Selina Visits Seattle

Every year World Concern invites their country managers and area directors around the world to visit their headquarters in Shoreline, Washington for two weeks in order to encourage, train and learn from each other. Among that group was Selina Prem the country director for Sri Lanka. It was her first time in the U.S. and our family had the honor of hosting her.
Selina has a special way with people and our family was no exception. Our kids immediately took to her and are already asking when we can go and visit their Aunt Selina. I think they would leave tomorrow if they could.
One of the big highlights for Selina was a weekend trip over Steven’s Pass to our cabin in Plain. It was on this excursion that she saw snow for the first time. She took an ATV ride, flew down a zipline, tried on crazy hats in Leavenworth, and learned to make brownies. It’s no wonder she said “I feel like a kid again”. In fact she went on to tell us that it was the first time in five years that she was able to forget about work and just have fun.
Another highlight for Selina as well as Cari and I was the blessing of having so many people show up at our home for a World Concern dessert fundraiser. The reception Selina received that night really touched her and the generosity shown by so many for those suffering in her country made us all feel extremely thankful.
Selina left for Sri Lanka yesterday refreshed and ready to once again partner with her staff and the local church to bring relief and hope to so many in need.
For all of you who have sent up a prayer; THANK YOU!
-Kurt

Merry Christmas.....for Some

Christmas is a week away and for many of us just the thought of this season brings us great comfort and joy. In Sri Lanka there are many rejoicing as well because of their new found freedom from the refugee camps that once held them against their will. In fact the camps are quickly becoming deserted which has me thanking God for answering so many prayers. Yet having said that my fear is that people will now forget these people; when in fact now is when they need others more than ever.
Try to imagine being released from one of these camps where you just spent a year of your life living in a tent and now you are told that your free to leave only to find out there is little to return to. Your home was destroyed, your livelihood no longer exists, your recently united family has all sorts of medical needs, and by the way your flat broke. I wish this image was a rarity but in fact it is a common story among tens of thousands right now.
Please don't stop praying, and give if your led, because these people need others to love on them in ways most of us can only imagine.
I pray we are used to make it a 'Merry Christmas' for all!
Kurt

Praise God!

It appears that the first big step to freedom has arrived for those living in the war refugee camps in Sri Lanka. The government has announced that by the end of January the camps will be closed and the last of the detained Tamils will be released. It should be noted that these do not include the rehabilitation camps (war prisons) where many are still held. http://features.csmonitor.com/globalnews/2009/11/22/sri-lanka-tamil-camps-why-were-they-closed/ . This is an answer to prayers from around the world and a call to each of us to praise our Holy Father.
The next big step will be the resettlement process as these people attempt to rebuild their lives. There will be an overwhelming need for housing, food, clothing and in many cases artificial limbs to take care of the physical needs of these victims of war. Supplying these things will be an important building block in order to tackle the greater issue of ones wholeness; by which I mean the spiritual and mental well being of these people. It will take years and the Spirit of God to make this possible, but without going this route there will be no peace for these people or for their country.
Today let us give praise, and tomorrow let us roll up our sleeves and continue the good work before us.
-Kurt

Night of Stories

This past Sunday night was one of those times that gave Cari and me a great sense of encouragement. We had put out an invitation for some friends to come over to our home for a night of stories centered on our trip to Sri Lanka, thinking we would be fortunate if a handful of people responded to the invitation, but our friends overwhelmed us and our house was packed.
The evening consisted of several desserts and a hundred “hellos” before we gathered for a short video and then personal stories from the trip by Dave Eller the president of World Concern as well as Cari and me. I really got the impression people were very interested and that they cared deeply. It was this caring that really makes us stop and praise God for the friends he has allowed us to partner in life with.
For all those who have prayed and walked with us through this journey I wish to say ‘thank you’, because it really helps push us forward.
-Kurt & Cari

Sri Lanka Brief Overview

On Oct 25th Cari and I left Seattle for Sri Lanka. Our flight took us through San Francisco and Dubai before landing some 30 hour later in Colombo, Sri Lanka at 8:30 AM. It was there that we joined the rest of the World Concern team that was visiting from the states and Thailand. This team consisted of Dave Eller (president of World Concern), Bob Lonac (president of CRISTA Ministries), Mike Murphy (donor), and Richard (Asia director for World Concern). This group along with our host Selina Prem, who is the country manager, took us on a 7 hour car ride to the NE region of Trinco were World Concern does the majority of their work. It was here that we had 3 slammed packed days viewing the amazing work done by a dedicated team of people who showed me what it really means to wake up every day serving others. During these 3 days we met and heard story after story of those who came out of the war zone during the last 4 months of the war. We saw the homes that had been built for those who had survived the Tsunami a few years back, and we visited several dairy chilling stations that dramatically help the lively hoods of entire villages. Of course the biggest and most heart wrenching day was visiting 2 of the camps were the people displaced by the war live. Walking among these people and hearing their stories was an emotional overload that will take weeks for us to process.

On the 5th day we drove to Kandy; which is situated in the middle of the country up in the highlands. It was here that we witnessed how World Concern brings selected villagers from the outlying areas of Sri Lanka together for dairy training, human rights awareness and peace and reconciliation training. This was their 11th such gathering which lasts 5 days and has shown great results throughout the country.

Day 6 was filled with a viewing of the sacred Buddha tooth (yes, tooth) temple. The temple was quite impressive and it was very interesting to see the flocks of devout Buddhists that came to visit this shrine. Our team then left Kandy for our 6 hour drive through traffic back to Colombo where most of us said our goodbyes.

Day 7 was spent meeting up with Godfrey who I had met on my last visit and then spending some quality time with Selina who is just one of those rare people that gives you an amazing hope for all that is good in this world.

Day 8 and then some was spent flying home which was flat out miserable and makes me never want to get on a plane again (thank goodness for short memories).

We came home last night and were greeted by our 3 children with hugs that made us feel like the most fortunate parents in the world.

-Kurt

Sir, Can You Help Me

"Sir, can you help me" will forever be the words that will push me forward in fighting for the rights of others. These words were spoken to me by a blind women in one of the camps who had just told her recent story of despair of how 21 days earlier in the middle of the night her blind husband was taken from her along with roughly 200 other men. The soldiers were once again rounding up anyone who could possibly have been a rebel supporter and dragging them off to what they call a rehabilitation camp. This young women pleaded with the soldiers not to take her husband, but to no avail.

As I listened to her story I grew angry at the evil of man. Why would a blind man be considered a threat? Why would a women stuck in a barbed wire camp, living in a tent, be denied her husband? Why was I so incapable of answering her request for help? It was one of those times that my heart broke and all that was good seemed to fade in despair.

This women's ask for help will not go unanswered. I will seek the help of others and rely on Jesus to make this terrible injustice right. This has made me more aware of how desperately I need the Holy Spirit working in my life to help bring justice and mercy to a fallen world.

-Kurt

Shaken

There is no way at this time to convey the stories told by those we have visited while here in Sri Lanka. My words cannot begin to describe the loss so many have suffered and the conditions they now face and even if I was the world’s greatest writer I would still need to hold back in fear for the safety of these vulnerable people.
It takes no time at all to realize that the pain and suffering endured by these people is so overwhelming that it will take only God himself to bring healing and wholeness to these people. Of course as always God’s favorite instrument of His love is us. In the midst of all this hopelessness there is a hope we have witnessed in those working in the camps. It is their love for these people that makes us believe that if more people join in giving this same sacrificial love for others then there is a chance for a life worth living for those who have seemed to have lost everything.

The picture shows the people who have raised their hands when asked "who of you have children living in the rehabilitation camps". These are camps/prisons that the government holds suspected rebel supporters who are often selected just because of their age.

We hope that many of you will seek us out in the hope of hearing the stories that have shaken us to a point of never being the same.

As always I ask that you pray and rejoice for the courage of those here helping to bring hope to the forgotten.

-Kurt