Chris’ Travel Diary

Check Yourself It’s been a busy couple of days in Madagascar. National elections were yesterday so we were unable to travel to our training site due to security concerns. This gave us a free day to explore the areas around Antananarivo. Of course, the first thing I asked about doing was seeing some lemurs. I […]

In the hit movie Madgascar, perhaps the most famous scene is the eccentric and fun-loving ruler of the lemur kingdom King Julian dancing and chanting “I like to move it move it.” Then his subjects answer him, “You like to move it.”   I feel a bit like King Julian today. Since my health scare

When I think of Nepal, I conjure up images of ancient temples, Buddhist monks, and, of course, Mount Everest. As might be expected, I was eager to make my first visit to this mysterious country to meet with a local pastor who has been pleading with us for the past two years to come and

When I was in elementary school, the only two words I loved hearing more than “let’s eat” was “field trip!” I still love field trips. While most of my time is spent training leaders in venues such as churches, halls, classrooms, and even under trees, I love to get out on the field occasionally to

In the immortal words of Forest Gump, “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you are going to get.” I can say the same for airlines. You never know what you are going to get. I think I’ve flown every major airline in the world and I’m slowly learning which ones

Seventeenth century theologian Thomas Fuller coined the oft heard maxim, “It’s always darkest before the dawn.” In other words, the dark night of the soul will inevitably give way to the light of a new day. There is much talk in Liberia these days of a new day. Tuesday, October 10 is election day for the next

A Liberian proverb says, “A bird is in the air, but its mind is on the ground.”  I’m with the birds on this one. After two days of air travel including a cross continental flight and four airports, I was just ready to get on the ground. Having landed at the Monrovia airport, we cleared

I’m afraid I’ve been spoiled by my stay at the Hapuwani Lodge in Malawi. Our lodge has working air conditioning, hot water, a comfortable mattress, minimal mosquitoes, and an incredible view. What more can you ask for? Oh yeah, Coke Zero. Oh well, maybe I’ll be able to find some in Liberia (I’m really suffering for Jesus). Nevertheless,

The first time I ever came to Africa one of the locals told me that when Africa gets in your blood, you can never rid yourself of it. I’ve found the saying to be true. Despite the frustrations and occasional discouragement, one is bound to experience while being here for an extended time, Africa always

I have always wanted to visit Ethiopia. Of all African countries it seemed the most mysterious to me. Perhaps because of its ancient Christian tradition dating back to the fourth century, its churches carved out of rock, or because of the legends surrounding Ethiopia as the location of the Ark of the Covenant (sorry Indiana