Cambodia...Day One...

So here is the email I sent my mom as I am sitting in an internet place in Phnom Penh, Cambodia...

Hey mom! I'm sitting here in some hole in the wall internet cafe shop thing on the busiet streets I have ever seen in my life....I don't have my cable to upload photos or I would show you some of the stuff I have seen so far...It's still surreal for me...We got here safe and I decided 20 hours of traveling kinda sucks...But I did sleep more than I was awake on the plane...I would have called right now too, except I am 12 hours ahead and it's 5 am there...So maybe next time I will call, but that won't be for awhile...And sending a postcard home is almost pointless because by the time you get it I will be almost home, so I may just hold off on that stuff because internet is cheaper...

So far we have seen major parts of Phnom Penh and been to a majpr Buddhist Temple, eaten lunch in a cafe where I had some awesome burrito thing, and I have shopped in on of the major markets in the city, which was crazy busy...Since I didn't bring enough dress shirts I bought two name brand shirts here for half of what it would have cost me back home...But the traffic on the streets is nuts...Abosolutely no order but somehow there still is some messy organization to it...Our bus driver is awesome...

We have this dude named Issac who's affiliated with the local church here and he is showing us around the city and he's hilarious...Doesn't speak English the best, but that's what makes it funnier...I'm staying a room with the other two college guys on the trip and it really isn't too bad...We have air conditioning that works pretty well and a couple of lizards in our room keeping the bugs away...Not kidding...But they are harmless...No worries...

Kinda weird with all the Buddhism around though...A lot of people bringing offerings to all sorts of houses and idols and such...Something like 97% of the country is Buddhist, but I just haven't been exposed to it like this before...Around the temple was cool because there were monkeys just playing around in the trees and stuff

So all of this is random stuff, but there is my first day so far and I think we will get to write again by the weekend or so...Remeber, no news is good news, so don't fret if you don't hear from me...I'm taking my meds and stuff and so far am fine...Forward this email to everyone who's interested and please pray for all of us and especially me, that God changes my heart while I am here and that He rocks my world over these 23 days...

Ok, I'm out...Time to go get dinner...

-Jake :)

Cambodia...

So, I leave tomorrow (Sunday) for Cambodia for a school cross cultural trip...Actually, I leave on Monday but we are staying the night in Chicago because we take off from O' Hare Airport on Monday morning...There are 14 of us going, counting the two instructors....
I have no clue what is going to happen or what I am really getting myself into...I have never left the country in my life, not even to Canada...Weird considering I have played hockey my whole life...But anyways, This is a huge step for me...I know God is gonna rock my world over there and I know that this will be a solid point in my life that defines who I am...So I ask for prayer, which I hate doing, but I know that we are all here as a body to be there for each other...I ask that you pray that we are safe traveling, that we are safe from the different diseases that are over there, and that we just let ourselves be there and be fully into what we are doing in every moment...There's this quote and I can't remember who it's from, but it says that, "Something sacred is at stake at every moment..." I want that to be truer than ever in Cambodia...

If I can manage it, I will try to blog when I am over there and update you on some stuff, but I'm not sure how the internet situation looks...So, if you don't hear from me withing the next 30 days, I will let you know how it was when I return on January 21-22...

Peace.

-Sinko

A Man of God...

Where do I start...

There is this man who was a big part of my journey into becoming who I am now...He invested a ton of time in me and sat and listened to me and my stupidity every week for who knows how long...He has a daughter whom I consider to be one of my best girlfriends ever...His name is Randy Shafer and he is the man...The only bad news I bear on this is that he passed away on December 22...3 days ago...It was expected for the most part...he had been struggling with Stage 3 Melanoma cancer and it got really bad in the last few weeks...But it still doesn't take away the pain and sting that comes from losing someone close to you...I have never had anyone die who I was this close to before...I'm kind of numb to it and don't know what to think all the time...And if I feel like this, then his kids (Emma, Ian, and Jenn) and wife (Beth) are feeling it x10...They have gone through so much seeing him in pain and suffer throughout the last year or so...I mean, to think of my dad or mom dying right now is straight up frightening and weird...I have to tell you though, God is God in this...God is so present in this it's insane...Kind of weird to hear that kind of positive talk when someone dies eh? I don't care what you think, first off, Randy was one of the most Godly men I have ever met in my entire life...He radiated Jesus through his pores...There was no way anyone could know him even a little and not be in tune to how much he loved God...He is such an encouragement for me to be like that...What is also awesome is how Jenn has handled it, just because I am closer to her than the other siblings and so I know more about how she is doing...Watching how she has handled it has brought me to a better understanding of what it means to lean on God...She is a monstrous encouragement in my life...Here is a note she wrote...


I wanted you all to know that our sweet daddy, Randy Shafer, passed away last night (Dec 22). He’s dancing and laughing in heaven now....no more struggle. Thank you so much for all your thoughts and prayers throughout all this. As my mom said, “This has had a strange beauty, and we are in awe of what God can do.”

My family and I are so peaceful, but it all seems very surreal at the moment. We’re celebrating his life on Saturday, December 27th at 3 p.m. at Westwinds Community Church. (And it REALLY is going to be a celebration!) There will be a visitation on Friday, December 26th also at Westwinds. Because of the holidays, weather, etc., the service will also be livestreamed on the web at 3 p.m. on the 27th at www.westwinds.org

Here’s a link to his obituary, which gives directions to Westwinds and a little more info. It should be updated soon.
http://obits.mlive.com/Jackson/DeathNotices.asp

So.....YEAH.......

I'm numb.
I’m wrestling with God.
I don't understand.
I have so many questions.
My heart is breaking.
But still, God is showing up every step of the way....Just a few moments ago we looked out our front window to see a huge group of people with candles praying outside our house in the freezing cold and snow! I could go on with stories from these past weeks, but it wouldn’t do them justice. Like I said before, ask me about them, and I would love to tell you with tears of joy in my eyes.

I am left with no doubt in my mind that there is a powerful God who loves people passionately.... who fills you when you’re empty.... who carries you when have no strength to stand.... who is your father when you’re fatherless.....

......And that my dad is sitting in His lap right now as I type.

I love you, daddy. My words and tears will never be enough. Your eyes will forever twinkle in my mind and heart. Your gentle voice and arms will cradle me to sleep. I am so proud to have been your daughter, and I will brag about you until the day I die!!! But most of all, I will live my life for Jesus. Because through you, He has instilled A RAGING FIRE IN ME THAT CANNOT BURN OUT.......

Jenn ;)

this is the link to my dad's blog if you feel like an amazing read:
http://fogparty.blogs.com/


I really can't think of much more to say right now...All I ask is that if you believe in prayer that you do just that for Beth, Jenn, Ian, and Emma....They need strength from God now...And thanks for reading this long one...

::Sinko::

Tonight The Stars Speak...

Holy mother it's been a bit...So sorry....School got nuts with exams and such at the last few weeks...But I am now done with my first semester this year...I could have done better with my grades, but I dug my own hole on that one...

This weeekend I went with some of my best friends to a lake house in Indiana...We had a good time hanging out, but the coolest things that happened was the couple conversations we had throughout the weekend...We just talked about everything and anything...I'm pretty sure we discussed every major problem in the church and what can be done to help it...We also talked a lot about our generation, like birth years 1985-1989ish I think, and how we have so much potential for real change in the world...Like, this wasn't just another pump up talk or speech either...We realize that the generation before us didn't care a lot of anyone but themselves, and the generation after us is too addicted to technology to get outside of the front of a screen to want to do anything...I know this is me for sure...I know I want to do something insane for God in this world...It's freaking possible...There are so many opportunities and places in this world and I have too much dang desire to do something insane for God...There is sooo much freaking power in just trusting God to work in you without reserve...He is too big for us to contain in our bodies...There is no end to it...I have no clue what I am supposed to specifically be doing with my life really...I know what I am gifted in and equipped for, but I really don't care what exactly I do...I know that whatever I am doing and wherever I am, God is gonna do something nuts with me...I just hope I stay as open to it throughout my life...



P.S....If you have never heard of a band called the Glorious Unseen you need to check them out or I will personally cut off your ears with shears :) This song sends me into a state of worship and serenity I didn't know existed...




Tonight the stars speak of your infinite love
And it serves to remind me
That what I have means nothing at all
Compared to your glory, Oh lord

How long till your voice speaks clearly?
How long till your arms envelope me?
I cry be my strength when I am weak
Oh Lord have mercy on me please

My spirit is willing but my flesh is so weak
I cry in your arms now
God grant me the strength to rest in you
I lift my hands and cry


::The Glorious Unseen::
::"Tonight The Stars Speak"::