God is good, ALL THE TIME!!

There is a Samoan saying that goes like this...
Leader says: God is good
Followers say: all the time
Leader says: All the time
Followers say: God is good
Leader says: God is great
Followers say: Everyday
Leader says: Everyday
Followers say: God is great!
Leaders says: God is real!
Followers say: This I know!!
Leader says: What do we know?
Followers say: God is real!

To add to that there is a right handed fist pump with each phrase. We hear it at least once a day. There is such rich theology in those simple phrases. Yet it goes by as just another routine. Thats a sample of one of the battles we have been facing. A "theologically" rich culture that in many ways is far from God. "They honor me with their lips but their hearts are far from me".

Rev 3:1-2"'I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God"
Rev 3:15-16 "'I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth."

It is a great reminder to not be lukewarm. Yet in the midst of this we see weak churches with weak pastors. We see people not being fed in the word. We see a reliance on community rather than Christ. We see tradition surpassing knowledge of scripture. We see memorization but not action. We see superficial love, but the enjoyment of God.

Not everyone is like this. We have been blessed beyond measure by many of the people here. Especially the people and staff at SPICC and the church on the Rock (calvary chapel). Our time is getting shorter and shorter and with each moment we see the battle lines being drawn more clearly. We have less and less time to make more of an impact and must rely on the fact that we have done God's will.

Another battle we see is the war between tradition and westernization. Much of the Island is becoming more and more like America. Yet much of the older crowd is trying to hold to the values of the traditional Samoan culture. There are many good things about this culture that should not be lost. It has a high moral standard. It teaches one how to work for food (in preparing a traditional Samoan meal it takes at least 2-3 hrs of preparation). The younger generation does not have the patience to continue with this. They do not have the work ethic (much like American kids).

Last week was our third full week of school. We finally got into the routine. It was a much smoother week. Yet we still struggle with patience as we constantly have to fight the kids for their attention. They need so much love. I wish there was 100 of us here so we could each take one child and love them completely. Even in that they would still need more. We can't make up for years of abuse and lack of love. We can't make up for the neglect many of them face. I stopped counting the amount of hugs I give and receive each day. Some of us think that at times we need it more than the child. As I said earlier many of the kids have learning disabilities. There is no special education system for them. They are simply left behind and made to retake a year of school until they get it. A lot of them give up.

This weekend was one of many blessings. Friday we went to the other side of the Island to the village of Leone to the house of one of the members of Calvary Chapel. Carol and Paulo (not sure spelling). Carol is Samoan and Paulo is Tongan. There were about 4 houses there with all family members related. Many of the villages here are made up completely of relatives. All the land here is claimed by families. There is no extra land. There were many people there that night as it was a celebration of the the team from Hawaii's hard work and we were invited to tag along. There was of course a lot of good food. While we were eating we enjoyed some traditional Samoan dance by a children's dance group from one of the local schools. Then Paulo did a Tongan war dance. It was great. After that one of the younger ladies did a traditional Samoan dance. Paulo then dragged us young men out on to the dance floor to be background dancers. The girls were also taken out to mimic the young lady. One of the moves included us lying on the ground and the girls lightly placing their foot on us as they danced. It was great. After that we headed over to calvary chapel for the youth night. We talked and played some volleyball it is always fun.

Saturday was a very long but fulfilling day. We all got and left at 5:45. The girls headed to Calvary Chapel for a ladies pray breakfast. They prayed and shared for over two hrs. I heard it was very encouraging. Us men went with Pati (basically our host Dad, he is the choir director and head football coach at Leone High School.(They won the championship last year)) to an event at his school. June (Sp?) Jones form coach of the U. Hawaii football program and now coach at SMU and his foundation were on the island to speak to the different schools about being a college football player. They spoke about keeping a good GPA and taking the right classes, as well as making good choices. The gospel nor God was a part of football.
After that we headed back to Calvary Chapel for a few hrs and participated in the preparation of a traditional Samoan meal. Included pealing breadfruit, shaving the inside of the coconut's, pealing green banana's, preparing fish, and squeezing the coconut shavings to get the milk. It was all very interesting.
We were all very tired from such a long morning and headed back home. Us boys turned on the tv to find the USA vs Ghana score as it had been played earlier that morning. Lucky for us there was a replay of it being shown at that time. We all crowded around a ten inch tv and watched our boys play their hearts out but come up short. I think that will be one of the greatest memories (well that and watching us play Slovenia and Algeria at 3 am). All in all we watched 2.5 of the 4 games USA played. As well as glimpses of many others.
After taking a short nap we headed back to Calvary Chapel to partake of the Samoan meal we had helped prepare. On top of that the youth were doing a performance of singing and dancing. It was great. Part of the show was a fashion show. Tommy and I were asked to take part and model Moder Samoan clothing. It was fun. The night ended with a really funny fire dance done by the 3 college age guys and some dancing by all. We took so many pictures. Unfortunately I hadn't charged my battery so I didn't get any. But there were 7 other camera's on the team that captured it.

Today (Sunday) we went to Community Church. It is a mixture of Samoans, Figians, Tongan's, even a few Indian's (from India). We were told to prepare to share some testimonies and then speak the main message. I had brought a sermon that I had prepared for my youth group last summer that I was planning all week to use. After a restless night last night (both because of the HS and I am sick), I decided not to use it. I think God was pretty clear that even though it was good, He wanted something different. After some prayer I came to the conclusion that there is no better thing to speak than the Gospel. Tommy shared his testimony early in the service. Then I got up later and spoke for about 20 minutes on the gospel and how it has affected me. It was cool to see that even though I didn't prepare to much God spoke through me. I wasn't even nervous (Praise the LORD). After I told them of God, man, sin, Christ, faith, and my life, I asked Jesse to come up and share of how his life has been changed by the gospel. It was a great morning of encouragement. It always hard to tell how speaking engagements like that go, but we all had a peace about it. After church our friend Toni (one of the elders at the church) took us to Pizza hut for a big meal. Then it was back to school for nap time and a meeting. Sunday's you just eat one meal and then sorta have tea and bread or leftovers for the evening meal.

Like I said earlier I am sick. God in His power enabled me to make it through 20 minutes of preaching and a day of fellowship. I feel weak and feverish but God is good, ALL THE TIME! I know He has me sick for a reason. I only slept 3 hrs last night and yet I made it through on His strength. He will supply!!! Amen!!!

Pray for us as we try to finish strong.
Pray for the believers on the Island as they see their homes being torn into by these battles.
Pray for the strength of the Samoan Church.
Pray for real MEN to step into leadership. (Did I mention being a pastor is the highest paying job on the Island? over 100k a yr?)
Pray for the school and its finances.
Pray for the team and our unity.
Pray for wisdom for us as leaders.
Pray for health for myself and the team.
Pray that God's will is being done.
Pray that we will have a sense of urgency in proclaiming the good news. (Woe is me if I do not preach the GOSPEL!).
Pray that our lives would be a reflection of words.
Pray, PRAY, PRAY!!!

Thanks for your prayers!!!
Love you all, Ty