Zach and Laura Fry

Weather Report from Battambang! Monsoon Season!

2011-08-07T06:26:00.000-07:00

When it rains it really rains here. Monsoon season seems to be in full force. So instead of saying "it's raining," we are now saying "it's monsooning." It "monsoons" quite often... probably 5 times a week... sometimes everyday. It is usually short lived though lasting for 1 - 2 hours. Check out this update from Laura! :)

Also check out Paul's (one of our students) recent blog post showing many pictures from the streets of Battambang during one of the daily monsoons. Just last night Paul and I got "monsooned" on at a BBQ buffet effectively ruining our food... it was quite the experience. Watch for story to be posted soon.

Beauty in the Rice Fields

2011-07-28T21:53:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday Paul (the only other guy on our team) and I got up early to ride our bikes out to the nearby rice fields to capture the beauty in the early morning light. We left around 6 am and began the pleasant ride in the cool morning air. We arrived at the rice fields after 15 minutes. It was beautiful. I have been told that many of the locals like to hang out at the rice fields with friends. I can easily see why; it is so quiet, and peaceful.

As we rode further in to the fields, the roads got worse. Because we are in monsoon season, it rains nearly everyday causing the once nicely packed dirt roads to turn into a muddy, rutted mess. I would be peddling my bike forward but moving sideways through the mud instead. I tried to get off and walk my bike, but my flip flops would get stuck in the mud. It was mostly a reddish brown clay which was very sticky. Eventually it became impossible to ride because of all the clay caked between our tires and fenders. We got off and tried to push our bikes, but the wheels still wouldn't turn which made it very difficult. We ended up leaving our bikes and flip flops by the side of the road and just walked barefoot through the mud. This really was the easiest and least messy option. As the sun got higher the clouds began to separate and disperse creating some beautiful scenes for us to capture. I played around a lot with taking multiple exposures of every shot so I could create HDR (high dynamic range) photos later. Some of them look a little fake to me, but I love the detail that comes out with such a wide range of light being captured. It's incredible to be able to see detail in the highlights and shadows at the same time. Anyway I will stop talking about technical details before I bore anyone.

Playing with HDR. The photo doesn't look real to me, but it is definitely interesting.

Close up of rice.

Paul cleaning his hands in a mud puddle.

By 9:00 am it was already quite hot, so we decided to head back to base. Well we attempted to go back... it was still impossible to ride our bikes, so we pushed the non-moving tires through the thick mud. It was very tiring and I was quickly sweating. I was able to clean out the fenders enough to ride for a few minutes before being forced to either get off or fall off. My flip flops and peddels were one giant clump of mud. Eventually we made it to the nearby village where we stopped to try to clean some of the mud off our bikes so they were ridable. Paul was digging some the the clay out with his finger when an elderly woman walked down the road and seeing what we were doing began yelling at us in Khmer. She pointed at Paul's finger and then to some sticks by the side of the road yelling the whole time. We figured out she didn't want us to use our fingers. So we grabbed some sticks and continued the tedious process. She observed us very closely and kept giving us instructions on how to do it, none of which we understood. She looked very upset that our bikes were so muddy. She went and got a bucket of dirty water and began splashing it on our bikes which helped a lot. Once our bikes were rideable we were going to leave, but the woman had other ideas. She continued yelling at us and pointed to our feet. She dragged us to a nearby gutter and scooped out some water and began pouring it on Paul's feet making him clean off all the mud. She then prompted for me to get down in the gutter and wash my shoes and feet. Then a younger woman who was in the background laughing came over to me and took me into her home and began scrubbing my feet with a brush and clean water. When it became clear that they weren't going to let us leave until every speck of dirt was off, I began scrubbing my legs, arms, feet and flip flops. If I missed a spot she was quick to either point it out or just clean it herself. Then she made me wash with soap until I was completely clean. It was quite humbling but incredible at the same time. Here were complete strangers taking us into their homes and washing our feet. I asked for her name in Khmer (which I have now forgotten) and thanked her profusely, "Akun jann." As we rode off, the older woman kept speaking harshly at us while the other women grinned or laughed. I could just imagine what she was saying, "Ignorant Americans! Riding your bikes through the mud and getting them stuck." It was quite the humorous situation. I'm pretty sure my feet aren't that clean after I take a normal shower here.

2011-07-22T21:08:00.000-07:00

Well week 4 is over and gone and week 5 is right around the corner! It's Saturday morning in Battambang which means it's 9:55pm on Friday evening at home. I got up early this morning and came to Sunrise Cafe for breakfast. The base closes the kitchen on Saturday so our team eats all our meals off base on Saturdays. Saturday is also our teams day off. This is typically the day that Zach and I go into hibernation where we try and not do any work. We try and catch up on emails, upload a blog post and just enjoy the culture.

This week has been extremely exhausting. Our team has been in bed by 9pm almost every evening this week. It seems like as soon as our head hits the pillow we are out! It's a good exhaustion! Our schedule is crazy busy from 7am until 7pm Monday through Friday. Zach and I both feel like our team is pouring so much into this country. I really do believe that there is going to be so much fruit from this outreach and I can't wait to see lives radically changed.

Our team has spent tons of time building relationships with their students in the Youth Center. So many of the students have been asking questions about God and have been really hungry to hear more about Christianity. This is extremely exciting for our team. Pray that the students will take the leap of faith and turn their lives over to Him.

This is Zach's computer class...aka "Computer Squad." One of the girls, Pach, invited Zach to her home to watch her family bake. Her family begins baking every morning at 3am and then sells their baked goods in local bakeries. It's a huge honor in this culture to be invited into anyone's home. This usually means that they consider you a real friend.

I had a great time in my cooking class this week! This week we started simple with No Bake Cookies! This was a treat for me! The students loved the cookies...which was somewhat surprising...typically they don't get very excited about our western food! The cookies turned out great considering we had no measuring cups.

All of our cooking students working on 1 batch of no bake cookies!

On Thursday our cooking class went to the local market and we had the students pick out various fruits. We brought the fruits back to base and sat around and taste tested them all. The fruit in Cambodia is soooo good and so extremely cheap! I wish that Kansas had fruit like this! My favorite fruit is mangosteen! It is somewhat compareable to the taste of a grape..but even better!

One of the fruits that we bought at the market is called durian. This is one of the most expensive fruits in Cambodia. Most Cambodians only eat it on special occasions. The students were so excited when we bought the fruit. We bought it inside the market for $7 and the woman sliced it open and cut it up on the side of the road. Never have I smelled anything quite like this! It's a smell that just doesn't go away. Needless to say my taste buds didn't really agree with this particular fruit. It's certainly not something I will be buying again!

Pictured on the right is durian! When Zach and I stayed in the hotel last weekend we saw a sign with a picture of durian on it and an 'X' threw it. Since then we found out that a lot of hotels will not let you take durian into the rooms because of the potent smell! It's crazy to think it smells that strong!

This week our village ministry started! The team absolutely loved it! Below are a few faces that were captured from the last couple of days. Four of us have been taking a tuk tuk out to Ghosthead Village and spending our mornings teaching Bible and building relationships with the people. I had a great time hanging out with the children and playing with them. Below is a little boy named Heng...who is quite the ham. He typically wears no clothes and runs around naked all the time. The last day we went this week he was wearing clothes...which is huge for him! The last team that came to Cambodia made beaded bracelet and necklaces with the kids. For three months now Heng has been wearing the same two necklaces and the bracelet. He absolutely loves them!

This is the typical Heng!

This is my precious friend Chickye from Ghosthead village. She is an absolute doll! She wears her pearl necklace every day. I held her for 40 minutes the first day we went to the village. It's crazy to see the difference between kids in the US and kids in other countries. I picked her up and she just put her head down on my shoulder and just laid there for the longest time. I later found out that because of the genocide a lot of parents don't really know how to show their children love. Her mother rarely holds her or shows any affection. This was such a treat for me to hold her for so long and just love on her. I love going to the village just so I can see this adorable face. I want to pack her in my suitcase and bring her home. If only things were that simple.

The drive out to the village is absolutely gorgeous! Everything is so green!

This is just a quick overview of week 4 of outreach! Zach and I are both so excited for week 5 because we have a pastoral visit coming up! Next Sunday Zach and I will be traveling to Seam Reap to pick up our school leader and her friend! It's going to be so refreshing to see a familiar face.

Please continue to pray for the team! Pray for Zach and I that we would have patience as we continue to lead. The two of us are really learning to rely on God for strength. We have been so exhausted from the constant go, go, go way of living! Please pray that we would feel refreshed and full of energy as we head into this week! Praying that all is well at home! We have heard lots of stories of how hot this summer is back home. Praying that God will send a cool week your way! We miss you all and we miss so many things at home! Have a great week and know we love you!

Life on Base!

2011-07-17T03:11:00.001-07:00

Week 4 of outreach begins tomorrow! Not really sure where the time is going! Before long Zach and I will be on a plane back to Kansas. Craziness!

This week has been an extremely busy but amazing week. Our team typically gets up at 5:45 and eats breakfast at 7 am. Then they do their 30 minute work duty on base. At 8am we regroup for a time of intercession and worship and then we disperse and go our separate ways for morning ministry. Everyone's schedule looks a little different in the mornings. Zach spends his mornings working with King's Kids, teaching photography to a man on base and visiting the local orphanage. King's Kids works with street kids and neighborhood children, sharing Bible stories and just loving on the children. One morning a week Zach teaches, Date, a man on base, photography. Date works with families in the slums and hopes to learn photography to raise money to eventually start his own slum ministry. I am also doing King's Kids in the mornings, visiting the local orphanage and watching a little boy named Rain at Jeevit's House (http://jeevitshouse.org/). Several members of our team are teaching at a local Christian school and ministering in a local village. Several of our team members are extremely passionate about the orphanage and have some great ideas to make a difference in the children's lives. Zach and I are extremely excited to empower the team and turn them loose! The afternoons consist of building relationships and teaching at the youth center.

On Sunday Zach and I made our first Cambodian hospital visit with one of our students. She had missed a step and sprained her ankle. It was instantly swollen which raised some concern. We loaded her in a tuk tuk...which was somewhat interesting and took her to the local hospital. Zach and I were impressed to see that they had an X-Ray machine. It certainly was different than the U.S...but we were thrilled to see that they had one. They took an X-Ray and diagnosed a severe sprain...big sigh of relief from both Zach and I! Kat, our student, was extremely excited when they let her keep the X-Ray. The hospital bill was $8.00...wonder what it would have cost in the U.S!

Well to answer some of your questions...many of you have been asking about living conditions. I took some pictures this week and thought you might appreciate seeing where we lay our head at night...all our storage space...etc.

This is home sweet home for the two of us. We have two fans which is amazing. The base is not air conditioned and it gets extremely hot! We never take the electricity for granted. Four days in a row we had no power from 8am until 5pm...which typically wouldn't have been bad..but with the heat and no fans it was somewhat miserable. On the left is our precious shelf and all our possessions for the next 2 months! We both love having such a small amount to travel with...though it's really nice to go home and have a different variety of clothes!

This is our washing machine on the left! Even though it takes two hours to do 1 load of laundry...it is still a blessing! We love, love the fact that we have a washer. We dry all of our clothes on the clothesline and we always pray that they will dry before the monsoon rain hits! On the left is the crazy parking area on base! Notice there aren't any cars but only motos and bikes!

These are several shots taken at the youth center! This is where we spend from 2:30-7pm every day. The top left is a picture of Zach teaching in his computer class. He is currently teaching several of the students how to type. He has 8 students in his class. On the top right is our students, Kat and Josie, in their conversation class. They are playing a game with the students. They spend an hour each day with the students teaching them how to converse in English. The bottom left is what a typical classroom looks like. This is where Carrie and I teach Level 12 English. The bottom right is Carrie and Katie teaching in their art class! They started with 1 student and currently have 11. The youth center has been a great way for us to build relationships with the students and really pour into them. We are excited to see lots of fruit from this ministry!

This was taken in what the Youth Center staff calls "the cage." Each week there is a relevant topic taught and the students congregate together to hear a speaker. This week was extremely special because our very own Sharon, shared her testimony with all the students at the youth center. Zach and I were really proud of her. She has an amazing testimony and it's exciting to see her use it to further God's kingdom!

Zach and I were pleasantly surprised and beyond blessed by our team on Friday night. Every Friday night we take our team out for family dinner. It's a great way for the team to regroup and share about their week. It's also a great way to just hang out and relax after a crazy week. This week after team dinner our team presented us with a room key at a local hotel. We were blown away. They told us to go and relax in air conditioning. Oh and they also bought us a pool pass for the next day. Zach and I were blown away by their generosity and thoughtfulness! Below are some pictures of the amazing hotel we stayed in. The biggest treat of the night was the air conditioning and hot shower. What a blessing!

One of my students, Grace, delivered these to our room the other day.
She bought them at the local market. They are absolutely gorgeous!

So this is our week in a nutshell! It has been a great week with a very packed schedule! We are waiting in great expectation that God is going to do something amazing while we are here. We recently were told a crazy statistic that 80% of Cambodia is under the age of 30. 45% is under the age of 15. After hearing these statistics it made our team way more aware of how valuable our time is at the youth center. We are getting an amazing opportunity work with this generation that really can turn this nation around! If you think of our team this week and want to pray for us, please pray for boldness and confidence!

We miss you and love you all! Blessings!

Welcome to Cambodia

2011-07-08T18:46:00.000-07:00

Zach and I are currently on outreach in Battambang Cambodia. We left from Kona on Sunday, June 26. The journey to Cambodia was very different from our last adventure to India. This time Zach and I had 11 other people relying on us to get them from point A (Kona) to point B (Cambodia). We flew from Kona to Honolulu to Seoul to Phnom Penh. For the most part the trip was uneventful. We arrived in PP on Monday, June 27 at 9pm...very tired! An hour later after going through the Visa process and customs we soon exited the airport to find our PP contact Kimson standing on the corner in the midst of chaos. I immediately felt like I had revisited India but on a smaller scale. Cars and motos were whizzing by as we hurried to pile 13 peoples luggage into a 12 passenger van. We packed ourselves in the van and soon found out that our plans had changed. Before arriving Zach and I had been in contact with the Phnom Penh base and were told that we would be staying on their YWAM base for 2 days before traveling to Battambang. Upon arrival we found out that the PP base was full and we would be staying in a hotel for 2 days. Zach and I both were somewhat uncertain about this but in the end it turned out to be a blessing. We checked into the hotel and quickly discovered there was air conditioning, a real shower, and comfy beds...all for $15 a night. For the 2 days we stayed in PP we felt extremely blessed. Coming home at night and having a hot shower and air conditioning was not at all what we expected.

We spent our time in PP familiarizing our team with the culture and the recent history of the country. Our team had a great time riding tuk tuks around the city, bartering at the market and learning basic Khmer. Three of our team members walked into an amazing opportunity to go and shoot pictures at the Not For Sale factory in PP. Not For Sale is a widely recognized campaign that is fighting to abolish slavery world wide. Part of their campaign is focused on rehabilitating women into society by providing jobs and skills. Our three team members, Grace, Paul and Katie were able to meet with the CEO of the campaign, go in and shoot photos of the products the women make and sit and talk with several of the women. It was an amazing opportunity for the three of them! The photos will hopefully be visible on the Not For Sale website very soon!

Our team did spend a very heavy day visiting killing fields and museums focused on the very recent genocide in Cambodia. God really gave the team His heart for the people. We saw countless pictures of horrific killings and acts of torture. Many of our team members have spoken to several Khmer who have lost parents in the genocide. This truly brought the history to life for our team.

On Thursday our team hopped on a bus and traveled to the Battambang YWAM base. All 10 of our girls are sleeping in 1 room! The room is extremely packed with 5 bunk beds and 10 girls worth of luggage. Our 1 single token guy, Paul is rooming with YWAM staff and has a huge room. Funny how God works. He must have known that Paul was going to need his space from all the women on the team!

Since arriving our team has been extremely adventurous. The first day in Battambang, the staff sent us on a crazy scavenger hunt all over the city. We had to ride on the back of a moto, visit several various locations and barter for fruit at the market. We had a few of our teammates get a little lost and ended up missing lunch at the base...but they came home happy. On the 4th of July, the base had a “base fun day.” Our team was responsible for making 2 American desserts, which was extremely challenging in the midst of Cambodia. Finding American ingredients is a challenge in itself. Somehow we pulled together a cake with frosting and a peanut butter, cream cheese dessert. It took us several hours but I along with 4 other girls on the team managed to get it done. It’s crazy how the simplest tasks can be such an ordeal in another country. Everything in the US is all about convenience...we are quickly finding out that this is not the case in Cambodia.

The highlight of this trip has been purchasing 13 bikes from a local bike shop. Zach and I had decided before leaving Kona that we wanted each person on the team to purchase a bike so they can get around the city. Little did we know how much fun this really would be. All 13 of us spent the afternoon at a bike shop testing out bikes and finally purchasing them. Each bike came equipped with a little bell and a basket in the front...all for $35. The bikes have been such a blessing for our team...allowing them to learn their way around the city quite well and not restricting where they can and cannot go. On Sunday we went to church...all 11 girls in long skirts riding a bike down the streets of Cambodia. It was pretty challenging but lots of fun!

Zach and I have spent hours working on a ministry schedule for our students. Each week our students will have 2 consistent ministries they will visit from 9am-12. This can be a variety of things...working in the local orphanage, working with a program called Kings Kids (sharing Bible stories to children in villages), teaching English and Bible at the local Christian school, working at an AIDS home, working with a street children’s soccer program, ministering to street children and simply doing manual labor around the base. In the afternoons our team will be teaching a variety of classes at the Youth Center. Several of our students will be teaching photography, Bible, art, voice and piano, conversation and sports. Zach will be teaching a computer and English class. I will be teaching a cooking class and helping one of our team members teach hip hop. Both Zach and I are extremely excited about our team teaching the classes. This is a great way for our team to build relationships with the students and really invest in their lives.

Well I know this has been extremely lengthy...but a lot has been happening over this last week! Please pray for our team as the heat tends to suck all our energy out. Pray for protection and health and that many lives would be transformed. We pray that each of you is doing well and having a great summer!

Old City Jerusalem

2011-07-08T05:04:00.000-07:00

Since Christian and I were only in Israel for a short time, we spent every spare minute going into the Old City and just walking around. I was surprised how filled it was with vendors and shop owners. I guess I expected an old city that was mostly empty; this was not the case at all. At first I was a little disappointed thinking that they had changed the city, but then I realized that it was probably filled with vendors and store owners in Jesus’s day too.

It was neat to walk down the Via Dolorosa and realize that Jesus walked down this very street. I loved just exploring the city and looking at all the old architecture. It was like a maze but after a few days we were able to figure out where things were and navigate through each of the four quarters (the Jewish quarter, the Muslim quarter, the Christian quarter, and the Armenian quarter). The GPS and compas on Christian's iPhone was definitely a big help.

The Via Dolorosa.

The wailing wall was probably my favorite thing in the old city. Christian and I spent some time there just praying for the city and the nation. I prayed for peace and reconciliation in the land between the Jews and the Palestinians, and for the salvation of the Jews. I also just spent some time reflecting on the historical significance of the country and the people. It was a powerful moment. I then spent some time watching the Jews pray and observing their traditions.

A close up of the prayers stuffed in the cracks in the wall.

Some other neat and interesting places I saw in the Old City were the Dome of the Rock and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Since we weren’t allowed inside the mosque, there wasn’t that much to see, but it was a beautiful building, though I think I expected it to be larger. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre on the other hand was huge! I couldn’t believe it. It just kept going and going and going. We rushed to get through in an hour, but there was definitely more we could have seen.

The Old City was definitely a highlight of the trip and I wish we would have had more time to look around. Christian and I enjoyed spending one morning just shopping and picking out gifts for our wives. And of course we enjoyed eating falafel.

Enjoying our Falafel with veggies, french fries, humus, and awesome sause wrapped in pita-like tortillas.

Exodus

2011-07-04T20:42:00.000-07:00

This is roughly the route we took from Egypt to Israel, except we started in Heliopolis, didn't do the
circle thing for 40 years, and ended in Jerusalem by traveling up the left side of the Dead Sea.

While we were in Egypt Christian taught the book of Exodus. It was neat to read it and think about it while in the land where it happened, but what really made come alive was our journey to Israel stopping at Mt. Sinai along the way. We left in the evening and drove through the night, arriving at the base of the mountain around 2 am. We began the long hike up the mountain in the dark with the moon (or headlamp) to guide us. This was probably my favorite experience in Egypt simply because I love hiking and sunrises. We arrived at the peak before 6 am and got to see a spectacular sunrise. Whether or not this was this was the actual mountain that Moses climbed up to meet with God and receive His law on tablets of stone, it was an incredible experience and put things into perspective. We rode camels down the mountain, which was not nearly as fun as it sounds. It was actually quite a painful experience because of the wooden parts of the saddle that dug into my front and back every time the camel took a step as well as my camera that kept swinging and hitting my hip bone. Needless to say I had black and purple bruises for over a week and it hurt to sit in some positions. At the base we saw a monastery that is located at the supposed place of the burning bush. Looking around I wasn’t sure why Moses would be herding sheep out in the middle of nowhere (unless they ate rocks). There was no water and practically no vegetation.

Long exposure in the middle of the night (probably around 3:30 am)

The long exposure lets you see the light trails from people's flash lights.

Walking in the desert, I began to sympathize with the Israelites. It was soo hot and there was no water as far as you could see. Even if I had seen God miraculously provide in the past, I think I would have still doubted and complained to Moses that I was going to die under the intense sun with no water to drink. Again my Bible story images of what this place looked like were incorrect. I imagined a vast sandy desert to wander around in forty years. In reality, as we drove though the desert to Israel, I saw very little sand. It is very rocky and mountainous. I cannot imagine walking through the area with a whole people group and carrying everyones possessions and dwellings. It was not easy terrain to take a hike in.

We finally arrived at the border and were welcomed by the beautiful Red Sea. It was such a refreshing sight after hours of nothing but rock. Our Muslim driver was very kind and dropped us off at Taba, the Egyptian border city. We carried our luggage through immigration and across the border. We then took a couple different busses and finally arrived in Jerusalem after dark. It was probably around 10 or 11pm when we made to our new home on the Mount of Olives. We stayed at the Jerusalem House of Prayer. It was a very nice place to spend our last week in the middle east.

Beautiful Red Sea.

Jerusalem House of Prayer

Egypt part 2

2011-07-02T01:01:00.000-07:00

Another highlight of my time in Egypt was of course the Giza pyramids. It was amazing to actually see one of the seven wonders of the world. It’s hard to believe how massive they are and to think that they were made by human hands. I still wonder how they did it. The pyramids have always fascinated me, and I studied and learned about them in my college art history course, so it was a surreal experience to see them with my own eyes and climb up on the stones. At one point I had to stop taking pictures and just let the whole experience sink in. I was in Egypt looking at and touching the pyramids. It made me realize how small I am... not just in physical size compared to the pyramids, but also in terms of time; I am just a moment compared to the thousands of years that these structures have stood.

Chillin' on the pyramids

Christian, Hana (our driver and translator), and me

From the pyramids we traveled to Tahir Square and looked around imagining the protests and violence we had read and heard about in the news. It was hard to picture. From here we walked to the Nile and enjoyed a couple hour long boat ride. The Nile isn’t what I had imagined it to be in my mind. For some reason I pictured a very large river in the middle of the desert. First of all it wasn’t near as big as I had imagined and secondly it wasn’t surrounded by sand but rather the city sprung up all around which makes sense since the Nile is the source of life for Egyptians. We had fun just relaxing as the motor boat slowly made it’s way down the river.

On our way back to Tahir Square we saw some buildings and vehicles that got burned during the revolution. It was crazy to see that much destruction as a result of the protests.

Cairo, Egypt part1

2011-06-23T18:55:00.000-07:00

After two days of traveling and some of the longest flights I have ever been on (San Fran. to Heathrow), Christian and I finally arrived in Cairo tired, but excited to see the culture. By the way, if you ever get the chance to fly BMI (British Midland International), do it... leather seats, bread out of a basket (not prepackaged), good food, nice flight attendants... The first thing I noticed about the city as we were flying in was that all the buildings were the same color... a nice sandy tan color. The second thing I noticed stepping out of the airport was how hot it was (which I didn't mind too much since I had been freezing for the last two days on planes and in airports). Our contact, Magdi, took us to the house where we were staying in Heliopolis (a district in Cairo). It was an awesome little oasis in the midst of the bustling city. There were two small rooms for the guys, and a larger room for the girls, as well as a kitchen and small living room. Each room had it's own outside entrance and surrounded a beautiful little courtyard where we hung out and ate our meals.

Our beautiful home in Heliopolis.

Egypt is a place I have always wanted to see, and now I want to go back to see more. Four or five days is not near enough time to see all the ancient history and beautiful architecture of this land. When driving around the city, I was struck with the similarity of traffic in India, though it did seem a bit more organized. All the people we met were very friendly and welcoming. I was told that they normally have 7 million tourists each year, but since the revolution tourism has almost completely stopped, causing the economy to suffer badly. Shop owners and the people in the markets were very happy to see us. Two young men I met asked where I was from and I told them the United States; they replied with, "We love the United States," and continued following me around and asking me to take their pictures.

Train tracks just outside our house.

On Sunday we were privileged to visit the church of Samaan El Kharaz, also known as the “Cave Church.” The church in Moqattam, Cairo is made up of 3 sets of caves. The largest one regularly holds 10,000 people, the middle-sized one seats around 2,000, and the smallest around 200. It is the oldest Coptic Christian church in Egypt and has a very interesting history. According to the stories, the mountain in which the caves are cut was miraculously moved during the 10th century by the extraordinary faith of a simple man, Samaan the tanner. He took the scriptures very literally even cutting out his own eye when they caused him to lust. It is said that he prayed for God to move the mountain because he had faith that Matthew 17:20 was telling the truth when it says "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." You can read the full story here: http://cavechurch.com/miracle/index.asp

It was amazing to see the different caves and talk to the people there. On Thursday nights they have worship services and see miraculous healings regularly. We heard stories of the blind seeing, people leaving behind their wheelchairs, and other sickness and diseases disappearing.

Many Bible stories were carved into the cave walls so the stories could be remembered by the illiterate.

Perhaps even more intriguing than the cave church was the city that surrounded it. It's known as garbage city. It's a predominately Christian community in the midst of a Muslim nation. All through the streets were bags of garbage. Everywhere you looked you saw trash. I have never seen anything quite like it. Cairo's refuse is hauled outside the city to one of many "garbage cities" where is sorted by residents into recyclables which are sold, reusables such as cloth which are made into other things, and food waste which is fed to the pigs. The large pig population is why there are no Muslims living and working in the community. It is a very dirty job and many of people there live in complete poverty. Some though are actually quite well off and make a good living as a garbage worker though you would never know it looking at the people and their surroundings.

Later we went to a large market in Cairo and got to see so many beautiful things. After walking about a block we noticed that there were no tourists, only a few locals looking for some clothing or household items. But the souvenir shops were dead. Nobody was buying from them. I think the whole time we were there I only saw one or two western couples strolling through the market. The shop owners were desperate for business, but were still very friendly and nice. I bought a few scarfs and some jewelry for Laura there. It was crazy to see how badly their economy is hurting as a result of fear. Tourists are too afraid to travel as a result of all the recent turmoil and protests that have taken place in the nation. We never felt unsafe in anyway. It was a busy day, but it was so neat to get out and just see some of the culture, and meet people. Our guide for the day, Hana, was awesome. I loved just asking him questions and trying to understand more of their culture.

Trip to the Middle East: how it started

2011-06-11T20:28:00.000-07:00

So as many of you know (and many more don't), I just recently traveled to Egypt and Israel. What an incredible experience! But what almost all of you don't know is why I made this two week trek to the Middle East.

It all started on a typical Sunday afternoon...

Laura and I were walking around in downtown Kona when we met up with Christian and Sharee Fox for ice cream. We had been helping watch Christian and Sharee's daughter Maiya. Sharee is the leader of the school Laura and I are currently staffing. Last year during our DTS, Christian and Sharee were both co-leaders of our school, and Christian was my small group leader and did 1-on-1s with me. He has basically mentored me and just been a good friend. This year he is over the PhotogenX Around the World Track (a year+ long program where students travel all around the world learning about culture, humanity, and worldview while at the same time combatting injustices and oppression through photography). His role is mostly administrative since he stays on the Kona campus while the students travel the world. This quarter, however, the students are studying the Bible in the BCC (Bible core course) and Christian was to be their first teacher. He had been trying to find someone to go with him for the two weeks in the Middle East where he was going to travel with and teach the students, but no one was able to go.

Christian and I were sitting on a park bench talking about his upcoming trip and how amazing it was going to be. I expressed how awesome that was, and how Egypt has always been the number one place I wanted to visit in the whole world. Christian joked about how I should come along with him, which of course I couldn't because I am in the middle of staffing a school and planning an outreach to Cambodia with Laura. We continued chatting out it when suddenly the whole conversation shifted and it was no longer a joke. I still remember the unexpected transition. Christian calmly said, "But seriously, you should pray about it." referring to going with him. Up until this point I had not actually considered going; I had just been talking about how amazing it would be to go - knowing full well that it wasn't even a remote possibility. I responded with a shocked and skeptical, "What???" My astonishment began to turn to excitement. I looked at Sharee and Laura who were sitting nearby, searching their faces for a clue if this actually was a possibility. Laura just grinned and slightly shrugged her shoulders. Sharee was also smiling and had her head cocked in a way that I could tell she was considering the effects of me leaving during the school. We discussed it further and Sharee said she was completely ok with me going if that's what I decided to do; there were plenty of people to take my responsibilities for two weeks. I asked Christian when I needed to let him know by and he said he was planning on booking his tickets that night, but he could wait a day or two to let me think and pray about it. Talk about pressure. As I'm sure you all know, I am probably the world's most indecisive person. However, the following day I had booked my ticket. Crazy.

So now I'm sure you all are wondering what I did while I was there. Well... I was mostly a traveling companion for Christian, but I also got to meet with the students encouraging and praying for them, as well as just trying to serve them in small things while I was there. Seven out of the ten people on the Track were in Laura's and my DTS last year either as fellow students or staff. So it was really great to see them again and talk to them about all that has gone on in their lives since I saw them last September. I also got to observe and learn from Christian's leadership skills. He's a great leader and I consider it a privilege to learn from him and have him pour into my life. During our time there we saw the great pyramids, the Nile, Mt. Sinai, Old City Jerusalem, the Dead Sea, En Gedi, Masada, Bethlehem, and many other historical sites. It really was an incredible trip. Even with all the amazing things we saw, one of the major highlights for me was just processing with Christian everything that was happening and the things we got to see. I have great respect for him and hope to continue learning from his experiential wisdom.

The Track + Christian and myself

I will post more stories soon of the individual things we got to see.

15 Passenger Van, 13 YWAMers, 13 Cameras and Kalopa State Park!

2011-05-20T01:20:00.000-07:00

Zach and I just came off of an amazing weekend spent with our team! On Friday we all loaded into a 15 passenger van and took off for Kalopa State Park for a team retreat. The drive was absolutely breathtaking. No one got sick, which is always a perk when driving up and down hills and winding roads. This weekend spent together was such a bonding experience for all 13 of us. We laughed, we cooked, we prayed, we told stories, we ate smores, we took lots of pictures, we burnt spaghetti and we came home unified! It's amazing how just a few days off campus of living together can really bond people. We spent some time sharing our testimonies, praying over one another and pouring into each other. Here's a quick look at our weekend...

Dog Pile!

Our attempt at a pyramid...we have a very talented team!

This is our awkward family photo! LOL...love the expressions so much!

Some of the most absolutely amazing people ever...the end!

I just love them all!

Grace, from Georgia, totally a southern belle. She totally reminds me of myself 4 years ago!

Besides Zach, this is the only guy on Team Cambodia! His name is Paul, we all love him and he obviously really loves lunch meat!

Someone asked if we had a photographer on our team...more like we have 13 of them!

On the road again! Jess and Carrie...happy troopers!

We decided to get a little creative at Hapuna Beach...this is the result!

The fairly large rigg that Zach drove for 2 hours filled with the amazing Cambodia team!

Our awesome cabins that we stayed in at Kalopa State Park! It was so refreshing to get away from campus for a while!

The two precious hospitality girls, Grace and Campbell. They are our southern belles!

A dishwasher's nightmare! We cooked an unreal amount of spaghetti...oh and some of it burnt! Sharon on left and Kat on right. Stoked to spend 3 months with these girls on outreach!

Snapshots!

2011-04-26T17:10:00.000-07:00

Check It Out

2011-04-25T14:17:00.001-07:00

New Address

2011-04-25T14:03:00.000-07:00

2011-04-25T11:32:00.000-07:00

Well week 2 has come and gone! I can't believe we are already preparing for week 3 of DTS. I feel like these 6 months are going to go so quickly. I have to remind myself to stop and enjoy every moment before this whirlwind is over. Zach and I are so happy and content with where we are in life. We both feel more alive now than ever before. We love discipleship! I love walking with students as they embark on a life changing journey. The fact that God is using us to bring truth and freedom into brokenness is the most incredible and humbling experience. We are literally getting to minister to God's treasures...what an opportunity. Already students have been experiencing freedom from past baggage. There is nothing quite like seeing someone find their identity and freedom in Christ.

God really has been doing some pretty miraculous things in our DTS. Addictions have been broken, relationships have been restored, identity has been spoken and truth has been proclaimed. Crazy to think how much has already happened in only 2 weeks. I felt like there were a lot of breakthroughs this week in our DTS. This weeks speaker, Kenny Jackson, spoke on relationships...which was awesome! I loved hearing him speak during my DTS and enjoyed it even more the second time around. So many people in our generation come from such broken families...that the idea of having a healthy relationship seems so impossible to them. It was awesome to see restoration take place in many of the student's hearts.

Week 2 was also an exciting week for students and staff! Outreach locations were finally announced...along with teams and outreach leaders. Zach and I can finally announce that we are headed to Cambodia with 11 students! We are so incredibly excited about this opportunity. We will be staying in a YWAM base working with a wide variety of ministries! Our team consist of 10 girls, 1 guy and 2 leaders! We had our first team meeting on Friday and we were blown away by how mature and passionate our team is! We both feel like we have an extremely gifted team! Needless to say...we can't wait until departure day in June!

Month 1: Staff Training

2011-04-11T19:57:00.000-07:00

Wow it has already been over a month since Laura and I returned to this rock in the middle of the Pacific. I wasn't that excited at first to come back to this giant lava rock, but that all has changed now. The incredible beauty covering this rock still blows me away every time I look out our window. From where I sit now in our room I can see the ocean blending into the sky, many palm trees, plumeria trees, small butterflies, a bougainvillea bush, and many other beautiful plants for which I do not know the name. It's funny, I didn't think this place was that pretty last time I was here, and now I cannot get over it. Yes this island has desserts, fields of plain lava rock, and vast stretches of dead flora, but it also has mountains, snow, waterfalls, beaches of every color (black, white, green...), tropical areas, huge plants, super tiny plants, rain, sun, evenings cool enough to wear a hoodie, and afternoons warm enough to swim in a pool or the ocean. I love all the diversity. I believe it is this diversity that makes this rock so special. But the diversity doesn't end there. Here at the University of the Nations, we have students and staff from so many nations. We have students from 39 different countries this quarter (and that's not counting our diverse staff of several hundred). In the building where Laura and I live, I think Americans are a minority group. It really is awesome to fellowship and learn with and from so many different cultures. I love it.

The last month of staff training leading up to this quarter has completely blown my expectations out of the water. It has been far less logistical and more just meeting God and growing in intimacy with him. It has been truly amazing. I'll share just a few of the highlight points I have taken away from these last several weeks from speakers like Darlene Cunningham, Andrew and Faith Dutton, Joseph Avakian, Dan Bowman, Andy Byrd, Pete Greig, and many many others.

I'm striving not to pick up offense from anyone.
I'm learning to meet people in faith and not judge.
Our capacity to lead is directly related to our capacity to love... with is related to our capacity to embrace.
Love always believes the best.
We need discipleship our whole life.
If we have enough to take for granted, then we have more than we need.
Learn to cast your cares and burdens on the Lord. - complain to the Lord and not to men.
People will be what they see.
Too often in the church we are trying to pass something on that we ourselves don't have. (like a virus... you can't give it to someone if you don't have it.....such as intimacy with Christ)
You can't drive starring in the rearview mirror; it's good to have one, but you have to look forward.
The future belongs not to the imitators but to the innovators. Do not imitate; innovate.
The Lord is on the move.

I could easily write a paragraph or more on each bullet explaining how revolutionary each one of those are to me. Most of them aren't new concepts but the implications of them really are huge. I really feel like I have learned so much and am growing a lot since coming back.

The staff is also amazing. Six of us out of eight all did our DTS together last year. Of the other two, one staffed our DTS last year, and the other has been involved with PhotogenX for awhile. I love this group of people. We are like family. We can pour out our hearts to one another and build each other up. We work very well together. I can't wait to spend the next three months together staffing, growing, loving, and having fun together. Laura and I feel completely free and alive; we love our jobs. I'm so glad we returned to this beautiful rock in the middle of the ocean.

More to come soon.

Tsunami hits Kona

2011-03-11T14:52:00.000-08:00

Let the Journey Begin!

2011-03-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

Well friends and family March 9 is finally here! Zach and I are sitting in the Wichita Airport, Gate 10, waiting for our flight to board! We have spent the last three days cleaning out our fridge, backing up hard drives, paying our bills, and saying bittersweet goodbyes! I think we probably gained 10 pounds from trying to eat everything in our fridge so we wouldn't have to give it away! I upped Zach's breakfast from one egg to two eggs, he didn't figure it out until day 3...though he was never hungry when it came time for lunch! He's said several times that he feels like all he has done for the last 3 days was eat, eat and eat!

Ok...25 minutes until we board our flight! We will be flying from Wichita to Denver to Portland to Kona! We should arrive in Kona around 10 pm. Looking forward to being back on Hawaiian soil. We have around 1 month worth of training before the students arrive in April. Zach and I are super excited to meet all of them and not just see their pictures on facebook!

Well for now it is goodbye Kansas and hello to another adventure! I'm sure we will be posting periodically...or at least when we have wireless!

HA Aloha Passport Promotion: Photo

2011-02-27T19:57:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone!

Want to support us in our upcoming mission trip? Vote for our Aloha Passport and we could get free tickets home! I'm guessing we need several hundred "likes" so please vote and ask someone else to vote. (This could be a facebook like, tweet, digg, etc, or all of the above) Each form of sharing the link counts so please share it as many ways as you can and hopefully we'll get a free plane trip. Mahalo (Thank You).

HA Aloha Passport Promotion: Photo

143,000,000

2011-02-15T12:39:00.000-08:00

143,000,000

This is an overwhelming number. According to Orphan's Hope there are 143,000,000 orphans worldwide. This is staggering. I can say this is an impossible amount and God says, "all things are possible." (Luke 18:27) I say I can't do it and God says, "You can do all things." (Philippians 4:13) I say I am not able and God says, "I am able." (II Corinthians 9:8) The orphan says, "I feel alone," and God says, "I will never leave you or forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5)

Our Starfish

2011-02-15T11:55:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time, there was a wise man, who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work. One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself to think of someone who would dance to the day. So he began to walk faster to catch up. As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn't dancing, but instead he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean.

As he got closer, he called out, "Good morning! What are you doing?" The young man paused, looked up and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean."

"I guess I should have asked, Why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?"

"The sun is up and the tide is going out. And if I don't throw them in they'll die."

"But young man, don't you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it. You can't possibly make a difference!"

The young man listened politely. Then bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves. "It made a difference for that one!"

His response surprised the man. He was upset. He didn't know how to reply. So instead, he turned away and walked back to the cottage to begin his writings.

All day long as he wrote, the image of the young man haunted him. He tried to ignore it, but the vision persisted. Finally, late in the afternoon he realized that he the scientist, he the poet, had missed out on the essential nature of the young man's actions. Because he realized that what the young man was doing was choosing not to be an observer in the universe and make a difference. He was embarrassed.

That night he went to bed troubled. When the morning came he awoke knowing that he had to do something. So he got up, put on his clothes, went to the beach and found the young man. And with him he spent the rest of the morning throwing starfish into the ocean. You see, what that young man's actions represent is something that is special in each and everyone of us. We have all been gifted with the ability to make a difference. And if we can, like that young man, become aware of that gift, we gain through the strength of our vision the power to shape the future.

After I read this story I looked at Zach and said, Praveen and Sanjay are the two starfishes that need to be thrown back in the water. So this is our challenge. Our challenge is to break through every barrier, drive down walls, jump hurdles, and go full force forward, exhausting every possible means of adopting these two boys. Zach has reminded me so many times that God works in the most impossible situations...we just have to have faith.

What's been goin' on?

2011-01-20T17:53:00.000-08:00

Well it's time for another blog post! So what have we been up too? Below is a list of things that have been keeping us busy over the last couple of months.

#1. Applied for YWAM Staff! Zach and I hope to go back to Hawaii on March 9 and serve as staff for 6 months. We'll be serving on the Kona base for 3 months and then going to another country (unsure where yet) for 3 more months...and then back to Elk Falls. Still waiting to be accepted!

#2. Cooking! Yes for cooking! One of the things that I missed the most while we were gone, was not being able to cook. The room we lived in only had a microwave...so needless to say we have thoroughly enjoyed cooking since being back in our own kitchen! We have taken the liberty to try a few new recipes. Zach got carried away one day and literally spent 5 hours in the kitchen making cashew and sesame chicken along with an amazing cheddar dip! All experimental! It was one of the most amazing meals...EVER!

Here he is with the final product, sesame chicken, cashew chicken and some amazing cheddar dip!

Isn't he great! Here he is working on some amazing Indian cuisine! He's totally in his element! Pure Joy!

What's better than a man that cooks!

#3. Filed an Accident Report! Yes, yes it is true. Two weeks ago, driving back from Kansas City our little green cavalier just bulldozed a deer head on. Let me just say that hearing the morbid sound of metal hitting something well...BIG..was probably the worst way to wake up as I was sleeping in the passenger seat. I woke up just in time to see Zach literally duck as he sat behind the wheel. Later he told me he thought the deer was gonna come through the window! Yikes! Needless to say we pulled over and just kind of looked at each other with...well..some really big eyes! Took one looked at each other and jumped out of the car to see a very crushed hood and bumper along with some random fur decorating the front of the car. Well to skip ahead... the car is in the care of our trusty mechanic..after he so kindly towed it to Longton. I'll keep you posted on the car...

Here's good old Green with the tow truck.

This was taken after Allen, our mechanic, bent the hood out in order to get under it.

RIP Green!

Here's an email I sent to my siblings that all had possession of green at one point in their lives.

It is true...we received word yesterday from our trusty mechanic that the green bomber is looking at around $1300 in repairs. Realizing that good old green is only worth around $1,000 Zach and I have decided to put him to rest. Yes, it is a sad day/week in the Fry household but we feel as though we are doing the right thing. No longer will green tease us by showing that he has a full tank of gas while he's really starving and on empty! No longer will we leave for a weekend trip and get halfway there only to realize that green's belt has broken and he's so embarrassed that he just can't go another mile. Therefore leaving us in a mall parking lot in Joplin, MO. As of today Green's insurance has been canceled and he is resting in Longton, KS in care of our trusty Mechanic, Allen. We are secretly hoping that our trusty mechanic, Allen will see something in Green, such as a profit, and then maybe write us a check. Time will tell!

So family as you mourn this loss of Green, just keep in mind that he lived a very long life of at least 160,000 miles. He was passed on from generation to generation and had already survived one deer attack in 2008. Zach and I look to the future somewhat excitedly. We know that we will never have another green..but we are excited about the possibility of a silver, blue or red! So tonight we say RIP Green.

#4. The Fry's had a visit from a Tot! Baby Titus took our house by storm over the weekend! Our dear friends Dee and Dave left for Wichita and left their 4 month old in our inexperienced care on Sunday through Monday. Yes he really did stay overnight! He basically became the ruler of our household...well pretty much the instant he hit the door! Suddenly there were diapers, baby wipes, fleece blankets, bottles, formula, baby shampoo, and even a pack and play decorating our house. The two of us loved every minute of it! We had a great time giving him a bath, listening to him giggle, reading him books and just spoiling him rotten! The good times came to an end on Monday afternoon when mom and dad showed up to reclaim their tot. We miss you little Titus!

Precious baby Titus!

#5. Zach appointed to township clerk! Yes it is true, we are moving up in the world. Shortly after coming back from India we received a letter stating that Zach had been voted as the new township clerk in the recent election. If you know anything about Elk Falls...you would know that there are only 104 people that live here. Now the ballot had no one listed as running for the position...only room for write ins. Out of the 104 people that live in our community several chose to write Zach's name in the slot...which was enough votes to elect him to the position. The real mystery is that no one knows what the township clerk even does. Zach eventually declined the position..but he now has a really cool certificate to put on our fridge!

Missing India

2010-12-05T22:52:00.000-08:00

Well I'm not sure who reads this blog anymore...considering how little it gets updated! It's 12:30 am and my mind hasn't quite slowed down enough to settle into sleep. Zach on the other hand has been fast asleep since 10:30. The house is quiet...the Christmas tree lights are all glowing, the Wood Wick candles are all crackling and I am still awake! I feel like since being back in Elk Falls, I can't keep my mind from constantly racing.

Tonight just happens to be yet another night of restlessness. I have spent the last hour on the computer reliving India through pictures and video footage. Right now my heart is breaking. So many days I feel like Zach and I both left such a huge piece of us in that country. As I watched the leprosy video that one of my YWAM friends created, I just couldn't help but cry. It was such a reminder to me that, "yes, Laura, life has moved on for you, but there are still people suffering in India." I can't help but feel so overwhelmed sometimes by so many of the injustices in this world.

Last week I hauled out the trees and began decorating the house for Christmas. As I was putting the bulbs on the tree my heart began to ache for the orphans in Dharmapuri. I couldn't help but picture how fun would it be to decorate a Christmas tree with each of those children. I can't even begin to imagine the joy and excitement they would have. Just the dreaming and the imagining is enough to bring me to tears.

Every day Zach and I release these orphans to God, over and over again. We know we can't lay claim over them and we have to trust that ultimately God has the best plan for these children. The two of us both know that all forty-five of these orphans have a future that is completely mapped out by their Heavenly Father.

I'm not really sure what I expected when I came home. I think I thought transitioning would be way easier than what it has been. I feel like both Zach and I have several days out of the week where we just simply miss India. Many days I can see it on Zach's face. Many days I don't even have to ask him...I know that both our hearts are aching for these sweet children. So we do the only thing we can do...we pray. Oh how we have prayed over and over that someone would show God's love and grace to each of those children day after day. That someone would pick up each child and just simply hug them. That someone would take the four orphan boys to the street vendor and buy them each a bag of cookies. I know our God is a mighty and powerful God and the two of us have such faith in Him. I think the only way we could have ever left India was by recognizing that God is 100% in control.

Tonight I feel emotionally drained and spent. Tonight I especially miss those boys. I go to bed tonight with complete faith in God that these children feel so incredibly loved. Thank you Jesus.

Sharing the Journey!

2010-11-06T17:37:00.000-07:00

After being home for only 1 week Zach and I gave our first presentation to our church, Calvary Chapel Fellowship of Elk Falls. The presentation went better than what we ever could have imagined. The two of us easily shared stories, showed a video and flipped through tons of pictures. It felt like our 6 months of being gone had built up for this moment. Watching the reactions of the congregation, watching the tears on some people's faces...made us realize how much God was really moving. We showed pictures of 3 year old Gracie whose parents were going to kill her when she was only 9 days old. We spoke about the hope this little girl carries because she was rescued and taken into an orphanage. We have learned since being back that part of our work is to share what we learned and experienced. So many people couldn't physically go on this journey with us but they prayed, encouraged and financially supported us. They have touched each of our hearts in many ways. The least we can do is share with our supporters the fruit that came from them empowering us! So many people really did travel this journey alongside us...and it's so powerful for them to see pictures and videos from this adventure. For the next few months we will most likely be sharing about the journey that God took us on. One question that many children in India asked was, "Will you tell the people in America about me?" Our response was.."Yes we couldn't possibly not tell them." For the next couple of weeks I hope to post a picture of our friends from India and share their story.

Home Sweet Home

2010-10-18T12:35:00.001-07:00

Zach and I are finally home sweet home! Below is an email that was sent out to our friends and family!

Friends and Family,

Well this email is long overdue! Zach and I finally made it home to Elk Falls! That's right...we are now sleeping in our own bed, cooking our own food, and enjoying the luxury of a washing machine as opposed to a bucket. It's a very odd feeling to go from living with 18 other people to living with only the two of us. Life has certainly slowed down quite a bit since being home.

We said a very sad goodbye to India on September 11. The evening that we boarded the plane, Zach and I both had tears in our eyes. One of our hardest goodbyes was the 35 orphans that we had grown so close too. They lined up outside and gave each of us a hug saying, "don't cry auntie and uncle." We said goodbye to 3 year old Gracie who we had grown attached too and had an even harder time saying bye to the four orphan boys that we had grown to love. The neighborhood children cried and gave hugs as we loaded the bus to leave for the airport. We stood outside the airport hugging our contacts, Joyce and Pastor Daniel. I watched as Pastor Daniel hugged Zach several times and said a very tearful goodbye. As we boarded the plane our hearts were breaking but we were also filled with excitement knowing that very soon we would be home with family and friends.

Our team flew from India to Singapore and spent five days debriefing before heading back to Hawaii. During out time in Singapore Zach stayed in bed almost the entire time with the flu. Our biggest fear was that he might have a parasite. When we finally landed in Hawaii, Zach was tested for numerous things and the results came back negative. We were both extremely relieved! He is now back on his feet and healthy.

In Kona we spent a week debriefing with our team and listening to other teams share about what God has been doing. We were blown away by the pictures and the stories that the teams from Haiti, Philippines and Central America shared. Many of our classmates walked away from outreach completely changed and totally on fire for God. We heard countless testimonies from numerous students about God's faithfulness throughout the two months.

It was a very bittersweet feeling when we said goodbye to our YWAM family. We had both invested a great deal of time and energy into building friendships during our 6 months. Saying goodbye to what had become our family during the 6 months was a very challenging task. I remember getting on the plane and thinking how amazing it was that 50 students in our DTS were walking away completely changed and completely on fire for God. I couldn't help but think of the wave effect that this could create with family and friends.

Zach and I flew into Kansas City, MO and stayed several days with my family and then eventually drove home to Elk Falls. The two of us had never felt so blessed until we opened the door to our house. I remember we stood in the doorway for several minutes looking at our furniture, our knick knacks, our queen sized bed and our kitchen table. We had forgotten how much we really did own and how extremely blessed we truly were.

This brings us to now! Like I said earlier, life has slowed down quite a bit since being home. Zach and I spent a week regrouping before he started back at work for Small Planet Online. Though currently unemployed it seems as though I am finding plenty to keep me busy. There are several projects that Zach and I are working on. We are hoping to put together a photography site and once again create a side hobby out of our passion. We are also working on raising funding for one of our contacts in India to help start an orphanage and we are in the process of gathering gifts for the orphans in Dharmapuri for Christmas. We are enjoying sharing our India experiences with several churches and youth groups.

India is still very much on both of our hearts. We spend a lot of time praying for this country and the people we befriended. Though we are back from India, we will certainly never forget it. We hope to return in a year and take a team back with us for two weeks. Our dream is to raise enough money for Pastor Caleb to start an orphanage and eventually we can see it filled with children.

If you are interested in sponsoring a child in an orphanage in Vellore or donating money to help get the orphanage up and running please email us or call us. There is a huge need for an orphanage in Vellore. Currently children are living on the streets because they have nowhere else to go.

Family and friends, the two of us say thank you so much for traveling this journey with us. We have prayed along the way that God has touched your heart through this process. Thank you for the emails, the prayers and the encouraging words while we were gone. Now that I have a little more free time, I will probably be updating the blog with several stories that we have not yet shared. If you get a chance be sure and check www.zachandlaurafry.blogspot.com over the next couple of week.

We hope that all is well with you and your families! We would love to hear from you and read what you have been doing. If you get a chance send us an email with an update!

God Bless,

Zach and Laura Fry

YWAM Kona

Learning from India

2010-08-05T09:18:00.001-07:00

The past two weeks have been absolutely amazing. We started having worship and intercession daily (before it was just kinda a good intention). We also decided to pray after intercession about the ministry we will be doing that day and see who God tells to go. It has worked out perfectly every time. It has usually been exactly half, which still amazes me. While part of the team is out doing some sort of ministry, the other half stays at home and intercedes on the others’ behalf. Since doing this, our ministry times have been so much better. Our programs (we actually have programs now) are going so well. We are doing skits and they are great even though we learn them like an hour before we go out. We went to a village a couple weeks ago and got to really spend time with the people there. They all loved having their picture taken. After our skit, Lindsay concluded and prayed with the people. Several of the people gave their life to the Lord. Then we got to pray individually for the people and bless them. It was really neat. Afterwards we went to a couple homes in the village to pray over and bless the homes. At the first house we all sat outside and drank chai before going in. When we were all crammed in their small house, we really felt the Holy Spirit’s presence as we prayed out. At the second house we were served some sort of drink that is made for festivals. It’s like hot sweet milk with little noodles and some type of nut or seed pod floating in it. The seed pods were a very strong minty flavor. It was very strange, but oddly good. That night I decided that I truly do love the Indian culture. I love how friends and family gather together all the time just to sit, drink tea, and talk together. Time never really matters here. It’s so much more of an event-oriented culture than a time-oriented one like the US. The people here are so hospitable. I’ve never experienced anything like it. Everywhere you go, people offer you tea (which is always chai), coffee, or some other drink. Even at the place we go for Internet, the worker brought us two cups of chai. Everyone lives so close together and helps each other. You always see people sitting around talking. I realized just how busy our culture is and wished in some aspects we could live more like the Indians - always taking time to talk, no matter what you are doing, and really just living together in community. Of course there are times when I really appreciate American culture and the order of it all. A good example being when we went into the slum to do a program. The people there are so excited to have their picture taken, as is most everyone, but they seemed especially happy. When it was finally time for us to start, a small crowd gathered very closely around us. We had to push them back so we had room to do our Hawaiian dance and skit. They set us up in the middle of an intersection. So we were basically stopping all traffic while we sang, and danced. I felt so bad, but the people who were gathered around and our translator didn’t seem to think it was a big deal. During the skit people became impatient and began just driving right on through, coming within inches of us. It was utter chaos, but we kept on. At one point, I was completely overwhelmed… I was holding a baby in one arm and had my other hand on two children praying blessings over them, all the while trying not to focus on all the honking horns and vehicles driving past, but at the same time trying to be aware of the traffic to make sure I and the children didn’t get hit. Everyone was eager to receive our prayers and patiently waited until it was their turn. The small crowd seemed very interested and open to our message. Many prayed and asked Jesus to be the God of their life. One thing we always pray over the people is for them to recognize Jesus as the one and only God, and to only serve Him. So many “Christians” still worship and pray to other Hindu gods. Everyone is eager to add another god to their collection, the hard part is knowing if they understand that they can only worship one God. We have seen many people say they will only worship Jesus Christ, and we can only pray and believe that this is true. Before leaving the slum, we were invited into a Christian’s home to dance and sing with them. The home was probably 12’x15’. It was only one room for the family of five, one small bed, a small gas stove on the floor with a few pots scattered around, and a few shelves with some books. There were probably 15 people crammed in this humble house dancing to Tamil Christian music and just having a good time. It touched my heart seeing how little this family had, but how much joy was overflowing from their lives. We were in there for a good 15 – 20 minutes during which time the place heated up very quickly even with the door open. When we walked out to the evening heat, it felt like AC comparatively.

I am really beginning to understand how much we have. How wealthy we are. We have a home with more than one room, we have a bathroom and a shower in our house, we have a refrigerator, we have a microwave, we have two computers, and we have two cars! Forget everything else, with just that we are wealthy! It’s odd, but refreshing at the same time, to have very few possessions with us and not miss anything from back home. After living two weeks in one room with 9 other people, having only your mattress as your personal space (all the mattresses were on the floor touching each other), I did really miss having a desk or small table to sit at and use my computer or read. But other than that I haven’t really missed anything from our old lifestyle. Crazy huh. We are realizing how much we can really live without and be completely content. I think we own most of our possessions just to keep up with up with the society. We think we need them, we think we really couldn’t live without them. But when you are surrounded by people who don’t have them, you don’t even desire them. Funny.

2010-07-25T22:00:00.000-07:00

As of today we have been in Vallore for one week and we are enjoying every second of it. This week our team really began to feel how many of us there are. We have a team of 20 which is huge compared to the other teams of seven or eight. Every one on our team owns a camera and are constantly trying to capture the best picture which has created somewhat of a competitive air. After much discussion our team decided to only send out half of us each day. The other half stays back and intercedes for the outreach that day. We have witnessed some amazing things simply because of the power of prayer. Over this last week Zach and I only stayed back once. We have both developed such a passion to serve in the orphanages, so we have become a real driving force for our team on these specific ministry days. We have served in orphanages that range anywhere between 12 to 70 children. I think the one thing that has really touched my heart since being here is when the children as young as 5, ask you to pray for them. The children all sit on the edge of their chairs, close their eyes and clasp their hands in front of them fully awaiting a prayer over their life. These children have really captured Zach’s and my heart. We have been able to perform dramas and share Bible stories with these children. Their hunger for God is something I have never witnessed. They have an understanding of Jesus that far surpasses their years.

A small group of 6 of us had an opportunity to meet the woman that owns an orphanage of 70 children. Her name is Malliga Chandran and she started the home ins 2002 and eventually started a school in 2008. Before opening an orphanage she worked with IJM in the area of sex trafficking. Malliga shared her testimony with us and just really blessed our team that day. She is an amazing witness to the 70 children and workers of her orphanage. She spoke to us a lot on the adoption process in India and how it has become very complicated. There use to be many international adoptions out of India but the children were being extremely abused were being human trafficked. Hearing this really left our team unsettled. The government has began to really crack down on international adoptions to hopefully prevent these injustices from happening.

Yesterday was an amazing day for both Zach and I. We spent the majority of our day in a village called Kollapalli. During the first 20 minutes of our van ride we heard a huge pop which was our tire! While they were busy fixing the tire many of us visited with the women working in the field along the side of the highway. The women were pulling grass around their peanut plants in the heat of the day. We briefly visited with them and took some pictures and then loaded back on the bus. After an hour drive we finally arrived at a small village. We walked down narrow mud paths looking at small huts that are homes to the families in the village. People came out of their homes and waved and soon our team went their different ways, visiting with the people and taking pictures. At one point I had around twelve small boys gathered around me begging for their picture. I would try and take a picture of one child and by the time I had the viewfinder against my eye there would be 10 kids somehow in the picture. Finally I lined the children up and asked them to wait paitently. I was then able to take individual pictures of each child. They loved it! Before long the boys were posing each other and finding me colorful backdrops. Later that day I made friends with two girls that we were 10 years old. They linked arms with me and walked me through the village and we eventually ended up outside of their homes. I met their mothers who were absolutely precious. They called many other women over and asked for a group picture. I asked them to say cheese and they all immediately began giggling. Watching twelve Indian women giggle all at the same time was quite the site to see. They pinched my cheeks and we attempted to have a conversation. Soon I was pulled away to the middle of the village where our team was preparing our program for the evening. From the beginning of the program to the time we got on the bus, God was really blessing our team. Members on our team spoke about God’s love and then several of us performed a drama to the song “Everything,” by Lifehouse. Zach and I had seen this drama performed many times during college but we never were actually in it. Two hours before left for the village several of us decided to learn it and perform it that night. This skit was one of the most powerful moments of the evening. The music began and Zach walked out playing Jesus pretending to create the birds on the earth, the flowers on the ground and then finally blowing out a breath creating man. Zach did absolutely amazing! God really blessed the drama and even as we were acting it out I could feel the goosebumps on my arms! The drama deals a lot with all of the distractions in life that really pull us away from God. At the end of the drama, people were cheering because Jesus had won! It was such an awesome experience. Zach really broke down the skit and explained how we always have distractions in our life but God is always present though many times we choose to ignore him. (if you would like to see the skit we are referring to check it out on YouTube...Everything skit by Lifehouse) After Zach spoke then the salvation message was delivered and people all around us prayed out the prayer. Our team was rejoicing! At the end of the program, people created lines in front of us and we began to pray over them. In my line I had all children. One after another I prayed that a seed was planted tonight that would just continue to be nurtured and watered and eventually blossom. I prayed that each child would have a true understanding of Jesus and they would realize that God is their one and only God. In India so many people believe in so many different gods that they will simply add God to their collection. During this time when our team was praying, Jason led a child to Christ!

After the program we were invited to a home where they prepared us each a glass of chai tea and then provided chairs for us to sit in. Every few minutes they would bring crackers around for us to eat. It was such a humbling experience to be served by someone who has nothing. The story of the woman who uses the last drops of her perfume on Jesus just really comes to my mind.

We stopped in one more home before leaving the village. We walked in and a baby was laying on a blanket in the middle of the room on a concrete floor. Lindsey, one of the girls on our team scooped him up and handed him to me. What an amazing experience! This little boy was probably around 6 months old, the same age as my niece when I left for Hawaii. I wrapped my arms around him and just held him close. He had the biggest and roundest eyes I had ever seen! He was precious! My team all at once began praying over this family. I stood and held this baby and just prayed a blessing over his life. As I stood there rocking him back and forth I prayed protection over him and blessed him with a relationship with God. What an amazing experience! God was right there with us!

We found out this week that we will most likely be in Vallore until August 6 and then we will be back in Dharmapuri. Zach and I are both anxious to get back to Dharmapuri so that we can really invest some time in the orphanage there. It’s within walking distance from where we are staying so it would be very easy for us to visit daily. In Vallore we are basically out in the country. In order to go anywhere we have to flag down an auto and ride into town. Our leaders surprised us this week and told us that we would be doing our team’s debrief in Singapore. On September 12 we will be leaving from India and heading to Singapore and will be there for four days before we head back to Hawaii! Our team is extremely excited!

Thank you so much for all of your prayers and words of encouragement!

Below is a list of things I’m learning while in India.

When an Indian person bobs their head from left to right this means, “sure, ok.”

Toilet paper is extremely rare and you have to drive 30 minutes in order to buy it.

A cold drink is a real treat. Refrigerators are rare.

The children have very good English. Many of them learn English in school. Many of the children will shake our hands, introduce themselves and inform us of their age.

Things here are extremely cheap.

You can buy chocolate while in India.

Bugs are everywhere, I choose to not think about them!

Orphanages are a major need.

Wearing a silver toe ring and a necklace symbolizes that you are married.

Hospitality is huge! People go out of their way to help you and to serve you.

Chai Tea is not said out here...instead chai is the tea.

Everything is sweet, including their rice. Many people are diabetic because of the white rice.

People are so hungry for the gospel.

People tend to simply add Jesus to their list of Gods.

A picture means so much to a person. Many people have never had a picture taken of them and the tears you see in their eyes as a result is priceless.

If you hear a horn honk or a bell it’s best to move out of the way or you are bound to get run over.

Everyone has a cell phone it seems! If a cell phone rings during church that person will get up and leave to answer it, including the preacher. I have seen preachers stop preaching so they can answer their phone.

Cows, chickens and goats wonder the streets. When night falls, the animals return home.

On the Move

2010-07-22T23:58:00.001-07:00

We spent three days in Dharmapuri and are now on the move again. On Sunday we packed our bags, boarded a train and left for Vallure, a city two hours away by train. The experience on the train was pretty much undescribeable. When we got to the train station we discovered that no one on our team actually had seats, instead we would be standing for the two hour ride. Now standing for two hours is not the bad part, it’s the fact that when you stand you stand in the aisles and every two minutes someone selling food comes by and pushes you out of the way. Now this is even more challenging with two backpacks full of camera gear and a duffle bag. When someone walks by you have to slide in between the people sitting, along with all your gear, just to get out of the way. The train ride gets more and more interesting the longer you ride. When people get off the train at their stop, then someone else is suppose to get on and sit in that seat. Basically all the tickets are sold for every seat. Now sometimes we get lucky and that person never comes to their seat so we are able to sit in their seat. This happened yesterday with a few of us. I was able to sit in someones seat for probably 30 minutes before they showed up! Now getting off the train is another story. We have around 3 minutes to get off the train at our stop. This can be pretty challenging with 20 people plus the people on the train needing off. So at about 20 minutes before our stop we began gathering our belonging and standing by the doors. This of course creates a cluster of people, so for anyone to get down the aisle is nearly impossible, but somehow they find a way. We all managed to get off at the right stop, luggage and all in the three minutes allotted. From the train station we took a bus to the home we would be staying at. We were absolutely floored when we saw where we were staying. The bus pulled up to a very, very nice home. We walked in and discovered that the church had purchased all new mattresses for our stay. Everything is extremely clean and it looks brand new. We were all blown away by how nice everything is. One of the biggest perks is the western toilet!

Let the Little Children Come

2010-07-17T07:20:00.001-07:00

Today we got to spend the morning at the orphanage. It was by far my favorite thing we have done so far since being here. Granted this is only our second day of ministry, but it was so amazing. The kids loved having their photos taken, and we let several of the older girls use our cameras and take photos of their friends. They learned very quickly and actually took some nice shots. We also brought balloons for everyone to play with; it was a big hit. Although I played with any of the children who came to me, I spent probably 80% of my time with one of the three boys, Praem Kumar. He is three years old and can’t speak any English, but we had a blast playing together. I tried saying his name but every time he shook his head and repeated it to me. This little boy grabbed my heart today. He was adorable, as were all the children in the orphanage, but something about him melted me. I could have stayed all day and I hope we get to go back soon. Laura began playing with him too and by the time we left she fell in love with him too. I anxiously await our next visit.

After lunch some neighbor girls came by and began playing with Erika and taking photos using her camera. Soon Laura and I joined her on the porch. They spoke very good English and taught us how to play a game called “five stones,” which consists of… you guessed it five stones. We were horrible at it, so they kept modifying it to make it easier for us. The girls loved playing with Erika’s hair. It’s so much fun just to sit and play with the local children, though it’s very difficult to keep them out of our house.

This evening we need to pack since we are leaving for Vellore tomorrow. It’s crazy since we haven’t even fully unpacked yet. Laura and I are just starting to get used to this place and really don’t want to leave, but I’m sure Vellore will be just as good.

Good Morning India

2010-07-17T07:20:00.000-07:00

View from our rooftop

Working on a blog post

It’s 5:30 am and the streets of Dharmapuri are unusually quiet. All I can hear are the constant caws of the crow, brooms being swept somewhere down the street, an occasional horn, some distant chanting or Indian music, and the purrs of the few motorcycles out this early. It’s so peaceful here on the roof of our house, which is a little higher than most of the other houses in the area so we can pretty much see the whole city. The horizon is just beginning to turn to gold with salmon accents providing a nice silhouette of the distant mountains. I guess Laura and I aren’t completely adapted to the local time here since this is the second day in a row that we have woken up extremely early and have been unable to go back to sleep. I’m ok with that though; this is the only quite and calm time of day. Around 6:00 am there seems to be enough light for the preparations of the day to begin. The women meticulously sweep the area of the street surrounding their doorsteps. Then they splash water and sweep again to ensure the area is as clean as can be. Then, with some sort of chalk paint, they draw the symbol of their favorite Hindu god just outside their door.

Sweeping the street

Painting on the street

6:30 – the distinct smell of curry begins to waft through the morning air. More people are walking the streets, but there seem to be fewer motorcycles and rickshaws. Perhaps the early vehicles were of those who have to travel further every morning. 7:00 – I go downstairs to use the squatty, take a bucket shower, get ready for my day. For breakfast I eat plain french toast, a couple of small bananas, and drink the wonderful chai tea.

Today is the beginning of our third day here in India. We arrived the morning of the 15^th in Chennai where we were greeted by Jessica, Jaylene, and pastor Daniel with sodas, bottled water, and colorful necklaces. We then took a train 5 hours to Moropur where we were picked up and driven to our new home in Dharmapuri. We arrived after dark but were enthusiastically greeted by our team who had been waiting outside for over an hour getting eaten by mosquitoes. It was so good to see them and be reunited.

The second day was spend doing widow ministry where we sang, danced, preached, and prayed for the women. One woman came up to me and asked me to pray for her. She spoke no English so it was difficult to get the meaning of what she was saying, but I figured out that there was something wrong with her eye and she wanted me to pray for healing. So I did. I thanked God for her, blessed her, and prayed for her healing. After probably 4 minutes I was finished, but she communicated that she wasn’t healed yet and asked me to keep praying, all the while she prayed in Tamil. What great faith. This woman touched my heart. I continued praying for her and asked God to give me His heart for her and asked Him what to pray. It was a beautiful experience and I could keep her out of my mind.

Later we went to a leper colony and prayed for several of the lepers. One man who could no longer get up, sat and shared his story with us via pastor Daniel as the translator. His name was Imani. He is 77 and has been living there since 1975. He used to be a goldsmith, but when he was 40 he discovered that he had a skin problem and muscle weakness. Soon his fingers became permanently curled, lacking the strength to open them. He did not know he had leprosy. When his family found out, they abandoned him. Having never married, he had no one to help him or care about him. When he came to the leper colony, there were 40 people there including himself; shortly after that 39 died, leaving only him. After meeting pastor Daniel in 1997, he left Hinduism and became a follower of Jesus. For the last two years his legs have been paralyzed. Despite all the pain and sorrow in his life, this man was filled with so much joy. He enjoyed having his picture taken and was so happy to talk to us. I look forward to visiting with him again.

We Made It!

2010-07-17T06:34:00.000-07:00

The last time I updated everyone we were still in the Singapore Airport. After over 50 hours of traveling we finally made it to India. We walked up to the customs and immigration counter, showed them our passport and our customs form and the man behind the counter informed us that he couldn’t let us through without the address of the contact that we were staying with. The three of us had conveniently left this part of the form blank because we did not have the information. We kept trying to explain ourselves for probably ten minutes and suddenly he just let us through. What a relief! I guess I should backup and tell you about our flight from Singapore to Chennai. The three of us walk into the terminal at the airport and probably 90% of the people turn to look at us. We all felt just a little out of place. Feeling slightly out of place was the story of our lives for the next 4 hours while we were on the plane. When we landed in Chennai it became mass chaos. People on the plane stood up immediately, grabbed their luggage and were ready to go. Getting out of your own row was out of the question. The craziness just continued as we walked off the plane. We were all so relieved to finally see Jaylene and Jessica, our outreach leaders, waving like crazy outside the airport. It was so good to finally see a familiar face after days of traveling. Our contact, Pastor Daniel greeted us with a can of cold Pepsi, a huge bottle of water and a very intricately made homemade necklace. This little short man with a huge voice put such a smile on all our faces. He grabbed the cart that had all of our luggage on it and quickly started pushing it and clearing a path through the crowd. He led us to a Taxi where he quickly grabbed our duffels and tied them down on top of the vehicle and then told us all to get in. We all piled in and then he jumped in the very back and sat on the floor. He seriously was the most hospitable person I have ever met. He had traveled for two days to come pick us up from the airport.

Ok, so on to the taxi ride or any car ride for that matter. I have never in my life experienced driving quite like the chaos in India. Horns are constantly being honked...literally every second you will hear a horn honk. In India people honk their horn to just let other people know they are there. It’s sort of a polite thing to do. It’s not like in America where it means, “watch out” or “get out of my way,” it’s more like “I’m behind you,” “I’m getting ready to pass you,” or “I’m going to turn.” Any time we go around a corner the driver just lays on the horn. The actual driving is just craziness. People are going all directions and there are motorcycles everywhere along with people on bikes. I have never seen people maneuver vehicles in such tight places. The dashed lines on the road to indicate lanes are mostly just decoration. At one time there were 6 vehicles side by side on a 3 lane highway. So many times I have looked out the window and there is someone on a bike or motorcycle that is so close to our vehicle that we can carry on an entire conversation. In fact I have had many conversations out the window of the vehicle! Now the best part of the driving is really when you are the walker. Everywhere you go, you constantly hear horns and you are looking back over your shoulder 24/7 just to avoid getting ran over. Crossing a street is almost out of the question! But I will say the driving is so much fun! It’s a massive amount of chaos but seems to work for this culture!

The taxi took all of us to the train station where we boarded a train and rode for 4 1/2 hours. This was both Zach and my first time to ever ride a train and it was such an experience. We squeezed through the tiny aisles and finally found our seats. We stuffed all our luggage up above in compartments and sat down. In our own little car there was a married Indian couple who had the sweetest baby girl. They smiled at us and said a few words and we actually were able to carry on somewhat of a conversation. We discovered that they had been married for two years and their daughter was 7 months old. They easily passed their daughter around the car and we all got a chance to hold the beautiful Indian girl. As I was sitting in the car for four hours I basically just observed a lot about their culture. I watched as the couple ate curry and rice with only their hands, I observed that the women all wore lots of jewelry along with the children. The baby girl in our cart had a bracelet on each wrist along with a bracelet on each ankle and her ears were pierced. The mother also informed me that married woman wear a specific necklace around their neck and a toe ring. Our four hour train ride was actually really humorous. No one seems to ever stay sitting in the same seat on the train. About every half hour there would be someone new sitting next to me. One person would leave and someone else would fill the empty seat.

When we finally arrived in Dharmapuri we had about a 30 minute ride to our home. The ride to our house felt just like a movie. We were speeding down the street, luggage loaded on top the vehicle, people packed like sardines, horn honking every 20 seconds and the radio blasting out this amazing Indian music! It felt like such a surreal experience. Thirty minutes later we finally pulled around a corner to see our team waving like crazy outside of a Pepto Bismol pink house! Surrounding out team were tons of little boys and girls all wanting to shake our hands. One of the best things ever was seeing the excitement on our teams face. They just couldn’t stop hugging us because it was such a treat for them to see familiar faces and for us it was pure excitement over a long overdue arrival. Our team greeted us with welcome baskets full of prepackaged cookies from the local stores and lots of bananas.

The three of us walked into the house under a banner that read “Welcome Home Zach, Laura and Jessica,” what a treat! The three of us began exploring where we would be living for the next two months. We were pleasantly surprised! Yes we have a bucket shower and yes we have squatty potty, yes we are sleeping on the floor, yes we live in tight quarters, yes our beds are hard as rocks and yes there are mosquitos and yes we completely embraced it! This is our home for the next 2 months and Zach and I are in love with it.

The first night of being in Dharmapuri Zach and I stayed up talking and visiting with our teammates until about midnight and then finally exhaustion overtook us. We went to bed completely drained and fell asleep fast. I woke up the following morning around 5 am to the sound of bells and honking and vehicles passing by. I quickly gathered my shower supplies and tested out the bucket shower. The bucket shower basically just consisted of a bucket full of cold water being dumped over the head many times in order to rinse the shampoo out. After not taking a shower for three days and having greasy hair, this was a dream come true!

I was the first one up that morning and didn’t really know what to do with myself. I grabbed my Bible and spent some time in the word and just talking to God. It was so cool to sit and read my Bible in a home in Dharmapuri, India! Seriously! What an awesome experience.

Soon breakfast was dropped off by church members. I have found out since being here that the church feeds us three meals a day and they drop it off at the house. I attempted to carry on a conversation with Isaac who is an 18 year old Indian boy. I offered him some of our American candy which he absolutely loved. Zach and I had brought the team a 3 pound bag of assorted candy which had mostly already been devoured. I could tell he loved it and it was certainly a treat!

After they left I sat down to eat breakfast which consisted of french toast and chai tea. The chai tea was in a metal tea kettle and I being completely American picked it up and poured it over my french toast completely expecting it to be syrup. The french toast was wonderful and the chai tea was even better! Zach and I have always loved chai tea so we were both really looking forward to experiencing it in India. The tea is very different than the Sam’s Club chai powder that we buy every winter. This tea is much sweeter and has no hint of cinnamon to it. In India they have tea time every day where chai is served. The people here love chai tea in fact it could be compared to coffee in America.

Zach and my first day in India was filled with lots of firsts. One of my most favorite things I have ever done was getting to visit the local fabric store. My teammates have all been wearing the same clothing as the locals in order to fit in. I absolutely love the outfits. I walked into the fabric store completely overwhelmed. This was a store three stories high full of pre-made outfits, scarfs and tons of fabric. Shelves lined every wall and from floor to ceiling they were full of every possible design and color of fabric! My teammate Erika informed me that when the first group of girls had come into the store they had spent 5 hours looking at all the fabrics and picking out pujavies. When I walked in I could easily see why. Erika, Zach, Jessica and I all went in. Erika, already being in India for the last 2 weeks obviously had established quite the reputation at the fabric store. They loved her! I’m assuming she’s been in more that once. She basically took charge and explained what we needed. The man asked me for colors and I quickly listed pink, orange, red and green. Having no idea what would happen he started pulling tons of the pants off the wall in so many different colors. It was so much fun! They were all so different and they all had amazing beaded designs. All the pants came with matching scarves which were gorgeous! The fun thing about the pants is they are absolutely huge but they have this drawstring in them. We basically have to hike the pants half way up our stomach and then tie them extremely tight so they’ll stay up. Quite the experience! I couldn’t hardly believe how cheap the outfits were. In US dollars they were around $3 to $4 each. I bought a pair of hot pink, green and black pants! I love them. It’s amazing to me how cool they really keep you during the day! Even though we don’t really fit in with the locals, some of us sporting blond hair, it’s fun to at least try. They absolutely love that we wear their outfits and that we are embracing their culture.

After coming back from the fabric store we quickly walked to the local church where two people on our team were asked to preach for a widows meeting. Zach and I stood outside the church for a few minutes unsure of what to do and then we quickly observed an assembly line of people forming to help unload rice from a truck to the front of the church. We quickly leapt in to help. The woman I was standing next to just melted my heart. She looked over at me and smiled so big so I asked her for her name. Her name is Gorgeo. I told her my name and quickly shook her hand in between passing bags of rice down the line. She looked at me and said “beautiful” and pointed at me. It was so, so sweet. Over and over she kept telling me I was beautiful and she just kept touching my hair. Since being here we’ve been told that lots of Indian people have never seen blond hair so they love touching it. We continued passing the rice and just smiling and laughing together. Gorgeo disapeared for probaby 3 minutes and came running back to me. She grabbed me and started touching my earrings and then showed me some earrings in her hand. This sweet woman was giving me this special set of earrings. Her and another woman stood there watching as I took my earrings out and put in this special new gift. I couldn’t hardly believe how much this delighted these two women but what I really couldn’t believe was just how much it touched my heart. This widow who lives in complete poverty gave me a pair of earrings. Her thoughtfulness and her gift really humbled me. I grabbed her and just hugged her! She just couldn’t stop smiling and I know I was beaming.

I ran into the church to find my team sitting on plastic stools on a makeshift stage. It was actually pretty humorous. They had all been here for 2 weeks and the newness had already worn off. The three of us that had just come in were asking questions nonstop. The widows all sat on the floor and the service began with Pastor Daniels speaking and then worship. We all simply watched as the woman raised their hands singing Hallelujah over and over. Watching these women worship with their entire heart just brought tears to my eyes. You could see their love for Jesus just spilling out.

Two of our teammates spoke that day and then our team sang several worship songs. During the 2 hour long service the power was constantly going out. When the power goes out it gets really hot really fast. The church is one of the coolest places because they have tons of ceiling fans. Following the service we each went around and prayed for all of these woman. Even though they couldn’t speak our language and we couldn’t speak their language, our prayers truly touched them. Many of them would start weeping as I would sit down beside them and began praying. I felt like God was totally giving me a heart for each of these woman. It was almost like He was saying, “here Laura, here’s my heart for these woman, I want you to have a glimpse of how I see them.”

Before the woman left we had this amazing opportunity to hand out bags of rice to each of them. This is called the rice distribution. I guess once a month the government gives rice out to people in poverty. On top of what the government does, Pastor Daniel’s church purchases rice and hands it out once a month. This is a very, very big deal to the people that live here. This is basically how they eat for the entire month. This is also a very big deal for the church because it is considered very expensive. For us to be able to hand a widow a bag of rice and see how thankful she truly was, was extremely humbling for me. Many woman had a tears in their eyes as they accepted the bag. For me this was such a treat to be able to be apart of blessing these woman.

After the service ended (3:00) we walked back to the house where lunch was waiting for us. We were excited to each some very spicy rice and chicken. After lunch we were told that Pastor Daniels would be coming by in about 30 minutes to let us know what our next ministry would be. Since coming here I have found out that India is more of an even culture and not a time culture. Time really has no meaning. So we are all stuck around the house for a couple of hours waiting for Pastor Daniels to show up. It is almost comical. Every day from 2:00 to 4:00 the electricity goes out so that the government can save money (or so we have been told). So during those times we all just sit around and visit, which tons of fun. It’s fun to hear everyone’s stories about being in India. Pastor Daniels eventually shows up and wants 5 of us to go to a lepor colony. The team has already been there several times so they ask Zach, Jessica and I if we would like to go. The three of us jumped on the opportunity and then two others from our team decided to go.

Going to the lepor colony was heart wrenching. We walked from room to room seeing people in horrible physical states but with huge smiles. Each person has a concrete room with a concrete floor that they live in. One specific moment that will always stick out to me, was when I laid a hand on one man he began weeping as I began praying. I could hardly control my own tears. This man’s body was in the beginning stages of leprosy. I walked away from his room that night with a very heavy heart asking God for a miracle.

It has taken me a while to write this post. I wanted to give you details of our very first couple of days in India. Zach and I truly do love it here. To be honest it is tons of fun to live in a house with almost 20 other people. We love experiencing a new culture. I remember before I came that I had complete fear of how would I ever handle coming here. Never being out of the country before, I was afraid that I would go through an enormous amount of culture shock. I have been so surprised at how much I truly love it here. Zach and I are really embracing the people and the culture. We love the food, we love the colors, we love the hearts of the people, we love our team and most of all we love seeing God become more and more real!

So Close to India

2010-07-14T15:46:00.000-07:00

Currently Zach and I are sitting in the airport in Singapore waiting to board our flight to Chennai. It's hard to believe that in a few hours we will actually be in India! We are both getting more and more anxious. Our flights have been great, though we are both pretty tired. We were able to catch a shower in the airport which was a real treat! We did have a five hour layover in Japan and we did get to go out into the city. It was the first time in my life that I actually felt foreign. We didn't know the language so we couldn't read the signs. Simply going through customs and immigration, exchanging money, buying a train ticket and somehow getting back to the airport was quite the ordeal...but we relied on God completely. A man with broken English confirmed that we were on the right train which was a huge blessing! I have a feeling that this is just the beginning of eight weeks of craziness but yet so much fun!

Right now there are three of us traveling together, Jessica, Zach and I. It has really been a pretty simple process along the way and we have really been enjoying each other. The airlines have been so accomodating. We flew Japanese Airline where for the first time in my life I was served an entire meal on a flight along with ice cream. The flight attendants were extremely nice, even though there was a language barrier!

I have to go but I will keep you posted throughout the journey! God is great!

Post from Kailyn Kennedy

2010-07-07T02:24:00.000-07:00

Below is a post from one of our teammate, Kailyn Kennedy who is currently in India. Please be praying for our team. We just got word that our leader, Jessica, is ill. Please pray for health!

(Blog post from Kailyn Kennedy)
Greetings from India!

As I write you, I'm sitting in a tiny internet cafe. I'm cramped in a tiny booth with only 30 minutes to write. I don't know how often I'll be able to find internet. They don't have wireless here, so I won't be able to use my laptop; therefore, I don't know how to post all my pictures.

It took us almost 50 hours to finally reach our destination. Thank God, our luggage made it okay. After we arrived, we took a bus to the train station. I was amazed at all the people, sounds, and smells. It's nothing like I have ever seen before. India is such a unique country. We arrived at the train station a few minutes later. The group started racing towards the train. I ended up getting lost in the crowd, because I was pulling a roller bag. It was one of the scariest experiences of my life. I yelled for them to stop, but they didn't hear me because of the noise. All I could do was pray. Here I was in a foreign country, surrounded by thousands of people who didn't speak English. I didn't have a phone with me. I didn't know which train we were trying to catch. I started running through the crowd, trying not to panic. After 10 minutes, I saw my group boarding our train. Thank the Lord!

It has been a roller coaster so far. The first night we arrived, after 50 hours of flying, we had to run a service at a home. We had no idea what we were doing. The whole experience was rather humorous. We were all so sleep deprived. The family filled our plates with spicy food. It was rude to say no.

On Sunday, we helped out with the church service. My team sang songs, preached, and prayed. Pastor Daniel asked us to pray for all the congregation. IT was so humbling. We laid hands on the people and prayed for healing and blessings. Afterwards, we headed our to a leprosy colony. I had no idea what to expect. Pastor Daniel, took us around the houses to pray for the people. I went inside one tiny house to find an elderly man laying on the bed. His entire leg was rotten flesh. The smell was almost unbearable. It broke my heart. I couldn't believe I was actually seeing this with my own eyes. The Pastor asked me to lay my hands on the man and pray for me. It took everything inside of me not to start weeping. It was a life-changing experience for me. That night, the Bible truly came alive. I felt like I was in the Bible times with Jesus. It was such a crazy feeling. We continued to walk around the community and love the people. It was so impacting for these people to have people come and actually care about their needs. To actually reach out their hands and TOUCH THEM. The lepers are rejected in this society. Next, we went to the beggars church. Every Sunday night, some people from Pastor Daniels church gathered together on a street corner. Many beggars came to listen to the service. Later, we handed them a hot plate of dinner and prayed for them. It was a beautiful site.

Life here is hard. We don't have showers or bathtubs. We have to use a bucket filled with water. It will take some time to get used to. The toilets here are holes in the ground. I'll take a picture to show you all. People don't use toilet paper, so we have to carry it everywhere. The temperature is almost 90-100 every day. The humidity is terrible. I am always soaked with sweat. The food is hot and different. OH, and they don't have coffee here. It's been hard for me to get used to. God is breaking me in every way imaginable. These next 10 weeks will change my life forever, no doubt. I am blessed to be here.

I don't know when I'll get to use the internet again. I miss you all so much! I'm going to try and update you as much as I can.

God bless!

Visa Situation

2010-07-07T02:23:00.000-07:00

Family and Friends,

I wanted to quickly update everyone on the Visa situation. Zach and I were scheduled to fly out from Kona to India on July 1 but God had different plans. On June 28 our team had a meeting regarding the Visa situation and we were told that seven of us still had not received our Visas. The crazy thing was that Zach's was scheduled to arrive the day before we were scheduled to fly out but mine was still pending. We were given the option of Zach going on to India and I coming 2 weeks later or him staying in Kona with me and flying out together. After much debate he chose to stay back with me for the two weeks waiting on my Visa. On June 30th, the day before everyone was scheduled to fly out, we received a phone call saying that Zach's Visa had indeed arrived in the mail and to everyones amazement mine was right alongside it. Crazy! Thinking that we might have a chance of flying out with our team that next day, we quickly got on the phone and called numerous airlines trying to change our tickets back to July 1. It was quite the evening filled with many dead ends. After trying every possible tactic we finally gave up about an hour before our group boarded the van for the airport.

Zach and I both know that for some reason God has us in Kona for two more weeks. We along with 5 other team members will be doing an outreach project in Kona for the next 2 weeks. Several of these projects include working in a soup kitchen, working with the Marshallese people and working in a local thrift store. Since living in Kona for the last three months we have become more and more aware of their injustice issues. We have an amazing opportunity to minister to the growing number of homeless people living on the island. The Marshallese people are another group that we will be ministering to. They live in a community about an hour away from campus and live in conditions similar to the poverty in a third world country. There has been very little awareness raised about their issues. We are certainly hoping and praying that we can be a light and create awareness. Kona has one of the highest domestic violence rates in the country. We will be working in a thrift store that is being operated by one woman who is giving all the proceeds to create a restoration project for domestic violence victims.

We want to thank everyone for the continuous prayers regarding the Visas. We certainly appreciate it! It appears that God has something big in store for us in Kona. Zach and I are scheduled to fly out from Kona to India on July 13. Thank you so much for all of your emails, encouraging words and prayers!

We hope all of you have a fun and safe 4th of July!

Please Pray

2010-06-23T00:05:00.000-07:00

I wanted to quickly send out an update and ask for prayer. Tonight my mom called and told us that my grandpa went home this evening to see Jesus. He passed away at 9:15 pm in the nursing home due to a heart attack. Please, please pray for my grandma and that God will give her complete peace. Please pray that God will envelop my mom in total comfort along with all of my aunts. Zach and I leave for India next Thursday so we won't be able to go home for the funeral. I am so sad to know that my family is grieving right now and I am all the way across the U.S. So if you think of us this week, please pray specifically for my family and for the grieving process, all the arrangements that need to be made and just for an abundance of comfort.

Another YWAM Monday

2010-06-22T03:59:00.001-07:00

Breathe in. Breathe out. I have to keep telling myself that God is in control and in the midst of all the chaos in Laura's and my life. Things have been very crazy lately and we are struggling just to make it through. It's almost midnight and I should be in bed, but I thought an update from me was long overdue. Laura's been really good about posting and sending out emails to everyone, but I have gotten distracted and keep putting it off. It's actually quite a peaceful end to such a hectic day. I can hear the waves violently crashing on the lava rock shore from where I am sitting in our spacious room that we have come to know as our home. It reminds me just how blessed we are to be living in Hawaii. It's days like today, when I really need to remember that.

Today was a typical Monday at YWAM. I got up at 5:50 to shower and prepare for the day ahead. I went to breakfast and enjoyed my hard boiled eggs, toast, and oatmeal with the faithful breakfast goers (a pretty small group at this point). Then I ran up to our classroom to turn in my and Laura's photojournalism assignments. I then had my quiet time before meeting at the Ohana court for corporate worship. This is always one of my favorite times of the week. At 9:00 we trekked up the hill to class.

This weeks speaker is Joseph Avakian. He is such a great speaker! He can fluently speak 7 languages, is a wealth of knowledge about other cultures, and is really funny. He is sharing with us about cultural differences and how to feel at home during outreach by really embracing the culture we are in instead of hanging on to our own. He shared a lot about his own life and stories of sacrifice and God's faithfulness. Class ended at noon, but the India team decided to fast lunch and instead pray for India and our contacts there. At 1:00 the rest of the class came back for photo evaluation. I always enjoy seeing the pictures everyone has taken during the week for their photo assignments. We finished shortly after 2:00 and had a break until 3:00 when work duty starts. Though I don't remember exactly what I did during this time, I know I was busy with something. I work in the CROWN media building (trailer) and am frantically trying to finish the video database application I am developing for YWAM before I leave on outreach. Immediately following work duty, Ben Schön and I went to Sports Authority on his motorcycle to pick up some sleep mats for outreach. We got back, snarfed down supper, and ran to our rooms to hurriedly read Revelation before class at 6:30. Paul Childers taught the highly anticipated Revelation teaching, but he didn't want us to come unless we had read through the entire book in one sitting. It was supposed to be on Wednesday, but got switched to today, leaving me with 40 min to devour the piece of apocalyptic literature. I finished with one minute to spare (almost enough time to get to the classroom). We then enjoyed Paul's energetic teaching for the next 3 hours. I came back to the room and talked to Laura for awhile before sitting down to edit wedding photos. And that brings us to now.

While today's schedule wasn't busier than normal, there was just so much stuff flying through my mind all day that I am exhausted. Next week will be in India... That's crazy. I still need to read two books and write book reports, figure out if we have everything we need for outreach, pack up all our stuff to leave in storage, uhh... hmmm... I know there is quite a list of things we need to do this week in our imaginary free time, but it escapes my mind at the moment. This morning during our 10 minute break I was standing outside the classroom and lyrics to Unashamed Love just came to my mind. "You're calling me to lay aside the worries of my day. To quiet down my busy mind and find a hiding place." It was a good reminder to give it all to God and trust that He's got it all under control.

We are still waiting to see if our visas went through this time, so please be praying that we get them soon. Pray specifically for Jason Brandt and Basma El Nour. They are having the most trouble with their visas, and if the current attempts are unsuccessful, Jason will have to fly back to Canada and Basma will have to fly home to Egypt to get their visas. Laura and I also have several packages of equipment that are supposed to arrive before we leave. So we are praying for a timely delivery. Welp, that's all I have for now. It's officially 1:00 am and time for me to hit the sack for 4 and half hours before starting the process over again. Goodnight all, and thanks for all your prayers! They really do work.

Susi Childers-Wake Up Call

2010-06-15T01:54:00.001-07:00

Susi Childers - A Wake Up Call from PhotogenX International on Vimeo.

This is a video of Susi Childers, our PhotogenX leader, speaking at the Ohano Court gathering on Thursday night! If you watch closely you will see Zach give her a lei!

Video on Love!

2010-06-15T01:49:00.001-07:00

Jason Ma prophetically freestyle preaching on love over beats. He was our speaker of the week and shared about intimacy with God and church planting. It was probably one of my favorite weeks. Check out the story of this song.

Email sent to Family and Friends

2010-06-15T01:46:00.000-07:00

Family and Friends,

Zach and I wanted to send out a short update to just keep everyone in the loop. The two of us having been busy preparing for outreach. We leave on July 1 for Dharmapuri in the southern part of India. Our team consist of three leaders, three men and fourteen women! As the day for departure gets closer we seem to get busier working on testimonies, creating dramas and filling out our Visa applications. A lot is up in the air right now for our our India team. Our group has really been challenged with the visa process. India just recently changed their visa application and it has made it way more difficult on our team. Zach and I have filled out the application three times now and we are praying that it gets approved. Several others on our team are not from the U.S. so they are having a much harder time getting the application completed. We are asking our family and friends to please pray the the Visa's will come quickly and that we will be on our way to India as scheduled.

We still know very little about what exactly we will be doing in Dharmapuri, India. There are multiple ministries that we will have the opportunity to get involved with. Some of these include, working in orphanages, organ trafficking, street evangelism, teaching a mini YWAM Discipleship Training School (DTS) and preaching in churches. Last week our team broke up the different areas of the outreach and appointed leadership roles. Zach was appointed as the point person for the logistics and photography. These two jobs are perfect for Zach, considering one is keeping a budget and the other is getting everyone out of bed at the crack of dawn to take pictures! Needless to say he was pretty content with his roles. I was appointed as the point person for hospitality and organizing the mini DTS. It's ironic how as the hospitality person, I will be planning day trips for our team and will most likely be asking Zach for funds to do so! God sure know where to place us, doesn't he!

While we are gone during the three months we will be staying in a pink house and working with Pastor Daniels. He is our contact person from India and will also act as our translator. As far as we know we will most likely have access to internet. Zach and I will most likely only be communicating through emails. Following the outreach our team will return to Kona, Hawaii and conclude with a week of debrief. We should fly back to Kona on September 18 and will return home to Kansas at the end of September.

Currently we are still enjoying our time in Kona. Zach turned 24 on June 2 and we celebrated with 40 others in our DTS. I told him, what better way to spend your birthday but in Hawaii! We both love the weather here and are unsure of the heat in India. Yes, Hawaii is beginning to really get hot but I have a feeling it won't compare to India. We are still spending the majority of our days in a classroom and we are loving every second of it! We have seen God move in some pretty incredible ways. The testimonies that we have heard are absolutely unbelievable. Zach and I listened to Jaeson Ma speak last week on church planting and how we are each disciples of Christ. He really challenged us to not view church as a building but instead as a group of disciples who are continuing to disciple others, creating a wave effect. If you are interested, check out his website at www.jaesonma.com.

I hope this email finds you and your family well! It's so nice knowing that we have so many family and friends back home encouraging, praying and supporting us. We can't thank you enough. I hope all of you are getting a chance to enjoy the summer months. Have a great week and know that we miss you!

Love

Zach and Laura Fry
Youth With a Mission
Kona, Hawaii

All About India

2010-06-04T10:08:00.000-07:00

As many of you have already heard, Zach and I are leaving for Dharmapuri, India on July 1. It's crazy to think that we only have 3 1/2 weeks left of lecture phase and then we board a plane and fly across the world! We have been told that it will take us around three days to actually get to India. This coud be somewhat of a challenge for me considering the flight from Kansas to Hawaii seemed like forever! Before we leave to embark on this next journey, Zach and I decided to do some research on India.

Bare Facts
*Capital City-New Dehli
*Full Name-Republic of India
*Form of Government-Democracy
*Number of States-28
*Language-Hindi is the official language, though English is widely spoken, 17 languages are actually recognized by their Constitution.

Population
Although India occupies only 2.4% of the world's land area, it supports over 15% of the world's population. Only China has a larger population. Almost 40% of Indians are younger than 15 years of age. About 70% of the people live in more than 550,000 villages, and the remainder in more than 200 towns and cities. Personal space is a rare occurrence in India.

Religion
Although 83% of the people are Hindu, India also is the home of more than 120 million Muslims--one of the world's largest Muslim populations. The population also includes Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, and Parsis. India is the land or religions.

Cuisine
Lots and lots of herbs and spices!
The staple foods in the region are rice (especially in the south and the east) and wheat (predominantly in the north). We have been told that we will be eating mostly curry along this journey. A main ingredient used in most dishes is grated coconut or coconut oil. A typical south Indian meal consist of rice served with sambhar (vegetable gravy with pulses). South Indian food is less greasy and oily compared to north India. South Indians are actually known for their homemade spices.

Health Issues
The health system in India is far from great.

Below are some helpful tips to prevent sickness while eating their food.

Don't eat in a restaurant where there is no one else. This is a sign that food may not be fresh.
Avoid lukewarm food. Eat food only if it is served hot. Avoid tourist buffets, where the food is likely to have been sitting out. (Phil: I ended up eating chicken and seafood, with no problem, but prehaps I was lucky...)
We avoided meat except in better restaurants. Reasoning: we're more likely to get sick from bad meat, than from veggies/rice/bread.
Don't order the Western Food except in major restaurants--no one else orders it and so it is likely not to be fresh. Of course, in restaurant in major hotels, we found that it was okay. Also, Nirula's for pizza in Delhi was great.
Wipe out glasses and plates. Waiters may rinse them off to "help" you, but those little droplets of water can make you sick. If glasses don't look clean, drink soda straight from the bottle.
We both also ate a lot of yoghurt (curd) in the first few days to let our systems adapt to the local flora, and have met other people who have done the same. I think this really helped a lot.
As a backup, I brought a plastic jar of peanut butter from the US. In small towns, it was easy to just get bread and dip it in the peanut butter. It may be tougher to bring peanut butter if you are bringing only a backpack. Otherwise, its fairly simple.
Restaurant rules: Don't drink from the glass if it looks slightly even dirty. Insist on carbonated water being brought to you in the bottle. If there are drops of local water on your dishes, dry them off before putting food on them. Do NOT eat from tourist buffets, especially cold food. We saw several tourist buffets with cans of sterno under the pots to keep them warm. But the sterno had gone out and so the food was getting cold (and incubating bacteria).
Water
The water in India is extremely contaminated. After doing some research online I discovered that a lot of times people will refill bottles of water with contaminated water and turn around and sell them. Several tips that I found included, check the water bottle over very clearly and use iodine drops and let sit in the water for several hours.

Monsoon Season
While we are visiting India we will actually be in the midst of monsoon season. This usually last from June through the month of September. This is definitely the season for mold, rainfall and lots of greenery!

Focusing on Dharmapuri
Dharmapuri is located in the state of Tamil Nadu which is in the southern most part of the Indian peninsula. Tamil Nadu is the 7th most populous state and is the most urbanized in India. Often when a girl child is born in Dharampuri the parents despair because they know that they won’t have the three sovereigns of gold and money required to provide a dowry for their child. Many make the choice of letting this precious little one perish. This district has the highest rate of infanticide in India. The government instituted the baby cradle system to give parents the options of dropping their girls off at the hospitals. In February 27, 2008 the reception center at the Dharmapuri government hospital had received 1044 babies, 41 being male and HIV positive or disabled.

There are several injustice issues that Dharmapuri as well as the rest of India faces. These issues include:
-Dowry
-Sex Trafficking
-Organ Trafficking
-Caste System
-Contaminated Water
-Child Labor is out of hand
-Education system-if a child is able to write their name on paper, then they are considered educated.
-Huge unemployment rates which leads to an overwhelming amount of homeless

Below is a video from ABC news that focuses on India. It gives an idea of what this country truly is like.

India is the 7th largest country by size, and second largest by population. There is so much diversity in the country it is hard to get an accurate picture of what it will be like where we are going. In any event, there is no shortage of injustice issues in the country. Laura and I are eager to arrive in this new culture and begin the process of adjusting and reaching out to the people. We desire to bring hope to the oppressed and can't imagine leaving the country unchanged. Please pray for us as we prepare.

My Top 10 Most Significant Times in DTS

2010-05-18T09:59:00.000-07:00

One of the questions we have to answer in our workbook this week is, “What have been some of the most significant times for you in DTS so far?” (Serious times, fun times or both!)

It’s hard to even know where to start when answering this question. The last 5 weeks have been so full of crazy schedules, some serious God time, growing relationships, listening to speakers pour out their hearts, eye awakening injustice issues and preparation for outreach. It has been absolutely amazing! Below is a list of my top ten most significant moments since being here.

1. Listening to John Leach speak on the Father Heart of God. He impacted me in numerous ways throughout that week. One thing that will always stand out is EXPECT God to work in your life. EXPECT big things from Him and don’t just put Him in a box. The second thing that has stuck with me is Satan is a liar and we need to identify those lies so that we can vanquish them!

2. Flying to Honolulu with good friends for the weekend! It was such a refreshing weekend to stay with a family and eat a home cooked meal. I loved seeing a entirely different island that was absolutely gorgeous. The relationships that I built that weekend are so significant! I felt like I had the chance to really get to know people on more than just on face value.

3. Dessert Night! This was the night where Zach and I found out that we would be serving in India on our outreach! It was a great night full of ice cream, music, dancing, and lots of pictures!

4. Worship! We are so blessed to have the opportunity to worship several times a week! I love having the freedom to worship with hundreds of other students.

5. Coming to the realization that God does not provide us with a blueprint of our lives.

6. Our feelings tend to dictate our actions. Learning that my feelings shouldn’t rule what I do and don’t do. We aren’t always going to be happy with the way things are going but that’s ok.

7. The retreat weekend with the entire PhotogenX DTS! It was so fun to just get away for the weekend and really build relationships with my fellow classmates.

8. Hearing about the track and the endless possibilities!

9. Spending quality time with my camera! I am learning so much about the different settings and I'm loving it! I have come to the realization that when traveling with 50 other photographers, we stick out like a sore thumb!

10. There is nothing better than feeling like God has you somewhere for a reason! Zach and I are totally and completely wrecked for God.

The last but not least most significant thing (so significant that's it's off the chart) is going through a life changing experience with my best friend, aka Zach. We have experienced some major revelations since being here...about ourselves and each other! The two of us are certainly growing and our marriage has become stronger and stronger! Thank you Jesus!

A Love Letter from God

2010-05-12T23:18:00.000-07:00

This week our PhotogenX class has been so blessed to listen to speaker John Leach, a preacher from Colorado. The topic that has really hit home for many of us is "The Father Heart of God." One of the first things he said to our class was simple but yet so profound. He stated, "Jesus loves me this I know." How many times have I sung this song over and over and never really grasped how magnificent and huge this statement is? We serve a very big God. The same God that created the universe loves me! It's one thing to say this to myself and another thing to believe it. Which leads me to the next point. The distance between my head and my heart is probably somewhere between 12-18 inches...but yet it is so much further. Transferring my head knowledge to my heart is such a challenge. For example, the statement, "Jesus loves me this I know," has been in my head for years upon years but I don't know that it has ever transferred to my heart. When we receive and accept love from God we are then able to give it appropriately to our brothers and sisters. Which leads me to my third point. Jesus is God's heart revealed to us. When we get God's heart we are suppose to walk it out on the face of the earth. This seems so simple but yet so difficult all at the same time. When we are walking in the father heart of God, He will speak to us and show us missions.

Something that has been challenging me this week is expectations. John Leach said in class that maybe we don't have any expectations of God and in turn we get frustrated with not hearing from Him. It's easy to put God in a box and think that his power is so limited...but it's not! Expectations are huge! If we aren't expecting God to speak to us or show us the way then most likely He won't. Why should He? When we are talking to God we should fully expect to hear from Him. When talking about expectations in class it really struck me. I have put my expectations everywhere but in my Father. I put huge expectations on my husband, who yes is amazing but is also human and will never be able to humanly live up to my expectations. For me it is a huge paradigm shift. I have to take the expectations and place them on God.

Jumping to something that is fresh in my mind and was discussed in class today is lies. Fact 1, the devil is a liar and he gets us to believe the lies, he tries to control the mind. Fact 2, stronghold-the place in our mind where the enemy of our soul has gotten us in agreement with him. Fact 3, Each of us has a well worn path that the devil comes back and forth on to our weaknesses and then attacks when we are weak. What does all this mean? Many of us realize that the devil lies to us but very few have ever tried to identify what lies he feeds us. John challenged us in class to identify these lies and then find three verses in the Bible that will combat these lies. He asked us to read these verses every morning to remind ourselves that God is truth and He loves us and made us in His image. These lies in our head aren't from God-they are from the enemy. Many people in our class spoke today and gave examples of what lies satan was constantly feeding them and how they have began to believe him. It was so crazy to hear my classmates speak out about how they didn't feel loved or they felt like a misstake or just a screw up. It's a huge lie! I looked at those people and just wanted to cry. None of what they were saying was true. Satan has found our deepest and darkest and weakest places to plant these lies and we are believing them. I want so badly to vanquish satans lie in my life, lack of approval. I know that there are other lies in my life that he has planted and I still need to identify. Each morning when I wake up I will read the letter below. It's a love letter from God our Father and wow is it ever powerful! I leave you with this comment, "when the devil reminds us of our past we should remind him of his future."

My Child

You may not know me, but I know everything about you [Psalm 139:1]
I know when you sit down and when you rise up [Psalm 139:2]
I am familiar with all your ways [Psalm 139:3]
Even the very hairs on your head are numbered [Matthew 10:29-31]
For you were made in my image [Genesis 1:27]
For you are my offspring [Acts 17:28]
I knew you even before you were conceived [Jeremiah 1:4-5]
I chose you when I planned creation [Ephesians 1:11-12]
You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book [Psalm 139:15-16]
I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live [Acts 17:26]
You are fearfully and wonderfully made [Psalm 139:14]
I knit you together in your mother's womb [Psalm 139:13]
And brought you forth on the day you were born [Psalm 71:6]
I have been misrepresented by those who don't know me [John 8:11-14]
I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love [1 John 4:16]
And it is my desire to lavish my love on you [1 John 3:1]
Simply because you are my child and I am your father [1 John 3:1]
I offer you more than your earthly father ever could [Matthew 7:11]
For I am the perfect father [Matthew 5:18]
Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand [James 1:17]
For I am your provider and I meet all your needs [Matthew 6:31]
My plan for your future has always been filled with hope [Jeremiah 29:11]
Because I love you with an everlasting love [Jeremiah 31:3]
My thoughts towards you are countless as the sand on the seashore [Psalm 169:17-18]
And I rejoice over you with singing [Zephaniah 3:17]
I will never stop doing good to you [Jeremiah 32:10]
For you are my treasured possession [Exodus 19:3]
I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul [Jeremiah 32:11]
And I want to show you great and marvelous things [Jeremiah 33:3]
If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me [Deuteronomy 4:29]
Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart [Psalm 37:4]
For it is I who gave you those desires [Philippians 2:13]
For I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine [Ephesians 3:20]
For I am your greatest encourager [2 Thessalonians 2:16-17]
I am also the father who comforts you in all your troubles [2 Corinthians 1:3-4]
When you are broken hearted, I am close to you [Psalm 34:18]
As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart [Isaiah 40:11]
One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes [Revelation 21:3-4]
And I will take away any pain you have suffered on this earth [Revelation 21:3-4]
For I am your father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus [John 17:23]
In Jesus, my love for you is revealed [John 17:26]
He is the exact representation of my being [Hebrews 1:3]
He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you [Romans 8:31]
And to tell you that I am not counting your sins [2 Corinthians 5:18-19]
His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you [1 John 4:10]
I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love [Romans 8:31-32]
If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me [1 John 2:23]
And nothing will ever separate you from my love again [Romans 8:38-39]
Come home and I'll throw you the biggest party heaven has ever seen [Luke 15:7]
I have always been father, and will always be father [Ephesians 3:14-15]
My question...
Will you be my child [John 1:12-13] [Luke 15:11-32]
I am waiting for you

Love, your dad,
Almighty God

My Hearts Cry

2010-05-12T22:20:00.000-07:00

A Prayer for the Refugees

One of our assignments this week is to research what a refugee goes through as they are displaced from their home and then write a prayer on their behalf. During my senior year of college I had the opportunity to spend a week in St. Louis serving in inner city missions. The Lord used me along with three other students to touch the life of a Tutsi woman who had escaped from Rwanda. Every day during the outreach I would go to this woman's home at 8:00am and offer any help that I could. This Christian woman basically ran a very impromptu daycare out of her home for children of Tutsi refugees. Many Tutsi's had fled to St. Louis and were desperately looking for jobs but did not speak English. This woman would watch their children for a very minimal amount why they spent the day in language classes or applying for jobs. During that week my eyes were completely opened to the Rwanda Civil War, something I had been completely ignorant of.

I wanted to provide some background information on the Rwandan Civil War before I went much further. The Rwandan Civil War was a conflict within the Central African nation of Rwanda between the government of President Juvenal Habyarimana and the rebel Rwandan Patriotic Front. In 1994 the assassination of Habyarimana proved to be the catalyst for the Rwandan Genocide, which led to 800,000 deaths. Both Tutsi's and Hutu's were killing one another and some eventually fled and became refugees.

Father, I thank you for your goodness, your grace and your never ending love. You have created each and every one of us in your own image and you delight in us. Thank you for sacrificing your only Son so that we may have eternal life. Lord I thank you for the country of Africa and for the hearts of the people there. Lord I want to lift up the Rwanda Genocide to you Lord. I pray for these thousands upon thousands of refugees that have become the outcome of this vicious genocide. Lord I ask that you would just reign down blessing upon blessing on these people who have fled the only country they have ever known. I pray specifically for comfort Lord. I lift up these Tutsi refugees that are struggling to scrape by. They are struggling to keep their feet firmly planted on the ground in a country filled with people seeking after the American dream. Lord I ask that the Tutsi's will be equipped with the English language and have the skills necessary to find jobs. Please let these people feel an overwhelming welcoming to the United States. Most importantly I pray that these Tutsi's can run to you Lord looking for an embrace like no other. I pray that in those moments of doubt, fear, anxiety, and worry that You would simply put those thought to rest. I pray for safety for these Tutsi's Lord. I ask that you would continue to provide for their needs and erase the stigma attached with being a refugee.

I lift these things up to you Lord and ask that you will just bless these Tutsi's. I love you Lord. Amen

Making Jesus Lord

2010-05-07T10:45:00.001-07:00

by Zach

What does it mean to give up your rights? And why would you want to? Isn’t it our right to have rights? Making Jesus Lord by Loren Cunningham poses the challenge of laying down our greatly valued personal rights at the feet of Jesus as an act of faith and worship. It is only in giving up that we can truly win. “When we surrender our personal rights to the Lord, for His sake and the sake of the gospel, we discover the secret of inheriting the whole world for Him.” The things that we have, are only given to us for a time by God to be used for His glory.

Jesus first modeled this principle when He came to earth as a man. Paul talks about this and reminds us that we are to live the same way in his letter to the church at Philippi. “Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal's death on a cross. Because of this, God raised him up to the heights of heaven and gave him a name that is above every other name,” Philippians 2:5-9 (NLT). Jesus gave up His right to be God when He came to this sinful earth as a man. We can’t comprehend what that would be like. In entering the world, He gave up His right to a normal birth. He left His widowed mother and gave up the right to be with His earthly family. He gave up His right to marriage and home (Matthew 8:20). He gave up His right to money and earthly possessions. He gave up His right to a good reputation, being born a questionable birth and in a town that wasn’t well respected. To top it all off, He gave up His right to life itself; He gave it up so that we could be restored to God and have eternal life with Him. Jesus said we are to follow Him. This means we are to do as he did, giving up our rights and gaining everything. In Mark 8:34-35 (NCV) Jesus said, “If people want to follow me, they must give up the things they want. They must be willing even to give up their lives to follow me. Those who want to save their lives will give up true life. But those who give up their lives for me and for the Good News will have true life.” God blesses us with our rights, but then as an expression as our love we give them back. And when we do this He will give us something far greater.

Loren’s life is filled with examples when he surrendered his rights to his wife, children, money, comfort, and many other God given blessings. And every time God met him with incredible faithfulness. When we release our grip on our possessions and money then God can use those things that He has given us. It is only when we surrender our rights to spend our money in the way we want that God will step in as our provider and grant us the incredible security of being His child. The stability in that can last through any economic recession, downturn, or loss of a job.

The book was filled with so many stories and other life principles, but giving up our rights in faith, is what struck me the most. There was a story of a preacher imprisoned in the Soviet Union for sharing the gospel. He began to intercede for the inmates and soon he was transferred to the worst prison in the Soviet Union because the guards were so impressed by the change that was taking place when the prisoners accepted Christ. His ministry continued and he was offered an early parole for the incredible work he was doing in the prison. He chose to give up his right to freedom to stay in prison and continue in the work of God. I pray that I would have the disciple and courage to give up my rights and let God use me however He sees fit.

Making Jesus Lord written by Loren Cunningham

2010-05-03T17:14:00.000-07:00

by Laura Fry

The last two weeks Zach and I have been reading the book, "Making Jesus Lord," by Loren Cunningham. Throughout our DTS we will be required to read a variety of books and write book reports on each of them.

Throughout "Making Jesus Lord," Loren Cunningham refers back to his own personal experiences of how he transformed his life into a life of freedom, joy and an intimate relationship with Christ. Over and over, this book shows countless examples of letting lose of what we lay claim over and simply handing it to God. Loren spoke specifically about his children and his wife. It mentions in the book that fear is perhaps the greatest spirit we have to combat in ourselves and in the world. The Bible teaches that perfect love casts out fear, so love is the opposite of fear. Loren speaks about how his biggest fear was giving up his rights of Darlene and his children. He explains how Darlene was involved with a series of mishaps where on countless times, Loren almost lost her. He goes on to explain the Darlene's life had been targeted by Satan or that the target was simply him and the fear he had for her life. Loren eventually figured out that Satan was attacking him with fear that his wife would die. Loren commanded Satan in Jesus' name to stop bringing the accidents upon Darlene. The string of accidents stopped immediately. Loren uses this as an example of explaining that we can't be in fear for someone that has been given to God.

In this book there is a wonderful example of how a mother and father trusted God to take care of their little girl. They had given her over to the Lord without fear. The little girl attended a communist school where they systematically tried to destroy the students' belief in God. Countless times the young girl refused to say that, "There is no God." The teacher became more and more furious that this small child was not denying her love for Christ. Throughout this entire short story, the parents of this child never once backed down and continued to guide her in saying that, "yes indeed there is a God." In the end God blessed this child and her family for their faith.

Throughout this book, Loren provides numerous examples of how God provides when we simply trust and listen to Him. One example he shares is purposely dropping his money on the road, returning to get it and then be told to give it away to a student that needed the exact amount for drug rehabilitation. Obviously God played a huge role in this situation, blessing both the student and Loren.

When reflecting back on this book I realized that the way of the world could not be any more different than God. In our society people are so incredibly selfish. We are raised with this hunger to collect meaningless stuff. We consider all of our wordly possessions strictly our own. God asks us to lay down our rights and follow Him. Sometimes this can means our rights to our house, our cars, our money, our spouse and our children. Everything that we have been blessed with came from God. In other words these physical possessions are Gods. Who are we to lay claim over all of these things. Many times these rights can refer to giving up a secure job to follow Christ. Sometimes these rights can refer to non concrete things such as fear, forgiveness, pride, or even our life plans.

As Christians we have to make the decision of, "are we going to lay down our rights?" Do we want to walk in freedom? Do we want to shed our fears and worries and experience something far greater? We have to consciously lay down our rights at the feet of Jesus of make him Lord.

2010-04-30T01:39:00.001-07:00

This weeks Voice for the Voiceless research topic is HIV/AIDS. Since we are going to India in July, I decided to take a look at how HIV and AIDS were affecting the Indian population. The first case of HIV in India was diagnosed in 1986. Despite blood screenings, health education, and other efforts launched the following year, the number of cases continued to rise. Most of the initial cases were the result of heterosexual sex, but by the end of the decade, it was spreading quickly through injected drug users. The 2008 estimate indicated that there were 2.31 million people living with HIV in India. While this figure is down from some of the previous years' estimates, it places India third in the world for the greatest number of HIV cases. Because India is so large, it can be difficult to study the effects of HIV on the country as a whole. In general, because of lack of understanding, one of the most challenging side effects is discrimination and stigma.

As in other countries, HIV and AIDS in India is often viewed as "someone else's problem," the problem of those engaging in immoral activities. Those living with HIV have often faced violent attacks, rejection from family, friends, and community, as well as having been denied medical care. In one 2006 study, 25% of people living in India were found to have been refused medical care because of their HIV status. Some children have been denied their right to education because they have HIV. This stigma is also found in the workplace. Seventy-four percent of employees don't disclose their status to their employers for fear of discrimination. Of those who have, almost half reported some form of discrimination by their employers.

The lack of knowledge on this subject is probably the greatest cause for the discrimination. The majority of people believe that HIV can be transmitted by a mosquito bite. And according to a local 2009 Indian study, 72.8% of people believed that HIV could be transmitted simply by sharing food. Because of the vast stigma, many people are scared to speak out and tell people that they are HIV positive. Many others are scared to get tested for fear of having the virus. So many individuals are forced to live by themselves in constant isolation, loneliness, and lack of self-worth. Their hope is gone. Their reputation is gone. They can often lose their jobs and families. It's little wonder that they wait to get tested until it's too late - until it has progressed to AIDS and treatment is not as effective resulting in early deaths.

It's sad that on top of living with a life-threatening disease and all the psychological consequences that come with that, these people are forced to suffer more through the disgrace that society places on them. It's ok to sit down and eat a meal with them - make them feel normal if only for a moment. These individuals all have a story to tell. So often that are just thrown in a stereotype and never given the chance to speak with their own voice. What would they say? We won't know unless we talk to them. Everyone deserves to be heard. Everyone deserves to be loved.

Stigma Surrounding HIV/AIDS

2010-04-29T17:50:00.001-07:00

I seriously doubt that any of us will ever understand the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS until we have walked in the shoes of those battling this life threatening disease. HIV/AIDS is classified as a relatively new disease that emerged in the 1980s. In 1980 very little was known about this emerging disease which created fear in many people's minds. Very small amounts of information was known about the risk of transmission. Our society feared those infected, thinking the disease was so contagious that it would be passed by simply shaking hands. This fear and lack of information has attached a very negative stigma to those battling HIV/AIDS. Our society is not a society to search out information but instead believe was is being spoon fed to us. The lack of knowledge in 1980 surrounding HIV/AIDS has contributed significantly to the fear of contagion.

The negative stigmas from this disease can result in being shunned by family, friends and even society, poor treatment in healthcare and education, psychological damage, and can negatively affect the success of testing and treatment. Many people associate HIV/AIDS with specific behaviors such as, homosexuality, drug addiction, prostitution or promiscuity. There is a lot of inaccurate information about the transferring of this specific disease which leads to misperceptions of personal risks. According to a study that was done, 1 in every 5 Americans would not feel comfortable having an HIV positive friend. Many people lose their jobs or get thrown out of their home when discovering they have HIV/AIDS.

I came across a blog that dealt with the stigmas tied in with HIV/AIDS. The author shared a little about how when a family is struggling with HIV/AIDS, they normally keep it to themselves because they fear what the outside world will think and how they will react. When looking at this situation in a church setting it is extremely backwards. The church should be the community supporting and praying for the family facing this challenge. In all reality most people keep the fact that they have HIV/AIDS to themselves or only share it in complete confidence with their preacher. When someone is wrestling with something and is unable to trust the church it's depriving the church of serving in their full capacity that God created it for. The family or individual diagnosed with HIV/AIDS has a zero support system and feels extremely alone and isolated. The stigmas surrounding HIV/AIDS force the diagnosed individuals to fight the battle alone. We as Christians should be willing to look past the disease and extend a hand of grace and act in a way that screams God's character.

One thing that needs to be done to change the stigma attached to HIV/AIDS is for our society to be more informed about this disease and how it is passed along. We as Christians really need to get involved instead of assuming that someone else is going to fight the battle.

We are headed to India!

2010-04-28T00:53:00.000-07:00

Well it's official! Tonight Zach and I found out that we will be serving in India for our outreach. Last Friday we were given the options of going to Mexico, Haiti, Philippines or India. We were basically given 1 hour to pray about it and then write down our first and second pick. Zach and I prayed about our location separately and then together and were so excited when we both felt a strong desire to serve in India! It's so cool to see how God works! So at the end of June Zach and I will be boarding a plane to India! Right now we know very few details about outreach. As we find out more information we'll post it on the blog.

We had a great time tonight with our entire PhotogenX DTS! Our staff hosted a Dessert Outreach where the final selections for teams were announced. We have four different teams serving in various locations. Zach and I were so excited be serving in India along with 19 other

students. Below are some pictures from tonight!

God's Character and Nature

2010-04-23T10:52:00.000-07:00

At first I was going to use some pictures I have taken that I felt represented an aspect of the character or nature of God:

God as a brilliant, perfect designer. His creativity and beautiful complexity is only hinted at in His creation.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
- Psalm 139:14

Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole >earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen. - Psalm 72:19

The beauty, hope, and divine inspiration of God.

But, now I feel that this doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of any aspect of God. How can you even attempt to describe aspects of God's nature and character with created images or words. All was created by God. Can we use the created to describe the creator? God is so big, but in some way He makes Himself known to us. It is truly indescribable. We often make God so small in our minds; He is beyond comprehension. I don't even know how to begin to describe that. There are words in our limited language. How, with only 26 letters in the English alphabet, can express His greatness, majesty, holiness and power. We can't. God is too big.

Is that really You God? - Zach

2010-04-23T01:11:00.000-07:00

Is that really You God? This is a question that was asked over and over again by Loren Cunningham along with his wife Darlene on their journey of hearing and obeying God’s voice. It has been neat to read their story and see the principles of what we’ve been learning in class lived out in their lives. The book is filled with so many faith-building stories you can’t help but be inspired. I enjoyed getting to see them for the first time tonight and look forward to meeting them in person.

It’s so crazy to me to look at Loren’s life and see how God has used him and multiplied his efforts. It all started with a vision God gave Loren of waves of young people crashing onto every continent until the land was completely covered. It’s mind boggling how God can use one individual and then through the help of other willing vessels accomplish such great things. I don’t feel like I can do much… I am only one person after all. But then I look at the first YWAM outreach; Loren sent two willing young men to Liberia. Now just 50 years later, YWAM has established works in over 1,100 locations and 170 countries.

Although their accomplishments have been amazing, the journey wasn’t always easy. In fact it was very difficult at times. At one point Loren was asked by the general superintendent of the Assemblies of God to choose between a salaried job for mission work complete with his own staff and budget, but on a much smaller, manageable scale than what Loren envisioned, or to resign as a minister of the church. It seems like it would have been a great offer, too good to pass up, so secure. But Loren knew this wasn’t what God had shown him in the vision of young missionaries on every continent. Though it wasn’t an easy decision, Loren did what he knew God was calling him to and left the Assemblies of God so he could work interdenominationally even though he knew people would think he had been kicked out and form their own assumptions. Though it was difficult for a time, God provided and blessed the ministry because of Loren’s faithfulness. There were many other trials and challenges the Cunningham’s went through, but God was always faithful and rewarded their obedience.

In another instance Loren and others were led to purchase a ship for a mercy ministry to help people in need after a natural disaster. It seemed like a huge project, and they only proceeded after they were certain God was telling them to pursue it. Through the process they learned a very important principle of guidance, but that lesson would come a very high cost. The Lord will lead us into victory, but success itself is the most dangerous obstacle to properly hearing the voice of God. Just as He had always done in the past, God provided what was needed to begin acquiring the ship. An English businessman sent $72,000 dollars for the deposit, over 100 volunteers and crew members from 10 nations began cleaning the ship, a prominent interior decorator volunteered his services, farmers promised food for supplies, and one businessman even promised to pay for the remainder of the ship. Everyone was filled with excitement and the newspapers began printing stories about the claims of God’s provision and apparent promises, but then everything changed. Loren was reading Hebrews 12, when he suddenly felt like God was warning him about the ship, but he didn’t understand. No more money came in, and the businessman who had promised the rest of the money was not heard from. It was later revealed to Loren through a vision what was happening. They had taken their eyes off Jesus and began cheering the ship. They had put the focus on the ship instead of giving God the glory. Everyone involved repented, confessed, and wept for days. They hoped that God would heal the ship ministry, but nothing was happening. Finally God gave them a choice, He could heal the ship or if they would accept it, greater glory would come to God if they would accept a resurrection. They knew what they had to do. In order for the ship ministry to be resurrected, it had to die, and along with it their reputations might die. In the end they lost the ship and the $72,000 donation. They learned an important lesson and God continued to use them to do mighty things. Several years later God did resurrect the idea and a new ship came into the picture. This time all the glory was given to God and a new mercy ministry was launched.

Loren’s story is an incredible account of real faith. So often God would ask Loren to do something that made absolutely no sense to him in the moment, but Loren would respond in obedience and God never failed him. I pray that I could have same bold obedient faith. Sometimes I feel like my faith is so inadequate. How can God use me of little faith? But it starts as small steps, and I believe I have already begun to take those baby steps. Now I am ready to start walking in faith and hope for the day when I can run.

Is That Really You God? by Laura Fry

2010-04-20T16:09:00.000-07:00

At one point I had mentioned a book by Loren Cunningham called, “Is That Really You God?” One of our assignments in our DTS is to read this book and write a book report on it. For those who don’t know, Loren Cunningham is the founder of YWAM. Basically the book, “Is That Really You God,” explains and answers a lot of questions about the beginning stages of YWAM, why it came to be and how exactly God directed the steps.

This amazing book shows countless examples of how Loren trusted the Lord with every step taken in the journey to beginning YWAM. As a young child Loren witnessed countless examples of how his parents listened to God and went wherever God told them to go. One of Loren’s earliest examples of listening to God speak occurred when he was only six years old. He shared a story in the book about being sent to the store by his mother to purchase milk for the family. His mother had given Loren a five dollar bill and warned him to be very careful with the money because it was their grocery money for the week. When Loren arrived at the store he realized the money was no where to be found. Loren retraced his steps and eventually ended up at home crying as he explained the situation to his mother. His mother instantly began to pray and ask God to show them where the money was. God spoke to Loren's mother telling her the money was under a bush, where of course they later found it. This simple story is just one of the many amazing stories of how God has spoken in Loren's life.

Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature were the words Loren received from God when he was only thirteen years old. These words led to Loren preaching his very first sermon at this young age. Reading these countless examples of how God spoke to Loren, proves that God really does use young people to better His kingdom.

YWAM all began simply from the Lord showing Loren a vision of waves crashing into continents. Only the waves turned into people. Countless times throughout this book, Loren refers to sending out waves of people into all the world. It's crazy to think that something this simple can lead to something so huge. Loren named this project YWAM, which rhymes with "I am."

Throughout Loren's life he overcame huge issues and over and over humbled himself. He mended relationships with both of his aunts. There were relationships that had been broken for years and he bridged the gap to healing. Various times throughout this book Loren would check his life with God. There were times when he would simply fast and spend a week praying so that he could clearly hear God speak to him. There was a moment when YWAM was on the verge of launching a mercy-ship ministry, everything was falling into place including the financial aspect but God was clearly saying no to Loren. Loren eventually humbled himself and realized that he was in love with this idea of a huge boat and was worshipping the tool instead of the Lord. With everyone else so excited about this project, Loren stepped forward and said that God had said no. This was a great example of how God showed grace and later provided a ship for this ministry when it was His timing.

The success of YWAM is a huge testimony to how God really does speak and His plan is truly the best. Many of the things we have been learning during lectures in our DTS are so intertwined with this book. Loren's story is a foundation of what YWAM truly is. The same way that the Lord spoke to Loren years ago is still alive today. In fact this is the same way that we were taught in class. The steps, the journey and the success to beginning YWAM can only be accredited to God.

I found this book AMAZING! It's almost so good that it seems unreal. Loren Cunningham has a lot of faith. There were moments in this book where God led Loren on some crazy journey's and Loren never questioned him, instead he simply believed. Needless to say, Is That Really You, God, yes without a doubt it really is Him.

Our Life

2010-04-19T01:30:00.001-07:00

Ok, so I think our blog is long overdue for a new update. It is currently 10:30 Hawaiian time. Zach and I spent pretty much all evening reading a book written by Loren Cunningham, the founder of YWAM. It's called, "Is That Really You God?" During registration each student receives a copy of the book and then are required to read it. It's an amazing story of how faith and trust in God has spelled out one man's life. Zach and I both will probably be blogging about the book for class before Friday. So I'm sure we'll post more about it later.

This evening our first photo assignment was due. We were required to take one wildlife picture using a telephoto lens and a landscape picture using a wide angle lens. Tomorrow in class our pictures will be projected and then our classmates will critique them. We were not allowed to edit any of the pictures, so it's kind of fun to see everyone's raw work. I think the photography aspect of the class is going to be amazing. Our instructor Susi Childers wants us to learn how to take one good picture instead of snapping 20 shots of the same thing and then picking out the picture and editing it later. This will certainly be useful for Zach and I...we tend to take way to many pictures and then spend hours weeding out the bad ones.

Many people back home have been asking what our schedule is like here. I guess you could say we are blessed with craziness! We start our morning with breakfast at 7:00 and then have quiet time with Jesus at 7:30. Zach and I hike up the hill to class at 8:00 and are there until noon. During this time we have a Biblical teaching. Each week we get to listen to a different speaker..which has been absolutely amazing so far! From noon to 1:00 we eat lunch and then usually there is something for class at 1:00. Somedays we have small groups or camera techniques. We are scheduled to have a break from 2:00-3:00 but it really just kind of varies from day to day. We also have work duty from 3:00-5:00 everyday. We eat dinner at 5:00 and then head back up to class at 6:00 for the photography teaching. We are usually out of class at 9:00pm. Needless to say it is a very full day!

Zach and I can't say enough good things about our classes! We have been in class for a full week now and we just love what we are soaking up. We have been listening to Paul and Susi Childers, founders of PhotogenX, share their personal stories of how God has spoken to them and how they have simply listened. Paul spoke about how to hear God's voice...this entails, submission, Holy Spirit inspired intuition, self sacrifice, purpose, confidence and breaking out of the box. The Childers have provided countless examples of how God has spoken to them and how he didn't just leave them when they chose to listen. It's interesting to think of how God can ask us to do something but then not provide us instantly with the next step. Such as the purpose...we've been learning that God is not interested in providing us with a blueprint of our lives. Hearing and obeying God gives us a purpose and walking in our purpose engages us with God. It's interesting how many accounts are in the Bible of how God spoke. I mean in one instance God even spoke through a donkey. It's almost mind boggling to try and explain what we are learning in our classes. Many of our class lectures are all on podcasts...here's the link if you are interested in listening.

http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/photogenx-dts-2010-podcasts/id367085080

A girl named Hakani
One story that we heard in class revolved around a small child named Hakani. She grew up in the Amazon rainforest in the Suruwaha Indian Tribe. The tribe tried to kill Hakani by burying her alive because she was disabled. When she was two years old she couldn't walk or talk so the tribe deemed her to have a monkey soul instead of a child's soul. Hakani's brother saved her life by carrying her out of the jungle. Marcia and Edson Suzuki discovered Hakani sitting outside of their missionary tent. When they found her she was five years old only weighing fifteen pounds, with scars all over her body. The Suzuki's took the steps to adopt Hakani and then began the fight to stop infanticide in Brazil. It's extremely common in the 200 tribes in Brazil to practice infanticide. Many times they will kill deformed babies or babies born to a single mother. David Cunningham, Loren Cunningham's son picked up on the story and a movie was created to raise awareness. The movie Hakani tells the story and life of this now 14 year old. The cool part about this is that Susi Childers, our PhotogenX leader, put together a book called "A Voice for the Voiceless." In this book is Hakani's story.

The same day that we heard about Hakani's story, we were told that she was actually going to be on our campus for a year. Zach and I were really hoping to meet her and we just happen to run into her downtown that same night. We recognized her from the pictures and hung out with her for probably 30 minutes. She is one amazing girls so completely filled with life!

Well I am finishing up this post on Monday and I'm headed to work. I had about a 15 minute break. Hope to update again later this week!

Our Friend

2010-04-17T01:10:00.000-07:00

As promised, I am posting a picture of our friend the gecko that lives in our room. He seems to visit us every day around 1:00.

Human Trafficking/Modern Day Slavery

2010-04-16T10:58:00.000-07:00

by Zach Fry

Human Trafficking. To me, this is somewhat of a sterile phrase. Sure, it conjures up certain feelings of injustice and inhumanity, but it also has a certain political correctness to it that seems to desensitize the issue. Because human trafficking is somewhat of a broad term, it doesn’t necessarily immediately tug at and break your heart. But begin defining what forms human trafficking can take or begin listing specifics and suddenly it becomes real. Suddenly you find tears welling up behind your eyes. Suddenly you feel utter disgust. Suddenly… you feel shame. As you dig into the issue, you realize that by doing nothing, we are allowing this evil. “He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.” - Martin Luther King, Jr. In digging into news articles and trying to research this topic, it hit a little bit closer to home. Just last month a 30 year old man from the former Soviet Union plead guilty to human trafficking in Missouri. He was conspiring to put illegal aliens to work in hotels in Kansas City and Branson as well as locations in 14 other states. It was only a few short years ago that I lived in Branson and knew the area quite well. How does this happen? How are we so blind that we think slavery in our own country died with Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation?

In preparing our hearts and minds to fight global injustice issues, our class has been discussing Human Trafficking and especially the buying and selling of children for sex. This little talked about issue in our society is not just an issue overseas, but is an issue on our own soil, in our own states, and yes, even in our own cities and towns. There are over 300,000 children bought and sold each year in the US for sex. The average age for girls entering into this forced prostitution is 11-12 years old. Slaveholders prefer the young because they have a longer shelf life – as if they are a perishable food item that will soon expire. The johns who regularly pay for sex prefer adolescents over any other age group. These young girls are often forced to have sex with 10 or more men a night. You hear their stories and you wonder how this can happen. How can women and girls be traded for money on craigslist? How can a preacher sexually abuse a girl? How can a mother allow her boyfriend to pimp her daughter online and send her all over the country? How can we hear about these issues and not become sick to our stomach? Why is this issue being kept a secret? Because it’s embarrassing. Because it’s overwhelming. Because it’s an uncomfortable issue we just don’t talk about. Because we don’t want to admit that maybe there is something we should be doing to help bring awareness and stop sex trafficking. Modern day slavery looks very different today than the slavery of Lincoln’s day. Back then it was obvious who was the slave and who was not. Now it is much harder to tell. Slaves are now hidden and disposable – they are not kept for generations. They are purchased and then thrown away.

Sex trafficking is masked as prostitution, somehow making it less appalling. The slaves are the ones often viewed as the criminals or at best victims of circumstance who feel they have no choice but to sell themselves for money. But in reality, very few prostitutes are acting individually. There are networks of traffickers, pimps, brothel owners, and recruiters that lurk in the shadows forcing kids into a life of sexual commerce. These are the real criminals along with the johns who demand such things. As a guy, I feel very ashamed of what men all around our country are doing to young innocent children. The lack of justice is overwhelming. These men need our prayers as much as the entrapped children. If these men had a change of heart… a change of their value system, then there would be no demand to meet, and the growing sex trafficking industry would simply die out. I believe this issue begins in the home with the family. The values that are taught to children when they are young, the relationships they have with their father and mother, and the relationship between the husband and wife, all contribute to the value system the child will hold with them as they grow up. There is plenty we can do to expose this injustice, but to make a change in the next generation, there needs to be a change in the home.

A group of young people who did the PhotogenX DTS and world track several years ago have decided to continue on and investigate sex trafficking in the US. We have had the opportunity to talk to some of them, and they have shared some of their stories which is where I got a lot of my information. Every week they are releasing a webisode on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/sexandmoneyglobal Also they are working very hard to put together a documentary film and a website to unite the abolitionist movement in the United States. Help the Sex and Money team get a $50,000 grant from Pepsi to put together this website. http://refresheverything.com/gosetfree Please vote everyday for the rest of the month to help them get in the top ten.

Human Trafficking/Modern Day Slavery

2010-04-15T13:49:00.001-07:00

by: Laura Fry

One of our assignments in our DTS is researching human trafficking/modern day slavery and writing about it. We have the option of turning in something written, writing a blog, a song, or drawing a picture. I figured why not post it on our blog so that friends and family can also read this back home.

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, human trafficking is defined asthe recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of a person by means of coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, or abuse of power of a position of vulnerability for the purpose of exploitation. To help break this definition down, human trafficking can be done through the means of forcing victims into prostitution, subjecting victims to slavery or compelling victims to sex acts for the purpose of creating pornography.

Several statistics involving human trafficking as of 2009...

-Human trafficking is the second largest and fastest growing industry in the world.

-Human trafficking is commonly known as modern day slavery.

-Happens in the United States

-There are more than 27 million people worldwide who are victims of human trafficking

-In the United States alone 100,000 women, including children fall prey to the commercial exploitation.

-Approximately 80% of trafficking involves sexual exploitation

-Of the trafficking that has been reported within the U.S. the most cases have been reported from Florida, New York and California

Red Flags

(Recognizing a victim of trafficking)

-Living with employer

-Poor living conditions

-Multiple people in cramped spaces

-Inability to speak to an individual alone

-Employer holding identity documents

-Unpaid or paid very little

-Victims kept under surveillance when taken to a doctor, hospital or clinic for treatment, trafficker may act as a translator.

-High foot traffic, especially for brothels

-Heavy security, bars on the windows

Today the Sex & Money team shared a lot about what human trafficking looks like. This team has been traveling around the world creating a documentary of sex trafficking. I am posting a video at the bottom of this blog that was created by this team.

My Heart

My heart completely breaks for those countless victims who may never know how much more is out there. When did money become so important? So important that Americans will sell a small, helpless, innocent child into a world of sex slavery. When did our world change? Are we truly at the point where we are stooping to the level of selling one of Christ' children? My heart breaks knowing that my Father's heart is weeping from Heaven. When did this world become so full of lies, where young girls are promised so much and then held against their very will. This is such a sad and sick industry that is operating on our own turf.

It is so easy when we have been blessed with so much to just turn our backs on this issue and continue with our daily life. It's our responsibility to extend a hand to these victims. It's our responsibility to pray, pray and pray for God to pour down justice! It's our responsibility to take the steps to make a difference. It's our responsibility to be changed because of this issue and to make changes.

Reporting the Crime

Call the Department of Justice Trafficking in Persons and Worker Exploitation Task Force Complaint Line 1-888-428-7581

Department of Health and Human Services 1-888-3737-888

Life Changing, Soul Changing, Heart Changing

2010-04-13T17:44:00.000-07:00

Zach and I have officially spent 6 days in Kona, Hawaii. We have certainly experienced a lot of firsts. I for one experienced my first ever gecko. I just happen to be standing close to our window and glanced down to see a gecko staring right back at me. I had heard gecko stories from friends overseas...so I had somewhat mentally prepared myself. There's just something odd about having a small green lizard looking "thing" running around the same room that we sleep in. It took several days but Zach has convinced me that the gecko is our friend. Supposedly they eat all sorts of insects, so I'm gonna keep him (not that I have a choice.)

Zach and I have been adjusting to Hawaiian time. It seems that in Hawaii when you set a time to meet someone it's more of an approximate time. If you are right on time for something then usually you end up waiting about 15 more minutes. Everyone is just so relaxed and kinda just goes with the flow.

Today Zach and I had orientation for our work stations. While living on campus we are required to work 2 hours per a day. We were assigned a work station on Monday and already Zach's station has changed three times. He was originally going to be working in construction but then was told he would be in the organic farm and today he was told he would be in the I.T. Department. I was originally told that I would be working under David Cunningham (the filmmaker) and then found out this afternoon that they had put down the wrong David. Instead I am working for David Hamilton, the VP of University of the Nations. Zach and I are both pretty excited about our jobs and we are both looking forward to serving.

Zach and I started classes yesterday (Monday). In the two days of classes we have been so blown away. Each person in our class has been sharing how and why they came to YWAM. We have over 50 students in our class, so it's nice to put their story with a name. It's been really amazing to see where everyone comes from. There are students from Germany, Brazil, Canada, UK, New Zealand, Egypt, South Korea, China and France. Zach and I have both really enjoyed getting to know two of the students from Germany. They have amazing English! They have been teaching us a few words in German. Everyone in the class was presented with a lei after sharing their story.

Each week of class we will have a different speaker. This week we are listening to Paul and Susie Childers. They are absolutely amazing. They are the founders of the PhotogenX program and have such amazing wisdom to share. We will be learning in our Biblical courses in the morning and then our photography courses are in the evening. We have had very little time already and we know it's only going to get crazier! We are excited to find out where we will be headed for outreach. We were told that it would be decided within the next couple of weeks, so the anticipation is building. Below are some pictures from our first 6 days of being here!

This is a picture of our room. We have four windows that have screens and slats that slide up and down. It gets really hot during the day and really cool at night. None of the rooms on campus, including the classrooms have air conditioning.

This is our small Hawaiian couch!

We were presented leis in our DTS for sharing our story. They are absolutely gorgeous!

Our DTS group went to Hapuna Beach. The colors were unreal!

2010-04-10T21:21:00.001-07:00

So Zach and I have officially arrived in Kona! We have been running nonstop since our feet have hit the Hawaiian soil. We have been busy meeting our fellow classmates, unpacking, trying to figure out where we need to be, and going through orientation. We have been having an amazing time and have experienced the most amazing worship services. The way the two of us feel right now can only be explained as "free." We have six months to completely devote to the Lord. We have absolutely no doubt that this is where we are suppose to be. It's such a great feeling to know that you are right where the Lord wants you.

Since being here, Zach and I have met so many people and are now struggling with remembering names. Last night YWAM hosted the Aloha Welcome. We have been having a hard time posting video footage...so I'll try to post them later.

YWAM took us to Hapuna Beach today so we will be sure and post pictures later! We are hoping that our schedules will slow down so we can update more!

The Journey Has Begun!

2010-04-08T00:57:00.001-07:00

Just wanted to quickly update everyone. Zach and I have officially started this new journey. We left from Elk Falls on Tuesday after saying goodbye to family and friends and headed to Olathe, KS to visit Zach's cousins, Molly and AJ and then stayed with my parents in Adrian, MO. This evening (Wednesday) Zach and I boarded a flight in Kansas City and have been through Minneapolis and we are now sitting in the Seattle airport waiting for our next flight. Tomorrow morning we will board a flight to LA and then to Kona! I think the two of us have experienced a wide range of emotions throughout the last few days. We've had some very high points filled with excitement and pumped to start this new journey and some very emotional points of saying goodbye to family and friends. When we boarded our first plane in KCI...I looked at Zach and we both just grinned! Neither of us could believe that this was actually happening...we are really doing this! As soon as we found our seats, settled in and the plane started moving...my eyes just filled with tears. Six months of being away from family and friends. Six months of life moving on with nieces and nephews growing and changing. Six months of only talking to our parents on the phone and through Skype instead of in person. I think it all just hit me at once. I know these next six months are certainly not going to be a piece of cake but God has a hand in all of it! Leaving the security of our jobs, our routine, our house and our family and friends is just the beginning of this journey. Zach and I are taking a leap of faith and following God's plan...and no one said it would be easy. Tomorrow (Thursday) Zach and I will arrive in Kona at 4:00 pm (9 pm MO and KS time) and we will be greeted by YWAM! Our six month journey will begin!

2010-03-06T14:49:00.000-08:00

These past few weeks have a been a little stressful and kinda crazy. Laura and I have definitely been busy. Who knew there was so much involved to packing up your life and moving temporarily. We have lots of equipment and gear we need to buy from camera backpacks and lightweight sleeping bags, to more memory cards, batteries, and filters. We've also been figuring out which utilities we can turn off while we're gone and which ones are cheaper to leave on and just pay the monthly minimum. There are so many small things we didn't think of at first.. what to do with our mail for 6 months? Which bills we can pay in advance and which we should set up autopay? Renewing my driver's license that will expire during the trip, trying to clean out/eat all the food in the chest freezer, and refrigerator so we can unplug them, finding people to take over our responsibilities with the community (Laura's Sunday School class, training the replacement for her job, getting another backup for A/V at church, etc...) finding a bag that we can carry on the plane that will hold all our camera gear and laptops, finding health insurance while we are gone, getting rid of a cell phone and telling everyone to use a different number, et cetera, et cetera... I could go on, but it stresses me out just thinking about everything we still have to to. :) I've been working very hard to finish up wedding photos, but time is one thing that we are very short on right now. And then there is the support raising. Laura and I have been truly blessed by all of you who have so generously given to our cause and decided to join us in our journey. Thanks to you, we are currently 37% of the way to our goal. Laura and I can't express our gratitude enough.

We decided to put all the proceeds from our wedding photography towards this trip. We are very thankful for all the weddings we were able to be apart of and apologize to all those whom we had to turn away for lack of time. Laura and I really enjoyed being involved in each couples' special day. Each wedding was unique and a new experience. We want to thank each couple for asking and allowing us to do your photography. It has given us valuable experience that I think will be very beneficial in this new chapter of our lives.

To start off, we would like to thank Jordon and Leah for allowing us to be involved in their wedding. It was a beautiful wedding at the Chapel on the College of the Ozarks campus. I shot this wedding with Alec Vanderboom (a very talented photographer also from CofO). It was a great wedding to kick off the summer of wedding photography! We had previously taken Jordon and Leah's engagement pictures which was also a blast. Jordon and Leah are always a fun couple to be around and we have enjoyed getting to know them better and hang out with them over the past year.

Vance and Samantha Crow's wedding was our first wedding to shoot solo, and it was so much fun. We really enjoyed meeting and getting to know the wedding party throughout the weekend. Vance and Samantha, thank you for believing in us and allowing us to be a part of your special day. It was a great first start, beautiful ceremony, and definitely a memorable experience. You guys are great and we really enjoyed getting to know you both!

Our third wedding shoot of the summer was for our good friends Stephanie and Casey Day. Casey and I were suitemates for 2 years and then roommates our senior year of college. Throughout our four years of college Laura and I hung out a lot with Steph and Casey and enjoyed doing things with them. For their wedding we traveled to Pueblo, Colorado and were able to turn the trip into a short vacation and see some of the sights in the Rockies. We both had a lot of fun and really enjoyed getting to know their families whom we had heard about in college. Thanks Steph and Casey for asking us to do your engagement and wedding photographs. We had a blast and wish you both the very best in your marriage.

Our second wedding in June was with Lisa and Brian Schwarz. Lisa also went to college with us and has an amazing personality. Though we had heard a lot about Brian, we had never met him until the wedding. From the time we were around them we could tell that they were absolutely perfect for each other. They had an early morning wedding so that provided some unique opportunities and challenges. Their wedding was also in the chapel at the college and was truly a beautiful service. Thanks Lisa and Brian for inviting us to join in your ceremony and trusting us to capture your special day.

Heather Sullins and John Willis were our fourth engagement shoot of the season. They will be getting married this coming May. They were a lot of fun to shoot. Their quite yet fun personalities shone through in their photographs. We both enjoyed talking with them and getting to know them better. Heather and John, thank you for picking us to do your engagement photos. We wish you both the very best in your upcoming wedding and new start together.

LeAnne and Travis Lynch had a beautiful October wedding. Laura and I also went to college with LeAnne and have known her since our freshman year. Their wedding was at a beautiful outdoor location in Jane, Missouri. It was our first and only (so far) outdoor wedding. Even though the weather wasn't cooperating at first, it turned out to be a beautiful day perfect for pictures. Thanks LeAnne and Travis for allowing us to be a part of your magical day. It was so much fun to shoot.

Our second family shoot, but first for the year was the Whetstone family. Dave, Kate, Tim, and Hannah, were such a joy to photograph. They all have such great personalities, and were up for pretty much anything. Laura and I have enjoyed getting to know their family since moving back to Elk County. Laura works with both Dave and Kate on a regular basis through the community volunteer group, Elk Konnected. Dave and Kate, thanks for thinking of and asking us to capture your beautiful family. We had a lot of fun and are both going to miss you guys as we leave Kansas to start our new journey.

Our sixth wedding of the season was in Norwood, Missouri with Pete and Miranda Madsen. Like many of the others they were also college friends. We enjoyed seeing their personalities compliment one another earlier in the summer during their very fun engagement shoot. Pete and Miranda are a blast to be around and are both so full of life. They had the largest wedding party we have worked with so far, introducing new challenges and creative ideas. Thank you both for choosing us to do your photography and for your adventurous personalities which made you two a joy to shoot.

Our last wedding of the year was a beautiful December wedding with Joel and Melody Burrough. They are both very laid back and easy going. Theirs was our first wedding where we did not previously know either the groom or the bride, though Joel was a groomsman in Jordon and Leah's wedding. We enjoyed getting to know both of them during their engagement session earlier in the summer. Their ceremony was unique and completely beautiful. Melody and Joel, thank you for giving us the opportunity to capture your love and share the beauty with others.

Support Letter

2010-01-25T19:52:00.000-08:00

Dear family and friends,

Happy New Year! It’s hard to believe that we are already entering into 2010. The last two years have been full of challenges, adventures, firsts, and countless blessings. Since getting married and moving to the village of Elk Falls, Kansas, the two of us have stayed busy with our jobs. I am working as a programmer for a small web development company and consider it a true joy to work for two amazing like-minded Christian men. Laura was thrilled to get a job working for Elk County as the Economic Development Director and Youth Coordinator. This has provided us with endless opportunities to get involved in the community. It has been a blessing for the two of us to work only a few blocks apart and to share the drive and our lunch breaks together. Laura and I have also started a side business/hobby – photography. We fill many of our weekends traveling for weddings, engagement shoots, and senior sessions. We love getting to know the couples we photograph, hearing their stories, and getting to be a part of their special day. Photography has always been a passion of mine; it has been incredible to be able to share it with Laura and to work together as a couple.

Overall, the last few years have been a great experience, and we definitely enjoy where we are, but there has also been a small yet growing desire to live for more than just ourselves. We don’t want to become so well-adjusted to our culture that we routinely fit in; we both desire to serve others, to be a light in a dark world, to be a part of community, to build new relationships with others, and most importantly to focus on Christ and grow in our personal relationships with Him. We feel that the Lord has planted this passion in us and has been directing us towards a Discipleship Training School (DTS) with YWAM (Youth With A Mission). This desire has been in our minds for quite awhile, but it wasn’t until this past summer that we both felt like this was something we really wanted to do – that we were supposed to do.

YWAM is an organization that seeks to equip young men and women to better serve others in every aspect of life, from agriculture and health care, to counseling and drug rehabilitation. Their passion is to know God and to make Him known. The DTS is YWAM’s required introductory course that prepares students for a mission outreach while teaching the character and nature of God, helping students identify their unique individual gifts and callings, and exposing students to various cultures. We searched for a YWAM base in several countries and were ecstatic to find the PhotogenX DTS, which incorporates photography into their core curriculum. This specific DTS focuses on bringing light to the injustices in the world. On April 7^th Laura and I will arrive at the University of the Nations in Kona, Hawaii for the 6 months PhotogenX DTS. The course will be broken into an intense three month lecture/training phase and a three month overseas outreach. We are unsure of which country we will be serving in overseas, but we should find out during our first month of classes.

In preparation for this trip, we have come to the conclusion that this is not something we can do on our own. We would like to invite you to be a part of our journey and help make a difference in the lives of others. The two of us have discovered that support is a vital component to missions. This support could be committing to pray for us daily, simply being an encouragement to us, or helping us meet our financial requirements. Prayer support is essential for the ministry and we would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for us, our team, and the lives of those we hope to impact. Laura and I have started a blog to share our experiences, and we would be thrilled if you could drop us an encouraging note or a comment from time to time. If you’re on Skype we’d love to chat; our usernames are laura-fry and zaktrak. We hope to keep you all updated regularly and post some of our pictures on http://zachandlaurafry.blogspot.com.

Another way to join in our mission is through financial support. We need to raise $10,000 each for room and board, tuition, airfare, and various traveling expenses during the outreach. Together we need $20,000. While this seems like an unreachable goal, if only 400 people give $50 we will have the total funding. We understand that everyone’s circumstances are different and you may not be able to support us financially, but we ask that you would prayerfully consider supporting us in any way that you are able. Thanks for being a part of our lives and we look forward to sharing our adventure with you.

Our New Adventure

2009-12-01T08:15:00.001-08:00

As many of you know, Zach and I have applied to participate in a school with an organization called Youth With a Mission (YWAM). We were very excited to find out two weeks ago that we had been accepted. We leave April 7 for a new adventure in our lives. We will spend three months participating in a Discipleship Training School (DTS) and then three months doing outreach overseas. The two of us have truly sought God in making our decision and we both feel God calling us to this new adventure. For several years Zach has carried a desire to serve the Lord through YWAM and just this year I have started to carry the same desire. Zach and I cannot even begin to express how blessed we feel to have two amazing jobs fresh out of college. With God tugging at our hearts we have decided to go forward with faith and start this new adventure. Some people may think we are crazy to quit our jobs now with the economy in the slum it is in, but when God knocks you answer! On April 7 we will actually fly out to the University of the Nations at Kailua Kona, Hawaii where we will spend 12 weeks learning about God's character and growing in our personal relationships with Christ.

The University of the Nations is a degree granting institution offering Associate's, Bachelor's and Master's degrees. The DTS is an "adventure into the heart of God - discovering who he is, his heart for us, and his heart for the world. As we meet with him, and begin to glimpse his unending worth, our only response can be to lay down our lives in radical worship and devotion to the One we have found, giving ourselves to his glory and fame." We will have an amazing opportunity to experience a new culture and be surrounded by a community of people in dorm style housing for the first 12 weeks. The two of us are excited about all of the beautiful scenery, the opportunity to be a witness, learning what it means to be a disciple Christ, and most of all just to see what God has in store for us. Zach and I are walking into this experience somewhat blindly and just simply trusting God. Many people have asked us where we will be going overseas and what we will be doing, but unfortunately we have no idea. We should find out after the first month of classes in Kona.

The class that we will be a part of in Kona is a PhotogenX DTS. We along with approximately 50 other students will have the opportunity to listen to guest speakers, learn about other countries' culture, grow in our relationship with one others and with Christ and be taught skills that incorporate photography to confront the injustice in the world and speak up for the voiceless. Below is an example of a piece of work created by PhotogenX: A Voice for the Voiceless, encountering the issues of injustice and poverty in South Africa.

Zach and I have approximately 4 months to raise about $20,000 in support. We would love for you to be apart of our new adventure by praying for or supporting us. Please know that we appreciate any financial support and prayers. If you would like more information feel free to call us at 620-329-4330 or email us at zachfry@gmail.com or lauraafry@gmail.com. If wanting more information regarding YWAM or the University of the Nations please see the following link, http://www.uofnkona.edu/

It's Official!

2009-12-01T08:11:00.000-08:00

Last September a lot changed in my life. I got married, moved from Missouri to Southeast Kansas and was blessed with an amazing community that welcomed me. Upon graduation from college, Zach had been offered a job in Howard at Small Plant Online. To him this was a dream to move back to his hometown and for me this was simply a new adventure. I never in a million years expected this last year to turn out the way it did. I spent the first three months of living in Elk County unpacking, painting and job searching. It still brings a smile to my face when I think back to my first invitation to a Mom’s group that met once a week in Longton. My first response was, “I don’t have children,” and the reply was, “oh it doesn’t matter just come!” What an invitation! Liz Hendricks picked me up at my front door, introduced me to people and even bought me lunch. One day later Dee Sanchez called me up and invited me over for lunch and a crazy afternoon with her kids. Two days later I received a card in the mail welcoming me to the community. A week later I was invited to attend the Elk Konnected steering committee meeting. In December I applied for the Economic Development Director and Youth Coordinator position and was ecstatic to find out that I got the job! I felt like I was going into the job completely blind but extremely excited. Here I was at the age of 22 completely new to Elk County and in my mind an ‘outsider.’ Boy was I wrong. I had people calling me inviting me to meetings, I had an Elk Konnected Youth Development Action Team excited about my ideas and ready to get started, an office mate named Byrdie Miller who took the time to show me all the ropes of the courthouse and not to mention the friendly people like John and Lois Markley who seek you out at your first ever Chamber Meeting and make you feel welcome. Together Zach and I have made many memories during our first year of marriage living in Elk County. These memories range from early Saturday morning youth soccer where we met our good friend Sarah Griesel, the celebration after receiving my first ever grant for a free Day Camp for children in the county, riding a mechanical bull at Elk River Festival, promoting Elk County at the Kansas Sampler Festival and the fun times we had designing posters for the Youth Development Action Team who always sang Zach’s praises. To say that Zach and I have enjoyed our time living in Elk County is an understatement; we have loved every second of it. We love the people, we love our church family, we love our jobs, and we absolutely love living in rural America. Unfortunately, Zach and I have both discovered a small part of us tugging to experience more than Elk County. After much discussion and many prayers we have decided to participate in a Discipleship Training School in Hawaii through a program called Youth With A Mission (YWAM). The two of us will spend three months in Kona and three months overseas doing outreach work. Neither of us can begin to explain how sad we are to leave Elk County but how excited we are to experience God’s plan for our lives. The County Commissioners have accepted my letter of resignation with my last day of work being March 18. I still have almost three months of work left before we leave and I intend to make the most of it! Please know that this was not an easy decision for the two of us and that Elk County will always hold a special place in our hearts. Yes we will be gone for 6 months but we would love to stay in contact. While gone we will be posting updates about our trip at www.zachandlaurafry.blogspot.com. We will certainly keep Elk County in our prayers and can only hope that you will do the same for us. Thanks so much for blessing us both with your warm friendships, your amazing determination and your welcoming communities.

Your Friends,

Zach and Laura Fry

Crazy Weekend!

2009-09-22T19:09:00.000-07:00

Recently Zach and I had a crazy but very fun weekend! The Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival was this weekend but Zach and I never in a million years thought that we would get to go. A high school friend of mine had scheduled her wedding for that same weekend...so we didn't even think it was a possiblity to attend the festival. We were both excited when Zach was able to get off work and I was able to use my comp time for the event! We showed up at the festival on Thursday and surprised Steve and Jane! We had a great time watching several bands that we had never seen before and we were so excited to catch The David Munnelly Band. Thursday would have been absolutely perfect if only The Greencards were performing!

On Friday Zach and I packed and left for Adrian, MO! We knew our weekend was going to be packed full of things to do. Bailey, my best friend from high school, was marrying her high school sweetheart Andy. They had dated for 7 years, so they were both very, very excited about this day! Zach and I had a good time Friday night at their rehearsal and dinner and a great time on Saturday at their wedding! It was soooo nice to be apart of a wedding and not be the one taking pictures! It was kind of funny how the photographer's name was Zach and he was shooting pics with his wife Sarah. On Saturday, Dad, Mom, Zach and I all left the wedding exhausted...and then Mom and I stayed up until 3:00 am, sitting in the family room, talking! It's amazing what you miss out on when you go to bed!

Zach and I had such a great time on Sunday doing our first ever baby photo shoot! I had really been looking forward to doing a shoot of my 2 week old niece...but I wasn't really sure what to expect! Zach and I were pleasently surprised! She was in a great mood. We probably shot pics for several hours. She had her moments but for the most part she was a pretty happy gal! We were kind of hoping she would fall asleep for some of the pics but she was wide awake in all of them. Here's some pics from the photo shoot! Isn't she cute?

Baby Camille is Here!!!

2009-09-08T15:05:00.000-07:00

Baby Camille made her entrance into the world on September 2, 2009 at 3:35pm! Needless to say, she had a lot of excited people ready to greet her! She came out boasting a proud 7 pounds 4 ounces and 18 inches long...and not to mention all of her dark brown hair!

Zach and I were able to take off on Saturday afternoon and stay with Mom and Dad until Monday afternoon, in order to check out our new niece! She was an absolute doll! Jeff handed her to me when we came in the house and she just melted my heart! It was so much fun to just hold her and watch her eyes move back and forth as she stared at you. She had me wrapped around her little pinky within the first 30 seconds!!

We had a great time visiting with Val and Jeff and watching them take on the parent role! They did a great job even though they were both exhausted.

I'm really excited for the next two weeks to pass quickly so that I can see her again! Zach and I will be doing our first baby shoot in 2 weeks...so be sure and check out the pictures!

The Last Few Weeks

2009-08-19T14:33:00.000-07:00

Zach and I have been pretty busy lately and have failed to keep our blog current, so I will briefly catch you up on what we've been up too! After being gone non-stop from June through July, we were pretty happy when August rolled around and we had several weeks at home. During those weeks we painted our bedroom, took a very longgggg bike ride, spent some quality time with Nathan and Bethany, ate at the Rack Shack in Sedan (my first time ever), cooked, cooked and cooked some more, edited lots of wedding pictures, bought Christmas gifts, and became acquainted with the coupon world! Needless to say we've stayed pretty busy but have really enjoyed just being home!

We have been wanting to paint our bedroom for some time now and finally we picked out paint and went for it! We ended up priming and painting all in one day! Zach and I stayed up until 4:00 am painting two red walls and 2 cream walls...but we got it done!

We also had a great time visiting with Nathan and Bethany before they officially moved to Texas. We went and visited them in Independence and ate dinner with them on Thursday evening and then they came to Elk Falls on Saturday and stayed until Sunday afternoon. Zach and I were pretty sad to see them leave on Sunday. Nathan is being deployed to Iraq in about 6 weeks and will be back in February. We can't wait for him to come home safe and sound!

Well to really change the topics, Zach has been making these amazing green beans lately! He fries them in a skillet in lemon juice and they are wonderful! I think we eat fresh green beans about every night!

I'm looking forward to spending Friday morning with Sarah Griesel! We are heading to Wichita for our coupon extravaganza! K-Mart is having double coupon weekend, so I'm planning on buying as much stuff as I can for free! Sarah and I are going to spend Thursday night mapping out who has what coupon and what we need! I'm excited to see how many things I can get!

Zach has his first senior picture photo shoot on Friday. We'll have to post pictures once he has some edited!

Colorado Trip: Day 4

2009-07-20T21:37:00.000-07:00

Even though this is already the forth day, it's really only the 2nd day of our vacation. Before I begin to detail today's itinerary, I am going to make a few comments on and expand upon Laura's post from yesterday. First off, in the second sentence Laura states that the 10 hour car ride went pretty fast... well, I'd just like to point out that the probable reason for this is that she slept 6 of the hours! Anyway, this is a mute point, but a point nonetheless.

Here are a few more pictures from yesterday's excursion to Bishop's Castle.

The main room was very large and spacious! It was pretty cool, and was the only part of the castle that I felt safe in. This didn't stop me however from climbing to the top.

When you are up inside that iron ball, the whole thing shakes and sways with every footstep... Laura didn't join me to the very top, though I was able to talk her into going pretty high.

Crazy steps inside one tower.

Bridge to nowhere? There was a ladder just tied with rope to the end of the bridge and the top of the other tower... crazy.

So after Bishop's Castle, we made our way to Colorado Springs to check out the room at the resort that I booked that morning for $60... Considering we had paid about $90 the night before for a very plain and not-that-nice hotel in Canon City, we really weren't sure what to expect. I was very surprised that my bid for a 3 and a half star hotel on priceline.com was accepted. It said the average price for the criteria I had selected in the location I had selected was about $150 per night. When we pulled into the resort, we were like, "No way, there has to be some old rundown hotel rooms out back somewhere." As we walked up to the massive lobby we were greeted by a bellstaff personnel who escorted us in the building and up to the front desk. It was then that we knew that either my computer had malfunctioned or we had gotten a really good deal. As we walk away from the front desk with our electronic keys and wireless internet pass code in hand, we tried to hide our silly grins that were desperately attempting to escape. The friendly bellstaff guy, who had been waiting while we checked in, offered to help take our bags to our room - we politely declined and excitedly hurried out to our car to see what our room looked like. It has been wonderful thus far.

The view from the main lobby.

The pool and hot tub at the resort.

The view of the golf course. I figured Jim would appreciate this view. If you were to turn and look to the right you would see all the mountains in the background. A spectacular view.

Stairs from the main lobby down to the lower level.

An amazing looking buffet just off the lobby... it was only $29 per person. Ya... we ate at Panera.

Lower level of the building.

Ok, so now we are ready for today... This morning we slept in late (like really late, I think it was close to 9!) We headed to Panera for breakfast.

Strawberry smoothie, Chai tea latte, cobblestone, pecan roll, and a bear claw. When we ordered, it didn't look like much, but we were stuffed and took some of it with us and ate on it throughout the day. I finally finished it after supper.

Enjoying our delicious breakfast and free WiFi (I don't know what we would do without google maps.)

First stop on our itenary: Focus on the Family. We enjoyed browsing through the bookstore and and visitor center. Laura had never been before, and she really enjoyed seeing everything there.

At Focus on the Family inside the imagination station/elevator. The Adventures in Odyssey part was Laura's favorite.

Garden of the gods with Pikes Peak in the background. Beautiful classic view.

Next up was Glen Eyrie. I have stayed there many times with Steve Bliss on Pikes Peak trips, but the castle is still an amazing sight no matter how many times you have seen it.

It is just so beautiful and peaceful at Glen Eyrie! Laura and I really enjoyed looking around inside and outside the castle.

Next stop: Garden of the Gods. We had fun walking through the park and taking pictures wherever we could. The rock formations are incredible.

Fun times trying to beat the self-timer!

The balanced rock. It was very cool, but there were too many people there...

After Garden of the Gods, we continued on to Manitou Springs to just walk the town and shop. I drive through it every year on my way to Pikes Peak, and it always looks like such a neat little place, so we decided to check it out. There were a pleathora of neat little shops including a hemp store, Cripple Creek Dulcimers, a small store with rope sandals, djembes, and didgeridoos, an art Co-Op gallery, a fun kitchen store, plenty of T-shirt/clothing stores, and a great little ice cream shop where Laura got vanilla cake ice cream and I got oatmeal cookie ice cream. After walking around for awhile, we were both tired and thirsty. Manitou Springs is full of fountains that shoot out drinkable spring mineral water. I had heard about them before and we saw several people filling up thier cups and drinking, so I figured we would try it. I knew it was different, so I was expecting a little off taste, but I was not prepared for what it really was. As I filled my cup I could feel how cold the water was. I was parched, and was eagerly anticipating the refreshing drink. I should have cautiously sipped it instead of taking a large swallow... I mean how bad could water be. It was cold, but that's all it had in it's favor. I was surprised when my tounge and mouth started tingling intensely. For some reason, I wasn't thinking mineral water like the bottled mineral water or club soda. But it was, only it seemed stronger, and it was disgusting. Laura started to take a sip, but the water just touched her tounge and she had had enough.

We decided to head back to the resort and go swimming since it was almost hot out. Unfortunately by the time we changed and got out to the pool the sun was blocked by dense cloud cover and a few raindrops had begun to fall. We thought it might clear up so we decided to wait. Laura really just wanted to get in the hot tub, but it was full of people. We sat there for a long time just watching everone else swim. Finally I decided to get in the pool. Just as I did the hot tub cleared out so I got back out in the freezing cold (at least it seemed like it) to go to the hot tub. Just as we got over there, we noticed some lighting in the distance so we decided to sit out for awhile.... it was really beginning to seem like a pointless trip to the pool. We were finally able to get in the hot for a while before it started to rain. The whole day was a lot of fun, and was a good conclusion to our trip. Thanks Steph and Casey for getting married and letting us take a mini vacation! Ha.