Chapter 4 from Trampled Grass: #UpCountry

      As you read this, DeDe and I are Up Country in northern Kenya. We are researching Unreached People Groups at Kakuma Refugee Camp. The following story is from our upcoming ebook,  Trampled Grass. You can follow both of us on Twitter with hashtag   #UpCountry.   CHAPTER 4   UP COUNTRY       “I’m going up …

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Chapter 2 Trampled Grass

    A word from Curt Our upcoming ebook,  Trampled Grass, will be released in late September.  It contains forty stories about the amazing people of South Sudan and northern Uganda. The purpose of Trampled Grass is two fold: 1. To share stories that put a face on what is happening in a country we’ve come to love,  South Sudan. 2. To encourage Americans to …

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Preview Trampled Grass Chapter 1

 A word from Curt Amazed.  It’s a word that we often use in Africa. Our upcoming ebook,  Trampled Grass, will be released in late September.  It contains forty stories about the amazing people of South Sudan and northern Uganda. Its subtitle says it all,  “Stories of Courage and Hope.” We’ve met so many heroes among the South Sudanese refugees as …

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2 Stories: Why I’m thrilled about David Platt

              A Word from Curt: Passion! It’s a good word. It’s the best word that describe David Platt, our new president and leader of the International Mission Board. Passion. What’s even neater is that Platt has another trait that doesn’t always travel in lock step with passion. Humility. Those that know him use those …

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Blind Man Bart comes to Africa

  A word from Curt:  Desperation Desperation. Normally a word used in a negative connotation. But not always. In tonight’s Guard/Neighbor Bible Study, we’re studying the story of Blind Man Bart. A man with a God-sized problem who was desperate to get to Jesus. I call BMB (Blind Man Bart) a “Whatever It Takes” kind of guy. WIT    Whatever …

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A week to remember

    A word from Curt: Your prayer is oxygen for what God is doing here. Pray hard. Pray passionately. Pray often.   Since Twitter allows only 142 character updates, we’re limiting ourselves to 142 words on this prayer update. If you would share these praises and requests with your church, your family, and even your co-workers, we would be …

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Brick by Brick

                                This story, “Brick by Brick” is featured in our upcoming ebook,  Trampled Grass. I wonder where he’s at. I hope he’s still alive. I first met Batuk the Dinka at a lonely border checkpoint in South Sudan just north of the Tri-Corner of where …

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A Roof over our Heads

We’ve got a roof over our heads. And the kids are all fed. And the woman I love most of all Lies close beside me in our bed. Lord, give me the eyes to see Exactly what’s it’s worth And I will be the richest man on earth.” -Paul Overstreet “Richest Man on Earth” I’ve never really understood that term …

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Storm Fatigue

Prayer Update: Bob, Robert Franklin, and I leave Tuesday for a trip to Adjumani Camps in Uganda. Please pray for us as we share from the Storying Cloth, distribute Audio Storytellers in Dinka, Arabic, and Madi. We’ll be tweeting at hashtag  #UpCountry and Facebook at cur tiles.         “Storm Fatigue” is one of the forty stories in …

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Gleaning: Sketches and Shots on the Passionate Life

  A word from Curt The word is passion. It’s how I want to live my life. And you don’t have to come to Africa to live the passionate life. Part of my formula for the passionate life is journaling.  It’s been integral to my life since age 17. I’m now on journal #73.  Each weekend, I glean the previous …

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From Deep Roots: Trespassing

                  During July our oldest son Clay and his wife Robin have been visiting. Best of all, they’re brought  their four children. Our wonderful grandchildren: Maggie, Luke, Jude, and Noah. We’ve not hugged them since January 2013. DeDe and I plan to make up for that during their visit. I plan on …

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A Stranger in a Strange Land

A word from Curt The word is astonished. It’s a good word about being amazed, touched, inspired, even disturbed. As a stranger in a strange land, I’m daily awestruck  by the people and land of Central Africa. Join us on this astonishing journey. _________________________________________ The language/cultural barrier I’ve become friends with Anthony, a computer technician with Burt Systems in our …

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Showdown on MacArthur Drive

Branded  This story, from Deep Roots, is one of my favourites to tell to a live audience. “He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.” -Proverbs 21:23   The fight on MacArthur Drive was one-sided, and although it was over quickly, it’s never been forgotten. To truly appreciate Donald Perkins’ famous lop-sided 1970 scuffle in the middle …

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