Bobby Richardson’s Best Catch

Bobby’s Best Catch:  Some would argue that it was his game-ending catch in the seventh game of the 1962 World Series. I beg to differ.   Thursday, 29 January As you read this, DeDe and I are traveling to a new African country. We’ll be there for most of the month. How to pray for …

Every Picture Tells A Story: Photos to Remember

  1. Be Curious 2. Say “Wow!” 3. Tell Stories Those three things are what I mostly do in Africa. I’m a storyteller. It’s what I do. It’s who I am. I have a very serious job here in the Chadan cluster. DeDe and I are focused on our Big Three jobs for this year: …

Lifting the Barn . . . Together

Lifting the Barn. Together we can do it. Even if you skip today’s post, don’t miss this video of several hundred people moving a barn in Nebraska. http://youtu.be/o83W0gj_CRE is my favorite “Pamoja” story: Herman Ostry’s barn floor was under twenty-nine inches of water because of a rising creek. The Bruno, Nebraska farmer invited a few …

Sunday Morning Prayer Needs

Please use the share button(s) above so others can pray for our Chadan Team. It’s Sunday morning in America. We’re nine hours ahead of CST, so it’s Sunday evening. Prayer is like oxygen.  We must have it. It’s not an option in Africa. We must know you are “holding the rope” in prayer.  Our Big …

Every Picture Tells a Story

If you enjoy today’s post, please share it with your friends.   It’s Saturday. That means it’s picture day. There’s purpose in this: every picture does tell a story. And a picture is worth a thousand words. In fact, in Africa, it may be ten thousand. Here are photos from this past week as well …

Under an African Tree

Welcome to our Thursday blog Today’s theme continues with trees. I’ve been sharing stories from our Louisiana Piney Woods. Today I’d like to show some of the beautiful trees of Africa. We’ll let the photos speak for themselves.   But before we get to the trees, you must see the video of these six girls.  It’s …

Pine Sap: Thoughts on a Dead Pine

A word from Curt Curiosity It’s a good word for my life. I was born curious. It’s gotten me in some tight spots.  (Wildlife Agent at Sabine National Park to Robert Sanders and me,  “Now, which of the three “No Trespassing” signs did you fellows not see when you crawled under the gate.) Curiosity has …

Coming Home . . . Louisiana and Africa

Today we begin featuring a weekly audio podcast to supplement Tuesday’s blog post.  I believe you’ll enjoy my reading of “The Landmark Pine.”  Download free here.  A word from Curt Home. It’s a good word.  But at this season of my life, it’s a complicated word.  Where is home for me?  We’ve just returned from …

African Names: “A Rose is still . . .

A Rose by Any Other Name     I’ve been in Africa two years and still don’t have a name I’m comfortable with.   Most of you know me as Curt. It is unpronounceable for most Africans.   I spell it out C-U-R-T and they write it “C-U-O-T.” The “r” is difficult to pronounce here.. …

The Evergreen Cedar Tree

  The Evergreen Cedar Tree From The Old House by Curt Iles I was born in a small town.  And I can breathe in a small town. Gonna die in a small town, That’s probably where they’ll bury me.                                                                         – John Mellencamp, “Small Town” Driving through the fog of an October morning, it is hard to …

Thanks for Holding the Rope

  Two years ago when we left the Louisiana piney woods for red dirt Africa,  so many of our churches, friends, and families promised to “hold the rope” for us. They’ve kept their word. Tonight we speak to a gathering of these same folks who sent us out. They’ve asked,  “How can we do more?” …

Sorrow at the King’s Grave

  King Tambura’s Grave   A palm limb slapped me as we trekked through the overgrown underbrush to the king’s grave. The trail was narrow and evidently unused. It seemed nearly an insult to a great king.   King Tambura was the greatest king of the Zande people, a tribe that lives in the tri-corner …