Mark Borgetti Weblog

Pictures!

An update from Mozambique including a picture this time. When the team gets back, please affirm their technical tenacity in keeping the electronic updates coming. I know how difficult it is to get internet access in Mozambique.

Click here to see four other pictures.

From Lane

"We're doing well and the foot is holding up!  Judi got sick the first day but recovered in 24 hrs.  We've been quite cautious eating in the villages... Some the goat is good... Miss silverware in the villages... Today we visited HIV patients and learned about a program to support them."

From Tom

"Grace and peace... Yesterday (Sat.) was like three days as our experience was rich and varied. We began by going to an orphanage, filled with nearly 100 children. They come to this center (two small homes) to fellowship, play, learn, find food, and receive medical attention. We felt like royalty in the way we were received and it was truly a blessed experience of spending time with the children, most of whom have been left in this world by parents who died of AIDS.

We proceeded to go to a Pentecostal church where the children and all who attended danced and sang and played drums. Again, an amazing experience, filled with smiles. Many of these children were also orphaned. And many you wish you could pack up in a suitcase for the return trip.

Our last stop took most of the day as we traveled 2.5 hours north of Chomoio to a very remote village of 10,000. We saw their garden, their new school which was a collaborative effort by Save The Children, the people in the village, and the government. Again, a great experience but when getting back at 7:30 we were all quite tired. But, a happy tired.

God's presence was revealed, there were epiphanies everywhere, and our resolve to let the light of Christ shine through us was strengthened.

Thank you for your prayers. They are felt!
Love,

PT"

Africa or Bust!

Over the next two weeks, I am going to be helping the "Going Global" effort of Pastor Tom, Lane Lewis, and Judy Schultz by posting updates of their trip on my blog. I am excited to see what God will do through their combined efforts. Just to get everyone up to speed, these are the three legs of our Africa Mission Stool.

Step 1) Develop Momentum
My 2009 trip to Derre with Bill Tadevich allowed "MANY PEOPLE TO GET INVOLVED AND QUICKLY BUILD MOMENTUM." Since our trip we have

• Sponsored 150 Children in Derre through World Vision
• Raised $8,400 to build water holes in Derre through the Daddy Daughter Dance and other fund raising efforts. 200 dads and daughter attended the dance.
• Packaged over 150 Layettes for young mothers in Africa. Over 50 mothers helped to pack the layettes.

Step 2) Develop Awareness
The Africa Conference which Our Saviour's will host on October 1st and 2nd allows us to "EDUCATE PEOPLE AND INSPIRE THE RESPONSE" of the larger church (e.g. more than just Our Saviour's). Speakers include:

• Dave Young (COO World Vision)
• Lynne Hybels (Willow Creek Community Church)
• Bishop Wayne Miller (Metro Chicago Synod)
• Rev. Ben Tumuheirwe (Juna Amagara Ministries)
• John Strommen (Mount Olivet Lutheran Church) 
• Scott Field (Wheatland Salem United Methodist Church) 
• And yours truly

Step 3) Develop Partnership
Tom's 2009 trip to Mozambique will help "DEVELOP A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP" with a church or an orphanage much like we did with Slovakia.
with.

It's All Good!

Worship in Derre, Mozambique vs Napeville, Illinois ... a couple of observations:

Sermons: My entire message in Derre was 20 minutes. Stateside giving the same sermon; 3-4 minutes tops. Shorter message / Longer presentation time. Having someone translating every word you say was an interesting experience. But it's all good!

Singing: At Our Saviour's we have everything from traditional to contemporary to pop; each providing a unique opportunity to sing and praise God. In Derre, the music all had a similar tone, rhythm, and beat ... and I did not understand a single word of it ... but I could tell it was still meant to reveal God. But it's all good!

Offerings: At Our Saviour's, we receive the offering every week. In Derre, I received a gift; a beautiful teak table. But it's all good!

Environment: At Our Saviour's, I sit in an uncomfortable folding chair during worship but in a temperature controlled gym. In Derre, I sat in a comfortable chair during worship in 100+ degree outdoor venue. But it's all good!

Bottom line, whether it's in a clearing on the side of the road or in a gymnasium with stage lights ... it's all good! It's all worship!

1st Step … Almost There!

We are close to taking our 1st step in developing the Our Saviour’s response to the needs of Africa. As close as we are to choosing World Vision as a partner; the team felt it was necessary to do one more pass researching other organizations. After reviewing their feedback I think I can speak for the team and say:

• There are many organizations with philosophies consistent with ours making a powerful impact in Africa. That’s good news!
• Choosing any of these organizations would be a step in the right direction for Our Saviour’s. That’s more good news.

At this point it’s not a matter of choosing the perfect organization to partner with. It’s a matter of choosing one of the many stellar organizations to partner with. What ever we do, realize this will be the first step of many steps. World Vision, if/when selected, would fall under the “1st step” category.

Today Kevin Mason and I had the chance to meet Benyam Kassahun Program Director for the ELCA’s Southern Africa Global Mission. The ELCA is alive and well and making an impact in Southern Africa. They have had some significant challenges communicating there mission to local congregations, but they are well aware of the problem and are taking steps to fix it. Part of our mother church, Global Missions is a strategic partner that will certainly have a chance to present to our team. Already inline with the goals we have established, I see them falling into the “2nd step” category. 

Continue to pray for yours truly and the team as we continue to move forward and discern our first, second, and many more steps in developing a strategic response to the needs of Africa.

No electrcity

One of the ways the Africa Leadership Team will sense Mission Africa is being successful is whether or not education occurs.  Education on both continents will be a sure sign of success.  So, here’s one of the first lessons I learned.

In Derre Mozambique the typical hut is made from clay and thatch. It should come as no surprise that clay huts are NOT wired for electricity. I remember talking to our interpreter, Manteiga, who had grown up in a home like this, and asking him, “So, what do you do when the sun goes down?” His answer, “You are together as a family and then you go to bed.” His answers were always so simple, so basic, and yet so profound.

This past Thursday I attended one of my favorite conferences of the year, “Doing Church in the Burbs.”  Randy Frazee from Willowcreek spoke on the subject of his book “Making Room for Life.” If you live in the suburbs, this is a must read! Randy spoke directly to what noted church consultant Lyle E. Schaller says is the biggest challenge facing the church. Guess what, it’s not money! Lyle suggests, "The biggest challenge facing the church is to address the fragmentation and discontinuity of the American lifestyle." Between worship, school, immediate family, extended family, neighbors, peers at work, your child’s play group, your church small group, your golf buddies, God, etc, etc, etc the average American family manages 35 separate relationships. Church, worship, volunteering, and small groups bible studies are just managed relationship. Being with family is just another managed relationship.

OUCH! That last one hurts. But I’ve got to say on the record; far too often I treat “family time” and “date nights” as just another event on the calendar … another managed relationship. And when the sun goes down, a time we could be together as a family … far too often, electricity provides the opportunity to sneak off to my office to do work. Electricity lets my kids sit downstairs in the living room instant messaging. Electricity lets my son go play Wii in the basement.

And in the back of my mind, I keep hearing Manteiga’s simple answer to the American Family’s biggest challenge of being together when the sun goes down and the day is complete, “You are together as a family and then you go to bed.”

I have learned from my good friend Manteiga that the challenge I face is discovering the benefits of no electricity in a plugged in world. Mission Africa is showing signs of success. I am being educated.

Casting the Vision for Africa

Doing God's work can be exhausting (see pictures on left). But day in and day out, the dedication and commitment of our members humbles me. Tirelessly, people work on being the church God has in mind. Tuesday, our team of mothers of preschoolers, teachers, retirees, marketers, business men and women met again to do the hard work of casting the vision for Africa. The first four meetings were focused on learning the needs of Africa. Outside organizations (World Vision and Opportunity International), yours truly, and my travelin’ buddy Bill, all took the opportunity to present to the team. Last night we dug in and started wrestling with the tough question. What do we want to accomplish with this mission and what will success look like 3-5 years from now? Before I could even complete the question, this team of 14 launched into their answers. Through prayer and conversation, we have developed a rough draft vision for Mission Africa. In 3-5 years we hope to be able to say Mission Africa:

Introduced Jesus – If we helped people to know Jesus through our love, we will have succeeded.

Educated People – If we educated our congregation, people in the community, and other churches on the plight of Africa, we will have succeeded.

Inspired Response – If we inspired people to respond to the plight in Africa with their time, resources, and skills, we will have succeeded.

Provided Holistic Options – If we provided multiple options that adhered to a holistic philosophy for addressing the needs of Africa, we will have succeeded.

Cared for God’s Children – If we demonstrated that we have taken steps to care for God’s children in Africa, we will have succeeded.

Developed Relationships – If we provided the opportunity for people to form relationships with people, churches, and organizations either in Africa or committed to the vision of addressing the needs of Africa, we will have succeeded.

Measured Improvement – If we witnessed measurable improvements in one or more of the areas in Africa we supported, we will have succeeded.

I thank God everyday for being able to d0 ministry with such talented Christ followers. Continue to pray for us as we work on developing the next steps of this new mission.

P.S. During "Going Global," the March and April mission theme, Bill and I will be ready to give people a glimpse of Africa and provide an update on next steps. Watch the Weekly Connections and the blog for a list of dates and times.

We're back!!!

Sorry about the delay in posting blog updates. Bill and I knew that we would have no internet access out in the field visiting the Area Development Project in Derre Mozambique, but we had hoped to get something new posted when we got back to Jo-burg. Unfortunately, we had some trouble getting back to Jo-burg. Turns out that as our plane landed in Maputo Mozambique, the last stop before arriving in Jo-burg, the city was up for grabs. Apparently the government increased transportation fees (50% for those traveling within the city and 100% for those outside the city). This was on top of the recent increase in the cost of chicken and bread. As we arrived at the airport, the city was experiencing large scale riots. One person was killed, 60 people injured, and there was looting throughout the city. When we landed, we could actually see fires set by the rioters just outside the airport. Given the current unrest in Kenya, I would be lying if I said I was not a little concerned being stranded in Maputo in the midst of the unrest. Sometime in the middle of the night, the government reprieved the increase in transportation fares. So after a restless night sleeping outside under the stars and some strong prayer support back in the states, the following morning we departed for Jo-burg.

The overall trip was amazing. Bill and I are still sorting through his 20 pages of notes and over 600 pictures and videos. When we recover from the jet lag we will be scheduling  information forums to tell you all about the trip. Once again, thank you for your prayers and support. Here's a couple of pictures to give you just a glimpse of our 12 day adventure in Africa.

Thank you again for all your prayers and support.

The Next Leg of the Journey Begins

Today was the final day of training before leaving for each of our Area Development Projects. An ADP is a specific area in a country where World Vision has made a commitment to partner with local leaders to improve the quality of life. Each ADP varies in size but ranges from 50,000 to 100,000 people. Bill and I were blown away by the size and magnitude of the projects. Each ADP focuses on five specifics: Education, Agriculture, Water, Health, and Ecnomics. I have to say this is like no other mission trip I have been on. Instead of rolling up our sleeves and working; we are rolling down our sleeves and learning how we can build relationships to provide more sustainable solutions to the needs of Africa. It's impressive to hear about World Vision's well thought and ever evolving strategy.

Tomorrow, with the training complete, Bill and I are heading out to the bush to Derre Mozambique. I have to confess I was a little anxious about this next stage of the journey but am now confident that everything will be fine. We are in God's hands doing what I believe God has called us to do. When we arrive we will be meeting with the local leaders, the World Vision project managers and staff, worship in the village (rumor has it I get to preach). Do not only pray for me that I can preach the good news, but pray for the translator that has to translate my sermon on the spot!!

Monday will be a very special day. Monday Bill and I will meet the children we selected to sponsor, have lunch with them, give them their gifts, and maybe even kick the soccer ball around. It humbles Bill and I to be part of this experience and being entrusted with the responsibility of bringing a glimpse of Africa back to Our Saviour's. I have talked with Bill and we will be having some Mission Africa Information Gathering probably a week or two after we return. More to come.

God's peace to you all!

Pastor Mark

22 Million

Pretoria, South Africa 30 January 2008

I spoke with Tuula today and she told me of the crazy weather in Chicagoland. Our training began today and it was quite hot in the room. With jet lag and 5 hours of intensive training on HIV/AIDS, I was still appreciative of being here and not there J The numbers are staggering when one considers the enormity of the crisis (33.2 Million People world wide infected with HIV). Even more amazing is the concentration of those cases - 22 Million are in sub-Saharan Africa. I will likely bore you with many statistics when we return, but the key to grasp is that these are not numbers but PEOPLE. God’s people, whom He does not want to see suffer. I believe we have a wonderful opportunity to assist in reducing the suffering of these brothers and sisters in need, and am excited to continue learning and listening to God’s calling all of us.

After the brain dump, we traveled to Johannesburg to experience the Apartheid Museum. It was very educational and engaging (as well as sad to see the trauma humans continue to cause one another). We were about half way through the museum when the power went out, and never came back, so we had to exit, but it was a great experience.

Pastor Mark and I have had some engaging conversations with the other participants in this trip. It is wonderful to see the bonds of Christianity tie us together across various denominations; striving to be the Church that God intends - loving God and loving and serving others.

Today we were able to receive the files for the children Pastor Mark’s family and my family will sponsor, and we are really looking forward to meeting these children this weekend whose lives God will allow us to improve. The Tadevich’s child is Benjamim (left) and the Borgetti’s sponsored child, Muvumeleni (right).

Tomorrow is our last day of orientation before heading into Mozambique, and I think everyone is anxious to get into the field. We cannot thank you enough for your prayers and fellowship with us in this journey. May God’s peace be upon you today in a tangible way.

Bill

Everyone has arrived and settled in

Today we shifted hotels to the Saint George. There are over 30 people participating in this experience; pastors, World Vision staff, and volunteers from the various churches. Everyone seems to share a similar hope for this journey; that they would be open to how God has called them and that their churches will respond to the needs of Africa. The National Director of World Vision in South Africa, Lehlohonolo Chabeli, prayed that each of us may have our hearts wrecked by what wrecks the heart of God. He hoped we would return home with a “holy anger” for the inequities much of South Africa faces:

• The government reports over 30% of the population is unemployed (Chabeli suggested it was closer to 40%)
• 6,000,000 people living with HIV and AIDS
• 3,000,000 orphans
• 1,000,000 of those orphans not receiving any kind of aid whatsoever

And the list of inequities continues.

Wednesday morning we begin the immersion into the  HIV and AIDS educational component of our trip. There was also a slight tweak to our schedule. Wednesday instead of Thursday we will have the opportunity  to see the children available for sponsorship in the Area Development Projects we will visit on Friday. If all goes well, we will get a chance to meet the children we will sponsor, presenting them with the soccer balls we brought with us. Oh yes, and we cannot forget the 5 pounds of Jolly Ranchers Kathie Howe donated. She actually gave 15 pounds of Jolly Ranchers but we could not find room in the suitcases to bring the additional 10 pounds along.

Bill and I are still not tired of each other yet. I know I speak for Bill when I say  thank you for all your prayers and support.  Blessings and peace to you all.

Pastor Mark