Arok Becomes AROCK Star: the Rest of the Story!

When I walked into ACKC on Thursday, Stacee, the Children's Pastor, was calling several children up onto the stage.  They ranged in age from 3 to 11 years old.  The reason that she was calling them up was because they were going the extra mile in raising funds for the grinding mill.

Stacee telling the stories of the children who went the extra mile!

One little girl gave her tooth fairy money from the night before.

Another boy gave everything in his life savings:  $150.

Two other children went door to door in their neighborhood, raising another $150.

Another boy gave his entire allowance for 2011.

Several other children made lemonade stands to raise money.

One little girl gave her favorite gold rock!

I almost cried when I heard these stories.  These children weren't dutifully bringing in money because they were asked, nor were they motivated more by winning the prize for their team's highest giving.  They were bringing money that were sacrificial gifts:  their offerings cost them something!  Jesus must have been so pleased, just as he was when the woman gave her only coins in the temple offering.

And, even better, because the children had a chance to get to know Arok and build a relationship with him, their lives will be forever impacted.  They will have the chance to have an ongoing friendship with him as Stacee says that she has many more dreams of ways that the children of Arvada Covenant and Arok can partner together.

Everything the children gave all mattered and it all added up.  After the finale on Friday night, the offering not only met the goal, but surpassed it by almost double!  When God sets out to do something, he does it big!

Arok collecting the offering for the Day!

ACKC raised a whopping $10, 700 for Seeds of Hope!  This is enough to not only buy the grinding mill, but also to purchase mattresses for the children's beds at the compound and to help pay the expenses for caring for the children while they are not in school.

I am so grateful for this breakthrough for Seeds of Hope.  Missio Lux is committed to kingdom partnerships, believing that we can do far more together than we can do apart.  We look forward to a rewarding and fruitful partnership with Arvada Covenant.

Consider donating too:  www.missiolux.org/donate

ACKC responded to the Call by Raising $10,700 for Seeds of Hope!

From Treadmill to Kenya and Back

Last January I went to the exercise room to work out before the Covenant Midwinter Pastor's Conference began. I was surprised to see a very long time friend of mine, Tom Melander, on the treadmill. I took the one next to him, never realizing that it was a definite divine appointment. (It would be great if every exercise session was a divine appointment, wouldn't it?)

Tom is the new Missions Director for Arvada Covenant Church. His daughter Kelsey, one of my daughter's best friends, is also in Uganda doing AIDS research. Tom told me that he and his wife were going to Uganda to visit Kelsey and that he was interested in viewing some projects in Africa while he was over there. So, it was the perfect opportunity for me to tell him all about Seeds of Hope, our missio for educating Sudanese orphans. He seemed interested in pursuing more about it, and we both realized that Nakuru, Keny and Kampala, Uganda were in fairly close proximity.

One thing led to another and Arvada Covenant Church decided to sponsor Seeds of Hope for their Vacation Bible School. They are going to raise money for a grinding mill for the village. This further motivated Tom to pursue going to meet the children and visit our compound, the home base for the children when they are out of school, as well as a place for those who visit from the Sudanese village when they come.

Amazingly, our family came to Denver for a family wedding, and we ended up staying in Tom's home when he was in Uganda. It was perfect because it continually reminded me to pray for what God was doing a full continent away!

God was so present in the visit. Ghak, our wonderful Lost Boy in Kenya, picked Tom and his wife up, and gave them a tour. He took them to meet the children and he showed them the compound. But, even more, 3 other Lost Boys took them to dinner.

Tom and Margaret were privileged to hear the stories of 4 Lost Boys who are now giving their lives to help their villages in Sudan. They were so moved by the stories that they are committing themselves to join them in their work. Margaret actually said, "The Lost Boys are the future of Sudan." I had to agree as I watch how Arok lives sacrifically to help the children of Seeds.

God gave me one last gift in all of this. I ended up staying in Denver an extra day because my Mother was hospitalized. My sister had planned to pick up Tom and Margaret so I went with her, and we were the first people who heard the awe inspiring report of their visit to Uganda and to meet the Seed's children.

This story only serves to remind me that God can take a simple thing like exercising on a treadmill to turn it into a fully blown God story. It's a gift to walk these stories out!

Hoops of Hope Planting Seeds of Hope for Seeds of Hope

We meant to meet in the Sammamish Commons, but when the Hoops of Hope Coordinator arrived, it was locked. So, off to the library she went, hoping to get an answer, but instead, she found out that our meeting had been scheduled somewhere completely different. It wasn't going to work!

So, the helpful librarian told us to find a space and hold the meeting in the library. We were seeking to hold this year's first Hoops of Hope Team planning meeting to help raise funds for Seeds of Hope.

It was fun to see who came through the door. As the meeting started, we had four eager Pine Lake Middle School students and 3 of their parents. As I shared the story of Seeds of Hope, starting with the Lost Boys leaving their devastated village, I could see the compassion in the hearts of these students. They were ready to roll up their sleeves and work!

I sat there and realized that between the 10 or so people present, we represented a vast network of people, connection to a lot of financial funds, strategic relationships, and that when we take a step to advance an idea, God can step in and bring far more than we can ever imagine.

The ripple effect is massive. Last year was a great start for Hoops of Hope. We saw a few hundred kids, teens and adults come through the door to shoot hoops for Seeds of Hope, but this year, it will grow in numbers of participants, donations raised, and community awareness advanced.

Whereever you are, consider getting involved. Find out about Seeds of Hope (www.seedsofhopesudan.org) and our mission to educate Sudanese Orphans so they can become community leaders who rebuild their decimated village after years of civil war. Donate online www.hoopsofhope.com and tell your friends.

If all of us drop a seeds, one day there will be a harvest of Sudanese villlages that are thriving with life, the abundant life that Jesus promises to give us!

Seeds of Hope Leader, Arok Garang, Comes to Seattle

Last week Missio Lux had a great privilege to be with our Sudanese Brother and Seeds of Hope Leader, Arok Garang. Arok is a Lost Boy from Sudan who has made a choice to spend his life helping his devastated village and people become restored and rebuilt.

Isaiah 61 says "The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim freedom for the captives, and release of darkness for the prisoners."

Arok is anointed to do these things.

He has brought good news to the poor by helping the helpless orphans become thriving children by going to boarding school in a safe and nurturing boarding school in Kenya.

He is binding up the brokenhearted by giving hope to the villagers who know that educated children become prosperous adults who can help to rebuild a village that has no schools, no clinics, no access to clean water or police protection.

Arok is proclaiming freedom for the captives by helping raise money and provide support for orphans from the Kakuma Refugee Camp go to school.


He is helping bring release of darkness for the prisoners of his village by alerting us in the US of the possible impending war in Sudan after the January vote. His village was decimated once 23 years ago, it is quite possible it can happen again because of the political situation between the largely Muslim North and the Christian South.

Arok lives in Denver but he came to Seattle last week to increase his leadership capacity by attending The Pacific Institute. He is doing everything he can to lead Seeds of Hope as the Sudanese leader, moving forward despite the need for the American leader, Angie, to resign for personal reasons.

Isaiah 61 continues to say "They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations."

While I was with Arok last week, he told me that even when he was making the trek from his devastated village to their first stop, Ethiopia, he knew that he was called to help his people. He knew that his life was meant to help rebuild and restore the devastated places.

When I was praying for him along with the healing prayer team, I sensed the Lord whisper, "He is Esther." Esther was yanked from her culture and forced into another unfamiliar land to become one who was strategically positioned in the palace so that when her people were threatened with annihilation, she was able to help defeat the enemies plans against them.

Please pray for Arok as he walks in big shoes. Ask God to give him the wisdom, the courage and the perseverance to move forward despite the challenges that surround him. Arok is tall in physical stature but he is also tall in spiritual calling.

(to learn more about Seeds of Hope to go www.missiolux.org/seedsofhope)