HCJB Global partners in Cape Town

Our radio partner, CCFm, in Cape Town, South Africa.












LIVE on the air. How scary is that? :) Actually it was a lot of fun and maybe I will get to do it again someday.












Rachel - Living Hope small group leader for those with chronic diseases.






















The men's ward at Living Hope Community Center.

from my daily calendar

A wonderful friend sent me a desk calendar with thoughts from Billy Graham for each day. I was a bit behind with being gone for a couple of weeks and all but now I am caught up. I think I may share from it from time to time as what is written is very encouraging and turns my thoughts toward the Lord where they should be. I hope it encourages you as well.

From today (1/16): People deeply in love find absolute bliss simply being in each other's presence. In the same way, simply being in the presence of God brings us great joy. It happens as we listen to Him speak in his Word; it happens as we pray. But it also happens as we simply enjoy His presence- meditating on His goodness, delighting in the beauty of His creation, rejoicing in the life of a new baby or the surprise of an unexpected blessing...Someday we will be in His presence forever; the Bible says, "God Himself will be with them" (Rev. 21:3)...In the meantime, delight in His presence right now, for He is with you every hour of the day.

From 1/2: When hard times come we easily get discouraged. But behind the clouds God is still present, and can even use them to water our souls with unexpected blessings. Longfellow once wrote: "Be still, sad heart, and cease repining; behind the clouds is the sun still shining." As God's people wandered in the wilderness, He declared, "Behold, I come to you in the thick cloud" (Ex. 19:9). Each of us experiences clouds in life- sometimes slight, but sometimes dark and frightening. Whatever clouds you face today, ask Jesus, the light of the world, to help you look behind the cloud to see his glory and His plans for you.

And finally, from 1/4: When David Livingstone returned to his native Scotland after sixteen difficult years as a missionary and explorer in Africa, his body was emaciated by...fevers that had coursed through his veins during the years...His left arm hung useless by his side, the result of being mangled by a lion. Speaking to the students at Glasgow University, he said, "Shall I tell you what sustained me during the hardship and loneliness of my exile? It was Christ's promise, 'Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age'" (Mt. 28:20)....No matter what trials we face, Christ never leaves us...Keep that promise before you today- and always.

You can see there is a theme that focuses on the presence of Christ in our lives and in every day. I know I needed the reminders, perhaps you did also. Thank you Lord for being with me in every part of every day.

lesson from South Africa

The primary purpose for my recent trip to South Africa was for a regional spiritual life conference (SLC). The purpose for the SLC is to have time away from work and ministry to receive teaching, de-stress, and focus on where we are with the Lord. The teacher for our SLC was Ron Cline who is a pastor and counselor and former HCJB president. The focus of his teaching sessions was "things they don't prepare you for before going to the field". They were really good sessions. I will share with you the two that struck me the most. The first session was about the idea of playing second fiddle. Of not being the "star" in the ministry, being looked past to someone else and feeling like your part is insignificant. Wow what a way to start a spiritual life conference, huh? But you know it was a great place to start b/c I think no matter where we are in life or ministry we all struggle with this at some point. I know I do. The Biblical character that we looked at was John the Baptist and how his life and his ministry meant nothing except to pave the way and point to Jesus. He only came as a witness for Christ. This is what every Christian is called to do no matter where we live or serve the Lord. We are to focus everything on Christ and not call attention to ourselves at all. But this is hard b/c we crave attention as human beings and especially if someone else is getting it and we aren't. I find myself often having conversations with God about where my significance comes from (Him alone) and asking for Him to help me decrease so that He increases. It is almost a daily struggle and I am glad that Ron addressed it right off. As a follower of Christ, I play second fiddle. We are all second fiddles to Him. Jeremiah 9:23-24 "thus says the Lord, 'Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things', declares the Lord."

The second session that really impacted me was on ambiguity. Not just ambiguity in going to the mission field but ambiguity in the Christian life in general. The Bible passage we looked at in this session was Luke 9:57-62. I won't write it out but will focus on the key verses. In verse 58 we see that we as followers of Christ are not promised special things - we may not even have a place to lay our head. In verse 60 Jesus tells us to go and proclaim the kingdom of God but he doesn't specifically tell us how. And from verse 62 we see that God doesn't share his agenda or what his plan is but we are to follow step by step. Ron really emphasized the ambiguity of what God calls us to and how things so often don't make sense from our perspective. But we are to focus on the fact that God is almighty and sovereign and he knows what he is about. In the light of this not knowing and that our paths with the Lord often lead us through suffering, Ron asked us all to go and think about a very key question...."Why do I follow Christ"? A simple but tough question that I don't ask myself very often. It was good to sit and think about it especially when living in a new culture and dealing with all that is involved with that. I will just write what I wrote in my journal that day -rough cut and all.

I John 4:9-10 - "By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." He loved me, He loves me - I am overwhelmed by how much He loves me. Look at what He gave up to be born a mere man, to live on this fallen earth, to see the world He created be so ruined, to follow through on an awful death - simply to provide a way for me to be with Him. Matthew 26:53 - "Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?" Jesus could have called for help (regarding the cross) but didn't.. He went all the way b/c of His love for me. When I get real glimpses of His love and it penetrates my heart - that while I was still a sinner and knowing that I will still fail Him - He came to love me and save me....How could I not follow Him?

The SLC was very good and meaningful. It was helpful to acknowledge these things, to look at them head on and to see where I am in dealing with them. I thank God for the opportunity to go to South Africa. Not just for the beauty and the rest, etc. but for these teachings and for time to reflect on who God is and why I follow Him. His unconditional, perfect love compels me to follow him no matter how faltering and feeble my attempts may be. "Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting." (Ps. 105:1)

Some pictures from my recent trip to Cape Town, South Africa

The Sub-Saharan Africa Team: in front- Mike and Heather Tacheny with Sydney and Sam. Kyle Sonius in the very front.
Back (L-R): TJ Sonius, Joseph Kebbie, Barb Cline, me, Ron Cline, Michelle Sonius, Lee Sonius, Jessica McMillan, and Susie Pile.

not pictured: Dee Walker and family














Our conference leaders - Ron and Barb Cline. They have served with HCJB Global for over 30 years. Their experience, wisdom and care for us was wonderful and encouraging.










The "girls": (L-R) Heather, me, Susie, Jessica, Michelle and Barb

Top floor of radio partner, CCFm.














Team Malawi: Drs Mike and Heather Tacheny with Sydney and Sam and Jessica McMillan, RN

On top of Table Mountain











Yes, a real McDonald's in Cape Town. It was fun to go but I have to admit that twice was more than enough. They still make a good chocolate shake though.

Tip of Mount Kilimanjaro as we fly out from Nairobi, Kenya to Johannesburg, South Africa.













Amazing sunsets over God's Atlantic Ocean.













St. James Beach, Cape Town












Overlooking Cape Town from on top of Table Mountain.

A few moments of the Amazing Race

About two weeks ago my teammates and I began our trip to South Africa from Accra. We didn't realize at the time that we had entered an episode of the Amazing Race but apparently we did. Before I tell you the details let me just say that in spite of varying challenges all our luggage arrived at the same airport at the same time we did and we were safe in every place we went. Praise the Lord.

At the airport in Accra, I stepped up to the counter to check in only to find that I was not in the system. So Lee came up to see if he and his family were in there since all our tickets were booked together. None of the Sonius' were in there either. After a short discussion Lee and I (and TJ) are sent to the KLM office to figure out what is wrong. Michelle and Kyle stayed with the luggage. The short story is that even though we paid for the tickets somehow they had never been entered into the system and so our entire bookings for the trip had been cancelled. Not a good way to start a trip. The agent in the office had to take all five of us and rebook the whole trip. Fortunately there were still seats on the flight we were trying to get on that night. But it did change things on the back end of the trip. While the agent is taking quite a bit of time to change our tickets, Lee and I are trying to remain calm and polite as the time for take off draws closer and closer. The check in desk has called the agent at least twice to see if we are done and on our way. Finally with about 15 minutes or so to take off, we have the tickets in hand and start running for the plane. Literally running - for a few hundred meters (the office was in a building a bit removed from the actual terminal). They quickly check us in and an agent has to escort us through the rest of the process as the plane is being held for us. I believe this is the first time in my life that a plane has waited for me. We really did feel like we were on the amazing race as we were all running up the ramp and getting into our seats. It was kind of them to wait for us. And yes all our luggage made it. We were quite impressed and a bit surprised. The rest of this trip to South Africa was very smooth.

Another episode of running for transportation was at the train station in Cape Town. We took a bus from the waterfront to the train station to catch the train to St. James. The train we need leaves at 5:06 and at 5:03 we are still waiting for the cashier to give us our tickets. Again we are running through the terminal. This time though we had 11 of us and 3 were children, 7 and under. We hopped on the train - realized we were in the wrong part of it- ran to the correct part and sat down. The bell rang and the doors closed about 20 seconds after we were seated.

Our final dose of the Race was on the way home from South Africa. We flew from Johannesburg to Nairobi and had a few hours layover there. Finally we are sent out from the terminal to board our plane. For those who haven't flown in Africa, most of the time you go down stairs from the terminal, walk on the tarmac a bit and then up the stairs into the plane. Most places do not have the nice tubes between the plane and terminal. So we are down on the tarmac, following our Kenya Airway agent to the plane...or not the plane. Lee and Michelle are inside already when we all are told this is not the right plane. So we traipse across the tarmac to another plane...or not the plane. This time we are told on the ground that this plane isn't going to Accra. The agent we are following decides to go investigate so here we stand - a large crowd of people- waiting on the tarmac to find out where to go. The third time really is a charm b/c we walk to the third plane and it is the one going to Accra. Thank you! If you don't know what the tarmac is it is the part of the airport where the planes sit, luggage carts scoot about and all sorts of other vehicles run around. This is where we are walking back and forth between planes. I found it quite hysterical. Aviation officials in the US would have a coronary if they saw all these people wandering around between planes.

I found a few things different in just how people are put on the planes. In the states we are boarded by rows or groups so it is fairly organized. In African airports you board by however you get into the queue. If that means pushing or cutting in front of people - well there it is. It is important to get on early to have a place for your carry-on. And then in the US we board at one door. On the Kenya air flight we boarded at the front and at the back of the plane. In many ways it is a good thing b/c it helps people get on faster. The problem was that there wasn't anyone watching which rows were going where so people with seats at the back of the plane went in the front door and people with seats at the front went in the back door. Needless to say, it was very challenging to move around and pass each other in the tiny aisle that planes have but somehow it was done. It looked like an intersection in Accra with everyone jammed in from all sides and no one can move:)

These are just the funny traveling moments. The trip as a whole was really wonderful. Cape Town is amazingly beautiful and the time with my teammates from around the region was great. I will write more on the specifics of what we did and saw when I have some pictures ready to post with it.

Back from South Africa

I have just returned from two weeks in Cape Town, South Africa. As soon as I get back in the swing of things I will write a bit on what it was like there and also post pictures of the beauty I saw. Flying internationally in Africa is very interesting and I will tell you of our "Amazing Race" type travels soon.