Meet Prenkert #4

I am honored to introduce you to Moses Andrew Prenkert.

We arrived in Uganda last night.  

We visited the care center this morning.  

We took custody this afternoon.  

He is sitting on my lap as I type this.  

I'll post a lot more details later, but for now, wanted you all to hear the update, know the name, see a face.

Praying for Our Adoption: General Specifics

As we head into trip 2 to Uganda, here are some ways you can specifically be praying over our trip in general:

• Travel:  Four of us going.  2 Connections on the way there.  Lots of luggage.  Customs.  Time Change.  3 1/2 year old.  We are praying for smooth and event free travel.a
• Custody: We will go to visit Junior at the Care Center until the staff at Uganda feels he is comfortable enough to come into our custody.  This could take a day or it could take a week. We are praying it will be closer to a day.
• The Embassy Appointment:  The thing that has to happen some time between June 23 and July 6 is an appointment at the Embassy to get Junior's Visa.  We can't set the appointment till we arrive.  We are praying for a quick and event free appointment.
• Katylynn:  A 3 1/2 year old is traveling on 3 planes to get to Africa.  She is going to be welcoming a new member to our family.  She is going to see poverty and orphans up close.  We are praying God will move in her little heart and also guard her little heart.
• My Mom:  I'm so excited my mom gets to enjoy this experience with us.  It's been about 10 years since she traveled out of the country.  She's leaving her business for 2 1/2 weeks.  My dad's birthday is July 4 while we are gone (my dad died in 2009).
• Health:  Janelle got sick last time. It wasn't fun. It would be less fun if Katylynn got sick.
• Bonding: We get the chance to be a family while in Uganda.  We are praying God will quickly and supernaturally place a bond in all our hearts.
• Kristy:  There is a chance Kristy Mikel will be able to come over and visit us while in Uganda.  A few things need to come into place to allow that to happen.  We are praying that will happen.

Praying for Our Adoption: A Bit of a Timeline

First off, this is all so tentative that I hesitate to even write anything about our timeline while in country.  The big deal is the appointment with the Embassy.  We won't be able to set that up till we arrive.

There is a lot that will be determined once we are there, but here is an extremely rough idead of what lies ahead:
 (Uganda is 7 hrs ahead of EST)

• Tuesday, June 21: Fly out of Detroit
• Wednesday, June 22: Layover in Amsterdam & Nairobi.  Land in Uganda 11:30.
• Thursday-Friday, June 23-24: Orientation; potentially visit Embassy to set up appointment. Go see Junior.  If all goes well, we'll take official custody and he'll come to the hotel with us.
• Saturday-Sunday, June 25-26:  No adoption business. Spending time together as a new family.  Attend Watoto Church.
• Monday-Friday, June 27-July 1:  Appointment at the Embassy (hopefully).  Visits to various landmarks and people connected to Junior and his story.  All other Adoption related work.
• Saturday-Sunday, July 2-3:  Weekend stuff.  Spending time as a family. Church service or if adoption business isn't done, go on a Safari.
• Monday-Wednesday, July 4-6:  If all adoption business is done, go on a Safari.  If it isn't, pray like crazy and do everything we can to get it done!
• Thursday, July 7:  Fly out of Uganda
• Friday, July 8: Layover in Amsterdam, arrive back in Detroit

Summer Camp 2011

I leave for Uganda in 4 days.  If all goes well, I'll return one day before our Junior High departs for Beulah Beach Camp.  Over the next 4 days, I'll be working like crazy to get a lot of my responsibilities for camp in place.  As I've worked on it so far, I'm fairly convinced this is going to be a GREAT year.  I believe God has some GREAT things in store for those who will be there.  Even more, I believe God has things in store for students when they get home that will be GREATER THAN what happens at camp.

If you are a Junior or Senior High student who hasn't signed up, you still have an opportunity to get registered.  The Final Deadline is Sunday, June 26.  If interested, download all you need to register by going HERE.

Adoption Update: BOO YA. AWESOMESAUCE.

Last Friday, we received word that Junior's passport was completed, but had misspellings.  This marked us at 6 weeks since returning from trip 1.  We had been told we would be home 2-4 weeks, with 6 being a worst case scenario.

On Sunday, I told Janelle that I was at a point where, if we hadn't heard anything by today, I was going to call HOLT and ask if it would be okay for us to simply go to Uganda, begin bonding with Junior, and potentially see if our presence in country could speed the process along.  She agreed.

After work yesterday, I told Terry what I was thinking of doing today, and he agreed it was a good idea.

30 minutes after talking to Terry, while in line at Taco Bell, I received a call from HOLT... "In our staff meeting today, we discussed your situation.  Although there are things we were wanting to see completed that still aren't, we feel it would be best for you to go ahead and travel to Uganda to begin the bonding process.  Also, your presence may help speed the process along."

BOO. YA.

So, calls were made and research was done on flights.  When I opened my email to see the best proposed flight dates and times, I saw an email from HOLT with the title "CASE UPDATE".  They received word today that Junior's passport has been corrected.  His medical checkup is scheduled for Monday.  These were the two steps we've been waiting on.  So, it all  came together, and here we go!

AWESOMESAUCE.

Flying out Tuesday, June 21.  (Janelle, my mom, Katylynn and I)

The plan is to be back home Friday, July 8. (J, K, Mom, Me and JUNIOR!)

God is good.  He is faithful.  His timing is perfect.

Here's an Awesome Dad!

One goal I have is to consistently have my kids call me a two syllable name.  When young, I want to hear "Daddy".   When they get into adolescence and the teen years I want to see Dad become a two syllable word.  I had them.  It was those times where my dad would do something incredibly goofy or embarrassing in an effort to get me laughing.  I would look at him and say "Da-ad."  I'm not talking about making your kids feel ashamed of you.  I'm talking about those moments where, as marko says, they may be saying, "Dad, you're such a dork," they are really saying, "Dad, I love you."

Well Dave Price is my hero.  I've seen the story in multiple spots, but basically Dale caught on that his 15 year old son Rain's bus route would run back by his house after he boarded.  So, what does any caring stay-at-home Dad do?  He decides to come up with 170 different outfits to where for each day of school, stand outside as his son passes on a bus full of peers, and wave.  For example:

Check out http://waveatthebus.blogspot.com (blog done by Dale's wife) for a post on each day.  This video shows every day of pictures as well:



If you're a dad reading this, may you find ways that you can be a fool for your kids that makes memories and reminds them that they are loved!

link love to marko

Youtubesday: Gungor

It's been a while since I posted some Youtube Videos.  Today is a music edition of a band I've been listening to quite a bit.  Gungor's Liturgical post-rock has me completely hooked. 

About Gungor:




The Earth is Yours in a Forest (the album version is one of Katylynn's favorite songs.  It's awesome to watch her dance and sing the chorus)




White Man (fairly controversial, I guess, but extremely Biblical, I'd say):





You Have Me (a great prayer)

This Summer at NMC Student Ministries

Based on my blog postings, you may wonder if I'm even working at NMC anymore.  I am, and I work with a fantastic team who has been beyond gracious and helpful as I've sat in some state of limbo over the past several months.  We are charging forward on multiple fronts, and I'm very excited about the things going on here.

• SOAR Interns:  There are 8 total, and 4 of them (Colin, Tim, Cortnery, and Carter) are involved in Student Ministries.  These 4 are fantastic individuals who have truly dove in and are hungry to experience ministry.
  
  
• ChicaGO SEMP: We have a team of  High School students that are heading back to SEMP!  SEMP was the original week-long evangelism training/experience that we tied into over the Summer.  Due to some shifts in the experience and then calendar issues, we have not attended a SEMP for 4 years.  We are excited for our team of students and leaders to head to Moody Bible Institute June 27-July 2.
  
  
• IMPACT Dominican:  There's also a team of 20 students and 5 adults heading for our 3rd stop in Moca, Dominican Republic June 27-July 7. This team has been in training since January, and I'm so excited to have Kory & Ali Lantz, Dan & Katie Weiss, and Jessica Noelle leading this crew.
   
• Summer Events:  We're doing something a little different this year.  We have 2 Junior High and 2 Senior High one day trips.  The goal of these are to simply get together to build relationships among students and leaders.  Tomorrow the Junior high takes off for an afternoon of Mini Golf, Go Carts, Batting Cages, and Video Games at Hackers in South Bend.  On Thursday, the Senior High head to Deep River Water Park for the day.  Coming in July is a Senior High trip to the Dunes.  In August, the Junior High will be heading to Indiana Beach.
  
  
• Summer Camp:  This year's theme is GREATER THAN, and we're praying that God will do things greater than he's ever done before.  The amount of kids signed up has been very encouraging.
  
  
• Sunday and Wednesday Programming:  From Preteen through Senior High I feel like we're offering some of the best programming and teaching we have offered in quite a while.
  

I love the team I work with.  As I've had to continually hand off responsibilities while we wait in limbo, they have taken and ran with some fantastic stuff.  I'm looking forward to a great Summer.

On Trite Sayings & Christian Cliches: Salve versus Salt

I made a the following comment in my last Adoption Update:

Trite sayings (it will all work out in the end) and Christian cliches (It's all in His timing) are more annoying than helpful (just a little brutal honesty there).

I've had multiple conversations over this comment.  Some were apologies from those who were afraid they had done this (which if you are worried, don't sweat it).  Many were those who have walked through trials or tough times and were simply saying "Amen" or "Thank you for saying that."

One was from a friend who has walked this adoption path before us.  Another was a dad who just found out his 2 1/2 year old was autistic.  There was also the one who had recently walked through a divorce.  In all cases, they echoed what I've been feeling.

1. We know that for the most part, everyone is well-intentioned when offering up their words of encouragement or advice.
2. We know that God's timing is perfect, his ways aren't ours, that He's in control, that "this too shall pass", and on and on.
3. We don't want to get annoyed with this encouragement and/or advice.  For some reason, it feels like salt instead of salve on a wound.

So, as a guy who's walked through three valleys (nearly 7 years infertility, death of dad, current adoption wait), and a guy who has had to be present in multiple valleys, here's some thoughts on what words can serve as salve:

• "I'm sorry," "This is tough," "This sucks, man" etc.  It's the phrases that simply recognize that a person is walking through the tough times.  Here's the key though, leave it at that.  No additions.  What we often what to do is say "I'm sorry, BUT..." and then we throw in the added thoughts.  These added thoughts may be completely true and valuable advice.  The problem is that the BUT overshadows the identity with the pain, and empathy, sympathy and compassion can be quickly lost.
  
  
• "I'm praying for you."  I'm not saying you should say this if you aren't or don't plan to pray.  If you are willing to, it's amazing what this does.  First, the statement is a statement that says, "I stand beside you."  Second, it says all that needs to be said as far as encouragement or advice.  You are lifting that person up to the One who is in control, who will work things out, etc.  Third, there's something supernatural that is at work as you pray.  I can't explain it, but I've experienced.  I have and even now feel the prayers of those lifting me up in tough times.
  
  
• NOTHING.  Seriously, say nothing.  I'm not saying avoid the person.  Actually, make sure they know you are there, but let your presence speak instead of your words.  One of my favorite parts of the story of Job is the moment when his friends first show up after he gets everything stripped away from him...
  

  Job 2:13 - Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.

  I love it.  The power of presence.  Interestingly, this is about the only thing Job's friends did correctly.  When they decided to open their mouths, they gave Job terrible advice and thoughts.  Sometimes, it's a hand on a shoulder or a hug.  Sometimes, it's just looking someone in the eyes and giving him/her a nod.

 I am beyond grateful and amazed at the many who have come alongside us in multiple ways.  We greatly appreciate those who authentically care.  These are merely thoughts running through my head right now and reminders to myself as I seek to love my neighbor as myself.

Running Through My Mind

• For me, Memorial Weekend normally marks the beginning of Summer.  It feels a little less "Summery" this weekend due to the fact I thought we'd all be together as a family by now, BUT it still feels like Summer.
• My daughter is picking up our family room right now and saying, "You have to clean up if you want to get something to eat."  Funny.
• I watched the King's Speech this past weekend.  It's a moving film with some great acting.
• We're in the midst of re-dreaming trying to tackle the high school to young adult transition as a ministry.  In my opinion it is the most complex, yet crucial transition.  We have many more questions than answers with this all.  We're leaning in and seeking to think outside the box.
• Everyone keeps asking when we think we'll be heading to Uganda.  All we know is soon.  If you would have asked me two weeks ago, I would have guessed we'd be there bay now.  Now, I really think we'll be going by the end of next week.  I'm really hoping we'll be heading out this weekend. 
• It's so weird, although this wait between trips has been tough, I can't believe May is almost over.