“Watch Out for That Bike” A Story Worth Telling

Watch Out for That Bike!     “Watch out for that Tricycle.”* –       Baseball dugout call to distract fielders on a popup. Scroll down to read “Watch Out for That Tricycle. They don’t play much baseball in Uganda (they did have a team in last year’s Little League World Series.) but they do have plenty of bikes.  Bicycles galore. And …

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Packing Light . . . but Carefully

We’re leaving Wednesday for a trip upcountry. I’m inviting you to help me pack. I’ll be updating today and tomorrow. It’s an art and science.  The process of packing for a long trip. I’m not very good at it.  I have a whole assortment of busted zippers from trying to, as Dolly Parton once famously said,  “Put 5o pounds of …

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Thoughts on the African “Big Man Syndrome.”

June 1, 2013 My 57th birthday is today The Big Man    Scroll down to read “A Big Man named Leo Parker.” Idi Amin was The Big Man. I was reminded of it while watching the movie,  “Raid on Entebbe.” The Big Man. It’s a term used often in Africa. It describes a powerful person who rules autocratically.  Many, like …

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Heading up North: 6 Ways you can Help and Pray

Scroll down to learn more about what a “Mzungu” is. “It is unthinkable that we would send thousands of people overseas without covering them with a blast furnace of prayer.” – Tom Elliff, IMB president   Where I come from, we call it “plowing new ground.” But DeDe and I are 8500 miles from our Piney Woods home.  We’re in …

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No Woman/No Cry: Thoughts on African Life

It’s probably odd to read a blog from ” Someone on Mission” that quotes Bob Marley. But thanks to my African friend Eric, Marley’s “No Woman/No Cry” is stuck in my head. More importantly, the song is buried in my heart. I wonder if I’ll ever get it out. I’m not sure I want to lose it. What song(s) always …

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Latest from Zambia

DeDe and I love Zambia and all of our new friends. Internet connections and time are scarce. We’ll be introducing these friends in the coming days.

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Sojourners walking together . . . We’re all on a journey.

DeDe and I fly out in the morning (18 April) for Zambia. We’ll spend the next month at the fabled “40/40 Bush Camp.” The first two weeks we’ll be in the captial city of Lusaka.  The last two weeks will be split between tent-living in a remote area (Curt is pumped, DeDe less so.) and staying in a Zambian home. …

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“Push the week . . . Polk Salad Annie and Our Daily Bread

  Juxtaposition.   Compare and Contrast. It’s what I love about being Deeply Southern Fried American and a Pilgrim in East Africa. Both places have red dirt, rural hospitality,  “tribal problems”, and soul food. The story below is my latest attempt to explain, connect, and understand two cultures. Sukuma Wiki, Ugali,  Polk Salad Annie, and other culinary thoughts     And …

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Dada Stella’s Big Ripple

A word that is changing my life It’s a simple word but it’s become my favorite. The word is “Privilege.” It’s become one of my “6 words to live by.”* I’m simply using this word to remind myself of how privileged I am to: Be alive Serving Bwana (Lord) Jesus in Africa. Having a wonderful family. Good health. Learning a …

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Swahili Stage Fright #3

I’ve always loved the song,  “Stage Fright” by The Band. Enjoy a You Tube Video of The Band’s last performance of “Stage Fright” at “The Last Waltz” concert. It’s a song written by band member Robbie Robertson about his struggles with stage fright as a musician. (The band even hired a hypnotist to work with Robertson on his nervousness.) But …

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Thoughts on “The Good Shepherd”

Listen to short clip from Tigoni Baptist Church Kenya Easter 2013 (Above) Don’t miss Dada Stella’s famous Shrill Swahili Spiritual Squeal. It’s one of my favorite parts of African worship! The clip below is an acapella Easter song from the Tigoni Adult Choir.  Enjoy and Worship: TigoniEaster2 On the clip above, listen to each choir member humming their part.  Also, …

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A New Heart

A New Heart I will give you a new heart and mind.  I will take away your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.   Ezekiel 36:26 It’s become a favorite word of mine in Kenya. Moyo.     It means heart in Swahili. As in Moyo ya Moyo . . .  Heart to Heart.   It’s odd …

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A Weekend in Africa

It’s been a fine weekend in Kenya. Yesterday we spent the day hiking and climbing in the Great Rift Valley.  More on that below. Today was Palm Sunday and its significance was burned into my heart like never before. It’s due to donkeys and palm fronds. As we drove to church this morning, we passed crowds of worshipers carrying palm …

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The Honeymoon is Over

My wife DeDe is a wonderful writer. She’s also cleaning my clock on Swahili. What she wrote about a rat problem we had is worth sharing.  Enjoy! Actually Curt and I have never been better.  However we live in what is affectionately called the “Honeymoon Cottage” at the retreat center where we stay.  While we were in Uganda the rainy …

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