Well, it’s t-minus seven days.

In exactly one week, I’ll be on a plane heading west. So far west, in fact, that it’ll be east by the time we leave. Kori, Chien, Pak, Xiu Dan and I will be in the air for about 24 hours (30+ if you include airports) and arriving bleary-eyed and hopefully-not-too grumpy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia — a city that feels to me like a home away from home.

One of my first requests as Asia’s Hope’s full time Executive Director was for the board to grant me the option of taking a travel budget designed to sustain three or four separate month-long trips to Asia and use it to take one very long trip each year for not only me, but for my whole family. I’m so thankful that I don’t have to choose between my family and my job. I’m also thankful for my pastor and my church family; the emotional, logistical and spiritual support they provide makes all of this possible.

This summer promises to be one of the busiest and most productive trips yet. Kori and the kids will be joining me for the first two months and returning home with just a few weeks to prepare for school. I’ll spend June in Cambodia, July in Thailand, most of August in Cambodia, and the first part of September in India. Along the way, I’ll be joined by board members, friends and family, and will have the chance to meet up with many of the teams visiting from U.S. and Canadian church sponsors.

Wait, India?

Yes. India.

This year we’re adding India to the itinerary. I’ll be traveling with Asia’s Hope project manager Seth Earnest (and, I pray, Executive Board Member Dr. John Campbell, who is recovering from a blood clot and a small handful of other health incidents) to West Bengal, India to meet with lawyers and potential ministry partners. We’re praying that God will provide the support necessary to rescue 125 orphaned children in the remote hill areas near Darjeeling in 2012. http://www.asiashope.org/five-for-india/

If time and technology permit, I’ll be updating this blog at least two or three times a week. Please check in frequently and travel the world vicariously through us. I promise you won’t get bored. You probably won’t get Dengue Fever, either.

All joking aside, please pray that we stay healthy. As many of you remember, I got Dengue at the end of my trip last summer, and it was miserable. I lost about 25 pounds, and aged – perhaps permanently – about five years. If I get it again, I have an increased of getting a more serious version. I’d hate to go through this again, and I don’t want to see anyone else in my family suffer this kind of malady either.

We can use all of the prayers and kind words we can get. Pass this link along http://www.asiashope.org/directors-blog -- the more the merrier.

Catch you all on the flip side.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations..." Ephesians 3:20, 21

March has been quite a month.

We had spent the previous few weeks preparing for the U.S. visit of Savorn, our Cambodian national director, and his wife Sony -- designing and printing new brochures, updating the web site, scheduling events. It's not often that we get such important visitors for a month straight, so we wanted to make sure we utilized them as fully as possible.

Savorn and Sony spent nearly four weeks in the U.S., where they met with pastors and leadership teams from 6 churches, spoke in at least 9 weekend services, 5 receptions, 1 pastor's luncheon and had more than a dozen meetings with donors, potential donors, board members and ministry partners.

We certainly kept them busy. And they us. But God has moved in powerful ways, thanks to the generosity of our churches and to Savorn's amazing testimony. 

Sony is greeted warmly by Darlene Rudrick of Crossroads Community Church before a reception in Columbus, Ohio.Savorn and Sony are pictured with John McCollum, Executive Director of Asia's Hope and Pastor Jason Haymaker and the elders of the Western Reserve Grace Church in Macedonia, Ohio.

There are many stories I could tell, but the most astounding one came from Crossroads Community Church in Mansfield, Ohio.

Crossroads sponsors our Battambang 3 children's home in Cambodia. Since the home's founding, the kids and staff there have lived in a rented property. The facility is reasonably spacious and is, overall, adequate. But the family has longed for a permanent home, one in close proximity to our other Asia's Hope homes in Battambang.

Leaders at Crossroads began quietly "testing the waters," starting the conversation among a few potential supporters at the church to determine the feasibility of raising the $50,000 needed to build a home on land we own immediately adjacent to our main campus. To their delight, one donor representing a charitable foundation told them, "We'll give you the $50,000, but we want to do it in the form of a matching gift. For every dollar your church gives, we'll contribute one dollar."

Elevation drawing of the proposed BB3 home

Now the church began to expand their sights -- they could, potentially, build two houses: one for BB3, the other for a brand new home. The leaders put the plans together, and announced that Easter Sunday would be the day for everyone in the church community to donate toward the project.

On Palm Sunday Weekend, Savorn and I spoke at Crossroads, encouraging them to continue the good work they had started. Pastor Tim challenged the congregation to dig deep, to give sacrificially to fulfill God's command in James 1:27 to care for "the fatherless and the widow."

They ended the service with this video:

Power of the Cross from Crossroads Community Church on Vimeo.

On Easter, the church responded "exceedingly, abundantly, above what [we could] ask." When the final tally was recorded, the church had raised $351,000!

So now, thanks to the amazing, overwhelming generosity of Crossroads church, we will be able to not only build the two homes we had hoped for, but we will be building a third -- all three will be fully supported on an ongoing basis by Crossroads. Additionally, the money raised by the church will go to more than a dozen other exciting projects -- vehicles, buildings, land -- that will be announced once the details are finalized.

To say that we're thankful would be a massive understatement. We're amazed at how much God loves his church, and how much he loves the orphaned and the poor.

What a faith-building experience this has been for everyone involved. We pray that this will be just one of many miraculous, divine interventions this year. 

I'm always encouraged when I hear of individuals' efforts to support Asia's Hope's efforts in rescuing and redeeming orphaned kids at high risk of exploitation. I haven't done a great job of communicating about these efforts, but I'd like to do better in the upcoming months.

I wanted to take a little time this morning to tell you about an exciting new initiative being led by a friend of mine, Petr Janousek, who is hoping to turn his year of training for the Ironman competition into $25,000 for the ministry of Asia's Hope!

Petr is a photographer, and I don't think he'd mind if I told you that he does not live an extravagant lifestyle, and does not have many financial resources of his own. That isn't stopping him from stepping out boldly in faith and setting an aggressive, God-sized goal for himself.

He's set up a website, http://www.imforhope.org/, and is actively soliciting sponsors for his race. With God's help and some hard work by Petr, this effort will provide significant tangible benefit to the ministry and to the kids and staff we support.

If you're interested in sponsoring Petr, I'd encourage you to visit his site. All donations will be tax deductible in the U.S. and Canada and will go directly to Asia's Hope.

If you have an idea for fundraising you'd like to run past me, or if you're aware of an existing effort you'd like to see profiled here, please call me at 614.804.6233 or email me john@asiashope.org. 

Together, we can change the lives of orphaned kids in Asia!

Driving home from the Bengals’ game with my son this weekend I saw a billboard that has bothered me ever since. It was big, red and Christmassy. And it featured a weepy looking white guy with long hair and an old-timey robe. The caption read, “I miss hearing you say ‘Merry Christmas’ – Jesus.”

At the risk of offending those who are deeply galled at hearing “Happy Holidays” from the cashier at Tim Hortons, I’m just going to say it: the so-called “War on Christmas” is pretty low on Jesus’ list of battle priorities.

Jesus didn’t come to establish a holiday, secular or otherwise. And whether the sign over the display at Target says “Happy Holidays,” “Seasons Greetings” or “Merry Christmas,” the real war on Christ’s coming and his agenda has precious little to do with the tinsel, the toys and the trappings of the holiday we’ve created.

In his own words, Jesus came “to proclaim good news to the poor…to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” He came to “destroy the works of the devil” and to “serve, not to be served.” When we turn Jesus into a poster child -- quite literally, in the case of the previously noted billboard -- for our political or social agendas, we risk doing damage to his agenda.

Have we ever considered that maybe Jesus hates Christmas – or what it has become to most of us – more than the “secularists” do? Listen to what God said to the prophet Isaiah regarding the festivals and holidays of His people, Israel:

Stop bringing meaningless offerings! 
Your incense is detestable to me. 
New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations— I cannot bear your worthless assemblies. Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all my being. 
They have become a burden to me; 
 I am weary of bearing them. 
When you spread out your hands in prayer, 
I hide my eyes from you; 
even when you offer many prayers, 
 I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood! Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. Learn to do right; seek justice. 
Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; 
plead the case of the widow.

So what’s the point? Should we as Christians stop celebrating Christmas? No. But we should make sure that we don’t anger God and cause him to “hate with all [his] being” our holiday festivities.

Let’s stop moaning about how victimized we feel when someone doesn’t affirm our agenda, and let’s redouble our commitment to the victims at the center of Jesus’ agenda: the widow, the orphan, the oppressed, the unloved, those enslaved by their own sins or those of others. Anything less is “detestable” to God, a “worthless assembly,” a burden to God himself.

And as we sing these words, let them ring out as our manifesto, our battle cry against everything which truly wars against the agenda of Christ’s coming:

Truly he taught us to love one another, his law is love and his gospel is peace. Chains shall he break, for the slave is our brother, and in his name all oppression shall cease. Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we. With all our hearts we praise his holy name. Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we, his power and glory evermore proclaimed.

Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.

And by all means, have a merry Christmas.

In an earlier post, I mentioned the plight of two young children living with their father, a homeless, disabled widower, who is unlikely to survive and is unable to care for his young son and daughter.

I was amazed by the number of emails I received regarding those kids, and was thankful for a number of offers to provide funds to help the kids come to Asia's Hope.

Thanks to the generosity of Grace Community Church in Fremont, Ohio, we were able to admit the kids into one of the homes the church sponsors, Doi Saket 3. My family visited DS3 last night and spent a few hours with the kids.

The little boy, Tep, and the little girl, Bow, are doing well. As well as can be expected.

They're a little confused, and stick very close to the director, Ajan Boon, and his wife, but are starting to play with the other kids. They even cracked a smile once or twice. 

Our director Tutu Bee reports that the children are impressed not only by the quality of the food, but also the fact that it keeps coming three times a day. These kids have not eaten well for much of their young lives, and something as simple as "three squares" makes a huge difference in their daily well being.

Please keep praying for the kids, their new family, their father and for their sponsoring church.

Ajan Boon with Bow.

Now Tep has a mom to care for him.

Tep, some of his new brothers, and friends around the campfire

It's finally raining in Thailand. The drought has made it impossible for farmers in the mountains to plant their rice, so we're expecting much higher food prices this year. So while the rain is badly needed, it may end up being too little and too late.

It has, however, seemed to cool things down a bit. Today's high will be 93, but right now it's only 84. That's good. Given the tolerance for hot weather here, the kids at our orphan homes will probably be breaking out the heavy blankets any night now.

My family is doing well. I'm a bit under the (ever-changing) weather, so I'm staying at the hotel with Chien while Kori, Pak and Xiu Dan head out with our director Tutu and ministry advisor Mike to visit a Lahu village. Some of our kids are Lahu, and most came from very poor villages like the one my family will see today.

This week we've been joined by Tim Crandall and Eddie Hastings from Chet's Creek Church in Jacksonville, Florida. Tim is the director of the church's adoption ministry, and Eddie is the Pastor of Administration. They're here to check out Asia's Hope and evaluate possible partnerships.

I can't tell you how thankful I am for Chet's Creek. It's my parent's church, and it has literally been a Godsend for them. My mom, dad and little sister moved to Florida a few years ago, and were embraced by Chet's, a loving and energetic faith community with a vision that extends beyond north Florida to the ends of the earth.

Tim and Eddie joined me and my family this week to visit our Wiang Pa Pow campus, aka "The Farm." This campus houses a widows' ministry, and orphan home and a number of agricultural and micro-enterprise projects. We're currently working to pay off the land completely, and have made great strides thanks to amatching grant by the Florida-based Van Voorhis Family Foundation. Eventually, The Farm may house as many as three more orphan homes.

While at The Farm, we killed a pig in the Karen tribal tradition (Tim did the honor, spearing the pig in the heart), played with the children for hours on end.

Tim, getting ready to do the deed.

The least gory picture I can post.

It's been such a blessing to hang out with Tim and Eddie, and I'm looking forward to visiting the church again in October.

Every day here is full. Maybe a bit too full. But there's so much to see, so many kids to play with, and so much to eat. I'm enjoying everything, even the rain.

The bamboo Hilton.Eddie making friends with the kids at Wiang Pa Pow.The orphan home at Wiang Pa Pow.

One of the widows harvesting longan fruitThe orphan home at nightLate night songs

Widows and staff sing "Blessed Be The Ties" in Karen languageThe kids at Wiang Pa Pow get ready for schoolTim tries on a traditional Karen tribal vest

Thus far, our time in Thailand has been a bit of a blur. We're staying in Chiang Mai, just steps from the Night Market.

In Cambodia, I had a car, and was able to drive myself and my family whenever and wherever I chose. I have no car in Thailand, and much of my time is spent inconveniencing staff members who graciously cart us back and forth between the city and our orphan homes in (only relatively) nearby Doi Saket.

Over the past few days, we've experienced the best and the worst Thailand has to offer. Among the "bests" are the food, the scenery, our staff and our kids. All are wonderful.

On Saturday, Chien and Pak played soccer with the older boys from Doi Saket 1 against a group of local kids. It was great to see them bonding with the Asia's Hope teens in such a joyful, kinesthetic way. On the playing field, language and cultural barriers melted away; my boys were fully accepted as part of the team.

Watching the kids from Asia's Hope -- especially the older ones who have been in our care for a few years -- you wouldn't know that these kids were once orphans, that they've suffered immeasurably from the loss of their parents. They're silly, they're studious, they're satisfied, they're sulky. They have hope for the future, but at any given time, they're preoccupied with their regular, mundane things like music, sports and homework. In short, they're like adolescent boys anywhere. 

You know, I define "hope" as "the promise of transformation." Asia's Hope works hard to make and then deliver on that promise to kids whose options have run out, kids who, without our intervention, will live a life of despair. Unless someone steps in to change things, these kids will live out a predictable, yet devastating script. No education. No medical care. Insufficient food. A lifetime of grinding poverty and a high likelihood of prostitution, drug abuse, disease and even slavery.

After church on Sunday, we saw one such example of despair. We met a Sgaw Karen man and his two children, age 3 and 5. The man had been in a motorcycle accident that left him with severe internal injuries, as evidenced by the huge scar on his abdomen, head injuries and facial paralysis. An orphan himself, this man had always lived on the brink of poverty.

His accident left him unable to work, so his wife left him for another man, moved far away and abandoned their children. He has no property, no home and no way to feed his children. He came to Asia's Hope to see if we would take his children and give them a chance to survive. He will probably have to beg for a living, and is likely to die an early death.

Today, those kids stand on the brink of hope and despair. If we are able to find a place and enough money to support these kids, they will survive, and will have a bright future -- an education, a loving and secure home, and access to every advantage God's people can provide them. If not, they face almost certain disaster.

It almost sounds like melodrama or overstatement. But it's not. It's simply way things are for so many people in this world. No future. No transformation. No hope.

And it's not okay.

And at this point in the blog post, I'm not sure what else to say. It's just not okay.

I'm so thankful that we get to be a part of providing hope for so many kids. But every time I start feeling content with what we've accomplished at Asia's Hope, I'm reminded of how much work there is left to do.

As the song says, "Little ones to him belong. We are weak, but he is strong." May God prove his strength in the lives of these children and the untold thousands just like them.

Well, we're in the Phnom Penh airport waiting for our flight to Thailand. We spent the last few days in Phnom Penh wrapping up our affairs and taking a few precious hours to reconnect and then de-connect from the kids and staff at our four Prek Eng orphan homes.

Last night was full of more hard goodbyes. Perhaps the most difficult was Prek Eng 2, which is sponsored by my home church, Central Vineyard in Columbus, Ohio. These kids were among our first in Cambodia, and have a special place in my heart. I know all of their names, and can tell you about each of them. I miss them whenever they're not around. I feel responsible for each of them, pastorally and parentally.

We ate dinner with the staff and then stuck around for another hour or so to hang out with the kids. We played soccer and danced, trying our best to ignore the obvious fact that we would be leaving. At about 8:30, we announced to the kids that it was nearly time.

The kids and staff gathered around, hugging us and clasping our hands. "Please don't go," some of the younger kids pleaded. It took about ten minutes to get about 20 feet from the front of the house to the gate. About half way there, the tears began to flow. 

Srey Ka, an older girl who had become Xiu Dan's special friend, knelt on the ground and buried her head in Xiu Dan's shoulder. Soriya turned her face and sobbed. By the time we reached our car, even the oldest boys were crying. Don't tell anyone, but I think my boys were as well.

Sheesh. This is hard.

I've never been less ready to leave Cambodia. My family has had such an amazing time here. I don't want to leave the kids. I don't want to leave Sony and Savorn. I don't want to leave the staff.

But Thailand -- and a lot of work there -- awaits. I know that I'll be ready to embrace that portion of the trip just as soon as we land and are greeted by our staff. I love the kids in Thailand immensely. I may just need a few hours to recharge my emotional batteries. They're seriously drained.