Be careful of the books you read and the people you hang out with – they may lead you to take a trip that you never intended to take! Let me explain. The people I hang out with are at Wellspring Church in San Leandro, Cailfornia. I’ve been talking and eating and working and playing with these folks for over three years. They are a different bunch; they have a goal to do “all things for the sake of the sake of the Gospel for God’s glory and our joy”.
Oh, look out for the books that you read! It was with a group of Wellspringers that I set out to read a book called "Don’t Waste Your Life" by a guy named John Piper. Piper pointed to Bible passages as he caused me to change the focus of my life. If I had to pick a life motto right now it would be this: gladly making others glad in Jesus Christ. This is drive is influenced by Paul’s word to the Galatians: “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”
So it is with such a group of friends, directed by a glad and joyous desire, that I am headed on an unexpected trip: I’m going to South Africa and Mozambique! Yeah, an exclamation point understates my trip! If you know me, you know I don’t like to fly. In fact, I don’t even like to travel by car if the trip is over a couple of hours. But right now the plan is to hop on a plane in San Francisco on September 9 and head for Africa. My time there will be split between South Africa and Mozambique. Me and the crew from Wellspring will be working with and through a group called Hands at Work (http://www.handsatwork.org/). In Mozambique the plan is to go on home visits to check on those who are infected with HIV/AIDS or who have been widowed or orphaned by this disease. We will also do a kids day event for several hundred orphans, come alongside and spend time with indigenous volunteers, and encourage native caregivers.
Going to Africa is a small, small way for me to seek to do all things for the sake of the beautiful Gospel for the glory of Almighty God and my joy. I am a hedonist at heart. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ on a cross, for me, allows me to boast in Him. He makes me a Christian hedonist. The chance of making some people glad in Christ in rural Mozambique, just the thought of it, makes me glad. I can’t wait.
Now you know what I am doing - what can you do? Do you really want to ask that question? First, if you don’t embrace all this God and Jesus and joy and glad stuff, you can let me send you this little booklet called "Quest for Joy", written by John Piper. It will help you understand a little better where I’m coming from. So email me at kurtz.tim@gmail.com. But remember – what you read may change you!
Second, you can call out to God for me and my teammates from Wellspring. Pray for us physically, for good health (3John 1:3), especially those that are past the half century mark and have a lot of minor health issues that can get magnified when travelling (that would be only one team member …) Pray that we would be motivated and model the love of Christ (John 13:34,25). Pray that we would have compassion for people (Luke 10:29-37). Pray that we would be like Christ in our going and go to serve (Mark 10:45).Jesus Christ is the great Treasure (Matthew 13:44); it is the greatest joy to follow after Him, even to Mozambique!
If you want me to keep you updated on my trip, just let me know …
Soli Deo Gloria!
-tim, 03 July 2008