Viewing The World

Paul Niswander Gone Missing

2007-11-26T11:44:00.000-08:00

Since Paul has not blogged in, oh, let's see...7 months, I have decided to hack into his blog and post on his behalf. We fear that this native Kentuckian has been lost somewhere in the northern metropolis of Philadelphia. If you have seen a bald redneck in a brightly colored polo anywhere in the southeastern Pennsylvania area, please contact New Hope International Ministries or the American Red Cross. Warning: he may be disoriented and/or unshaven.

First meeting with Josiah Beall

2007-04-23T06:40:00.000-07:00

Well folks there are a lot of you who have not met or seen too much of Carlton and Taryn's boy. I am on my way to Florida for a ministry weekend and I decided to come through and see the Beall fam on the way. It is crazy to think that Taryn was pregnant last time I saw these guys and this is the result of that. Could someone please give me the birds and the bees to me again??? I don't remember the part where it ends in a miracle!!!

Here Today.....Guatemala

2007-04-04T11:42:00.000-07:00

I am challenged today as I sit and attempt to write an overview of how God worked in Guatemala during my time there. I was the leader of a group of college kids from Asbury College that traveled to New Life Children's Home.
Going into the week there were a lot of questions that surrounded the departure. One of my students was without passport(it came a day late so Lori flew in a day late, no big deal!!!), Daniel and Kara my friends and missionaries that we would be working with had just suffered the miscarriage of their first child, and well.....I was traveling with several kids that had never been on a plane much less out of the country.
Another blessing and adjustment that presented itself was the presence of my little brother Tim as a team member. This would be the first time I had ministered to and with someone in my family. I knew that it would present new challenges as I would still need to lead my brother but would also need to let him experience this trip in his own way........as this type of trip is what propelled me into now being in full time ministry.
I must say that the trip was more than I could have expected. God did amazing things in my brothers life. Not just seeing God work but watching Him work in your own little brother is hard to describe.
Being with Daniel and Kara was a huge blessing and just seeing God working in their situation was a bit overwhelming. It was also indescribable watching God use them as they minister to the kids at New Life and build lasting relationships.
Life is good. God is good. The team was great.
Watching God work in the lives of the team, my friends, and my family..........UNREAL.

Pictures from Orlando Missions

2007-03-27T12:36:00.000-07:00

Youth Missions in O-Town with Brother E

2007-03-27T12:07:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to post for quite a while now but, surprise-surprise, I have been a little busy. About a month ago, I spent a week or so in Orlando working with my good friend Eric Moulton, I served as the Bible Teacher for the event that had around 400 students in attendance. The theme of the conference was "Answering the Missions Bell"!
I was so blessed by all that happened throughout my time there. I began my time by hanging out with the Shaws and Graysons in Winter Springs and that was a great time of fellowship and encouragement with some good friends!
The conference itself allowed me to meet some new people as well a work with old friends. Trent Sheppard, was the keynote speaker in all the way from Ireland, and his messages were amazing. There is something about a man of God bringing the word no matter the text!!
Many lives were changed and God showed Himself to me in yet another setting.
It would be hard for me not to mention my time with the Moulton Clan as well. Serinda, Trent, Reese, Morgan, Ruby, and the new one on the way. They continue to serve as may family there in Orlando.

Mountain Mommas

2007-02-12T11:30:00.000-08:00

I recently took a trip to Pennsylvania in order to pick up a truck of farm equipment for a missionary to Kenya. As most of you know this month has been quite cold and West Virginia mountains are always a little colder than everywhere else. As I was driving down the highway I came upon this strange happening. These two ladies enjoying a nice Wednesday afternoon drive. This has to be one of the funniest things I have seen in my life. By the way the cab of the truck was appropriately filled with three very snug and warm looking men. Thank the Lord for W. Va.!!!!

Jamaica Pics

2007-01-23T11:23:00.000-08:00

Jamaica Secrets

2007-01-22T11:09:00.000-08:00

Many times in my life I go into experiences not knowing exactly what I am getting myself into. My last trip to Jamaica was another example of just that. I was only aware of my role on this team about six weeks prior to leaving, that gave me two meetings with the team and about 5 weeks back in the country before headed out of the country once again. As the tea prepared it was immediately evident that this team brought a different element to the table. It seemed that every time we had to switch plans or change times, or whatever it might be they were all more than WILLING to go with the flow.
Upon arrival to Jamaica we went to the church(otherwise known as Plan C) that we would be working with. We were told immediately that the external wall that we had planned on building was actually going to be around ten walls that included the exterior wall as well as another.......oh...ten walls that would allow for several bathrooms/an office/ a veranda/ and a baptismal.
In addition we would be painting the interior of the church. That was a fun task as we would paint and feel good about our day, just to show up the next day and see that someone had decided to sand a few spots out and improve/ruin our paint job. Day two we decided to go ahead and put another coat on and make things all pretty again....mission accomplished! Day three, the electricians show up and decide they need to make a few holes in our freshly painted walls in order to fix a problem. Day four, you guessed it.... we painted the walls again, and this time they stayed painted, at least until after we left when I am sure something else needed to be done.
All of this to say, that at no point did I hear one complaint. At no point did anyone decide that they were going to give up. At no point did anyone ever even question what they were being asked to do. The teams ability to dismiss all expectations and their willingness to do anything they were asked to do, allowed God to do some amazing things through them.
So my secret that I learned in Jamaica was a secret that I have (learned)???? many times before: If we are willing and and allow don't cloud our vision with our expectations, God will amaze us every time.

Back Home and Headed to Jamaica

2006-12-11T11:55:00.000-08:00

I have arrived back in the states. I have spent the last two weeks or so getting used to the time change and my new job at New Hope In ternational Ministries. I will be working for NHIM fulltime and am planning on working a part time job in addition in order to pay the rent. I will be leading several teams over the next several months beginning with a trip to Jamaica with 8 Asbury College students. The rest of my time will be spent learning the ins and outs of the NHIM office and focusing on raising support. Life is good, I will continue to update the blog as time permits. Please pray for the team as we prepare to serve together from January 7th-14th.

Victory!!

2006-11-11T02:16:00.000-08:00

Main goal for weekends in sri lanka: ride an elephant!!!!

Overview of life in South Sri

2006-10-24T05:04:00.000-07:00

Suffering in South Sri

Since becoming involved in missions work, I have frequently heard the phrase “suffering for the Lord.” Sometimes, this phrase is used in reference to people who, as an outgrowth of their obedience to the Lord, are truly facing extreme difficulties. After spending a few months in Congo, I can relate (somewhat) to that type of suffering. The same phrase is also used with sarcasm to refer to people who – again, are pursuing a life of obedience to the Lord – however, they now find themselves in conditions well above par. I suppose this trip to a tropical island in south Asia (where the standard is great beaches and beautiful sunsets) falls into the second category of “suffering.” Having the opportunity to go to the beach every weekend is never a bad thing!
Despite the beaches and sunsets, there is been plenty of work to be done. The 26th of December marks the 2 year anniversary of the tsunami that devastated the island of Sri Lanka, and there are literally thousands of people still living in tents and temporary shelters. The construction of new homes has been complicated by communication gaps and poor governmental structure; progress is further hampered by the ongoing civil war between the Tamil extremists and the Sri Lankan Government, a war that has been raging for decades.
I am working with a group whose tsunami project has three facets: Construction, Livelihood Development, and Community Capacity Development. The Construction team plans to build 600 homes and 3 community centers for tsunami affected families. Livelihood Development encompasses the tasks of 1) identifying profitable and feasible businesses or trades, then 2) training and equipping individuals to succeed in those roles. The focus of Community Capacity Development is to educate communities on issues such as alcohol and drug abuse, physical abuse, child development, hygiene, dental hygiene, AIDS, and many other areas. The Livelihood and Community Development programs are built on the premise that they will not only continue when the expatriates leave, but that they will flourish under the ownership and leadership of the community members.
My first task was to provide photographs for 100 families, who have recently received homes from the tsunami project. This was a gesture on our part to help make their new houses into homes.
In Sri Lankan culture, family photographs are very important, often times – the centerpiece of the home. For families who lost their homes, their belongings, their photographs of loved ones, and some of them – even their loved ones, the empty walls of the new house served as a constant reminder of the void the tsunami left in their lives. The purpose of providing a framed family photograph is to encourage families to begin a new history of memories. We cannot replace the lost photos, but we were able to provide an opportunity for a new beginning.
Throughout the process, I enjoyed visiting the community and communicating with some of the families. It was such a privilege to listen to their stories, although difficult to hear the heartache in their voices and see the pain in their eyes. It was a rich time of interacting and relating with these families. The small gift we offered seemed to mean much more than just a photo and a frame.
My goal for my time here is to encourage and serve the team members, as the Lord reveals opportunities. Sometimes, it is difficult to not have a daily routine, and to not be in charge. There are always opportunities to serve and the tasks are varied, which poses new challenges and prevents monotony.
Having the privilege to be on the other side of the world and to serve the same God that is daily present with my family and friends is quite amazing. Being a light in a place where there are very few Christians is difficult. I suppose that is what we are called to, whether we are in Wilmore, Kentucky with a church on every corner – or in South Sri Lanka with a Buddhist statue on every corner.
Please pray for us as we move forward in Christ, attempting to reflect Him as we work in His name.

Details About Pictures

2006-10-05T22:44:00.000-07:00

Yes, this was my internet debut wearing a skirt! O.K. so It is really called a "sarong" and all the fellas here in South Sri pull this off, so I'm just adjusting to culture. The skirt picture was taken with Adam,Dave,Tucker, and Chris. As usual Mindy is taking the picture, we were all out to eat at a really nice place called the Lighthouse celebrating me turning 28. The picture with me showing a little skin was our team attempting to get our fan "fran" to quit making a bunch of noise so we could hear the movie we were trying to watch. The good news is we were successful....the bad news is my shoulders hurt for the next three days AND you have to look at me without a shirt on. There is also a team photo included, all of these people are becoming great friends and doing a lot to make a difference in lives here in Sri Lanka. Finally....The Kids, this is one of the classes that meet in the building that we work out of here. We get a chance to see them occasionally, on this day they were having an art show and we got invited. So we took some pics to make them feel special and remember their cute little faces. Well, these are the pictures as promised!! All is well in South Sri and I hope to hear from some of you soon.

Pictures Anyone???

2006-10-05T22:36:00.000-07:00

One Day Before 28!!!!

2006-09-26T04:50:00.000-07:00

Well folks, In a just a matter of hours I will be a whopping Twent-Eight years of age. I must say that I am looking forward to findind out something great to do this weekend in order to celebrate. I saw a sign today as a few of us drove up north offering elephant rides. That was my number one "fun" priority upon arrival so maybe we can make it happen. If so, there will be pictures soon of myself getting intimate with Dumbo....How sweet would that be? I would love to write more about all that is happening, and I will soon but this is the teaser. I have to get to the beach and catch the sunset, it would be horrible if I missed that. We did already put a full day in so don't think we are just over having a good time!!! "Work Hard Play Hard" is the motto for the Southwest Team here on the island of Sri Lanka. Hope all is well with anyone checking this out. Pictures will arrive soon, it is quite an ordeal(?) so I will wait until I have more time. Budde's here I come!!!

Don't Tell Mom!!!!

2006-09-19T01:42:00.000-07:00

That's right, I learned how to post opictures with the help of my good friend Mindy Pierce. As you can see things are going quite well here in Sri Lanka!! Below is a picture of our fearless leader/project manager Chris showing us the way in a "team building" activity. We rewarded ourselves this weekend by renting a few bikes and checking out the scenery here in the Sri. The team was rewarding themselves for a long work week and I was doing so for making it through 55 hours of travel. I an starting to see how much work is really involved in trying to help out as much as possible within the parameters of "red Tape". I just wanted to share a few photos and please don't let my mom know what we have been doing if at all possible, motorcycles aren't her favorite mode of transportation. I will post again as soon as I have some new pics and thoughts.

My First Attempt

2006-09-09T08:33:00.000-07:00

Hello folks, I suppose it is time for me to start blogging. I must say that I was inspired by Adam and Mindy Pierce and all the cool information/pics that they have been able to share in this way. I will attempting to keep this updated on a weekly basis and allow everyone to share in each adventure that comes my way. This is a big step for me because typing with two fingers means this will be a "huge" time commitment. Well, I will now continue exploring what this is all about maybe I can even post some pictures.