Greeting

Karibuni! The Lord is good! My name is Brandon and the Lord has done mighty things in my life. I am a missionary in Moshi, Tanzania and God is doing good things for us here at Treasures of Africa Children's Home. This website was created to share that story with friends, family and supporters in the states. I also from time to time will share some thoughts on other stuff as well. Each of the entries are a story of what the Lord is up to and to Him be all glory. Please feel free to send comments and questions to me at bmstiver@gmail.com. Thanks for visiting the site and I hope the Lord blesses you as you poke around.

Peace and Grace,
Brandon Stiver

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Giving and Receiving

I felt that such a title and subject would be appropriate this time of the year. This season is all about giving, or so I’ve heard. I don’t know if you’ve heard it as well. I undoubtedly could spend this time harping on the fact that we celebrate Jesus’ birthday by spoiling one another in the name of “holiday cheer” but I feel like that’s been said…I know I’ve said it. Despite our economy and the more and more common church sermons on living and giving more simply, we don’t see too much of a difference in December. Come Sunday morning the kids are looking under the tree and not to the manger and the adults are more worried about the lights and appearance of the house then the Light that came to earth 2000 years ago. Oh wait, I said I wasn’t going to beat that drum. That’s right. Giving and receiving.

I’ve always felt an incredible amount of freedom that comes from giving and I‘ve felt that increase over the years. When I started to have an income from high school jobs, I knew that it was important to tithe, so I did. It wasn’t much and I didn’t really track it at all, but if the plate came by I’d throw something in. Aside from tithing to the church, most of my money went to myself. Music was my big thing. Every week after getting paid I would go and buy three CD’s from Aardvark Music in Paso. But yeah, I’d give too. If it were Christmas or a birthday, I’d buy a price appropriate gift for a family member, but I didn’t bowl anyone over and I doubt that most of those presents are still around. When I transferred to Vanguard, I had a designated 20% for the church. The rest was mine. Now as I read that, I’m kind of realizing that that’s not a lot. I’ve heard so many people boasting about 10% or whatever and its almost been played off as “He gave me His life and I give Him 10% of my income, we have an arrangement.” Honestly, I’ve dealt with pride on this issue (pride is probably my biggest downfall, Lord help me). I would hear people say that and think “boy, I’m such a great Christian, I give a little over 20% and they have more money than me and only give 10%”. It’s a messed up way of thinking, as if God sent His only begotten Son to be born in a stable and hang on a cross, but all He was concerned about was how much we give on Sunday. I think that it says more to the fact that we care a lot about money and that’s why we make such a big deal about how much we give.

Since then the Lord has brought me through different seasons of 30% and 50% and while that may be good, it all seems arbitrary to some extent, because no matter how much I give, He still takes care of me. Giving for me has been the most easing thing. When I give money or whatever of value, it is really living by faith and saying that this money has NOTHING to do with my sustenance. I’ve gotten so worked up at times thinking about how bills are going to get paid or how I’m going to afford stuff (like moving to Africa) and you know what? It always happens. The worry and stress is relieved as I give. Its like I think we sometimes forget who our Dad is. Do we really think that if we give money or an unexpected bill comes up, that God is just going to say “ah, bummer, I guess you’re up a creek” No. He doesn’t say that, He’ll take care of us. Now maybe He will use that to bring about correction in your life. “Whom the Lord loves He corrects.” (Proverbs 3:12) If you are at your house and reading this, look around the room and point to the thing that you need to survive. Nothing, really. Now point to the thing that if you were to fall on “tough” times you could sell to make up some of the difference. Just about everything. Sorry I didn’t mean to get on a tangent (it seems more and more inevitable with my blogs) On that note, not my money point but rather the tangent point, I realize more and more that I do enjoy having people read my blogs, but this seems like it is more for me, hence the length, just saying.

So this is what I really want to get to. It is a biblical principle that you reap what you sow. This isn’t my get rich quick scheme, but feel free to try it that way and see what happens. I have been in a time of harvest and I say that joyfully. It almost seems new to me, not because I haven’t harvested before, but rather because it is so refreshing. Whether I did it out of joy (the case at times) or out of religious tradition (the case at times) the money that I sowed into the church has began to come back to me. I’ve raised almost half my money for my first year of ministry (about $12000) and had so many other blessings. I know I shared stories in a previous blog “The Joys of Fundraising” but there are now more stories in addition to just how much support I’ve raised. I had one friend who the Lord prompted to give over $1000 to me personally to help me pay off my credit card, that was really amazing. Praise God for generous people like this friend. Oh, this next one is related to a previous giving story and shows that the Lord gives MORE than what is necessary. So last year after I read The Irresistible Revolution for the second time I felt inclined to sell my expensive things and give the money away to Christian para-church organizations both domestic and abroad. One of the things that I sold was my 4 GB iPod Nano. At the time that was my biggest sacrifice, because I was a bike commuter and that was my entertainment for at least an hour a day. But I sold it. Well, my friend gave me an early Christmas present last week. He told me not to open it til I got on the plane (probably because he knew I wouldn’t receive it unless it was forced on me). I got to my parents and forgot that the package was in my guitar case. A week later, I came across it and opened it and found HIS iPod Touch. I was blown away. He had told me he had lost it a few weeks prior and now it was mine. I’m listening to Phil on it right now, the Wickham not the Doctor. Praise God for generous people like this friend. These last two stories have made me realize that I’m not too great at receiving. It has been humbling and makes me squeamish. I almost don’t want to receive the gifts, because its too awkward, even though these are FRIENDS of mine. But looking at it biblically, I don’t want to reject what the Lord has given me and I don’t want to reject the blessing that will be returned on my friends. So I just get to sit back and let the love flow between everyone. It really is beautiful.

More and more I see the Lord’s hand in those things that I want and need. When the Lord had put it on my heart to live minimally, I went for it. No new shirts, CD’s or anything else. I decided to eat on $3 a day after I graduated from college. It was actually wonderful and I didn’t worry about the bills even though things were tight. I learned something in that time about “things.” There are physical things in this world that are good, enjoyable and can be used to God’s glory. As I really walked in not buying things, I began asking God for things and see if He’d provide. He’s a good Dad and He created everything there is and more. So I asked him for things. Since then here is a list of things I asked Him for and I’ve received from various places: a big djembe, a guitar, a dog (there are two at TOA), and a laptop. These are the most expensive things that I own and I didn’t pay a red penny for any of them. All of it is committed to the Lord’s glory and I trust that when its time for any of these things to break, the Lord will allow me to glorify Him in other ways.

Now I tell you confidently that you will reap what you sow. If you sow sparingly and ungratefully, you will reap in frustration and an insatiable dissatisfaction. But if you sow generously, you will reap the Lord’s plenty for your life. (2 Corinthians 9:6) To be honest, if you sow in money, you may reap in something different. I think the number one reason that much of my reaping recently has been monetarily is because I am moving to one of the top 10 most impoverished nations in the world and the Lord knows what I need (and what I want). Chances are you’re reading this from one of the most affluent nations in the world and the Lord knows what you really need and that very well could be something other than more money. Pray into that, He does have something for you in your giving. But the giving is on you. If you wait for Him to take it, it will be unnecessarily more difficult and you may miss what He really wants to do in your giving.

The Word of the Lord (x3)
2 Corinthians 9:7-8
So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance of every good work.
Luke 12:48
…For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.
Matthew 7:7;11
Ask and it will be given to you…If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

Merry Christmas, family.

Monday, December 7, 2009

Sacrifice

"I can't lose focus, because Jesus is who I follow
Sometimes I choke back tears, but this time I'll decide to swallow
Submit my life to Him and glorify Him through the loss
Knowing before there's resurrection we must endure the cross."
-Excerpt from a poem I wrote on Jan. 30 2008

Mike Erre was joking a couple years ago about USC beating The Ohio State University and he said in jest that the loss was the cross that must be endured before the Buckeye's overcome and resurrect. Everyone laughed, but the joke itself was something that stuck with me (besides I'm a Badgers fan). We must endure the cross of pain and suffering before our resurrection and this is the path of the Way.

January 2008 was the crappiest month of my life. I just got back to Vanguard for my final semester before receiving my Bachelor's in Education. A little over a month before, my girlfriend of over two years had broken up with me, my best friend from back home had gotten into some trouble with the law and there was family turmoil as well. If I was ever in a state of depression, that would've been it.

I remember one night in particular. I was in my night class on the Gospel of Mark and I received a call from my brother Donny and then called back to talk to my sis-in-law Melissa and got the 411 on what had happened with my friend. I was devastated and shocked. In my pain, I wanted to turn to my best friend on this Earth, only to quickly remember that she had broken up with me November 23rd 2007. After class, I called my friend's wife and left her a pathetic tearful message and then went on a walk. I have never felt that things were so out of whack.

In that season of sowing in tears, I planted a seed that would lead to reaping in the deepest joy I've ever felt. The resurrection of my sorrow. [Psalm 126:5]

I again find myself in a time of dying to myself and sacrificing. I leave California in less than a week. This has been my home and the majority of the people I know and call loved ones live within the four and a half hours that it takes to get from Costa Mesa to San Miguel. As if saying goodbye to Andy, Amy and the Varners wasn't hard enough last week, yesterday I had a going away party. Joel represented the central coast, while Cody, Alaina, Clesi, Katie, Jeff and the LG fam showed up for Costa Mesa and The Garden/Modern Lovers gave LB love. And I was so sad. I cried so much yesterday. The bitter before the sweet I suppose.

Ashley put it really well a few weeks ago... I have sacrificed everything and especially these relationships for Awadhi [and the Treasures]. This last week, I've felt the weight of that sacrifice and its really painful. But the resurrection is yet to happen and that's my hope.

I am so glad that [Lord willing] my journey is not over yet. Yesterday before the party, I heard my story for the first time without speaking it. Thanks to a great videographer and now friend, Brett, I was able to hear me tell my story and I can't tell you how much it blessed me. I've watched it like five times by now and cried every single time. The only problem with my story about the Lord's calling on my life to Tanzania is that I live in California right now. I'm still saying goodbye and still hanging on this cross, albeit a glorious cross. I suppose my time in Rice Lake will be the tomb (am I reaching for this analogy?) and come January 10th, I get to come out and the Lord will receive glory and I'll walk through walls (figuratively...maybe literally).

So that seed that I planted in January 2008 when I started sponsoring and praying for Awadhi has already started to bud and next month January 2010 is going to be harvest time.

Praise be to the Lord. He is my Hope. He is my Love. He is my Peace. He is my Everything. And I will sacrifice everything and anyone (or everyone) for the joy of knowing Him. It is my delight to suffer for His sake and I await the day when all His saints are resurrected and we live in perfection for eternity. Asante Jehova.

Keep This Up Family

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Risk

I can't live a domicile Christianity. That sounds so unappealing to me. I want to enjoy my life and enjoy Christ and enjoy the thrill of really following Him.

I was having a conversation over Chipotle yesterday with my pastor Darren. I always enjoy our conversations and yesterday's seemed especially poignant as I wrap up my time here in Long Beach (or California period for that matter). We were both reflecting on what the Lord's been doing in the last year since The Garden really took off, what He's doing in our church now and what the future is looking like and specifically what The Garden's future partnership with me in Tanzania is going to be like. I love dreaming with a coworker in the Harvest and Darren is up there as far dreaming workers go.

In speaking of our individual stories, one thing seems to stick out and is a recurrence when we speak with other people... our age. Darren is 25 and is a pastor to a quickly growing congregation in an internationally influential city where the diversity across socioeconomic, cultural and racial fronts is vast. I am 23 and in 6 weeks I am moving to a foreign country for a stay that can best be described as "long term indefinite" doing kingdom work that will affect not only the 27 kids at Treasures of Africa, but the nation of Tanzania as a whole. Now if I boast in anything let me boast in Christ resurrected and Him working through me by His Holy Spirit. I was a total punk in high school (and I still have my moments). I was a timid, tame and worldly Christian (is that even possible?) when I transferred to Vanguard. These great things now and on the horizon are only through His guidance and ordination and the work He's done to change my heart and my life is the biggest miracle I've experienced.

Having said all that, I can't tell you how excited I am for the road ahead of me. I think about those kids at TOA and I can't help but smile and be in awe that in all His goodness, the Lord was so gracious as to give me this position. If I've made one good decision in my life, it was taking this position. But such great joys do not come without great risk and sacrifice. I could spend a whole blog (and probably will at some point) talking about sacrifice and my experience, but today risk is on my heart.

I think that risk is inescapably attached to LIVING by faith. I think that it is possible (and often happens here in America) to have faith and be saved, but not live by faith. I was saved at the age of four with a saint named Margaret Glore who had a profound effect on my life. On that day, I professed my faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit and confessed my need for Him to pardon my sins forever. (I don't think those were the exact words of four year old Brandon, but you get my eloquent drift). I don't think that it would surprise anyone for me to say that my life wasn't radically transformed. I wasn't some wicked heathen of a four year old, I was just a four year old with four year old sin. Now I was pretty much the same kid, only now with a basic understanding of who I am to God. I lived the majority of my life with faith, but how that enacted in my life was largely non-existent. I know kids in Tanzania that will lay hands on you and you'll be healed, they've cast out demons even. Not me, my sister Bobbie and I were a part of group called Club Ted when I was a kid and we really liked to do Valentines Day parties and put on plays for our parents, but no, no demon casting. And its not even all about the supernatural, that's only a facet of the larger picture. In junior high and high school, I didn't have an evangelistic bone in my body, or one for social justice, or one for the majority of the things exemplified the disciples' lives. Yes, I was saved, I had head knowledge and knew the Bible answers and stories, I even knew the moral code in the Bible (which I even followed sometimes), but LIVING by faith wasn't really there and the risk of following an awesome and holy God wasn't there either.

Unfortunately, I don't think that this is uncommon in American Christianity. (Sidenote: I am not trying to pick on American Christians, I am an American Christian, this is my culture and I can best speak out of my own experience.) In the messy union of Christianity, consumerism and American politics, we seem to miss the risk that marks those believers in the Bible. It is very easy to follow God here and that's pretty scary. People will say to me sometimes, "Wow, you're going to be a missionary in Tanzania? God bless you that will be hard." I agree, it is going to be hard, but in all honesty its the easier path for me to choose. I could stay in California and be a Children's Pastor and get married to a woman that loves the Lord and continue to fight those desires to be complacent and just give in and consume, consume, consume. But the Lord isn't calling me or anyone else to complacency and consumerism. The reason its easier for me to live out the Gospel in Tanzania, is because its going to force me to actually rely on Him and being complacent and or consumeristic isn't an option at all.

That's one of the most inspiring things to me about my brothers and sisters in Tanzania, they are LIVING by faith, they have to. Why would we need to have faith that the Lord will provide us our daily bread? We can go to the store and get all the food we need (and all the fun superfluous things we want). That's not an option for my family there. They have to risk going hungry, have faith in His provision and then rejoice when they see that their Heavenly Baba really does provide them their daily bread.

I am always encouraged by the stories of saints past. Two that jump to mind are George Muller and Brother Yun.

George Muller (a Hidden With Christ Ministries inspiration) was a German missionary to England. The Lord gave him congregations to pastor and while he was doing so, he was moved to no longer take pay from the church. Rather, he and his wife would pray that the Lord would provide what they need day to day. Reading his biography is amazingly monotonous as radical provision and answer to prayer come to mark his life. The churches weren't big enough though. The Lord then put it on his heart to do something about the orphans throughout the nation and as the ministry grew, not only he and his wife, but thousands of orphans were literally LIVING by faith. They would only pray that the Lord would provide the food, shelter and education for these kids and it would happen, time and time again. That's risk. I want to live a life like that. I want to live a life where if God doesn't show up and do something, I, and thousands of orphans, are up a creek without a paddle, royally screwed. That's LIVING by faith. And the thing is, you can tell from his story that it wasn't even mainly about the physical care of the orphans (social justice) it was about the glory of the Lord. He wanted to live an appealing life that pointed to the existence of a gracious Father in heaven.

Brother Yun is a pioneer of the modern underground house church movement in China. I'm still reading the book, but have already read stories where he is beaten up and nearly killed for the sake of the Gospel and had it not been for the miraculous intervention of the Lord he'd be dead a long time ago. My favorite part is when he meets is his wife.

The first time Deling and I met I told her, "God has chosen me to be his witness and to follow him through great hardships and the way of the cross. I don't have any money and am always being pursued by the authorities. Do you really want to marry me?"
She answered, "Don't worry, I will never let you down. I will join with you and together we'll serve the Lord."

I need a wife like that!!! Holy love, that blows me a way. That's risk. That's LIVING by faith.

So, enough about the daunting part. There's a tremendous amount of joy that far outweighs any hardship or risk. I was speaking with my friend Megan after church on Sunday and the term "bitter-sweet" came up. "Leaving Long Beach is bitter-sweet". You know, that's the thing though, its more sweet than it is bitter and I think that's how it is supposed to be in the Kingdom. I love California and it is going to be very hard to leave, the "bitter" part if you will. But if my missing the people stateside is any indication of the sweetness of following the Lord in Tanzania, where He's called me, I am in for the most beautiful adventure ever. And I have only scratched the surface. If I (or anyone) continue to choose to follow the Lord and get through the bitter part and experience the sweet, we are going to have some amazing testimonies of the Lord when we are sweet old people (as opposed to bitter old people).

I like risk. Its exciting.

I am risking my finances and what people think of me as monetarily wise (or in Christian terms how I steward). Yeah, I have a degree from Vanguard and that cost me some loans, but people can just watch as I not only raise all the money for my missionary work but the Lord WILL pay off every single loan, and it will be soon. He is faithful. He is already taking care of my finances. I have to raise about $25,000 for a year on the field. My launch number is $7,500 to get out of the states. As of last week, I've already reached that. I've raised more in the last three and a half months then I did the previous two summers going to Tanzania. Its far from over of course, that's only 30% of what I need and monthly sponsors are the biggest need now. [Pause for fundraising ad]

If you would like to help Brandon Stiver father Tanzanian orphans you can donate at www.treasuresofafrica.org/staff/brandon_s.htm

[Back to our regular scheduled blog]

I am risking making a grip load of mistakes. I am a naive 23 year old. Darren is only 25 (but sweet mercy he walks in anointing). Our new children's director Alex is only 21 (But I'm gladly throwing her in the deep end). Like them, I'm in way over my head and I risk failing. My fear would be that the kids won't respond to the programs and my work there is voided by failure. But I want to be in over my head, that way because I can't do it the Lord will do it. I have to rely on Him and have faith that I will positively affect these kids' lives and their education.

What I'm about to say next is very contrary to American Christian life. But I have every intent on living a type of Christian life that is set on the cross. What I mean by that, is that I intend to suffer and die for the cause. I will live and I will die for the Lord. Being in Tanzania gives me more of an opportunity to do that, but I don't know where I'll be buried. I think about the great saints of old and I would love to count myself among the "blessed are the persecuted" crowd. You often hear people say "I would die for the Gospel" but how many times IN the United States would you get that opportunity. I would like to at least have the opportunity to do so. I'm not going to be the person that says "Dying is the easy part, living for the Gospel is the hard part." Yeah, maybe that's true, but you gotta admit, dying would be pretty hard. And if I risk my life for the sake of the Kingdom, I can only imagine what the sweetness of my reward in Heaven would be.

Risk it. The most you could lose is your life and the gain in life or death is of infinite worth.



...boy, long blogs are so cathartic.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Flying

I seem to have been walking in a bit of a fog for the last couple weeks. I feel like life is speeding past me and I can hardly comprehend the smallest bit of it. I don't feel distant from God, I don't feel disconnect with those I spend time with, I don't feel unproductive, I just have been walking in this perpetual surreality.

I was spending time with the Lord last night on top of Signal Hill and I was reflecting on life and how I was choosing to spend this particular Friday night and it hit me, "Holy love, its Friday!" Am I seriously at the end of another week? November 6th, what does that mean to me... it means that in two months, not "just over two months," literally in two months, I will be LIVING in Tanzania. That's nuts. That's absolutely insane. And tomorrow it will be "less than two months." "Hey Brandon when will you be living in Tanzania?" "Oh, less than two months." That blows my mind.

And that's just Tanzania.

In five weeks, I will be moving away from California where I've lived for the last 23 years (or since I was five months old, however you want to put it). The place I've laid my head and heart for so many years, peace out.

Oh here's a somewhat applicable tangent... On Saturday, I was working at Pacific Pointe's Harvest Fest and I ran into an RD from Vanguard. We are more like acquaintances, but I know both her and her husband. Good people. Anyways, she asked me what I'd been up to and I gave her the run-down. "I live in Long Beach, I am the children's director at two churches and in January I am moving to Tanzania to be the Education Director at an orphanage." We go on to talk and she says "So is that just where your heart is?" "...Yes?" That is a trick question. Not fair at all. Moshi is where I want to be. Moshi is where I'm called to. Moshi is where Awadhi and all my TOA kids are. Moshi is where my Masai brothers and sisters are. Moshi is where I have so many inspiring friends. Moshi is where my heart is... but what about other places? Paso Robles is where I grew up and where my heart is most comfortable. Costa Mesa is where I grew into a man and where I've left so many friends. Rice Lake is where my parents, brother and sister are and where my heart finds rest. Long Beach is where my church community is and where I see the Lord moving now. My heart is all over the place. So are there compartments to my heart? Is my heart confused? I try to liken it to my physical heart. My heart is a muscle, the strongest most enduring muscle. If I love you with all my heart, thats not saying that I've given you every compartment of my heart, it means that I've put my all my heart strength into loving you and I'm squeezing as tight as possible with that love muscle. I'm sure that this analogy breaks down somewhere but its the best I got.

Anyways, this fog...

Its not a spiritual fog like I've had before or other people speak of. The Lord is quite present right now. His Spirit was moving in Moshi this summer and He hasn't stopped here in Long Beach. The last few months have seen an increase in prophecy in my life to new levels (literally waking up in the middle of night with prophetic dreams getting confirmed by other people). This fog is like a focus fog. So much is happening, that it is hard to focus. If anyone is responsible for this fog its the Lord. And just as I say that, I realize this isn't really a fog, its more like a cloud. That's it. I'm flying with Jesus! WEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*Cue flashback music*

After my graduation ceremony at Vanguard, I was going to go with my family to get some grub. I had driven myself so I was going to meet them there. I got into my car (Frank R.I.P.) and I felt this profound sense of the Lord's presence in my car. I literally felt Jesus sitting with me in the car and knowing that Him and I were about to start a grand adventure. I smiled. I was excited. Grinning like an idiot in the middle of a parking lot but at full peace with Who I was with and what we were embarking on. Lo and behold, only a year and a half later, I'm moving to Tanzania to begin the biggest Kingdom job of my life. I didn't know it would be so big so quick, but I'm certainly excited.

It doesn't fit my personal theology to walk slowly with Jesus. Perhaps if I am seeking rest or restoration for a season, but I want my relationship with Jesus to be more. I want my relationship with Jesus to be running and running as fast as possible. I didn't realize that in this running, Jesus could get us going so fast that we start to fly... (note continued theme)... among the clouds. That's so exciting! But sweet mercy, that can be scary and daunting.

So there you go, I'm flying with Jesus and there is no ground beneath me. I am between four cities right now (living in LB for the next month and a half, thanksgiving in Paso, Christmas and sabbath in Rice Lake, then moving to Moshi). Even beyond my location there isn't really anything that grounds me. Both of my jobs have known I'm leaving since they brought me on. As far as relationships go. I don't have my family with me, nor will I in Moshi. I do have friends here in Long Beach, but my oldest and closest friends are between Paso and Costa Mesa. And I'm single (regrettably). I have to consistently remind myself and confess during my prayer time that the only constant in my life is the Lord. I have a feeling that will be a theme in my life.

So pray that I can focus on the Lord and whatever it is He has me doing. As much as I love being in SoCal, a part of these last couple weeks has been a longing to get to Tanzania and getting to work there. So pray that He would prepare me in every aspect to fulfill my role there. If you are in California and you want to hang out before I take off, please let me know. I'd love to see you.

I bless you in the name of the Lord and pray that you will experience the joy, thrill and holy fear of flying with the Creator of the universe.

Editor's Note: Just so we have an understanding going forward, Brandon is incapable of writing short blogs. He'll try his best to make them enjoyable and a suggestion for finding time to read is to multi-task and read on the can. (Just throwing it out there).

Friday, November 6, 2009

Love

Love is beautiful, Love is kind
Love is dangerous and sometimes blind
Love inspires music, Love inspires me
Love is really scary and the cost is not free
It will cost you your time, your emotion, your heart
But what you receive in return, well, that's the best part
And as my pen attests to this paper my words for Love cannot express
But if you've felt it before then I can lay my spirit to rest
And know that you know of this Love that I know
That causes me to repeat myself, cause feeble words could never show
The effect Love has and how it changes a man
To throw out everything for the future and let living Love be the plan
But when you fall in Love don't forget that you fell
And there will be pain in this Love, I know it all to well
I told her "I Love you", then she turned and walked away
And I still remember how Love felt on that particular day
But I would rather say and know Love and risk the loss
Then not commit and not be true with my feelings to be the cost
Because the same Love that was causing me pain
Was the same Love I felt for him as I held him that day
And felt his tiny heart as it beat against mine
Love transformed that hospital into God's Kingdom and it was truly divine
And even as I said, "Kwa heri, nakuPenda mwanangu"
That Love is driving me back as if there's nothing else that I can do
So yes I believe in Love, indeed true Love exists
And through his death on the cross, Jesus showed me this
And through his beautiful resurrection, His Spirit witnesses that its true
I can say with my whole heart, "I Love you"
Brandon Michael
September 23rd, 2008

Friday, October 16, 2009

Karibuni!

Welcome to my blogspot. It has been some years since I've had a true blog site. The reason that I am getting back into it is to stay in contact and share the story of the good things that the Lord is doing in my life at Treasures of Africa and throughout Moshi, Tanzania. God has been so faithful to provide me with the position at TOA and I just have to share it with all my loved ones in the states. However, I don't start until January and for the time being I am still in Long Beach. So for the time being, I won't use it as much, other than sending out updates on fundraising and preparation (which is a whole other part to the adventure!). I hope you enjoy the posts to follow and if you feel so inclined share it with friends. And if you wanna get a hold of me for encouragement, prayer requests, financial support (I have to raise $25,000), prophetic words or anything else you can also contact me this way... www.treasuresofafrica.org/staff/brandon_s.htm bmstiver@hotmail.com And I'm on Facebook in the Vanguard University network I bless you in the name of the Lord and I hope you enjoy the blogs! Peace, Love and Grace, Brandon

The Joys of Fundraising


Well I am about halfway through my time in the states before heading back to Tanzania. It has been a sometimes easy, sometimes difficult, sometimes joyful, sometimes sorrowful, but always always blessed time. I have so much enjoyed being a part of the Long Beach community especially those people at The Garden that the Lord has graciously given to me as brothers and sisters. I have also been so blessed to resume my relationships with my family in Irvine at Pacific Pointe and other friends throughout Orange County.

A question that keeps coming up is... how's fundraising going? Fundraising always seemed to be the drawback to missions. You have all these aspirations of how God will use you and then as you do the work you get stories of how God came through and you share them with others, BUT you have to fundraise. You get to impart knowledge and education to the kids, "Alright!" And you get to worship with the Masai, "Yes!" And you can be baba to all these wonderful children and live an exciting life before God, "Amen!" But you have to raise $25,000 for a year of ministry "Oh." But fundraising has been more than just "oh" and its turning into "Oh Wow! God is so good!" So I wanted to take a moment and testify of just how this tough season financially has showed the mighty hand of God and His faithfulness to me in all things He's called me to. All glory to Him in any good thing I say here. I wanted to share a few stories...

I hit the ground running in August and quickly got the word out of my new position and the money that I'll be needing to be with my family at Treasures of Africa and throughout Moshi. I got pumped up by reading the Autobiography of George Muller and was ready to see the miracles and radical answers to prayer. I was sending out letters by the dozens, contacting newspapers and radio stations, abusing Face Book in biblical proportions and telling everyone that would give me thirty seconds about what I was undertaking by God's grace. After I had done the majority of my letters, I asked Rita at Hidden With Christ for my update and a couple days later, I got a report from the office saying that I had raised like $230 or something. Essentially I had raised less than 1% of what I need. A tough pill to swallow considering all my toil. I then went six weeks or so without an update from HWCM.

In my new home on Signal Hill, I live on the second floor and from my patio I can see to Seal Beach and all the way up the coast to northwest Long Beach. I can see Belmont Shore, the big buildings in downtown Long Beach and everything in between. Something that I've gotten into the habit of doing is saying to myself "My Dad owns all of that" and remind myself that if not one person supported me, He would take care of me and bring His good plans to pass in accordance with His riches in Heaven, because He is always always faithful. It helps keep my head on when things don't look good.

Then a few weeks ago I set aside a week to fast and pray for three big things in my life. One of them was of course fundraising and finances in general. I don't know of your experience, but mine has been that when you set aside a period of time to fast, that guaranteed will be the time that you are presented with bomb food for free. Well, by God's grace I got through the week and after giving me a dream, He had me end it and He told me to spend the final day celebrating as He would be moving me into a time of harvest in all the areas of my life that I'd been praying for. Pretty satisfying way to end the fast.

Well, the harvest started the next day. In regards to finances, the following day my pastor and friend at The Garden, Darren, called me and told me that as the church is progressing they would like to hire me to run children's ministry at the Garden (an answer to another thing I was fasting for as well, because I was seeking the Lord to give me more direction in Long Beach). That same day, I finished my drudging time with paper work in getting my retirement money from my previous job and they expedited it so that I would get it sooner (which I have now).

From that point though, the harvest looked a little different as I continued to struggle in personal finances (even though in all truth the Lord has provided and has not forsaken me a single moment, despite my stress) and I again came to a time of high stress, being drained and needing refreshment. Right at that time, the Lord opened up an opportunity for me to head up to my hometown of Paso Robles. My family at First Baptist was so gracious with me. They gave me the chance to speak at the Youth Group and I had an amazing time telling the high schoolers my story and how the Lord has been at work. I encouraged them with the story of Abraham which has played a significant role in my life. The following day, I got to meet with the elders of the church and share my story. That too was a blessed time and I was very encouraged by those that were in the meeting. They prayed for me and also gave me a generous starting sum of money with continued prospects of future partnership.

As I was heading out of Paso Robles, I was able to pick up the Tribune, which is a paper that is distributed throughout San Luis Obispo county (this was the fourth paper I've been in on the central coast), and found my story on the front page of the Local section with a big picture of me and Awadhi. It was a blessing to read and I'm glad that AnnMarie (the reporter) helped me out. It was funny during the interview, she asked me what I would pack to come to Tanzania and I told her I didn't know, but probably not too much. Clothes, pictures, not too much. As an aside I told her that I live minimally and didn't even own my own laptop since mine was stolen in college four years ago. Well for whatever reason, she decided to make that particular item a part of the article. Then on Thursday a lady that works for a San Luis law firm contacted me via Face Book and told me that one of their clients was touched by the story and thought that since I'll be Education Director, I should probably have a laptop, so he decided that he would like to bless me with that. Isn't that amazing! I had been planning on squeezing a few dollars together to just get the cheapest netbook possible, but now its all taken care of and its on its way to my house. Out of the humility of this man's heart, he decided to not tell me his name, so as far as I know it could've been the Lord Himself. Whoever it was, praise God from whom all blessings flow!

These are just a few of the stories. There have been plenty more. I have a friend who by his own accord decided to let me borrow his truck three days a week, which helps so much for work and getting around for fundraising opportunities. I have another friend who on top of supporting me for TOA, loaned some money to me, when I paid her back out of the goodness of her heart she tore up the check and allowed me to have the money for good. I have an elderly couple up in Paso who have been out of work for two years but were still moved to donate what little they could. I've got a boy at FBC collecting recycling and giving the money to me and a friend from Rock Harbor that is giving a portion of her art proceeds to support me. I've had people give that I don't even know or hardly know. And yeah, I've had friends who won't so much as join a Face Book cause or respond in any way and at times it gets discouraging but above all these things, good and bad, is my Heavenly Father who is taking care of me and will continue to do so.

So how is fundraising going? Well, that's how its going. Logistically, I've raised about half ($3,700) of my launch number which is $7,500 and that is about 15% of my year total goal of $25,000. I am trusting that the Lord will take care of the rest of the years support as well as personal finances in all respects. Please believe alongside me! If you feel so inclined, check out www.treasuresofafrica.org/staff/brandon_s.htm for both my bio and my donation link. Also, if you have any questions, comments, encouragements, or words from the Lord please share them with me. Above all, PRAY!!! Thank you so much for those that have prayed, those that have given and those that took the time to read this ultra long blog. I bless you in the name of the Lord.
To The Glory of Jesus,
Brandon
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