Canucks move on to the Stanley Cup Final!

I was so excited when I heard the news on a phone call to my Aunt in Toronto. I've been cheering for the Canucks for years, so even in Kenya that news was exciting... and foreign. Ice hockey is a world away here and football (that's soccer to all you North Americans) is the sport of choice. Many children have their favourite team's jersey; Chelsea is popular, there are quite a few Arsenals, a few Liverpools, A.C. Milans, Barcelonas and of course, a sea of Manchester Uniteds. Despite their enthusiasm, European football seems very foreign to this place. Millionaire strikers and cheering crowds of Europeans seem out of place. Yet football is an obsession. Children often come up to us only to say one thing, "Give me a ball." You have to admire their tenacity, even when we aren't carrying anything and obviously don't have any balls they come with that command, "Give me a ball." And I really wish I could. I wish I could give every kid here a ball but our resources aren't infinite. We have been serving the local primary school as P.E. teachers and for P.E. all the kids want is, "Football. where is the football? Let us play football!" Before we leave we will be giving the school some footballs and volleyballs. These are needed as the school has no extra money to spend on sports equipment for the over 1300 kids. However, this trip has taught me to keep things in perspective. There are things far more important than whether or not the Canucks win the Stanley Cup or whether Barcelona or Manchester United win the Champions League. Even though giving kids footballs is a good thing, there are much better things we can do and we have been doing here. I thank God for all the opportunities we have had.

Meeting the people here has taught me a lot.

I've learned about how far it could go if I allow God to work in my life. I've learned how weak we humans are without God. I've learned how weak we Christians are with God. I have learned that we need to be completely dependant on God. I've learned from experience how God meets us in our weakness. I've learned a lot about Islam and Muslims, first hand. I've learned that we often assume things about Muslims that are simply not true. I've learned that there is a lot about Islam we don't understand. The conversations we've had, the people we have met and gotten to know have allowed us to learn and to share in many ways.

Yesterday we talked to some young men about women's rights and apostasy. Two nights ago we talked to a few men about Jesus, the trinity and forgiveness. A couple days ago a sheik approached us in the street to talk about the Bible and Islam and a large crowd gathered around to listen. We were able to share what we believe out in the open, mere yards away from a mosque.

Ben has developed a tight friendship with a young man here who will be moving to Canada. Andrew met a young man who is crippled from the waist down. His legs don't keep him from enjoying life--he walks through town on his hands and is known as a cheerful person throughout the community. We have had many conversations that allowed us to get to things more important than football... things even more important than the Stanley Cup. I wish I could detail them all here but, alas, my time is too short.

Suffice it to say that we will have a lot to share when we return to Canada.

Please continue to keep us in your prayers.

- Mark for Andrew and Ben.