Beinvenue a Bouake!

Beinvenue a Bouake! (Welcome to Bouake) 

I can't believe that I've been here in Bouake, Cote d'Ivoire for two weeks already. In some ways it feels like yesterday that I said farewell to you and in other ways it seems like months have passed since I arrived. 

For example, the initial departure and flight to Cote d'Ivoire was a month long saga packed into 2 days.  That tale is too long to share here, but if you want to read about it you can visit the Blog, CADVideo.blogspot.com and read the entire story there. 

In contrast to those first days, things are now moving along very smoothly. Language learning is coming along very well and I am even enjoying it. The sense of community here is very strong and continues to grow. Beside the team of 6 Americans and the 5 Germans who arrived just ahead of me, there are 6 Journey Corps team members from previous years.  They have been a huge aid in our transition, helping with translation, safety, transportation, and setting an example of what the next months and year will look like. They are just part of the community of people here in Bouake that have made us all feel welcomed. 

For now my days are overflowing with learning. Even as I sit in classes, I am aware of the work God is doing here. You can see it in the change of the other journeyers as they learn to relate to each other and build community, in the worship of the local churches, in the labor of a community to raise a roof, and in the personal stories you here when you visit people in their homes. It excites me to see all that God is doing and urges me on so that I might share those stories with you. 

Thank you for being part of this project so far. I am excited for the future and how we can partner together in telling these amazing stories of growth, of development, of change, of what God is doing. 

If you would like to know how you can be more involved send me an email, Docskribled@gmail.com . I would love to help you do that and find your place as part of the team.

Your Fellow Servant,

Drew Hayes

Running in Circles

      The devil is in the details, or so the saying goes. I would agree with that. Details are not my favorite thing. I prefer to dwell on big ideas and concepts, to dream and imagine what has never been thought of.  

       But I am continually faced with details. This past month especially, as I've been preparing to leave.  For a while it felt like I added 5 items to my to-do list for everyone one I completed. One of the biggest tasks, has been completing the editing of the projects from this summer. Approximately 80 hours of work. By itself not that difficult but when you add in all the other work and the pressing deadline, it came down to the wire.

       And so through a series of events far too complicated and exhausting, I found my self running around Dubai International Airport trying to find a courier service to mail out the last edited piece of this project.  Misinformation was the name of the game. First one person and then another gave me the wrong information and so I would have to back track and try a different route. In the space of about 90 minutes, I walked the length of the Dubai Airport 3 times, took a taxi to the offsite cargo facilities, walked back to the airport on the side of the superhighway, went through at least 6 security checkpoints, and still made it to my flight on time.  

       And somewhere in the midst of all this running back and forth, I thought, "How pointless this all is. I'm just going in circles, not really getting anywhere. I should just give up." I didn't of course, but now as I look back I see an interesting lesson.

       Some people love running. They love the planning, the preparing, the reading about strides and diet plans, the sweat and the pain of exhausted muscles. I'm not one of those people. I don't like running, but I do it because it's good for me. I do it because it gets me in shape for days like today. I do it because it helps me get where I need to be. 

       Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own... But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12+14 ESV)

       So I keep running to reach my goal. I keep working at the details, crossing each item off my list, and always learning how to take the next step. The running in the airport this morning wasn't pointless circles, it was circuit training for what lies ahead. 

Life Story

This past week, as part of getting to know the Journey Corps, we've been sharing our life Stories. It has been very cool to hear and the stories of how God orchestrates the moments and events of people's lives to bring them to Bouake, Ivory Coast.  

I got to share my story this past week. You might think since I call myself a visual storyteller that I would have been excited to share. For me it was nerve racking. As I prepared, I kept thinking how do I do this? What parts of the story do I use to tell who I am? What events do I leave out? Will people really get a grasp of how God has molded me and prepared me from the very beginning? How do I reveal His subtle impressions and guidance over 27 years?  Can I my whole person be wrapped up in only a few minutes?

The good news is that I will continue living with these people over the next few months. They will not know me just by the story I told that night. They will get to know me by the stories I tell along the way, each day sharing with them a little more of my life, and even adding new stories as we experience them together. 

I think this is what community is really all about. This sharing of life stories. This hearing each others stories, accepting each other as we struggle together with a common goal. This overlapping of many lives to create new stories. Perhaps this is what Acts was talking about when it says that all the believers were of "one accord." Perhaps, this idea of community is what Christ intended for all of us in the Church

A Sending

    September 2nd was my last Sunday with my Church, Ravenswood Evangelical Covenant Church in Chicago.  It was a holiday weekend so many people were missing.  Ideally I would have had time to meet with everyone, but with my sudden departure plans this became the last chance for me to say thank you and goodbye.
    This was the hardest goodbye I've had to say so far.  For the past 3 years this community has been the closest thing that I have had to "home." With all the travel that I do and jumping from place to place, I always felt like I was back when I walked through those doors and was greeted with the smiles of people who love me. It was hard to look at them and realize I wouldn't see them for... I don't know how long.  With tears in my eyes, I said, " Thank you for loving me. Thank you for caring for me. Thank you for investing into my life. God has used you in my life to prepare me for this project."
    As is the custom at Ravenswood, the whole congregations surrounded me and laid their hands on me to pray for me as I went out. According to Wikkipedia the human hand weighs about 3/4th of a pound.  So there I stood with about 30 lbs of hands laid on me, and instead of feeling pressed down with the extra weight I was lifted up. I will not easily forget that feeling, and when I am third and fatigued I will remember the strength and support I felt with their hands pressing on me.
    It was there surrounded by my Christian "Family" that I understood Hebrew 12:1

 " Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely and let us run with endurance the race set before us."
My paraphrase goes like this.
Because you are held in Gods grace by so many faithful believers in the church let no sin, or fear, or obstacle keep you from doing with diligence all that God has given you to do.  

T-minus 15 Days - Video Update

Video Update #6 from Drew Hayes on Vimeo.

The Latest update on the Africa Video Mission Project.

CAD Video Vimeo Channel -vimeo.com/cadvideo/videos

Journey Corps Website - myjourneycorps.com/

Bloopers - vimeo.com/48550624

A Prayer Supporters Journey - Guest Post

The journey to start this project has had it's ups and downs. One of the things that has helped keep me moving when things get discouraging is the team of people that regularly pray for me. Sarah Chambers has been one of the most faithful in supporting and encouraging me along this journey.  She has walked along with me and shared in many of the joys and disappointments.  Here are some of her thoughts on this journey: 

You've heard it said, "A picture is worth a thousand words." When you watch a movie and then you read the book that inspired that movie, you know it's true. Drew has understood this for many years and had the vision to partner with missionaries to share their stories. To help them create what they don't know how to, pictures to give them more words than they could give in a presentation. Drew's vision has grown and changed over the years (whose doesn't?), but being one of my oldest friends it's been a joy to be on this journey with him. 

I remember when Drew told me about this opportunity with World Venture. His face lit up and I could tell, not only was he excited, but God inspired this. To partner with Drew on this idea as it's gone from conception to reality has been a joy and what a ride it’s been! Not only has Drew come along side of me and prayed for where God had me serving, but my faith has grown as I’ve seen God provide for Drew. Then to watch the videos he’s created and see their impact. I have the chance to hear stories I would never otherwise hear, and to see what God [the creator of heaven and earth] is doing through His servants in Africa, though Drew, and in my own life.

When Drew told me that he was still at 57%, I was sad. I longed to see Drew released to serve, to do what he was created to do. So I began to pray fervently. I recounted God’s faithfulness that he showered on me only 2 months ago as I went on a short-term trip to Uganda. What seemed impossible was like pocket change to Him. I asked for the same blessing to be showered on Drew. Then, God did what only He can do. He made the impossible, possible. Drew was given the go ahead by World Venture to begin this amazing project!

To watch Drew’s faith grow during this process has encouraged me. To walk with him on this journey and to see his passion be used by God for God’s glory is inspiring… so if you're not a part of Drew's team, change that! Today. Drew's journey doesn't end when he arrives in Africa. Nor will it end when he comes home. His reach will far surpass him as the videos he creates touches lives around the world. Drew has told me many times that he doesn't feel this video project is his, but rather that the project is Gods and he simply has been asked to join into it. When you partner with Drew, you aren't just encouraging him, strengthening him, and being inspired by his work.  You are joining into God's project. We are all who we are because of the people who have invested in and partnered with us. Consider, "How will you partner with Drew and this God project?"

Good News!

I’m going to Ivory Coast to officially begin the project!  As you may know, the team at WorldVenture has made a language and cultural training program, called Journey Corps, available to me. Held in Ivory Coast the program is designed to help the participants to integrate into the language and culture of West Africa.  I will be involved in this program for 3 months starting in mid-September.

That’s right September! In less than 4 weeks I’ll be in Africa! This was a shock to me given where the financial support for the project is at.  Currently, I have 100% of the one time expenses and about 57% of the monthly costs covered.  After talking with Glenn Kendall, the Africa Director for World Venture, he and I both agreed that it was time to start the project.  With the current level of support I have enough to participate in the Journey Corps program and have all of my living expenses covered.  What is missing is the funds necessary to do the travel and work of producing videos. My hope is that over the months while I am training in Ivory Coast that those funds will arrive.

By the Numbers

Thanks to the wonders of technology, I have been able to track data regarding the videos that I have produced and posted on Vimeo.  To date these videos have been viewed 2000 plus times in over 60 countries!  Open My Eyes - part 1 , the video I produced to share my trip to Kankan, Guinea has been viewed 488 times in 44 countries!  It is so exciting to see that these videos are being watched around the world! Thank you for watching and sharing.
 

A Growing Hope from Drew Hayes on Vimeo.

In the midst of my busy summer traveling and working, I was able to finish a video highlighting the work of Nathan and Becky Kendall, and Brenda Allen in Kankan, Guinea.  After watching it, please share it. Lets see if we can get over 1,000 views for this video in 100 countries!

The Value of Video

I am so excited! The news about Journey Corps and the start of this project coupled with the growing viewership of the videos has driven home the value of this project. This project is all about “Telling stories of Change to create Change.” The goal is to share what God is doing around the world in peoples lives and inspire others to join into what He is doing. This won’t be possible without you. Would you please join this project? I still need approximately $1500 per month or $36,000 total to fully fund the project.  The monthly support breaks down like this. I person giving $200, 5 people giving $100, 10 people giving $50, and 12 people giving $25.  What level can you give at?   

To donate online please follow this link http://worldventure.com/ .  If you have any questions about donating or the project, please contact me
at DocSkribled@gmail.com
or phone at (502)-395-035.
Thank you being part of this project so far and I look forward to what is next.

Your Fellow Servant,
Drew