for Christ. Since then we have faithfully sent out the leadership teachings along with information about conference opportunities and resources to download. It has gone on now for six years. As I looked it up today I realized that our ministry has sent around 1.5 million emails to Latin Christian leaders around the globe! When I saw that it literally knocked me out of my chair. The vast majority of these people have been receiving our leadership materials for several years using them to teach their leaders, resending them and posting them on their webpages (just google DaRonn or Angie Washington and you will see what I am talking about).

How impacting is it? Sometime it is hard to tell, but recently the national representative of the Presbyterian churches in Bolivia showed me a three ring binder he had in his office. It was filled with the leadership teachings that we had sent him over the last three years. He had kept every one of them and used them to train the leaders in his church. If that one person was affected by what we do, just imagine all the ones we do not know about. We are so blessed to receive messages almost every day from people writing us to say thank you for the investment we have made. We are very blessed people to be able to serve so many.

“What happen to the little girl in the picture?”

On September 13, 1960 Kevin Carter, a photographer, had 30 minutes to before his UN flight left Sudan, Africa. He and another colleague decided they would take advantage of the extra time and went around snapping pictures to show the situation of extreme poverty. After a while they came across a scene of a Sudanese girl suffering from extreme malnutrition with a vulture watching in the distance. As they approached the photographers could not believe how fortunate they were. The picture summing up the situation the Sudanese faced. If only the vulture would open his wings it would be a perfect shot. According to the story Carter spent 20 waiting for the vulture to open his wings ad he moved in as closer and took a few shots. The vulture never opened his wings but eventually flew off and Carter left.

It was a great photo. In March 26, 1993 it appeared in The New York Times and in May 23, 1994 Carter won The Pulitzer Prize for feature photography because of the same picture. But because of the fame Carter would find himself faced with the most challenging question that he every faced and would eventually commit suicide because of it. People from all over the world began to ask “what happen to the little girl in the picture?” In his haste to take one of the world´s most recognized pictures he had failed to notice the gravity of the situation. He had failed to recognize that there was an actual life in risk in the picture.

The other day Angie and I were talking about the Carter experience. She asked me the question why I thought he did not help the girl? My answer was simple. Because he did not realize that the little girl in the picture was a real flesh and blood suffering human being. Maybe because of being distant from the situation or inability to relate? Whatever the case what he saw was not close enough to home for him to do something about it or even realize he had the opportunity.

Someone asked me the other day why do I think more people do not help with our orphanage project. I believe that there are a number of reasons. May do not feel that what they can give is significant enough. May people are committed elsewhere. Yet others do not want to. But I believe that the main reason is the same reason that Carter did not respond. He did not connect with the situation of the girl and made the need personal to him.

I choose to believe the best in people. I believe that people want to help others. I also believe that people if they somehow can connect with the needs of others they will do whatever they can to help. The challenge is if they see the need because none of us can meet a need that we cannot see. I cannot criticize Carter because he made the same mistake I made until I looked in the eyes of a little orphan girl and was compelled to do something to help. Her need became personal to me. What Angie and I do is the most wonderful and the scary as the same time. We represent the needs of orphan children that are unable to represent themselves. Also how that ordinary people, who live thousands of miles away, doing what little they can, makes an eternal difference.

I do not like eggs that much anyway (my answer to the am I a quitter question)

Not too long ago I posted a comment on my facebook profile sharing my greatest fear. I knew that when I posted it would get some quick responses. I received many encouraging responses. In part that was the reason I posted it. One of the comments in particular made me contemplate a bit. The comment came in the form of a question “am I a quitter?” to which I responded with a startling “yes”. “Yes” I would describe myself as a quitter and a pretty good one. Had much practice at it and am getting a ton better at it. But before I go on I had better explain what I mean so that not too many of you get worried.

The end of the year has always been a tough time for us ministry wise because it seems like it is then when then biggest struggles come. Employees move on and we are left with holes to fill. The Bolivian government usually imposes some new requirement that we have to make provision for and complete before the end of the year. There are almost always end of the year expenses. During all this end of the year pressure one cannot help but to do some self-evaluation. I always find myself asking the question “am I a quitter?” But what I have noticed is that being a quitter may be exactly what I have to be at times.

I have always felt that I am a pretty productive person. To a fault at times. Starting Bible schools, pastoring a church, traveling international hosting pastors conferences, writing books, facilitating an orphanage, fundraising and a host of other things that I cannot remember at the time I am writing this blog are all a part of my weekly responsibilities. Somehow I have been able to do it and survive this long. Not to mention being a husband, father and a pretty darn good bowler. I have been blessed to be able to accomplish many things at one time. But this blessing can also be a curse when it comes to doing “the good things” and “the God things”. My greatest fear one the mission field is not death but spending too much time things done that God does not want me to do and the result is that I become tired, fatigue, worn out and frustration from doing the wrong thing.

The way that I like to look at it is like eggs. Each task that I do is and egg handed to me. The more eggs that I pick up the less I am able to carry. Sooner or later eventually I will get to the point where I cannot hold any more eggs and will start dropping them. So I have a few options, I can start making omelets or stop picking up so many eggs. I love eggs but after a while it may be best to lower my cholesterol intake and quit picking them up. That is what I fear the most. That I will drop the egg that God wanted me to hold on to because I have too many other eggs that I am carrying. This is an increasingly hard task in a country that has tons of needs and very little need meeters. What am I called to? Am I really doing all that God wants me to do or is many things just good ideas? How can I become the right type of quitter? How can I become a better quitter? That is what the evaluating process is all about. I do not like eggs that much anyway.

Pastor Billy Joe Daugherty

Sunday November 22, 2009 will always be remembered by Angie and I because at 4:40 AM our world for a moment stopped spinning as we heard the news that Pastor Billy Joe Daugherty, our longtime friend, mentor and inspiration went home to be with the Lord. It has been a few days sense it happened and I wanted to write a few things down as a way of expressing our sincere gratitude for all he did for us and all he meant to us.
Angie and I first had the privilege of meeting Pastor Billy Joe when we made our move from St. Joseph, Missouri to Tulsa, Oklahoma to attend mission school at Victory Bible Institute. We attended Victory, which was the largest church we had ever seen. I remember the very first day that we came we were in the hall way and in between services Billy Joe saw us and came up and introduced himself to us. I still remember how impressed I was that a pastor of a church of well over 10,000 members took the time to meet us or even knew we were new to Victory.
After Angie and I finished our training in the mission school we knew what country we wanted to serve in, Bolivia. At the time we knew nothing about Bolivia and had no idea how to start working there. So you can imagine how excited we were when we heard that Pastor Billy Joe was taking a team to Bolivia to host a crusade. While we were there in Bolivia Pastor Billy Joe introduced us to the Victory missionaries that we would later come and work with in Bolivia. We are still thankful to this day of how he opened the door some 8 years ago for us to serve on the mission field.
As we started on the field in Bolivia we had a desire to start and help Bible schools. We had learned a little about Victory’s vision for Bible schools in VBI when we attended. It was that vision that was placed in our heart in VBI that started to sprout and now we have been able to start over 200 as we work together with the IVBI international team impacting countless of churches through the vision birthed through Pastor Billy Joe.
Although life consists of countless relationships there are only a handful that you can look back and say that they will last a life time. The example that we have seen through Pastor Billy Joe, his life, his integrity, his vision, his love for family and God have been an inspiration to our family and my life personally. Although it pains my heart to see him go and I will greatly miss him, I am somewhat comforted through the knowledge that his legacy lives through the countless amount of people that were graced to know him.

Thank you Pastor Billy Joe,

DaRonn and Angie Washington

Has anyone seen my roll of duct tape? Reflecting on 8 years of mission work

This November first Angie and I celebrated eight years on the foreign mission field. Eight years of believing God. Eight years of celebrating victories and enduring defeats. Eight years of experience things that put a smile on your face yet experiencing our share of things that simply make you cry. It has been a long hard eight years. Though it has also been rewarding.

The most interesting thing I has been the experience we have at this stage in our life. You would think that after eight years we would feel that we knew what we were doing. To be completely honest, in many ways it feels like we are just starting to figure things out. It is a humbling feeling to say the least. How can I best describe it?

I will use an illustration from a Christmas gift I received a few years ago: “365 things to do with duct tape”. The book featured 365 ways to use duct tape one for every day of the year. I was struck by the imagination of the authors as they came up with hundreds of purposes of duct tape. 365 ways to stick things together. Who would have ever imagined that there were so many things that one could do with duct tape?

As I look back at our ministry over these last 8 years I cannot help but think that we have been able to do something similar. Somehow, through the grace of God, we have been able to use enough creative duct tape to keep things stuck long enough for God to do some great things in so many lives.

When we started the orphanage we thought that people would hear about the need and would immediately help. Over the course of time we found that was not the case. Many stepped forward, yet many did not. So what did we do when we found ourselves with less than half of what you need to operate? We applied enough duct tape to continue helping orphans.

We started as pastors of 70 people. It felt that God was in the middle of it from the very beginning. Then came the explosive growth over the next two weeks. We went from 70 to 30. Explosive growth but reverse. In the midst of financial challenges, lack of leaders, time constraints, etc. we somehow found enough duct tape to help more people know God.

When we made the move from Santa Cruz to Cochabamba six years ago to start Bible schools we struggled the first three years. We saw less than 10 students attend each week and each we wanted to do nothing but quit as we tried to motivate even our teachers to come to class. Somehow we were able to find enough duct tape to keep being faithful with small beginnings.

Frustration, disappointment, feelings of failure and defeat, wanting to quit, question if God was even in what we were doing were constant reflections. Just doing whatever we could to just hang in there and apply enough duct tape until we had a testimony. We then and held onto that testimony like our lives depended on it. Each victory built a little more of a foundation to stand on, gathered a little more duct tape until the funding arrived, partners were connected and people were ministered to. As we actually could see God doing through us what He always could see. Thank God for duct tape. Until we look back eight years later and see how far we have been able to come. We can say not bad for a ministry built of duct tape.

In the next few weeks we will be finishing up our ministry activities for 2009. These last months are always a time of reflection over the year past and seeking God for the plans for the coming year. What does 2010 have in store for us? I am not completely sure; just have bits and pieces of what it will look like. But what I do know is that at the end of this year there is more hope than ever before. Maybe we will not have to use as much duct tape. Is this the best way to do ministry? No. I am believing that one day we will not have to do things this way. Yet, if we must I am sure we can find another roll lying around.

It is all about me.

“It is always all about you Mr. Missionary! You are such a joke!” This is the response that I received a couple of weeks ago when I placed a update on my facebook profile. Angie and I were in the US for a few days for a pastor´s conference and we decided that we would treat ourselves at to Red Lobster (One of the things that I crave from living in a country that is completely landlocked). The comment caught me off guard mostly because it came from a person that was very close to me. “It is all about you!”

I spent several days contemplating the statement. I have always believed that there is some degree of truth to every criticism. So the process of self examination began. The conclusion I came to was the person was both right and wrong at the same time. It was all about me and it was not all about me.

I remember when we felt that God wanted us to start the House of Dreams Orphanage. I was walking to my office one day and I saw some children sleeping on the streets. In my spirit I felt that God saying “someone has to do something about the orphans in this city”. Being the Christian that I am agreed and said “yes Lord, someone has to do something. I will pray about that” and I went on to my office. The next day as I was walking to the office I saw more children and God said the same thing, “someone must do something about the orphans in this city”. I agreed again “yes Lord someone must and I said I would pray about it” and went on to my office. The third day God said the same thing and the third time I realized that He wanted to tell me something; I was that somebody that needed to do something”. After a few weeks of starting the orphanage I realized as I played with the kids I needed the orphanage as much as the kids needed it. I needed a practical way to obey God and do what Jesus did.

I remember the first time we hosted our first international pastor’s conference. We really did not have a desire to host an international conference because we had our hands full doing with the national conferences that we conducting. We did not have the funding. Neither did we have the time. But one day while I was in pray God asked me “will you go to other countries around the world and help pastors?” I was so over overwhelmed with the opportunity to do something for my Father after he had done some much for me that I could not help but to say yes. The first conference was a nightmare. Just about everything went wrong that could possibility go wrong. But at the end of the day when a pastor that had travel 14 hours to attend the two day event came up to me with tears in his eyes thanking me I finally understood. I needed to host the conference even more than he needed to be there because I needed to see the heart of the Father pleased when we were able to help others.

When we started the church here in Cochabamba we started in the typical way that every first time pastor does. With much aspirations but very little experiences. The first few years were the hardest and most frustrating thing we ever did. We preached our hearts out only to see less and less people come back the next week. Until finally the day came when I looked my wife in the eye and told her it was not worth it. It was just too hard. Maybe God was not in it but was a good idea. No sooner did I make the decision to quit after service a elderly women from the congregation came up to me thanking me. She had recently had a stroke so half of her face was not working correctly. But as she grabbed my hands and thanked me over and over again with tears in her eye for God placing me in her life I came to the realization… again… that I needed to help her as much as she needed to be helped. ..even more… she was ministering to me as well.

The good thing about the comment that I received on facebook was it got me to contemplating was it all about me and the answer that I came up with was yes and no. I would hope it is not all about me when we minister to orphans help people and help our church members grow. I hope that in there somewhere it is all about God. On the other had in this mixture of serving God there is a part of me that comes into the picture, where it is all about me. My need to express my love for God in a real way. My need to somehow make an eternal difference. My need to hear my Heavenly Father say “son, I am proud of you”. So I would say that I am selfish and sacrificial at the same time. If that is possible?

What do I fear?

I recently came across a list or the most common things that people fear and I found the list very interesting (http://www.stresscenter.com/mwc/phobias/10-most-common-phobias.html)

At the top of the list was public speaking. People just did not enjoy speaking in front of crowds. Second was fear of heights. Next comes the fear of losing control followed by the fear of needles or pointed objects. Next is fear of thunder, confined spaces and vomit. Lastly are fear of dead things, cancer and social phobias.

From the article I gathered that if the average person had to give a public address about the medical process of taking blood from a dead cancer patient in a small meeting room on top of a skyscraper during a thunderstorm they might not be able to do it especially if someone vomited or they felt out of control. But sense this is most likely not going to happen to me in my lifetime the question arouse “what do I fear”? The answer is quite a number of things.

Heights are definitely on the top of my list. I have missed some of the most breath taking sites going through Colorado, Bolivia and Peru because I had my head imbedded in lap (Never knew I was that flexible). The truth of the matter is I do not fear heights by themselves. Neither do I fear falling. It is the abrupt stop at the end of the fall that I am not crazy about.

Needles I would say a definite yes as well. We almost did not get through the first step the adoption process with our soon to be Bolivian daughter because they said we had to give blood. I actually thought for a minute that it was a sign from God that we were not supposed to adopt because of the needle thing. I wish that they could have given me a shot to knock me out first so that they could take blood after I was unconscious but that would not had worked out either.

And the list goes on and on. The interesting thing is no matter how many time I have to drive along a mountain side or get stuck by that dreaded needle I still have an emotional fear attack before it happens in some shape of fashion. The bad news is that I will probably have it for the rest of my life. But the good news is that along the way I have learned how to deal with it so that it does not cripple me from doing what I need to do or what is demanded of me. So I guess you can say that being scared is not that big of a deal if I can learn to do it sacred.

Planning a bowling Championship. My lesson in humility

“I cannot play today … Fernando got chickenpox can we replace him with another player? … I do not have any money but I can I play? … Our team has two people that have not showed up. What should we do? … etc., etc., etc.”

For those of you who do not know me very well I am a bowler. I picked up the sport a few years ago mostly because there is not much to do Cochabamba, Bolivia. Another thing that you should know about me is have the DNA of leadership in my blood. You might even go as far as to call it a weakness. When I find something that I enjoy there is something within me that compels me to get others involved even when they do not want to. I am just wired that way. I sometimes find it hard to go to the grocery store without getting several people to help in the process.

So what do you get when you mix a leadership wired person with an activity that they enjoy? You end up forming a league. Get a bunch of people together and make a bowling association. Pretty innocent idea in theory until you start doing it.

Lesson in humility number one: We invited 8 churches all of which confirmed that they would be present for the leadership luncheon and planning meeting. Of the 8 only 4 showed up. Because they had confirmed their assistance at the restaurant we paid for the other meals of the other 4.

Lesson in humility number two: We planned a Saturday training session for those who did not know how to bowl to receive training. We reserved the bowling alley for the 40 people who had confirmed and 13 showed. I did not participate much because I was making phone calls seeing where everyone was.

Lesson in humility number three: The morning before the championship there was so much instability on our church team that we could not form our team until saw who showed up at the championship.

Lesson in humility number four: We planned for 6 teams. So many people came that we had to have 7 players. After making the adjustment at the last minute we ended up playing until 12:00 AM.

Lesson in humility number five: The excuses start rolling in. One player hurt his foot so he had to play on another day. One player had a birthday party to go to so she had to play on another day. Another player had to travel so they had to be rescheduled. One got grounded by their mother so they had to be rescheduled. Six people must have went in the rapture because they just did not show up the second day. One got the chicken pox. Another did not like their team. Etc, etc, etc. At the end of the day it might have been better to set-up a 24 hour help line to handle all of the support issues.

Lesson in humility number six: My score for the first day was pathetic because of the millions of little situations that aroused. “Pastor my score was recorded wrong … Pastor my ball is going to the gutter all of the time … Pastor where do I play at? … Can you teach me how to bowl a strike in the middle of the championship? … The lane is not working … How much do I need to pay?” and a million more questions. By the end of the first day I was so focused on everyone else that I was thrilled to have an average score.

Lesson in humility number seven: My secretary for the association and event was crying on the second day while trying to bowl because members of the team did not show up.

Lesson in humility number eight: “Dear pastor. Here is an email about the things that I think that are going wrong in the championship. We have been talking about it with a few people and we have noted a few things in detail. Just wanted to let you know because you will probably have to respond to these questions. Thanks. Blessings.”

So what did I learn? That in order to help others I must be more concerned about their success then my own personal bowling score. That most people do not realize the amount of work that goes into the things that they benefit from and that is okay. That falling short of our desired goals is a healthy part of the improvement process. Lastly when we can get others to leave their own little worlds and connect with others in on a social level we have done the earth a service. At the end of the day we filled the bowling alley and that is something we can rejoice in. Onward to the next event!

Click here to see more picture of the event on Facebook

Part of our Bowling team

Contemplating my exciting life

I received an email the other day. Now that I think about it was actually more of a comment in passing. “You guys live an exciting life.” The comment got me to thinking because I would not have described our life in that way. There are many words that I would use to describe our life but exciting was not one of them.

But now that I think about it I can see how someone might say that our life is exciting. First because we have pretty much have dedicated our lives to helping others. The church, pastor’s conference, the orphanage, etc. All with the goal of helping others. Secondly because we have the opportunity to see things that the average person does not get to see. We have been able to see some stuff. Seeing the largest salt field in the world in Bolivia was fun. Macchu Picchu was breath taking. Trying to maintain our balance in the highest city in the world was challenging. Rio de Janeiro was by far the most beautiful beach this Nebraska native has ever seen. From an outsiders point of view I can see how someone might say we live an exciting life.

But the strange thing is that the majority of the exciting things that people see on Facebook, Blogs or our web pages are simply things to help us maintain sanity. It is not that we going crazy. It is simply after almost 8 years on the foreign field we have finally found out that we have to make it a priority to sow into our sanity. So I guess what some would say is excitement I would say is a necessary.

The strangest thing in the world to me that I am still trying to figure out how it works is how something can be the most fulfilling thing in my life and at the same time and also the most frustrating. The hardest thing and the most enjoyable. The loneliest and the praise worthy. The most exciting and the most scary.

I know by sharing this post that I run the risk of writing things that may not be relevant to everyone that will read it. I usually try to stay away from writing things from my missionary gracing because… let´s face it… not everyone is a missionary. But I think for the most part we can relate that in the middle of all of this struggle to do what is pleasing to God there must be an element of excitement. Without that I do not think that we would all remain sane.

So do we live and exciting life. Yes and no. If that makes sense?

Comfort Food

I once heard a term used when my wife was pregnant to describe the eating habits of women when they’re pregnant. The term was called “comfort food”. I looked around on the internet in several different places and did not like any of the definitions so I made up my own:

“Comfort food is a type of food that brings you to a state of rest, satisfaction and peace. It momentarily distracts you from the pains of life, allows you to exhale and helps you to better cope with life.”

As I thought about it this week I came to the conclusion that comfort food with thjs definition does not necessarily have to be food. As I looked at the things that brought me comfort I remembered that going to the movies with my kids was comfort food. Also spending time with my wife. Bowling would be a comfort food. Spending time watching comedians online. All of these thing could hardly be described as things that I eat but they do bring me great comfort. So I have started not limiting my definition of comfort food to simply food.

I also have realized that comfort food or comfort activities help me to better cope with life. Here are a few things that help me cope with life. It is like medicine that a doctor gives to help cope with negative symptoms.

• When I feel over worked the prescription is eating at good restaurants. Nothing helps me more to get away than sitting down at my favorite restaurant.
• When I feel hurt because of what someone said to me I watching comedians on Youtube. There is just something about laughter that helps.
• When I am frustrated I talking with my wife. There are some things that you can only talk to your spouse about and still receive unconditional love.
• When I feel like I have not accomplished much I playing with my kids. There is nothing that brings smile quicker to my face then hearing my children laugh.
• When I need to detach I go Bowling. That is my sport. It is hard for people to call me when the music is blasting in the bowling alley.
• When life seems really hard I watch a movie. I just feel like being a part of something that is not necessarily real life. I like the “once upon a times” and the “they live happily ever afters”.
• When I need to relax I take a hot bath. In the world of stand up showers (Bolivia) the man with a bath tub and hot water is king.

These are some of the things that bring me comfort. I feel more comforted already just by listing them.