Fighting The Good Fight - Nick Derington

New Blog

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

For those of you that did not receive an e-mail, Traci and I have begun to collaborate our blogging efforts into one location. You can now keep up on all things "Derington" at http://deringtonfamily.wordpress.com/

This journey has come to an end.

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Well I am home and life is well. I arrived about a month and a half ago and have been intending to write this letter but have been prevented by a succession of adventures. Currently I am sitting in my new home looking out the window at the snow in Northern Kentucky with my new wife Traci. From the second I stepped off the plane with the World Race it has been non-stop travel and reunions with those I know and those I don't know so well from my new family.

I first want to thank everyone on this mailing because more than likely you supported me in some fashion this year, whether it was financial, prayer or just a quick email while I was overseas. When I started on this journey I was bullish that it would be quick and easy and I can say it was neither. A lot was learned this year and numerous people's lives were touched because of your support. I tried to initially capture this in blogs, which then turned more into photography blogs. There is no way that I could communicate here what I learned this year and expect you to read it so let me summarize.

The world, the whole world is suffering and for the most part more than any of us. This is not a ploy to make you feel bad but to encourage to keep supporting efforts coming out of the States. I can safely say our image overseas is lacking and unfortunately that gets correlated with the image of Christianity. It has never been a numbers game for me in terms of getting people into Heaven, that's not my job it's our Lord's. We are simple called to serve and the results are his.

So I was able to establish that people are suffering beyond what I see in our media, if nothing else it made it real for me. In fact until one leaves our country I would argue you haven't seen true suffering. However, something else I learned is that there are Christians everywhere. This simple fact continues to boggle my mind. I think to a day back in April when a group of guys I was with traveled from a mountain village in Thailand about an hour north to an even more remote village right next to the Burma border. We literally drove up a creek complete with rice fields, grazing cows and jungle to emerge in a village that had no road. What did we find there? A Christian youth retreat with more than 150 students praising the Lord. I traveled to over 20 countries this year and every single one had a fellow Christian brother or sister waiting to receive us.

Thirdly, I learned this year the thing we call "Sin" is real and healthy in this world. We all suffer from it and the only way to combat it is through grace and mercy. I know we love to say these things as Christians but I am here to tell you that they make a difference when actually implemented. People listen and observe everything we do as Christians and all to many time this year I had to let my actions speak louder than any words I could say. Coupled with sin is the act of repentance, which I didn't understand until this year. I believe this is often overlooked and underused in our culture but is a very powerful tool with your Father in heaven as well as the stranger.

Lastly this journey gave me an epiphany on the course of my life. I was able to see through numerous events that took place this last year that I control very little if any in my life. Sure I make choices but I came to a point where I asked myself do I believe my God is truly sovereign in all he does and therefore affect ALL aspects of my life or am I going to continue to believe I can some how dictate my future. This is something I have mulled over for years and struggled with but am confident he has ultimate authority. These are just a few of the lessons I learned this year.

So I have this new set of experiences and lessons God has taught me and now he is asking me to step forward. About a week before I got home I decided to not prolong my engagement to Traci and step out on faith with moving our wedding up. I landed at JFK on the 23rd of November where Traci picked me up and it was off to Cincinnati for our wedding, which took place 6 days later on the 29th. It was what I would have called a slightly stressful week with Thanksgiving thrown in there but Traci not prone to getting stressed helped me. It was a whirlwind of family and getting the wedding plans finalized.

Our wedding was better than I could have imagined and the pictures can be found on Facebook or here on flickr. After our wedding I flew out to Minnesota to make our custom wedding bands with my teammate Miles in his metal shop. From there I flew to PA to spend a few relaxing weeks with Traci and her family. Post Christmas we started the moving process, which involved moving both our possessions to Northern Kentucky during a blizzard. We chose to move there because we have a strong community base of believers. Our focus for this next year is building a solid foundation in our marriage so that our combined ministry in the future can be more effective.

We secured a two family home with my long time friend Mark Treas. We look forward to hosting anyone passing through the area in the future. We have plans to have a worship night at our house every week. Currently we are in the process of find jobs so please be praying for us in that area. I will end by saying thank you again for your support and know you influenced my course. I have a strong feeling that God will take me overseas again at some point and your support may be need again so please keep that in your prayers. As always I am happy to talk if anyone has questions or wants to know more about this last year.

Ukraine Photography

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hello All -

I just arrived in Krakw Poland and it was no easy task getting here. It required a long taxi ride standing up

with 60 pounds on our backs followed by four trains and included an interrogation by the Ukraine militia,

which resulted in them wanting a bribe. All is well though and we are getting some rest. Here are my photos

from the Ukraine so I hope you enjoy. I am in at least three countries this month so more to come. Love you all.

Ukraine Photos

The Awakening Conference Photos

Sat, 26 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hello All-

I just have to say that this first World Race conference was a great success. From beginning to end it captured the spirit of the redemptive story and communicated that a generation CAN and IS changing the world. I am sure over the next couple days if you go to the main World Race page there will be several personal accounts of what this week looked like for different individuals. Below was how I saw it from a photographer's point of view. There were several times this week where the camera had to be put down either because of emotion or respect. I will try to post another blog describing what this week meant for me in words but here are the photos for now. Thanks and may God bless you week.

The Awakening Conference

Our Last Leg Eastern Europe, Current Location Romania

Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

So we have made it to the last leg of our journey. We find ourselves in one of the most war torn patches of land on earth. More wars have been fought in this general area than anywhere else and signs of that still exist. We flew from Istanbul, Turkey over the Black Sea into Bucharest, Romania. Upon arriving at the airport I came to find out they had lost my bag along with six other teammates. At this point in the journey it comes as no surprise but still doesn't make for a good day.

Romania is south of Ukraine and east of Hungary. Romania supported Germany during WW II and then became a communist state under Soviet domination. In 1974 Romania broke away to become ruled by a dictatorship until 1989 when violent popular unrest resulted in a democratic constitution. We traveled about seven hours west to a small town called Viile Tecii. During the travels we wound through beautiful forest and rock outcroppings that reminded me of the States. The village we are staying in is made up mostly of gypsies. I have never really understood where the gypsy people group come from or what race they comprised. I did a little research and found that originally gypsies migrated from the Indian subcontinent; they tend to have dark hair and skin and travel based on seasonal work. They have now spread around most of the earth and are dislike similar to the Israelites of the Old Testament.

The gypsies that live in this town were born in Romania but frowned upon by the surrounding citizens. Unlike other gypsies, these in this community have homes and participate in the local economy. A man by the name of John Fracker started ministry here in 2001 and eventually married a local gypsy woman. John has become a prominent fixture in this community and is constantly hosting American missionaries. Some locals have tried to petition and block more missionaries from coming to this community but currently there are 105 Racers from three different squads. My experience in the last couple days is these people are hungry for the Gospel. The community is very conservative in both dress and behavior so we have had to mind the cultural differences but so far I think we have had a great impact on this town.

As for Team Koinonia we are staying with a Christian gypsy family. They have opened up their house to us and some of us are camping. We are living beside them and are helping with all the daily chores and cooking. Our ministry this month is to this family and then to the surrounding families in the community made up of both believers and non-believers. We are here for just over two weeks before we head to the World Race conference where all past World Racers are invited to reunite.

Another Joins The Kingdom

Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Have you ever led someone to Christ before? This adage has always disturbed me because I feel like it's something I have done verses the Holy Spirit moving in someone and I having the privilege to witness it. I knew people throughout high school and college who kept running counts of the number of people they "led to Christ" and would boast about it nonstop. Running with that thought that we are witnesses I do believe that there is action on our part. In Matthew 9 Jesus speaks about sending the workers out and again in Matthew 28 he calls us to make disciples. It seems that our job is to reveal truth and the trinity working with that person will do the rest. I have witnessed altar calls from a distance but never sat with someone one on one and seen them come to a point where they wanted to accept Christ as their perfect hope.

This past Sunday I attended a small church service in a neighboring village. About 15 locals were present and just as many Racers. Some of the Racers delivered short messages centered on the gospel. As I was sitting there John Fracker mentioned in my previous blog came over and asked if I and another Racer named Lauren would go pray over a woman who was very sick. We quickly left as to not disturb the crowd and walked up the road to a small farmhouse overgrown with weeds and vines. In the backyard near the garden sat an elderly woman in her wheelchair wearing purple silk pajamas and aviator sunglasses. Her husband was close by holding an umbrella to block the sun from hitting her frail skin. Next to her stood an old wood-burning stove with smoke billowing out of it. Her current house in shambles was on my right and a new home, which was under construction until the medical bills became too sizable, stood on my left. It was a moment and a sight that no photograph or film could capture.

Lauren and I came to understand that Jenny the woman in the wheelchair has been diagnosed as terminal with a rare bone disease. She was in immense pain and her repeated shudders and sighs made that apparent. Jenny accepted the Lord into her life in 2004 through the local ministry taking place by missionaries. Lauren immediately began to pray for Jenny and various part of her body. Jenny began to cry and at one point took off her sunglasses to expose her bloodshot grey eyes. I stood back and watch Lauren as she pour her hurt into this woman and touched her every so gently. I literally watch life come back into this woman and by the end of the prayer she was visibly more energetic. Had that been the end of our exchange I would have been thrilled but I had the feeling there was more to come. Her husband stood transfixed the entire time when John Fracker leaned over and explained he is a non-believer. Jenny's desire since becoming a Christian is that her husband would accept Christ before her passing.

I knew when I walked into this scene that I wanted to pray over this man who's name is John and with Lauren's encouragement I walked over to him and placed my hands on him. I had no idea where I was heading but all I could think of was the book of Genesis, especially the beginning where it talks about the man and tending the garden. I opened with thanking God for all the beautiful things he has made in nature, the fields and trees that were surrounding us and the sun that shown down on us. I thanked him for the breeze, which at the moment was absent but as soon as I said "breeze" a strong gust came from behind us. I stopped for a moment and thanked God in my heart for that demonstration and then asked John if he felt it. He replied that he did and I saw a smile on his face. I then felt like the Lord led me to talk about how as a husband he has stayed faithful to his wedding covenant in that he has stayed by his wife's side. Jenny has been sick for a long time and most people in the village have petitioned him to leave his wife because she can be difficult at times but he has refused. I told John that same commitment you have for your wife God has for you. That God gives us marriage so that we can better understand how he loves us.

At this, God placed a thought in my head that I have never had but based on the atmosphere seemed right. He told me ask my creation if he is ready to accept his creator. I told John I wanted to be obedient to what God was asking me in that moment. I was sitting behind Jenny and Lauren who could hear the whole conversation. I asked John simply would you be willing to accept Christ into your heart today. He paused and then spurted out something in Romanian, we all looked to the translator who said he said yes. I sat there stunned for a moment and the Holy Spirit who was present from the beginning was radiating. I had the sense that John Fracker needed to step John through the prayer because it's his ministry and that experience would only strengthen their relationship. They both prayed together and I really appreciated how John Fracker went about it. He told John that you have heard the gospel many times and that this is not a light decision. You are making a covenant before other Christians and more importantly God himself. He asked if he was prepared to honor that commitment starting today. At this point his wife was balling and I just stood back to take it all in. At the end we all stood together and prayed holding hands and then left. John Fracker promised he would send more Racers throughout the week. I shook John's hand and told him I would see him in heaven. As we walked away I knew God led that man to Christ not me. God gave me the words and he set the atmosphere that day. Amen.

New Photos

Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hello Everyone -

I hope this finds everyone well. I am currently located in Brasov, Romania helping with The Awakening Conference. Here are some new photos that I wanted to make available. I added some new pictures to South Africa from my stay in Cape Town and I was able to snap a few shots here in Romania in a gypsy village. Hope you enjoy.

South Africa

Romania

A Time to Reflect

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

With 7 months behind me on the missions' field I am flat out exhausted. Our team has run hard and never looked back until a time of reflection the other morning. As a team we have spent almost every morning this month connecting in some form or fashion whether in prayer, sharing what we are experiencing or just having a good laugh. Each morning we come together in the front room with our sleeping bags and cups of tea and practice what I would call Koinonia (derived from Greek meaning Christian fellowship). I have to admit I was skeptical at first if we would ever reach this point of community and relationship but to an outsider I would suspect they would say we have arrived. However, to arrive means to reach the end of a journey, which as a team we agree is not our position.

I am not suggesting we have everything figured out but after spending three plus hours repeatedly saying "Do you remember when..." I can see the growth both individually as well as a team. I know for me it's hard to see growth I have experienced because I often fail to look back from where I came. I tend to focus on the "I still need to's" of life and conversely don't receive the due encouragement that comes from the past. I know a lot of people are reluctant to look at the past but there can be power in doing just that. How many times does God call the Israelites to recall what He did for them in the past and then and only then do they ever give God the due credit?

So as a team we looked back month-by-month both team and personally and I will give you some insight. To be sure and true to my blogging tendencies I will keep this as short as possible.

January (Dominican Republic) -

Personally: I was confident I had most things figured out in life and that the Race would provide me with a decent amount of new experiences but nothing ground breaking. I laugh now as I typed the last sentence.

Team: We liked each other but immediately found ourselves getting in the way of loving each other. We had people detached and others wanting to go to other teams. We agreed that we didn't want to institute schedules or mandate team time but rather to let it happen organically. We enjoyed our ministry in the slums that month and I think it set the proper tone for the rest of the year. We saw what a 5-hour church service looks like and we saw people baptized in the Spirit.

February (Haiti) -

Personally: I still wasn't on the Race. I kept my distance and fought attempts by other teammates to grow closer especially with our girls. As leader I felt I had to keep a certain distance and maintain my false credibility.

Team: As a team we were more isolated and confined at the orphanage. It wasn't the safest thing to leave the property so we started spending more time together. We had a game night that we all remember fondly. We saw one member attacked with spiritual warfare after visiting and ministering to a witch doctor. That member let us in to their struggle and through much prayer and rebuking we saw freedom. Many felt connected to this ministry and agree it was one of our favorite ministries thus far.

March (Cambodia) -

Personally: The Lord relentless presence became apparent to me. I started to understand that the variances in the world across different cultures are minimal and that sin is consistent. I had a vision, which tangibly manifested itself in the discovery of our ministry. I was also confronted with the fact that being a Christian goes deeper than spouting off your latest theological montage.

Team: I believe this was a turning point for our team. Our ministry fell apart resulting in us coming together in prayer and seeking God's will for us. We saw God speak through two different team members to reveal a family that we would ultimately minister to for the month. We experienced as a team the likes of Rubbish Mountain and the killing fields. We decided we were ready to fight for unity and the desire to grow closer.

April (Thailand) -

Personally: I became aware that I was on the World Race and that if I wanted to change this year I was going to have to expose myself to God's truths. I started to see this journey as a transition from boyhood to manhood. I also started seriously considering marrying my now fiance and building a kingdom oriented family. In addition, I came to the conclusion that I had to drop my desire to please the world and find my own identity in God and what that looks like going forward.

Team: As a team we were split up into three different groups. The men and women went different way this month, which allowed for health growth and a desire to reunite at the end of the month. Our take away was that we value our team and when not all members are present we lack certain giftings. This led to our desire for the month of May to be off on our own and not surrounded by other teams. I can speak for the guys and say we say the Holy Spirit moving in some of the most remote villages in the world. We also traveled to Burma that month where Christians are persecuted and killed and saw a thriving church. Two of our girls were baptized in the Indian Ocean and one was broken of the spirit of rejection, which is no easy feat other than the Lord ministering.

May (Malaysia) -

Personally: I drew a line in the sand on many fronts this month. First, it became painfully clear that spending time with God, the scriptures and meditating on both were imperative. Second, that God has used the last few years of life and my experiences with the Long family to prepare me for marriage and it was time to trust him in that. Lastly, that I do have the ability to be a leader when done in love and not out of pride.

Team: Our team tasted independence but only briefly. We had a traveler from the UK join us in the first part of the month followed by one of our squad leaders and lastly by another team who we traveled to Singapore with. We did live in close quarters this month and inherently spent more time together as a result. I believe this was a crucial month for us in which we would chose to dig in instead of riding out the rest of the year together. Heading to Africa we felt healthy and functioning, as the body of believers should.

June (Mozambique) -

Personally: Longing for home and my family and fiance set in. Ministry was mainly in the African bush, which will try any human's patience. My only option was to turn into my God and my team. I was broken of a lot of what I considered my rights and expectations. We were with three other teams and I had to face the reality of what the bible calls overlooking offenses. As one of the most influential moment yet in my life I sat down with senior pastors of a local congregation and corrected them through the Holy Spirit and scriptures in a grass hut over candlelight.

Team: Our team grew to love each other. We not only grew spiritually but we stepped up in our gifitings and ministered to the locals as well as the other teams. From preaching, to cooking, to praying, to one on one conversation, to washing dishes we covered all bases. We learned that we prefer to be with each other as opposed to floating from one friend to another in the squad. Another thing we tackled was where to go the following month through prayer. We were led to Swaziland unanimously. We definitely turned a corner and I think all of us starting asking what is possible this year among us?

July (Swaziland) -

Personally: This was not an easy month for me in that God was stretching me hard. Our ministry was at an orphanage that was fairly disorganized and I found hard to connect to. I have a real heart for children and to see them so lonely struck the core of me. It made Jesus words that we will always have the poor and orphans real and started me asking what my role is in helping. On another level I knew I was going to propose at the end of the month and that led me down a trail and search for what it means to be a husband to an amazing Christian woman. I spent the last week with my fiance and I would be lying if I were to say it was easy to leave her knowing we both still have almost four months in the missions' field.

Team: As a team we learned what it means to pray and listen as individuals so that when we come together as the body we can see how the Holy Spirit is working through all of us. We spent a large amount of time praying into our August ATL and were faced with hearing two different locations from the Lord. We had to work through the implications of that and in hindsight we understand why the Lord chose it that way. Had we all had the same word we wouldn't have so vigorously sought to hear him and in return grow through the process.

So here we are now in August and down one teammate. He escorted an all girls team to Lesotho and will reunite with us at the end of the month. As a team we have spent more time together this month than all the other months combined. We encountered a teammate seriously wanting to go home just a few days ago but have overcome that. We all agree that the fellowship and bonding in the Spirit that has taken place each morning is key and must be carried out the rest of this trip. We are faced with the fact that we don't have all the answers but agree that if we go as the Holy Spirit leads us we will grow in maturity. I believe at the end of this we'll be true brothers and sisters in Christ. How many people can you claim you have spent a year of your life with fully immersed in community and exposed both in your flesh and Spirit?

Starting a Legacy

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

So we did it, I asked Traci VanSumeren to become my wife and got engaged (Photo's Here) in Swaziland. For her take on the day you can click here. For those of you that know me well you know that this was no light decision. I have spent the last four years of my life avoiding relationships because my heart was not there. I prayed during that time that God would change my heart in this area and I had all but given up hope when I met Traci at my AIM training last October. We both caught each other's attention but I think that was because of our interest. She loves to cook and made our meals at training and we both had our cameras out as well. Ironically she interviewed me towards the end of training and we had a great conversation but still no interest. It wasn't till about a month later that we made contact over facebook of all things. I rebuked facebook up till training when I finally gave in and signed up so I could stay connected to my squad.We both visited each other in December at our respective homes and I got to meet her family. We started dating on December 19^th and that in itself was not an easy decision knowing I was leaving for a year. Traci and I agree that the only reason we were both willing to take on a long distance relationship like this was because she had already done the World Race and had proper expectations, in addition to the fact I was just stupid in love with her. I left in early January and the first day on the Race the Lord laid it on my heart that we needed a way to stay connect beyond the occasional Skype call. I started journaling her the first night on my computer and created what one day I hope with be a coffee table book in our home. I am proud to say we have both diligently journaled for 209 days now including responses. This act has brought us incredible close and I highly recommend it to other long distancers.

It was late one night in May while I was in Malaysia when the Lord spoke very clearly to me about marrying Traci. With that I was on a mission to get my squad coaches permission and a ring. Something I have learned this year is that it's important to submit to the authority above you and that meant putting a call into Mike Pascal. He told me he had peace about it as long as I could keep my focus on the Race. I knew God would give me the strength since this was His will so I proceeded. Getting the ring was no easy feat considering I was going into the African bush where I didn't even have electricity a lot of the time. With the help of a generator, laptop, printer/fax, God's favor, a teammates iPhone and my coaches I pulled off the impossible and got a ring from the States to Africa in under a month.

In anticipation of Traci showing up I intentionally listened to two sermons by Mark Driscoll out of Seattle. These can be found on iTunes and I highly recommend any singles as well as married couple to listen to them. The sermons come from his sermon series entitled Trial. The sermons are titled Trial: Marriage and Women and Trial: Marriage and Men. I will warn you these are intense and if you are lacking in the department of loving your other this might be hard listen.

Traci showed up in Swaziland on the 20^th of July on her way to her next ministry location and I proposed on the 21^th. We had breakfast on hole 16 of a golf estate that we were staying on and then I took her down by the river where we prayed and then I proposed. We finished the day at her favorite restaurant in Swaziland with two World Race teams. I am excited for our future but that has to wait until the Race is over. For now I am here and heading to Cape Town tomorrow. God has more to teach me and knowing I am going to lead a family in the near future has only spurred me on more to pull as much from this journey as possible. I praise God for his blessing.

Swaziland Photography

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hello All-

As always I hope this finds you doing well. Here are the photo's I was able to capture in Swaziland. There are not as many as I would like but sometime you have to be willing to put aside your hobby when life gets busy. Thanks for all your support and enjoy.

Swaziland

What's a Symbol Worth?

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

When you think of a symbol what comes to mind? Symbols are the visual images that trigger a response to remember. A symbol can encompass a slue of emotions good and bad. The bible both OT and NT is riddled with symbols. These symbols sometimes manifest themselves literally like the blood of the lamb God asked the Israelites to place over their door during the exodus. At other times symbols can be encapsulated in things like parables and visions. The de facto Christian symbol has to be the cross. I can't think of a symbol that triggers a wide array of response than this. To some the cross represents oppression, hate and death while to others grace and salvation.

When we first arrived at Remar Center, Vanda our contact gave us a tour of the property. There was voice that kept asking me asI walked around what's missing? I couldn't put my finger on it at first. We have seen a lot of Christian based ministries this year and they had something that this place was lacking. Towards the end of the tour it hit me, other than the sign out front there were very few symbols that said this property is God's ground. I am not a believer in flashing Christian symbols to prove to the world that we are holy. However, what I do believe in the visual power of seeing symbols repetitively and especially scripture. There are four adults on the property to watch 150 kids. Everyone out there knows that each of these kids is not getting touched each day physically let alone spiritually. So why not paint some truth and symbols in a place that they have to pass everyday.

So our teams derived a plan to bring a little light and love into the orphanage visually. We wanted to give the children something they could point to and educated one another. We all worked hard with the little amount of time we had and the results far exceeded my expectations. I encourage you to think about how you can apply more symbols in your own life. A great place to start is in your home.

A Quick Introduction to Swaziland and the Remar Center -

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

It seems like the World Race and Swaziland have been synonymous. It was the first country I heard stories about and yet didn't even realize it existed. Swazi is a landlocked kingdom in the South Africa and is border to the east by Mozambique. It has a population of just over a million and has the highest reported HIV rate in the world at over 38%. Many of the business and farms here are owned and run by South Africans verses locals.

Many of the former World Race teams ministered in Nsoko, which is a care point south of Manzini. The stories that have come out of this area have been amazing and are close to my heart. Our team, however, choose to pioneer a new ministry in Manzini called the Remar Center. This refuge is an orphanage and rehabilitation center that houses about 150 people at any given time. A husband and wife run the facility with the help of two mother that live at the orphanage. Their resources are limited but they are able to provide three meals a day, a bed and schooling for most.

Our team was paired with another team this month and we both stayed at a hostel that been converted from a dairy farm. The farm sits on a piece of property that is over 2,000 acres and hosts a champion golf course as well. Our contacts took great care of us and were more than accommodating.

New Photography

Mon, 6 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hello All -

I hope this finds you doing well. I just finished up a month in the bush and it was absolutely amazing. It was hard a times but well worth the journey. Some bad news my camera broke this month and is no longer usable. I am now using Cameron's camera in place of mine but we both like to play around with it so I may be taking less pictures. Below is what I have captures over the last two months. Some of you may have heard I have made it to the next round in AIM's photography contest, which I am very excited about. To be published in a book is a big enough prize but if I place in the top three I can use that cash to buy a new camera. As as side note I will try to post some blogs before I leave for Swaziland. I had half a dozen typed out but my computer crashed a few days ago and I lost them. Thanks for all your support and enjoy the photos.

South Africa

Mozambique

First Destination Mozambique

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Currently I am balled up in my sleeping bag under the protection of my tent as it rains in Mozambique. I spent the last 20 hours crammed into a van, which navigated the worst roads I have seen on the race thus far to bring us to the remote town of Vilanculos. Mozambique was colonized by the Portuguese in the early 16th century and became a center for slave trade in the 17th and 18th centuries. In 1975 it became an independent republic and proceeded to inflict civil war on itself till the early 90's. The repercussions of this violence can still be seen in the landscape as well as the faces of it citizens.

Vilanculos is located towards the center of Mozambique on the coast of the Indian Ocean and mainly functions as a fishing town. Our contacts live just outside the town on a private lake. Their names are Jako and Maria and they are both from South Africa. Through a series of God led events they both traveled to Mozambique about 6 years ago with absolutely no money. Since then they have been blessed with a piece of property, a home, the building of a church and a strong network of local Christians. They live in what I would consider the bush and home school their children.

Jako filled us in on his background one night around a campfire. I will not go into detail here but to say that he came from a background of abuse and violence. This came out in his later years and caused him to harm others. However, God changed his life through the murder of a good friend and now Jako is fighting for the Kingdom. Our stay here will only be for a few days and then it's off to the true bush where there is no electricity or clean water. Where life revolves around surviving and looking towards the hand of God to provide. I will keep you posted

TIA

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I have been excited for Africa since day one but had no idea what to expect. Of course I have seen the countless movies based on events in Africa and have wonder how accurately they portray the environment but I can now say they have failed to capture it's beauty and rich culture. The first thing you realize about Africa when stepping off the plane is its sheer mass. At just under 12 Million square miles it comes in as the second largest continent. Another thing that one must make themselves aware of is that Africa is made up of dozens of states and even more providences each with its own culture and many times languages.

We flew into the city of Johannesburg located in South Africa. Something that surprised me immediately was the number of Caucasians who I came to find out were actually South Africans. The reason for this is the British invaded in the early 19th century and implemented an inland expansion of British dominance of local populations. This has led to a great diversity in South Africa and at times tensions between different races. I have talked with many locals and while they admit that it's a dangerous country they would not choose to live anywhere else.

As we drove through the city I was surprised by the modern design and attention to detail in their architecture. It felt to me that we could be driving through any Midwest city. I do have to note that the weather is phenomenal here and a welcomed change from Asia. Currently its winter here because we are south of the equator so during the day it can be anywhere from 50 to 70 degrees and at night in the 30's or 40's. I am excited for what lies ahead and the opportunity to delve deeper into African culture. I am not sure why but my gut tells me God has a lot to open my eyes to in Africa. As I encounter these experiences I will do my best to convey them through my blog.

Singapore Photography

Thu, 4 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Please follow this link to see photo's of Singapore. We stayed here for about 4 days camping on the beach, which was close to unbearable considering it was over 100 degrees. Most of these shots don't entail ministry because Singapore functioned more or less as a pass through for us. Hope you enjoy.

Singapore

May Update

Sat, 30 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hello Everyone -

I am currently writing you from Bangkok where I have just returned from both Malaysia and Singapore. It was amazing to see these two countries, which in many ways resemble the United States due to their western influence. Both of these countries provided a rich experience for our team and proved to be great ministry experiences. I feel like our team made major steps this month in growing closer to each other and I expect to see the fruit of that in Africa and beyond. Also, the leadership will be changing this next month on our team. It's AIM's desire to allow as many people to lead a team as possible. That being said I will be releasing my role to Miles Tiegs for the next few months. I am looking forward to having more time to focus on my quiet time and ministry so this is a welcomed change.

I am excited to share some recent events with everyone as it involves most of you that are on this string. First, I wanted to acknowledge that as of this month I am fully funded for this trip. This means that as long as the rest of the monthly pledges come in throughout the year I will owe $0 at the end of this journey. As most who venture out on this trip, I wasn't sure how this money was going to come in but it has by the grace of God. I thank each one of you who has donated either prayers or resources to help make this possible. Please know that you have invested not only into a cause but my life and its direction as well.

In light of that announcement I think it relevant to share my vision and my heart for the future. Some of you know that I have been dating an amazing girl by the name of Traci VanSumeren. She and I have been dating for almost half a year now and we plan to get engaged as soon as I return home. She currently is on staff with AIM, is a former World Racer (Her Blog) and grew up in Thailand as missionary kid. She will be leaving for Ireland in a few weeks to lead a team of girls and then she will travel to Swaziland and work at one of AIM's international headquarters until November.

It's our desire to continue working closely with AIM as well as other missions' organizations. I am asking that you would consider and pray about supporting me moving forward. My account with AIM will continue to stay open and any donation received after this point I can apply to future trips. I am already in discussions with AIM staff about future opportunities so the need for funds is not a question. One of the hardest tasks for a missionary is to find supporters who will help on a long-term basis. I want to continue building that network and I hope my efforts through blogs and photography have communicated my passion for this lifestyle. So as of right now I am due to come off the field in November but am already looking at opportunities as soon as Q1 or Q2 2010. Please keep in touch with the links below and ask the Lord if He is calling you to support me long term.

Click Here To View My Photography

Click Here to Support Me

Prayer Requests:

I am often asked how I can be prayed for sometimes this is difficult because out on the field prayer needs change on a daily basis. Below are some of my current prayers.

       That I would be constantly seeking quiet time with the Lord and seeking his direction through prayer.

       Guidance on how to enter Africa and how to ministry to its people.

       For protection in Africa because it tends to be a violent and dangerous place.

       For wisdom and guidance for both Traci and I while we are apart and as we come back together.

       That our team (Koinonia) would take what we learned in May and dig deeper into each other.

       That our team would earnestly seek out its giftings and pursue those in our ministry times.

       That our Malaysian and Thailand contacts would be blessed.

Additional Information:

Trip Schedule - This is the approximate itinerary for the next few months

June -            Africa (Mozambique)

July -             Africa (Swaziland)

August -       Africa (Malawi)

As always if you have any questions just hit reply and let me know what you are thinking. Once again thank you for all your support and I look forward to meeting with everyone when I get home.

In his grace,

Nicholas B. Derington

Malaysia Pictures

Tue, 26 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hello Everyone -

Here is a link to my Malaysia pictures. I hope these find you well. Just as a heads-ups I don't have as many photos for Malaysia as I usually do. There are a few reasons for this the first and main reason is that it is a Muslim country and out of respect I tried to ask first if possible. We were also located in a city, which can sometimes present a challenge. Lastly our ministry was with the homeless and in general they don't like their photos taken unless you establish solid relationships first. The homeless that you see in my shots have a special place in my heart and I spent many hours with each of them. My favorite thing to shoot in Malaysia was probably the graffiti. This activity is not illegal but not necessarily legal in Malaysia. Our team had a great time with both our host family and our contacts. We are now in Singapore and I will have those photos up shortly. As always click on the link below.

Malaysia

Malaysia is the closest thing to home

Fri, 15 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Where do I start? Have you ever traveled somewhere and just felt at home even though your not that is what I am experiencing here. The countryside is vast jungle just calling to my soul to explore and the city is as urban as anything in America. Our team is staying in Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia, which houses about 2 million people in a 94 sq mi area. Almost half the population is made up of Chinese and there is also a large presence of illegal immigrant workers. Post WWII Malaysia gained its freedom from the British and has taken much of its legal system from them. Malaysia is also know for it large population of Muslims. As Christian's it's illegal for us to try and convert them and is punishable with jail.

The city itself is very urban with extensive transit systems. There are the good parts of town and the bad parts like any major city. We of course are staying in the worst part of town in terms of crime and drugs. Our contacts here in Malaysia have been more than accommodating. We are the first WR team to do ministry in Malaysia and I have to say I think we have made a good impression on our host family. Their names are Peter and Carol and they own a local restaurant, which they feed us out of three times a day. They have been Christians since 2000 and have fully embraced the call to community. They have even taken us in to their own home at times to feed and fellowship with us. Our ministry has consisted of a homeless drop in shelter, working with Nepalese immigrant workers and prayer walking through the city.

To this point on the race, I feel like this is the first place that I could actually come and live. The faith is strong here and the body is growing at a high rate. It's hard to put into words the call on my heart because it's more of a gut feeling. Maybe it's the graffiti artists I hung out with or the fact that everyone speaks English or that the Muslims I have talked to seem a lot more open to Christ than I initially thought. I see it almost as a young America still impressionable, still looking for its identity and still searching for who Jesus really is.

Thailand Pictures

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hello here are my latest pictures for those who are looking for them. Thanks again for all the encouraging feedback.

Thailand

Can There Really Be A Village Here?

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

OK I know in my previous blog I said I saw the Lord working in remote places but this far exceeds even that. Currently we are in Ban Haui Kai Pa staying at a pastor's house. We were told that we were going to go do sports ministry in a mountain village, which naturally interests us guys. We traveled a very steep dirt road for several miles before we turned off and not on to another road but rather a river that snakes through the jungles that borders Burma. We traveled at least a half hour through 2 to 3 ft water littered with rocks and boulders. We passed through remote farming communities that survive mainly on what the land produces. This is the type of countryside that is beautiful but not what you want to get lost in or be in a survival situation.

When we arrived at our village we emerged into a network of huts that were tucked in the shadow of an ominous mountain. This was another Karen village although I don't know the name of it. We walked through a dried up rice paddy field and came upon 100 children participating in a Christian youth camp. I stood there for a moment and though surely not, not here but I was wrong. We were met with a warm welcome and where asked to get on stage and worship, which we did without hesitation. We got to meet several pastors from Thailand and Burma who were participating in this camp that is held ever year.

We ate lunch with the group, which was challenging for some since we could see they were washing the dishes in the river with no soap or bleach. Typhoid is very common in this area so it left me thankful for making the decision to get that vaccination. After lunch we played games with the kids and had a great time. God continues to show up and show me the unthinkable. I am starting think there is a real movement taking place right here right now in this time. It seems that a lot of the planting and sowing that has taken place in these countries by missionaries past is ready to be harvested. Some say God is dying that as we become more intellectually astute that less people are following God but I can tell you that what I am seeing says otherwise.

Our Trip to B**ma

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Let me start out by staying that I have to sensor this blog due to those who may be looking for keywords on outgoing email of certain governments. As Americans we are use to having freedom of speech but that doesn't apply everywhere and there are real stories of people being persecuted because of emails and blogs like this one.

First let me say that it's Songkran, which is Thailand's New Year with a water festival to boot. This basically gives everyone the right to throw water on you at any point for 3 or 4 days. These people take this holiday very seriously and young to old participate in it. We decided to cross the border at Mae Sot. There is a bridge called Friendship Bridge, which unfortunately does not hold true to its name. I was told by one of our ministry contacts how she witnessed Bu**ese people attacking and breaking the legs of Thai soldiers on the bridge. I guess it also a common occurrence to rob people as soon as they cross the border. As we walked up to cross the Thailand border a female border patrol officer pops out of the office and sprays us with a water gun. It came, as a surprise because I don't think that would ever take place in the United States.

I debated about taking my camera over not only because of theft and the government giving me a hard time but also because everyone else was drench by this point due to the water festival in the end I decided I had to. As we were crossing the bridge I looked below and there were several people floating across the river illegally between the two countries. When we got to the border we had to give up our passports, which is always unnerving. We were told that we could only go five kilometers past the border and no more also we had to return by 5 PM. This is very intentional on the government's part because they are hiding the truth. Everyone is friendly on the border and the government works hard to paint a good picture but it by no accident they only let you go 5 kilometers. The truth is the country is war torn and that they have the largest children army in the world. They persecute anyone they please including Christians and the Karen. Most of the world doesn't know the reality of the situation because media is not allowed to go in and bring stories out.

Taxis that consisted of men on bikes with a bench in front for the passengers met us immediately at the border. Most of them are spies for the government and want to see where you are going, what you are doing and whom you are associating with. We had them take us to one of three open churches in the country. The government passed a law that said any church built after 1980 was to be torn down. This is the only church that stands on a public road in all of the country. The church looked non-opposing from the front and honestly I probably would have passed it never knowing it was a church. It happened that a large part of the body was present so we on the fly put together a worship service.

As we started I stood by the window taking pictures of a hymnbook that shouldn't exist. I kept looking out the window thinking we are in a country that openly and violently persecutes Christians and here I am singing He Reigns at the top of my lungs while a spy stands at the back of the room watching us. In that moment I could feel the Holy Spirit moving and I was brought to tears by how powerful and true God's covenants are with His people. How is it that the government who dictates and orchestrates every movement within a country and oppresses anything threatening overlooks this building and even stamps its approval on it? I believe its called God's grace and He is literally blinding them to the truth that is taking place. We worshiped for a good hour and a half before we had to leave. Powerful doesn't even begin to describe what took place. As we left on the bicycles I couldn't help but pray for that body and the boldness they are showing for the Lord.

Mae Kwee Chaa Village

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

If asked I would say I have never been to a remote part of the world until now. We went and spent a few days in Mae Moei National Park close to Mae Sot on the Burmese border. Here you can find at least a half dozen Karen tribal villages that have crossed the border in an attempt to get relief from the Burmese persecution. There are few roads into these places and some of them can only be reached by hiking. They are located in extreme mountainous areas that lack your basics like clean water and electricity.

A little back ground on the Karen, which is a large ethnic group found in Southeast Asia. They trace their origins to the Gobi Desert, Mongolia and Tibet. The Karen's in many ways resemble the Israelites and relate to the sufferings they endured. The Karen's settled in Myanmar (known as Burma until 1990, when the military government changed the country's name.) as far back as the seventh century. It was during the 1700s that the Karen people began living in Siam now called Thailand. They live in tribal societies governed by chiefs and princes. The Karen people saw protection under British rule until post WWII when Burma gained its independence from Britain. The Karen people at the time expected to gain their own nation but instead were absorbed into the new Union of Burma. Problems began immediately and resulted in the Burmese government killing, enslaving and raping many of the Karen. A Karen insurgency sprang up and threatened to gain control of the Burmese capital, Rangoon. The government pledged to quell the rebellion and unify the country by force. There has been a consistent pattern of deliberate human rights violations inflicted on the Karen people causing hundreds of thousands to flee to refugee camps and small village outpost in Thailand. While few people know about this conflict its stands as the longest running rebellion in know history.

It's estimated that there about 5 to 6 million Karen in the world with a majority of them still living in Burma. I got to meet about 50 of them in Mae Kwee Chaa. Nestled in misty mountains with more valleys than one would want to count stands 20 huts one of which houses a Karen Christian pastor. He has spent the last few years building the only church in the area. We arrived a few days before Easter and the only thing left was to paint the building. Our days consisted of sanding and painting and at night we slept out in the open air in grass huts. I have to admit seeing a persecuted people who lack the basic necessities of life investing materials and time into a Christian church that is not easily accessible is overwhelming to say the least. The pastor and his wife cleared out there home for several days to make sure that the 11 of us were comfortable.

At first it was hard to befriend the villagers because they all looked very serious with their weathered skin and stained teeth from the Beatle Nut that they chew. However, as we began to interact with the children they grew friendlier. It's probably worth mentioning that we are only the second white team to travel through their village. By Sunday we had the project complete and we hosted a service. I counted roughly 40 people at one point, which amazed me because it just so happened that the local witch doctors paid a visit on that day. This church is the light on a lamp stand that Jesus talks about. Christianity is the minority in this area but about 8 other villages that don't have churches surround Mae Kwee Chaa. God is moving in places that most don't even know exist; I surely was not aware of this place. God has reached the ends of the earth and it stands as a testament to His promise.

Introduction to Thailand

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I apologize for the delay in blogs I had my charger for my computer break and then once we got into Thailand we headed to a remote mountain area where there was no electricity. That being said I have arrived in Thailand and have experienced so much in the 15 days we have been here. I'll attempt here to give you an introduction into Thai culture but be aware that it is a rich and complex culture that has incorporated many tribes and nationalities.

A little history first, Thailand emerged as a powerful kingdom in the 14th century. It had several centuries where the kingdom prospered until the 19th century when the French and the British started taking territory. The Japanese then occupied Thailand during WWII. During the Vietnam War Thailand supported the United States in its efforts but post war experienced a large influx of refugees from Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. Today the population resides around 65 million and Bangkok is the capital.

Some culture cues that are common in Thailand are as follows. The head is considered the most honorable part of the body. Therefore it's a great insult to touch or reach over a person's head. The foot on the other hand is considered dirty and one should never point or step over someone with their foot. Buddhism is the national religion in Thailand. All items related to Buddhism are considered sacred and should be given respect. Thailand does have monks and they are forbidden to touch or be touched by women. In addition to Buddhism many also worship spirits and have spirit houses in or around their homes or businesses. There is an established monarchy in Thailand and the Royal Family is very important to the Thai people. It is always suggested that you show respect to the king and never speak badly about him because it could result in your deportation. The Thai people have a concept of "Face", which is the equivalent to keeping one's self-respect and dignity intact. This is a very important concept in most of Asia. These are just a few things to remember in Thailand. I have really enjoyed trying to keep up with the different cultural norms and have found it challenging.

As far as Christianity in Thailand the Portuguese were the first to bring Christianity in 1518. In fact the Thai king gave a large donation to build the first Roman Catholic Church in the country. English traders became aware of the strategic location of Thailand for East Indies trading and started building factories and ports. After several years of taking advantage of Thailand all westerners were expelled from the country. In 1780 French missionaries where allowed back into the country. In the early part of the 19th century it was estimated there were 1,000 Christians in Thailand. Protestant missionaries arrived in 1828 and American missionaries in 1833. They brought with them modern scientific knowledge and western medicine. King Mongkut learned English from the American missionaries who he considered friends. They taught him about Christianity but he could not accept Divine Revelation or Redemption of Sin. He is quoted as saying, "What you teach them to do is admirable, but what you teach them to believe is foolish." The king saw no harm in Christianity so it was allowed to continue to be practiced. Christian growth continued in the country until WWII when declines took place. With the close of the Vietnam War there was a large influx of western missionaries and significant growth has taken place since.

Personally I have grown to love Thailand. Many of you know I love to eat and this is by far has some of the best food I have experienced. You can get a great meal for around a dollar almost anywhere including major cities. There are many guesthouses that you can stay in for less than $10 a night. The mountains and countryside here are beyond words and I feel like my photography efforts can't convey the beauty. The people are exceptional and I have come to love the Karen people who are a tribe that live inside of Thai borders; I will write a follow-up blog on this persecuted people group in the future.

Photos of Cambodia

Wed, 1 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hello Everyone -

I am working on a new post but in the mean time I thought I would give you some pictures to look at. Please click on the link below.

Cambodia Pictures

Cambodia is an Experience

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

All right Asia is amazing and I feel at home. Even though it took almost three and a half days to get here from the Dominican Republic it was well worth it. We had a layover in the Narita airport in Japan. I shared some sushi with friends, which for those of you that know me well know I don't eat sushi on a regular basis. Even though it was airport sushi it was some of the best I have ever had. I am all about experiencing new things while traveling.

We left Japan and arrived in Bangkok Thailand late. It's one of the cleanest airports from a design standpoint I have ever seen. Everything has a modern feel and is stainless steel and glass. Walking out the doors I got hit with humidity the likes of Florida after it rains. I am already predicting that the humidity will pose more of a challenge than getting accustom to living in a foreign culture. We stayed the night in Bangkok at an YWAM base and then caught a bus the next morning for Cambodia. The bus was the nicest bus I have ever been on. It was a double-decker complete with flat screens and AC. I spent most of the bus trip people watching out the window and observing the countryside. The first thing I noticed is the roads and public infrastructure here are much more what I am accustom to in the States. Even through the countryside the roads lacked potholes and it appeared that electricity was abundant. To be sure this probably isn't the case everywhere.

We had to get off the bus and walk across to the Cambodia border. We got across with little trouble, however, the lady that stamped my passport had to look at me several times given the fact that I now have long hair and a full beard. We got on another bus much different from the first; I thought I was going to have a heat stroke. I am not sure when we arrived in Phnom Penh but it was late. We are currently at the YWAM base. The house is situated in an alley that I have grown to love because all the kids swarm you when you leave the base and they know English probably from the many missionaries that have come before me. We were brief by the YWAM director Chris. He is a great guy and has an excellent knowledge of Cambodia's history. I think I will actually write another blog in the future about what this country has been through but suffice to say they have been oppressed and mistreated. The country is heavily Theravada Buddhist, which shares a lot of similarities with Christianity.

The city itself has a great vibe about it. Most people wake up around 6 when the sun comes up. You can see monks in their bright orange robes walking up and down the streets each morning praying blessings over the locals. The main roads are packed with tok toks (motor carriages), bikes and motorcycles. Their traffic laws are more lenient than ours and red lights and driving the correct way on roads seem optional at times. You can find street vendors by the thousands selling anything you can think of. Overall things are pretty cheap here. You can get a decent meal for $2 or $3 and a really nice meal for $5. There are a lot of western products available in the stores and there is knockoff brand clothing everywhere. That's all I have for now, check back for more on Asia.

God Talks To Me 2 Days In A Row, Surely Not

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

What's it take to hear from God? For some it can take place in a loud and chaotic environment; for others it's a coffee shop with a chill environment. I fall in the latter camp for sure. I have found a place called TC, which is a coffee shop close to our base. It's very western in design and culture and it makes me feel right at home. Our team decided that we were going to participate in day of prayer. I am writing this after the fact and this took place the day before our prayer walk and the whole 297 blog.

I arrived at TC and was immediately greeted by my newfound friend Borey. He works at the shop 7 days a week from 1 - 10 PM after he spends the morning in university studying English. This guy is a rock star and we have quickly become friends. I sat down and got a tea to start. I thought the first thing I would do was free write, which if anyone is unfamiliar with this you basically pick up a pen and write without stopping. Here is what followed:

Father -

I have sinned against you. My Heart pursues its own desire not yours. My flesh is self-indulgent and lacks sacrifice. I worship an idol of distraction and self-preservation. I find myself content on focusing on the things of the world. Father I know and confess with my mouth that you have called me to more. To continue to sit idle is my own death. Father I cry out for your hand; for your wisdom. Don't leave me like you left Judah and Israel. Lord plant Jeremiah 6:16 in my heart and in the marrow of my bones. Till your glory returns. Amen.

I thought to myself wow that was a profound and heavy word from God in the same moment. I reflected on this for quite and went to the Lord in prayer in many different areas. Afterward I though it was time to step it up a notch so I ordered an espresso followed by a hot tea, which on an empty stomach can put some wind in your sail. I opened to Jeremiah where I have been camped out the last couple of days and came to Jeremiah 18. This is the potter's hand verse, it says,

"This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: Go down to the potter's house, and there U will give you my message. So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the Lord cam to me: O House of Israel, can I not do with you as the potter does? declares the Lord. Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand."

These verses triggered multiple thoughts in my mind. I will try to step you through them. First a little background on my experience with clay. A few years back When I was coming out of college I met a guy by the name of Ford who would later become my roommate. I love this guy and if I had to describe him I would say think tone muscle climber with curly hair, who loves to ride a bike everywhere and smoke a pipe. He knows everyone you know plus the rest of the city and has probably philosophizing with them about wild cranes in Africa and whether Jesus would drink his coffee black or with cream. He isn't consumed by the trivial and would give you the shirt off his back if you asked for it. Moreover, he at the time was a potter who taught at a private art school. We would grab Pad Thai after his night class would end, play some obscure indie music and throw clay. These sessions as I call them in the studio came at a pivotal time in my life. I was transitioning away from a time of independence to a dependence on God. I had lost my focus in my college years but through friendships like Ford found my way back.

It was in this studio that God revealed so much of who He was. I remember sitting at the wheel with my inexperience and trying to force this peace of earth to form to my liking. I would watch Ford and notice his techniques. He was aware that the clay was fragile. He would apply consistent pressure and blunt force was the rarity. He saw the molding process as dynamic in nature verses one of linear progression. He knew when more water was needed to soften the surface. He could pick up a tool and in a moment remove with precision undesired clay. He could sit down and quickly produce nothing less than beauty and yet I could sit there for hours on end and still have marred clay in my hands. God used this experience to say Nick I created Ford's hands, how better then are mine? I walked away with the impression that I needed to stop functioning out of my own inexperience and trust the masters.

God took this memory and repositioned it on my heart today for our team. We come from different walks but we are all His pieces of earth. We are letting Him form our life that's not the struggle here. What we as individuals and team members now face is the firing process. Only clay that has been properly formed and fired will come out whole. His desire is to not only be in relationship with us due to His authorship but to create vessels from which he can pour his blessing out on others. Therefore, if you are not a vessel or yours has a defect in its structure because you crafted it with your own hands, how than can God use you?

Seeing Is Believing (297 & Bottled Water)

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Coming into Cambodia we were suppose to be doing ministry in Battambang. Initially, we were going outside the city to do rural ministry, however that fell through. We pursued several other ministries and some looked promising but then would fall apart. Team Koinonia had to stand by as other teams left for there respective ministries. We were left asking God why we don't have a ministry. Maybe he was being a little shy because for a couple of days we didn't hear much (ridiculous I know because God doesn't strike me as having a nature of timidity). After discussing this as a group we decided that the lack of voice meant he wanted us to listen more intently and more unified.

We decided to get bold and do a prayer walk. We had tried this earlier in the week with mixed results mainly due to us not taking the situation as seriously as we could. Before we left we got together and prayed that the Lord would communicate however he wanted with us. Rocio was the first to speak up and told us that the Lord had given her the number 297 a few days ago. She had no idea what it meant and even checked with some of the locals to see if it had any meaning but they knew of nothing. I went and laid on the floor and shut my eyes with no preconceived intention, immediately I saw bottled water. I thought it silly and opened my eyes and shut them again, same result. I have this little conversation with God that went like this, "God I am going to open my eyes a third time and shut them and I don't want to see bottled water because it seems foolish to tell the team." Open, close, same result. So I sat up and told the team what I saw. I wasn't sure if he was asking us to hand out bottles of water but that was the only logical conclusion I could come to (I'll tell you now that I was wrong).

So with the number 297 and an image of bottled water we decided to leave the base. Our first thought was to go to a tok tok and ask them to take us to 297. Of course they had no idea what we were talking about and were asking for a landmark, which we couldn't provide. We decided to change course and walk about a mile away where there is streets 296 and 298 but no 297. The whole way over I was looking at every street address and licenses plate in view. I have never really seen God work this way but I had a gut feeling about His method. We walked 296 and 298 without any incident. We came to a corner and Taryn and Rocio started talking to a street vendor. Cameron started writing in his journal, Miles took a seat with me and Jenni stood close by. The Lord told me to get up and keep looking. I thought in my mind God does not work like this; he doesn't give tangible things to look for.

I walked about a block away without telling the team where I was going. I heard God in an inaudible voice say Nick I am going to show you what you are looking for just have faith. Less than a minute later I look up to cross the road and in front of me is a small concrete building and on the side is a 15 digit number scratched into the wall. In the middle is the number 297. I thought all right Nick you are just stretching; this is mere coincidence not God. I crossed the street and poked my head in the open door. I saw three or four little old ladies sifting rice. To my left were a young man and an older woman sewing some fabric. They greeted me with a smile and a wave and immediately I felt welcomed. I stood there for a moment not sure what to do. I decided I need to look at the number on the building again. As I was walking out I saw something out of the corner of my eye, turning to look there on the ground was two cases of bottled water stacked next to the wall. I froze and in 95-degree weather with ridiculous humidity I got instant goose bumps. Let me be frank and say I am a skeptical person in most situations. I tend to error on the side of logic and circumstance. However, in that moment my human logic broke down. I stood there amazed and outside of reality.

With an extra hop in my step I got back to the team and told Miles what I saw. True to Miles style a big grin immediately appeared on his face. He gathered the rest of the team and I walked them down to the wall. I watched their faces as they realized the number on the wall. There was mixed results until I pointed to the water and then it was like the Holy Spirit fell from the sky and we were immersed in an "ah ha" moment. We didn't know what to do; do we praise God or maybe pray for direction? Without talking we all walked into the building. The guys approached the young man whose name is Dara. The girls went to the older ladies who were sifting rice. We spent well over an hour getting to know these people. The building is a family business that sells rice. They use to be in the middle of a market but in an effort to get people off the streets the government has moved the market a few blocks away. This has caused their business to slow. Dara and his mother rent out space to run their sewing business. Dara is a high school student who can speak English and stops by to see his mom during lunch breaks. These people were so receptive to us and as we left they asked that we return. Unanimously we knew we had found our ministry.

It wasn't handed to us and it came in a different package than we expected but God has revealed part of why He has us 6 in Cambodia. We have walked away for this event more unified as a team and desiring to hear from God even greater. We saw the Body function like the NT talks about. We saw the importance of every member and how community fosters understanding. I know some can justify this in their head and write it off but we know what we saw and experienced and it was not of this world. Praise be to God.

Departing Prayer For Haiti

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Father in Heaven -

You have shown me a different people with a different suffering but from the same island. This place is truly dark and in need of your godly wisdom. The spirit of hatred, witchcraft and malice is prevalent here. These people have been wounded by the enemy and instead of extolling energy to pursue you they search for the things of the world. Lord you know most of the government is corrupt and acting as a leech on its society. Lord I ask and pray that you would intervene for this nation and deliver it from the grips of oppression. Lord that you would sift this island and send it on a path towards your Holy one.

Lord I thank you for the lights you have so strategically placed on hills in Haiti. Like the prophets of old you speak truth even in the last of days. I pray a blessing on these refuges and asked that you would multiply them in your time. Father they are the hope for their nation. Please continue to rise up new generations who seek your face. I pray specifically for Canaan and your works there. Those people, my new brothers and sisters' daily look to your hand for their blessing and sustenance; they possess a faith like I have never seen in my time. They only move or act when you speak to them and when you are silent they go on faith. From the moment I arrived you placed on my heart to pray for members to rise up in the community when called, that this heaven would not die with Sister Gladys. Father continue to instill in those children your ways and call them to continue your great works at Canaan.

Father Haiti is a great testament to your beauty and giving hand. The land is blessed with natural resources and the abundance of your ocean. Steer the hearts of that nation towards yours. Bless those that are faithful and silence those that are anti-kingdom. Thank you Lord for giving me this experience and may it always have an impact on my life.

Peace & Perseverance,

Nicholas B. Derington

Made It to Cambodia

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hello Everyone -

Just wanted to let you know that after 82 hours of travel I have arrived in Cambodia. I will have better access to Internet this month so I will be posting some new blogs in the next couple of days. Thanks for all your support and encouragement. Please be praying for our ministry to reveal itself we have had 5 or 6 now fall through. We'll be spending the day as a team in prayer tomorrow so pleas join us if you get a chance. Thanks.

Nick Derington