Bleek's en Seattle y la Republica

A Student's Perspective

2011-04-07T12:24:00.000-07:00

This is a video from one of the students who went to the DR with me. It was his first mission trip and, as you can see, it was a very moving trip!

Another Dominican Trip

2011-03-30T13:40:00.000-07:00

As many of you know I returned on Sunday from the Dominican Republic. It was a great trip! I was one of the leaders of a trip from University Presbyterian Church that was made up of 60 college students!
With that many people we were able to accomplish a lot. The students split up among most the communities that we serve in the Dominican to do things such as pour concrete floors, teach music classes, prepare young girls for their "Quincinieras" (a significant time in a young Dominican woman's life, similar to a sweet sixteen), paint our school in Los Robles, do medical check-ups, teach arts and crafts, run a leadership class for young adults, play baseball, and play softball. Other unplanned things happened too... such as playing with kids in the village, meeting fishermen, encouraging the local staff, pick up games in the empty lot next to the hotel, etc...

I really feel that these 60 students accomplished so much. They truly encouraged the staff down there who are doing the hard work everyday. They were all very encouraging and happy. They were patient with delays and truly concerned that the work they were doing was going to really help the kids they were there to serve. I was so impressed with these students from UPC. We all have a hard time when we go on trips like this. But these guys did not come with entitled attitudes or act in ways oblivious to the culture. Instead, they approached this Spring Break trip as a time to serve and to get to know God better.

Each morning they had a devotional time where they were lead by one of their leaders or another student. At night they worshipped or met in small groups. During the day they worked hard. And in the evenings and nights they played really hard with each other too! All in all they made the utmost of this trip and I felt blessed to be a part of it!

As for me; the trip was encouraging to my heart. It was fun to be in such an environment of encouragement and was a joy to wrestle through some of the normal issues that students go through in trips like this. I think the biggest joy was to be able to encourage the leaders of this trip as they tried to make sure they were serving the students in the best way possible. I actually think they did an excellent job! I can't say enough about the UPC leadership on this trip. They did so much behind the scenes work and really allowed their students to experience this trip to it's fullest.

Because of all this, I can truly say that this trip was an encouragement for me as I continue the ministry I do. Thank you so much for your continued support and prayers. It is you, my supporters, that allow this amazing work to continue. So, again, muchas gracias!

I could tell so many stories from this week. But instead I will add a few pictures so you can get a bit of a taste!

Amber, UPC intern, and the best DR leader any student could ask for!

Pueblo Nuevo kids

Sometimes mission work has it's benefits. Sunrise at Hotel Ponte Vedra.

Arachnid :)

THis kid is showing Dillon how to really work

My travel buddy, Natalie, having fun in Los Robles

El equipo

A Post from Paradise

2011-03-23T09:17:00.000-07:00

For those of you who might not know, I am currently in the DR with 60 college students from UPC. We are having a blast. They are doing a whole number of projects. It has been so fun to be with students again!

Below is a blog post by one of the students: needless to say, they are having a great time and experiencing so much!

It’s Tuesday here in the beautiful Republica Dominicana. Everyone has been settling in to the heat, loving the delicious food, and soaking up the coastal views you is nothing short of a dream. Dinner and breakfast are served every day and the staff are fun and helpful. I’d be surprised if people actually want to leave here on Saturday.

Yesterday was the first day working in our respective villages, observing the way life is lived in these places and having our chance to connect with the people. Whether it’s banging wooden sticks together with the music team, or serving sick children with the medical team, eyes and hearts are being opened. The americano baseball team received their first loss yesterday, but apparently it wasn’t nearly as bad as last year (I think we lost 9-2). It was bar-none the most fun I’ve ever had playing baseball; something I did in high school and pretty much hated. We worked well as a team, played relaxed, and made the most of trying to hit off a professional-level pitcher. And we’re all much closer friends just by doing that. There are so many stories and I wish I could tell you all of them, but we’re leaving to play another game of baseball soon. GET PUMPED!

I think we’ll probably only blog a couple more times during the trip, and I can’t give you guys every little detail, but I can tell you that transformation is not an option for people on this trip. Here, the way God flows through you is unreal. Here, I can stand in the waves and let them knock me over; let them wrestle with me as if the Lord is calling me to play with Him. Here I can watch the moon as it lifts itself in the early night, revealed in oranges and yellows I have never seen before. Here I can hold the hand of child; I can notice that his heart beats the same as mine, the same as everyone elses. For these children, the Kingdom of God was made. The Lord tells me that when I can love and trust like they do, I will truly be free. Smiling, laughing, and loving; Here, en la Republica Dominicana, it comes easy.

Thank you so much for your prayers. Please also pray for my health. I am fighting a cold that I brought here. It isn't a big deal but causes soar throats and sinus headaches that the dust doesn't help!
Overall, though we're having a great, great time!

In Him,
Brandon

Some DR trip photos from Aaron

2010-07-28T13:46:00.000-07:00

I took some of my buddy Aaron's photos and put them in a slide show just for a little more perspective on what we saw and did...

Thoughts on another visit to the DR... and a slight update.

2010-07-27T14:51:00.000-07:00

Well, I am back from yet another trip to the DR. It's funny. I truly have lost count on how many times I've been there. The place has definitely become a second home for me though. It was like returning to family and friends, to familiar surroundings, almost to a home town... But it was different too.

I can't quite put my finger on it yet. I don't know why it was different. Maybe it is because last time I went it was such a traumatic time with the earthquake and I was nervous to re-ignite some of those memories. Maybe it is getting harder to leave Caitlyn now that she is so active and learning new things everyday. Maybe it is the fact that my little sister was coming into town with my nieces and nephew, and that everyone except me would be at one of my favorite places - the beach. Or, maybe it was the fact that this is the first time I lead a team that had no college students on it. I was definitely nervous to lead both those older than me and those younger then college. I kept wondering how I would connect. I can truly say that when it came to time to pack and get on the plane I found myself telling Shannon that I did not want to go. I don't know why. But that's how it was.

Yet now here I sit once again at home looking back on a trip that was so fun and so rewarding. One of the great parts of the trip is the work we did. One of the ministers at my church, Keith Ferrin, raised a bunch of money last year for his 40th birthday. He gave it all to COTN to apply to their cement floor project in the Haitian bateyes. The team I took, from my church, used that money to work alongside some Dominica craftsmen in building those floors. It was a great job. Basically our team would do most of the mixing and loading, then the craftsmen would do the pouring and smoothing. We were scheduled do lay 8 floors that week. Due to some weather delays we only accomplished 7. But the workers were going to finish the other one. It was a week of tiring and sweaty work. But the whole team jumped in. Every single member mixed and shoveled. There were a lot of t-shirts and pants that will never be the same again. I haven't sweated that much since... well I don't even remember when. (I didn't even sweat that much when I ran a half marathon in July!)

Friday morning as we got up to head back to Santo Domingo we were greeted by sheets of rain from tropical storm Bonnie. The streets of Barahona looked like little rivers and the phone line at Casa Bethesda was knocked down by drooping palm leaves. But the biggest shock was when we hit the road. As you hit the road back to Santo Domingo you have to pass one of the bateyes, Algodon, that we'd worked in over the week. As we drove by we could see probably 3 or 4 inches of water and mud covering the entire village. It was a hard sight to see but it was also truly a sense of accomplishment to know that there were four families that weren't standing on muddy floors at that moment because f the work we had just done. We had actually made a quick and lasting difference. That's something you don't always get to see on trips like this. To know that me, 3 high-school girls, a buddy of mine and some of the people at our church that I really look up to could all come together to make that happen was a true joy.

I don't know when the next time I will be in the DR is. I had a feeling this time that it might e awhile. If that is so then I'm glad I got to leave with a feeling like that. A sense of accomplishment and connection. I'm also glad I was able to come back to a church family that I now know more. At Creekside I have always kinda been Shannon's husband. As one of my teammates said, I'm not just Shannon's husband anymore. That, to, is a great step. UPC was the only church I ever felt like I belonged. Now, I have another.

So, to my supporters I want to say thank you. Thank you for allowing me to do the ministry I have done for the last couple years. Your support, both financially and relationally, has allowed me to truly feel like I'm doing things to build God's kingdom. Thank you for blessing me with your partnership and encouragement.

A few prayers: please pray for my team. Every single one returned with some sort of stomach sickness. We must have ate something bad. So please pray that they would feel better soon. Also, pray for all the interns that I have out in the DR, Malawi, Sierra Leone and Uganda. The interns are entering the last two weeks of their summer experience. This is a time that they are getting tired and ready to go home. Please pray that they will finish strong and accomplish what they set out to do. Then pray for their debriefing time as they return home.

Thank you so much!
In Him,
Brandon

In the below posts are a few pictures of our trip. I will post more soon.

Also, if you would like to hear the impressions of one of my teammates experiences check out Aaron's blog: http://asod.wordpress.com/

We are on our way home!

2010-07-24T05:59:00.000-07:00

Here is a variety of pics from our trip. It was a wonderful time!

Elizabeth

Thom always had a kid on him!

Elizabeth played and played!

The Woodward girls

A beautiful dinner for Vic and Monique Woodward's anniversary.

Intern Grace

Doing some check-ups.

The kids loved Carly and vice-versa

Marj worked so hard

Carol was super nurse!

Intern Elisa

Vic taking a break

Tough Marie

Little jeffe's

Even when she was shoveling she was smiling - guess that's why they call her Grace

Mas jeffe's

One day of work left! Here are some pics...

2010-07-21T19:06:00.000-07:00

We made it!

2010-07-17T18:19:00.000-07:00

The Creekside team made it safe and sound to the DR. It was a long, long trip from Seattle but all our bags are here and we still have most our wits about us. Everyone feels well. (And I was the only one that had some sinus issues... but thank God for two wonderful nurses on this team!)
Today we visited some of the villages. Everyone had a blast play ing with the kids. Here are some quick pics I snapped:

And the winner is...

2010-07-12T16:21:00.000-07:00

Well, it was a great tournament! There were some dramatic games American comebacks, European disasters, the cruelest of African departure, a same-as-always English performance, bucket loads of blown calls, a final that looked more like a WWE Smack-down and a new champion who truly deserved the crown.

COTN Bracketology wise it was quite the finish. The man who was in 11th place came back in extra time to win the whole thing. This year's winner is Kirk Boettcher (the father of a friend of mine, Alissa Maxwell. Kirk correctly picked Spain as the champions, beating about ten people who were in front of him going into the final game. Unfortunately they were all left out of the leader board by a rather poor Dutch showing.

Below are the top 3 finishers, along with how much their winnings are: (Winnings were based on percent of total entry fees collected)

1. Kirk Boettcher, $165.75.

2. Trevor Lane, $63.75

3. Ryan Maxwell, $25.50 (Ryan is the brother-in-law of Alissa, Kirk's daughter. Must be some futbol knowledge floating around those family reunions!)

In last place was Cassie Bauman. For this honor she receives her $5 entry fee back. Congratulations Cassie!

Along with the entry fees collected many, many donations came in. Many of you went above and beyond the suggested $5. Thanks you. And to everyone, thank you for your part in the $665.00 that were raised. A check in this amount will be written to COTN this week in the Honor of Kirk Boettcher.

Congratulations to everyone who played. It was an enjoyable way to be a part of such a fun world-wide event. And thank you so much for your support of my ministry at COTN. You have blessed me more than monetarily. I'm forever grateful.

Blessing to everyone, and be watch your inboxes come 2014. Maybe we'll have to do it all over again!

It'ss a close race to the finish!

2010-07-08T13:54:00.000-07:00

Well, we now know who is in the final. It's an all Europe clash between the Netherlands and Spain. This Sunday one of those teams will be going home with their first ever World Cup.

And in the COTN Bracketology challenge it comes down to those two teams also. Matt Hainje is our current leader with 94 points. If the Netherlands win then no one can touch him. But, if Spain wins the title (and prizes) will go to Kirk Boettcher.

Remember. There are prizes for first, second and third. Also, the last place person can get their $5 back! (Cassie Bauman and Shannon Bleek are vying for that!)

Good luck and enjoy the game!

Just four games left!

2010-07-05T22:07:00.001-07:00

Well, tomorrow starts the final four. Uruguay versus Netherlands tomorrow and Spain versus Germany Wednesday. There are a lot of people with a shot at the win still. But a lot depends on these next two games. The top 10 brackets are below with who they have going to the finals:

1. Matt Hainje: Netherlands and Spain - 62pts
2. Matt Brown: Netherlands and Spain - 61pts
3. Ren Taylor: Spain - 60pts
4. johanna Madany: Netherlands and Spain - 57pts
5. Becky Riggers: Netherlands - 57pts
6. Kirk Boettcher: Netherlands and Spain - 56pts
7. Michael Van Deusen: Spain - 55pts
8. Trevor Lane: Netherlands and Spain - 55pts
9. Peder Brakke: Netherlands and Spain - 52pts
10. Ryan Maxwell: Netherlands and Spain - 52pts

But I have to point out something, the first person to have Germany in the final is Corey Hoeger who is laying in 12th with 51 points. If he or others have Germany go through over Spain then the leader board could get turned upside down. And if Germany win it. Well, who knows then!

I hope everyone has fun watching. And if you would like to join us for the Spain - Germany game we are having a lunch time gathering in North-gate on Wednesday with Pizza and a keg! Paste this link for more info:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=129073143795193&index=1

Moving on...

2010-07-03T23:28:00.000-07:00

Well, it was a good run for the USA. Now we have another four years before soccer appears again at 4 times a day on ESPN or is heard coming from the lips of local sports radio who know soccer about as well as they know their way around a salad bar. It was great drama though. Falling behind early (3 out of 4 games). The come backs. The blown calls. The buried last minute goals. Good ole American fortitude. And the strikers, err.... There is a lot to look forward to in the Cups to come. And much to wonder about (like the fact that Donovan, Dempsey, Bocanegra, Howard and more will be in their 30's for Brazil 2014!)
But I'm over it. it's time to move on, watch the final four of South Africa, and then settle in to enjoying over-priced beers while the Mariner's see how deep they can dig and the Sounders get hit by the "sophomore slump" like it was a two-footed tackle from Kevin-Prince Boateng himself. But to say thanks for the ride here's a few of my favorite shots from our campaign.

The world told us we can't...

2010-06-27T22:13:00.000-07:00

Wasn't that an amazing run?! We held football giant England to a 1 all draw. We came back to beat Slovenia, even if the ref said it was only a tie. And we ground out a gritty win against Algeria to put ourselves through into the knock-out stages as the winners of our group! But, why are we so disappointed now? After all our last opponents, Ghana, were better than us in the 2006 tournament too. And again they have ushered us out of the proceedings. So why are we hanging our heads?

Is it because we are Americans? Because we expect to win... We expect miracles... We expected our homegrown superheroes to do the unexpected... I think this is partly it. After all, we are the land of Hollywood; we write the stories that shape the worlds dream's. And we are the land of milk and honey; you can't travel to a third world country without running into someone that dreams of living where you live. And we're the land of the best known stars: Obama, Elvis, Kennedy, Michael Jackson and the man every city names a street after: MLK.

I think we're hanging our heads because we finally cared. 3 out of 4 games in this World Cup we had to come back from being a goal down in the first 15 minutes. Meaning, every game we became the underdogs. That gave us a chance to lower our heads and push through the like a running back against a meaty defense on 3rd and 2 in late the 4th quarter. And that's the story we love. We are fascinated by the story of the "good guy" who can come back from all odds to beat the forces of darkness.

In this World Cup we watched our boys battle like Luke Skywalker three times in a row. When we found ourselves in the same place (again) against Ghana we braced for them again to move forward with magic and get us that climatic euphoria. Instead, in the end, we were worn out Americans who were out played. And we walked off the field heads hung and lungs burning. And we, at home, sat in the pubs or on our couches and watched, for a minute, a country the size of Oregon celebrate the fact that the firmly beat us. And we watched... Even just for a minute, we watched with dismay.

But I would argue that the dismay is the victory. Four or eight years ago we would have just changed the channel or bought another beer an started talking about who the Yankees would pick up after the All Star break. This time the t.v. stayed on. This time we watched Maurice Edu collapse to the pitch in sorrow and Landon Donovan sit on the bench, alone, with only his hood to insulate him from the celebrations of the opposition. We watched as the Ghanaian players grabbed a flag for a victory lap and Michael Bradley headed to the tunnel with tears in his eyes. And before we turned away, we looked at the images... the images of what might have been.

Our hearts were in it. Not just the hearts of "those crazy soccer people", but the hearts of a nation. I believe that the fact that we were disappointed is actually a reason for hope. Because if there one thing that will stoke American's on towards achievement more than anything else it's being told that we don't have what it takes.

Watch out world "you've woken a sleeping giant."

USA vs. Algeria (1-0) 2010 South Africa GOOOOLLLL- spanish commentator

2010-06-24T21:37:00.000-07:00

The video isn't great but the Univision announcer's call is worth listening to, even if you don't know a single word of Spanish!

First 8 update.

2010-06-23T19:43:00.000-07:00

Can you believe that the U.S. won?! I'm not sure how I survived that game without having a heart attack!

And now, half of the last 16 teams are decided. Here are the early leaders in the COTN Bracketology pool (remember, only paid participants qualify)
1. Matt Bauman
2. Becky Riggers
3. Andrew Barfoot
4. Jason Murray (E.Mu)
5. Scott Sartorius
...and a bunch of other with 10 points.

There's a long ways more to go. So good luck!

Group H preview

2010-06-10T14:17:00.000-07:00

From Ben Lyttleton, S.I.

1. Spain: The European champion is second-favorite behind Brazil for the World Cup and rightly so, given its 10-in-a-row winning streak since the U.S. ended its 35-game unbeaten record at last summer's Confederations Cup. The shape under coach Vicente del Bosque has not changed -- a 4-4-2 which can switch to 4-5-1 with Cesc Fabregas coming in for either David Villa or Fernando Torres -- and the normally-tense relationship between Barcelona and Real Madrid players has eased. However, there are concerns in the camp over the delicate injury situations of Fabregas, Torres, Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta, while fullback Joan Capdevila's lack of pace is a weakness. This team has the talent to go a long way, but only if its struggles with the pitches and climate in South Africa last summer were a one-off.

2. Chile: Coach Marcelo Bielsa is the man behind Chile's impressive qualifying campaign, in which it won more matches than any other South American team and beat Argentina for the first time in a competitive match. As he did when coach of Newell's Old Boys, Velez Sarsfeld and Argentina, Bielsa took the 4-3-3 system based on Louis van Gaal's 1990s Ajax team and made it work, with wingers Alexis Sanchez and Mark Gonzalez either side of centre-forward Humberto Suazo, who top-scored in qualifying with 10 goals. Matias Fernandez and Jorge Valdivia are still competing for the playmaker position, as the coach refuses to change the shape and pick both.

3. Switzerland: No coach at this World Cup has won more major trophies than the 18 picked up by Switzerland's German boss Ottmar Hitzfeld, who survived an early qualifying scare when his team was beaten 2-1 at home to lowly Luxembourg. Hitzfeld, helped by recalled striker Blaise N'Kufo, 35, turned things round, and home-and-away wins over Greece took the Swiss top of its group. Hitzfeld has played down the injuries to left back Christophe Spycher and striker Marco Streller which depleted the squad, and insisted the mood is good despite a winless run of four games [Note: they face Italy on Saturday so that could stretch to five games]. Switzerland was the first team in World Cup history to be eliminated without conceding a single goal at the 2006 World Cup (losing on penalties to Ukraine in the second round), and though this side is just as well organized, it has more flair going forward.

4. Honduras: When Honduras played Spain in its first World Cup appearance back in 1982, it took an early lead and held on for a famous 1-1 draw. Their hopes of doing the same this time around look slim, particularly if coach Reinaldo Rueda sticks with the safety-first 4-5-1 formation he used in away matches during World Cup qualifying with little success: its only wins away from home came against Canada and El Salvador. The local press are urging Rueda to play all-time leading scorer Carlos Pavon, who bagged seven goals in nine qualifiers, behind center forward David Suazo. "His decision to start the opening game against Chile with two strikers and a must-win attitude, or a safety-first mind-set where they must not lose, will define the rest of their campaign," El Heraldo newspaper's deputy editor, Alonso Morales, told SI.com. The smart money is on the conservative approach, in the hope that Premier League midfield duo Wilson Palacios (assuming he recovers from his a shin injury) and Hendry Thomas can keep things tight and Suazo, once of Internazionale, can hit teams on the break.

Brandon's prediction: Spain is a lock and Switzerland is my emotional choice, seeing that their Captain, Nfuko, is going to be a Sounder come August!

Group G preview

2010-06-10T14:04:00.000-07:00

From S.I.'s Georgina Turner:

1. Brazil -- Dunga is not a popular figure in Brazil, where his team is considered too workmanlike for the Selecao tradition. But you can't argue with one defeat in two years, not to mention a Confederations Cup win and qualifying on top in South America. Brazil is no longer a collection of stars; it's a team, and it has one of the most awe-inspiring defenses -- yes, defenses -- protecting its interests. Goalkeeper Julio Cesar is at the top of his game, with Internazionale's Lucio and Roma's Juan in front of him. Gilberto Silva and Felipe Melo aren't spectacular individuals, but together they expertly marshal the middle of the park. There's no shortage of skill elsewhere -- Brazil will be dangerous on the counterattack and it remains the set-piece grandmasters.

2. Portugal -- Carlos Quieroz isn't terribly popular for picking newly naturalized Liedson up front, but its an acknowledgement by the coach that Portugal doesn't always take its chances; Liedson adds teeth to the attack and allows Cristiano Ronaldo to play wider, where he tends to be more effective. Defensively, Portugal is strong thanks to central pair Ricardo Carvalho and Bruno Alves, and though it plays 4-3-3, the fullbacks tend to hold back. Portugal had to go to a playoff against Bosnia and Herzegovina to get here, and has recently been held to a goalless draw by Cape Verde Islands, ranked 114th in the world. But it still has players of enough individual quality -- Ronaldo, Nani, Simao -- to create something out of a less dazzling team performance.

3. Ivory Coast -- Manager Sven-Goran Eriksson announced his squad by saying: "It's not enough to hope Drogba will go out and score some goals." But Ivory Coast's results bear a strong correlation to Didier Drogba's form, and even if his elbow injury doesn't prevent him from playing, it could well mute his influence. Which is a shame, because there was virtually just a coin toss between Eriksson's men and Portugal for second. Ivory Coast has a strong spine, held together by the excellent Yaya Toure in central midfield. Its habitual 4-3-3 will shift to 4-4-1-1 against Brazil and Portugal, but without a natural playmaker, it relies on Drogba at the tip. Pacy alternatives Gervinho, Seydou Doumbia and Aruna Dindane won't offer Salomon Kalou or the rest of the team a similar target.

4. North Korea -- Playing in the finals for the first time since 1966, not only has North Korea been drawn in GOD2010"!, but its preparations have been hit by food poisoning, an earthquake, bad light and failure to qualify for the East Asian Championship. Coach Kim Jong-hun's cunning ploy to smuggle an extra striker to South Africa disguised as a goalkeeper hasn't paid off either -- FIFA ruled that striker Kim Myong-won can only play in goal if he sees the field. His charges have a strong team ethic and are well-organized enough to stick to their defensive game (since he took over two years ago, they've typically gone 5-3-2). But it would be incredible for that to be enough to overcome the rest of this group -- he 1966 team, which made it to a 5-3 quarterfinal loss with Portugal, was far more adventurous.

Brandon's prediction: Brazil will get through on it's way to the final. Portugal will follow in it's wings.

Group F preview

2010-06-10T13:38:00.000-07:00

Italy: Yes, Italy is the defending World Champions of the world and are always a formidable force. But there is a concern among many outsiders looking in: the personnel is virtually the same as 2006! This would be a great thing if the Azzuri were still at their prime but most of these players have shown decline at both the club level and in the last European Championships. Can this older group still keep up with the mostly younger sides they will face or did Marcello Lippi choose based on emotional ties to the men who brought him the ultimate prize? We will find out soon, The Italians can, and very much should, still make a run at the title with names lie Camoranesi, Gattuso, Pirlo, Zambrotta and Buffon you can’t be looked past. But if the Italians don’t make it past the quarter final the country could find itself with quite a boost in wine sales this summer.

Prediction: They will win their group but disastrously fall in the quarter finals to a team everyone thinks they can beat.

Paraguay: Will this be the tourney where Paraguay finally win a second round match? They have the ability. Like the Italians they are a strong and organized defensive team. Their key will be scoring goals. They lost their best goal-getter last year when Salvador Cabanas was almost killed in a Mexico City shooting. Young promising offensive names like Santa Cruz and Cardoza can put it in the back of the net in Cabanas’ absence. The key: if Cristian Riveros can provide the strikers with quality service Paraguay could see their inter-continental reputations increase.

Prediction: 2^nd in the group with another second round loss.

Slovakia: June 15^th, between 4:30am and 6:30am Slovakia’s fate will be virtually sealed. That morning the MUST beat New Zealand. If they can get three points from this game then they may only need one miracle in either of the following games against Italy and Paraguay. If they lose, well at least they can say they qualified. This is Slovakia’s first ever World Cup appearance. Minus Marek Hamsik (a semi-known star in European circles) they are virtually a young unrecognizable team. They do have a pair of 20-year-old wingmen (Stoch and Weiss) who, if they can break down the defensive walls of the reigning champs and South American up-and-comers, may provide enough to see a fourth match.

Prediction: They are happy to be here ad have the experience. Gain some experiece and come back in four years.

New Zealand: Honestly, there is not much to say about the All Whites. The Kiwi’s have always been a rugby powerhouse and are familiar with the South African setting because of that. But the four countries they beat to qualify for this tournament have a combined population of two million. Let’s just say it wasn’t the most grueling path to a berth. Don’t give up an embarrassing amount of goals: that should be the Kiwi’s hope and drive.

Prediction: Down and out in one match. But enjoy the night-life guys!

Group E preview

2010-06-06T07:07:00.001-07:00

This group should be exciting, pitting passion against pace, physicality and out-right panache.

Netherlands: The Dutch bring excitement to any tournament the play in. The Oranje Army may be the best traveled fans in the world. No one can see past the bright orange filled stands full of costumed and partying fans smiling ear to ear and sporting uncountable amount of Heineken logos. Holland stands out on the field. They play with a mix of the flair of Brazil and the tactics of any top European club. Their ranks include players who are stand outs in the world’s top leagues; Kuyt, Robben, Sneijder, and Van Persie to name a few. The Oranje have almost all the ingredients to win the whole thing… yet they won’t. They never do. 74, 78, 98, and Euro 2000; just some of the examples where they have come in very strong, played beautiful football, but gone home losers. Can they change the tide?

Prediction: They should easily win their group and I think they’ll get another exciting win after that. But the weight of history should limit them to a semi-final loss this go round.

Cameroon: Once known as Africa’s soccer super-power, Cameroon has fallen off over the last few tournaments. The spotlight has focused on neighbors like Ivory Coast, Ghana and Egypt. But with both the captains of the big teams out due to injury and Egypt missing the tourney, Cameroon should stand out once again as the host continent’s best chance to make a deep run. The countries golden boy, Samuel Eto’o, may be the only worry up front for opponents but he is backed up by a strong and high-tempo mid-field that, with home fan support, could prove dangerous enough to break-through the Japanese and Danish back lines at the least. The Lions have two challenges though: scoring and playing at full-strength. In their last 17 World Cup games they have only put the ball in the back of the net 15 times. Not a winning recipe. In their last 14 appearances they have had 7 player see red. Any of the teams in this group can tear them apart if that pattern continues. But if Cameroon can feed Eto’o and stay within themselves, then they may ride an emotional band-wagon deep into the late stages.

Prediction: Cameroon should make it through the group, narrowly and then put a run together that takes them to a semi-final run, barring a sending-off of one of their mids.

Denmark: This team is big. He Danes have some big names; such as Bendtner and Agger. But mostly they are just big, physically. They have some tough guys playing. The problem though, is a few of those guys have been big for awhile. Both their wingers are well over 30. They will be bale to run with the likes of the Dutch, but keeping up east to west and back again with the Cameroon and Japan could prove too tall an order.

Prediction: The Danes may pay well against the Dutch and grab points against Japan. But Cameroon will probably punch their ticket home.

Japan: The Blue Samaria should come into their first game of the tournament with high morale after the recent warm-up performance versus England. The problem is, there aren’t really any names to throw out hear. Most their team is made up of J-league stars who have performed very well at that level. Though performing well in the J-league won’t get you very far in comparison to performing well I Europe. And their semi-known stars, like Espanyol’s Shunsuke Nakamura, are at the end’s of their career’s. Like the U.S., Japan is a baseball loving country trying to chase down the rest of the soccer loving world. Unfortunately, Japan is still playing Triple A.

Prediction: They will be lucky not to finish last in their group.

Group D preview

2010-06-03T22:52:00.000-07:00

Group D is tough, it contains Germany, Serbia, Ghana and Australia. Though some of the big names in this group have suddenly disappeared, making the teams surprisingly more even.

Germany: The biggest knock against the always formidable German side is that they have conceded two or more goals n their last 23 consecutive matches. This usually isn't a problem unless they meet up against a tough defending team or give away a soft goal - say to Australia? They are led by Lukas Podolksi and Miroslov Klose but are now without their captain, Michael Ballack, who was cut down during the FA Cup final. Podolski and Klose can still carry the scoring threat. It will just be a bit harder to get them the ball now. Though this is a tough group both FIFA and ESPN still have them ranked 6th in the world making them the group's favorite.

Prediction: Quarterfinals - unless they come directly out of their group to meet the US. In that case, they will fall in the round of 16 to a team of Yanks who still remember 2002.

Serbia: Serbia is good, real good. They haven't lived up to their expectations in international play yet but their roster has 16 players who play in one of the Big Four club leagues. They also did have a very good showing during World Cup qualifying that can bring them into the tourney with confidence. Serbia will, however, need to start better than the did in the 2006 tourney. Tactically they were a mess. Hopefully now they can take some of their past experience and put it into play.

Prediction: I think Serbia will be upset by Ghana or Australia and will end up with boarding passes in their hand right after the group stage. But honestly, due to some friendships there I sincerely hope they can make a run.

Ghana: Ghana was the first African team to qualify for this tournament (other than the hosts) even though most would say that others - Cameroon, Ivory Coast or Egypt - are the best African teams. Ghana is fast paced and a blast to watch but they fall short in some areas. For one, they need strikers. They are filled with attacking midfielders but don't have a lot of natural up front ability. Second, they lost their most recognized player, Chelsea's Michael Essien, to injury. His loss is a deep, deep blow. But they did make a great tournament run in 2006 and are playing with home-continent advantage. They rank just barely behind Germany and Serbia for most people in their odds of advancing.

Prediction: They are a very good choice to go through and still might ride the home crowd to and advancement to the round of 16. So pick them if you lease, you might be choosing wisely. I however, just personally don't see them making it without Essien.

Australia: The Socceroos are never easy to predict. They are fast, skilled, and play like they have little-man syndrome. One knock on them is that they play in the Asian Confederation so they don't play high level competition opponents except in friendlies that they can't put a full team together for because their best players are (literally) playing o the other side of the world. but then, they did perform well in Germany in 2006 have stars like Fulham's Mark Schwarzer who is a keeper that could definitely pull off a clean sheet against any of the opponents in this group.And Everton's Tim Cahill has the ability to flip a switch and play at world class levels. If these two guys work together to keep the ball in the goal on the other side of the field they could well see themselves through to the next round.

Prediction: Call me crazy (and you probably will if you follow this prediction) but I see them willing their way into the second round.

Group C continued...

2010-06-03T22:15:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I have fallen way behind on team previews. So my solution from here on out is to do short group previews with my infamous predictions still attached to the end.

We have two more teams in Group C to look at; Slovenia and Algeria:

The Slovenians played well in World Cup qualifying, including a defeat of a tough Russian side. Most would say though, that they had a weak qualifying group and have not performed well in recent international tournaments. They also do not have alot of big name players, instead fielding a lot of young possible stars.

Prediction: Slovenia won't make it out of the group. If they do it would mean that the US or England failed to meet expectations.

Algeria ranks 62nd in the world, the third weakest side in the tournament. They have shown some great things in qualifying, like beating a formidable Egyptian team. But they have also lost badly, like a recent 3-0 loss to Serbia. Many would give them an edge, since Africa is their home continent but their Mediterranean and Islamic heritage are not very similar to Sub-Saharan Africa. They are still in a very different place then they would call home. Algeria are playing in their first World Cup since 1986 and are probably looking more for experience than anything else.

Prediction: Algeria needs England or the USA to really blow it (which is not unthinkable) to make it through the group stage. They shouldn't. Instead my bet is they place 4th, behind the Slovenians.

USA - The Yanks

2010-05-24T11:54:00.001-07:00

How do I write about the USA with about being a total homer? I honestly don’t think I can. I guarantee, that at 11:30 PST on the morning of June 12^th there will be a tear in my eye as I stand with my hand over my heart listening to the star spangled banner pipe through the stereo while the tv camera pans past the Yanks starting XI while the African crowds dance in the blurry background.

There will be hope as I look on the slightly a-grin face of Bocanegra, the overwhelmed face of Altidore, the intense face of Bradley, the tentative face of Onyewu, and the confident faces of Howard and Donovan. There will also be a healthy fear when it’s the English turn to stand and sing. Questions will ring through my head as I see there faces: Will Rooney run right through us? Can we handle Lampard and Gerrard in the middle? Will the Terry shut us down or Cole sneak past us on a blinding run?

Our first game has the potential of being a block buster… or a whipping. I am truly hoping for a draw or a 1-0 score.

Then the real test will come. Can we put away Algeria and Slovenia? If we can win these two games we should make it out of our group just fine. That is what will count for success in the US team’s eyes this year. We have a good chance of this, being ranked much higher than both and having the experience of already playing in each of the stadiums where our group games will be held. Plus our South African training facility is a mere bus ride away from all these stadiums. So, no planes, like our opponents.

And, if we make it out of our group then we have proven that we can hang with teams way better than us: our defeat of Spain’s first team and narrow loss to Brazil’s same in last summer Confederations Cup proved that. Oh, and don’t forget good ole American grit. Our players may not have the skill to match, but they have the heart. We can turn our games into a hard hitting hockey match in a second, and our guys will gladly go toe to toe with any of the big boys. So, stopping the skilled players is what will really be the trick.

Some worries: up front we are slim. Altidore has a permanent spot. But who will be next to him? Ching is vying for that, but is he healthy from his hammy injury yet. Conor Casey didn’t make the squad. Does this mean Donovan or Dempsey will come up from the wing and fill in here. Maybe, but if they do we leave ourselves exposed outside. The warm up games against Czech, Turkey, and Australia over the next two weeks may identify answer a lot about this. If the US can score multiple goals in their games they could go a long way. But if they try to sit on 1 goal leads, well they haven’t proved they can do that. I guess we shall see.

Prediction: Into the round of 16, where they should lose a close match... unless they pair up with Germany. If that happens then you heard it hear first. The USA are quarter-final bound! And who knows how far their work rate and American ingenuity can take them from there. First semis?

Above all, let’s hope and pray the boys make us proud.

C’mon Yanks!

England - The Three Lions

2010-05-20T08:27:00.000-07:00

Could this be England's year? They have stunning striker Wayne Rooney who had a career year with Manchester United. They have a a technical mid-field, huge center backs with speedy attacking-minded outside wing backs, and a world-class coach who, according to the injured David Beckham, has infused the team with steal and determination to win the bid games. For the English, nothing short of returning to the island with "their" world cup will be viewed as success.

But then again, this is England. One of the biggest teams in the world and one of the most storied soccer powers, yet always overrated and disappointing. They have made a habit out of looking like potential championsbut returning home in shabbles. Now with Rooney not at full strength, Ashley Cole returning from a broken ankle thanks to Landon Donovan (keep your head up on the 12th LD), and John Terry losing his captaincy because of his exploits in other people's bedrooms, the English are once again poised to fall apart.

But then again, they drew the US, Sloveia, and Algeria. Their talent on the filed should be able to bring them through this group with little problems. The US match will most likely be an epic, fast, and physical battle. But both teams should be able to recover in time to push past the rest of their group. And England could med together in that time enough to make a forcible run through the bracket.

Prediction: England will prove powerful enough to mightily disappoint their fans once again, but this time in the semi-finals.

Greece - To Piratiko

2010-05-20T08:11:00.000-07:00

Greece made it's first world cup appearance in 1994, where it left with three losses and gave up 10 goals. Since then coach Otto Rehhagel as transformed "The Pirate Ship" (really?) into a team that plays defense first, plays defense second and third, and then relies on opponents who let their guard down to jump forward with occasional counter-attacks. Unfortunately for the the spectator, this slow grinding style worked for the Greeks in 2004 when they won the European Championships as a dark horse. Now in their second world cup appearance they have no reason to change their tactics. Their group games will probably look akin to the Alamo, with Argentina, Nigeria, and even South Korea bombarding them with strength, speed and numbers. If the Greeks ca push the mid-line and score enough goals to get out of this group they will be considered a fantastic success. If you can find a Greek restaurant to go to during any of these matches though, you are guaranteed boundless entertainment and quite a full belly. That might be the best part of the Greek appearance in South Africa....

Prediction: They will play tough and physical defense. But Argentina will beat them up and the Nigerians and South Koreans will wear them down. No knock-out round this time.

South Korea – Taeguk Warriors

2010-05-19T20:45:00.000-07:00

In 2002 Asia’s most successful team – qualifying for 7 cups in a row now – made a world-stunning run to the semi-finals; four years later though, they were unable to make it through the group stage. This proved to most people that outside of Asia and away from hometown referees they still aren’t able to match the bigger and more physical teams of Europe and the Americas. The side is captained by Manchester United member Ji-Sung Park who orchestrates from the center spot for the Warriors. But him being their strong point doesn’t say a ton seeing that he mostly plays off the bench for United, where he is relied on as an outside crosser rather than a key orchestrator. South Korea also has budding Premiership player Chung-Yong Lee who is also a wing player to look towards. But these two guys will have to play out of their minds to carry this team further than the group stage and unheard of Korean players like Chung-Young Park will have to become a star in a matter of matches if they are going to see their name in a bracket.

Prediction: It’s a no go this year. Their group is too strong. They will be knocked out two games into the tourney.

Nigeria – The Super Eagles

2010-05-19T20:41:00.000-07:00

An exhausting U.S. loss to Nigeria...

The Super Eagles have a lot to prove. Their skin of the teeth qualification showing left their fans wanting. Actually fans were so disappointed by back to back draws with Tunisia that the next qualifying game against Mozambique was played in an nearly empty stadium and the media was dubbing them “The Super Chickens”.

A superb Group stage could turn the tide of fan support. And Nigeria has the on-field capabilities to do just that. Lead namely by Chelsea super-star Mikel in the midfield, their speedy attack may be un-matched by slower defenders, particularly on the Argentine and Greek back lines. They also have big name English attackers such as Kanu and Yakubu, as well as a back line directed by the captain, Joseph Yobo. Also, Odemwingie – nicknamed Osaze - . the flashing fan favorite due to his choice to play for his father’s home country rather than his birth land of Uzbekistan could bring the mix of skill and passion that propels this budding team into the round of 16.

Prediction: The Super-Eagles will eek past Greece and South Korea on goal difference to be knocked out in the round of 16.

Argentina - Albiceleste

2010-05-19T20:37:00.000-07:00

“The Hand of God” may be one of the most famous phrases and moments ever to come out of the World Cup tournament. When Diego Maradona used the one part of his body that is against the rules in soccer to knock England out of the 1986 tourney he permanently went into the archives of soccer lore. Twenty-four years later Maradona now returns to coach his native land in another attempt at the world’s most coveted trophy.

Diego, who is not quite as speedy or thin as back in his playing days, will hope that his team can ride the back of Leonel Messi; perhaps presently the world’s greatest player. The Barcelona star, with his spectacular vision, positioning, and ball control could potentially tear apart any defense he faces. Partnered with the Manchester City bulldog Carlos Tevez up front, the duo may prove to much for anyone to handle… if they can get along. Team chemistry may be Argentina’s Achilles heal. Maradona used 38 player over eight qualifying matches. (And left out two of the World's best, including everyone else's lock; Cambiasso. The new faces and inner-squabbles may be what lead qualifying losses of 6-1 loss Bolivia and 3-1 to Brazil. They still made the finals, but it was a rough road.

If Diego is able to focus the attention on winning, and not on himself, then this team has the talent to have an extra expensive piece of checked luggage on their return home.

Prediction: Although many people pick them to win the cup it is this author’s opinion that personality problems will bring the house down in a semi-final match.

France - Le Bleus

2010-05-13T15:16:00.000-07:00

Where there is talent there is _______.

When speaking about Les Bleus you could finish this sentence with many different words. In the past you might lean towards "championship", "victory" or "a sure bet". But ever since the 2006 final made famous by a retiring star's headbutt the French team has been talented drama queens.

Even the way they qualified for these finals, on a self-admitted handball by Thierry Henry to get narrowly slide past Ireland, has been something out of the story archives. Now the team is wracked by controversy over squad selections, player squabbling, and personal scandals.

But the talent could still bring them a long, long ways again. They are team filled with stars like Ribery, Cisse, Henry, Anelka, Malouda, Diaby, Evra, Sagna and many more who play in the highest echelons of club soccer. Even if they don't completely gel as a team a few individual feats could see them end up vying again to raise the golden globe.

Prediction: Semi-finalist

Uruguay - Los Charruas

2010-05-11T21:51:00.000-07:00

"Lucky for us, the World Cup is taking place far away from home," said Oscar Tabarez, the Uruguayan coach, after Los Charruas just eked trough in a two game play-off with Costa Rica. They were constantly beaten badly at their home qualifying games but made it through with wins and draws in foreign stadiums.

Though living in the shadows of fellow South American teams like Brazil and Argentina, Uruguay do have some formidable assets that they bring to the table. Namely history. They won the very first World Cup in 1930. Outside of that they have Diego Forlan, the ex-Manchester United work horse who finally found a successful home with Atletico Madrid. But for them to make it through group A they will have to see a youth movement. With a slough of players in their early twenties Uruguay may make a run at simply because of their young legs. But they may have to view this World Cup as an experience building event for strong teams in the years ahead.

Prediction: Can't match South African passion, Mexican flair or French skill. Stuck in group stage this time...

Mexico - El Tri

2010-05-11T15:08:00.000-07:00

Cuauhtemoc Blanco... If Mexico is to be successful then this is the man who will bring them through. In qualifying things started bleakly for El Tri. They found themselves in fourth place at the beginning of the final round of CONCACAF qualifying. New coach Javier Aguirre immediately made changes by convincing Blanco, the talented Chicago midfielder with a rather grande ego, to come out of international retirement and re-join the national team effort. He made an immediate impact and Mexico went on to finish 2nd, just one point behind the US.

But the arch-rival of the Americans have a long road ahead of them if they have any hopes of possibly meeting their neighbors in future round match. They will have to beat a better French team, survive Uruguay's physical presence, and over-come the passion of the home team favorite if they are to find themselves in a knock out round. But if they can make it through... well then they might just have a fighting chance.

Prediction: Through to the quarters before knock out in a tough fight (possibly by the Argentinian's? - we'll see!)

South Africa - "Bafana, Bafana"

2010-05-09T21:28:00.001-07:00

Team South Africa, affectionately referred to as Bafana Bafana by the home crowd, automatically qualified for the 2010 finals by being the host family. The yellow and green are the worst ranked team to make the tournament. They suffered great losses in morale due to feats such as failing to qualify for African Nations Cup and consistently losing friendlies throughout the run up to the tourney. With a formidable draw in Group A, facing France, Mexico and Uruguay, Bafana Bafana has quite a road ahead of them.

But don't count South Africa out. Last summer they took the number one team in the world, Spain, into extra time in the third place game of the Confederations cup following a slim loss in the semi-finals to the eventual champions, Brazil. And this year they are lead by head coach Alberto Parreira, who took his native Brazil to world Cup success in 1994. Parreira and all of South Arica will be looking to Steven Piennaar, the midfielder with endless energy who play his club ball with Everton in the English premier lead. With the home crowd behind them and familiar confines to play in, South Africa may be a great sleeper to make it to the knockout stages.

Prediction: through to the second round on home-team energy

Beginner’s guide to the World Cup (And: How to Play!)

2010-05-07T12:32:00.000-07:00

For those of us who see soccer as a game that the kids play on Saturdays until they are old enough to start basketball of baseball, picking what country might win the World Cup is as foreign a task as are the names “Bafana Bafana or Oranje” (we’ll learn about those in later posts).

I wanted to quickly explain how the World Cup tournament works to help you figure out what this tournament is and how to pick a winner:

Qualification:
- The 2010 South Africa World Cup actually began 2 years ago. This tournament began with 204 countries entering. In the end 32 teams would qualify for the finals (what we commonly refer to as the World Cup). Each team began with a grueling year and a half of qualifying within their FIFA confederation (mostly organized by continent). Each of these tournaments is organized a bit differently based on number of entrants and qualification requirements. Surviving these tournaments are a monumental task for most any team but at the end each confederation presents their winning teams to FIFA. (Each confederation is allotted a certain number of spots in the finals, depending mostly on amount of entrants) The host team automatically qualifies for one of their confederations spots.

Finals:
The structure of the 32 team finals tournament was determined by a draw in Cape Town on December 4th, 2009. The teams are now divided into 8 groups of 4. The teams in each group will play each other once and are awarded points for the result of each game: 3 for a win, 1 for a tie, and 0 for a loss. The two teams with the most points after 3 games goes through to the knock out rounds. In case of a tie the team with more goals goes through) From here every game is a knock-out game, just like the NCAA tourney.

How to pick:
To pick your bracket simply click on the two teams you think will come out of each group. Make sure to pick the team you think will win the group first as their rank effects where they are placed for the next game. After this point you simply pick which team you think will win each game up until the final. Like most NCAA brackets you get points for every correct pick. The bracket with the most points wins! Make sure to fill out the tiebreaker in the middle before turning in you bracket. All brackets can be updated until the games begin on June 11th.

World Cup fundraiser

2010-05-05T12:24:00.000-07:00

I would like to officially invite you to join some international bracketology fun for a cause!
I am so excited about this summer's FIFA World Cup! And as I thought about this great event I began to think, "How could we use this enormous cross-cultural occasion to benefit my continued work for children in Africa, the Dominican Republic and Haiti with COTN?" Ultimately, I came to the idea of putting together a March Madness style bracket challenge.

My invitation to you is to join me! Even if you don't know a lick about soccer this is a fun way to join the world in it's excitement for this summer and to help a cause. All you have to do is fill out a bracket and submit a $10 entry fee. $5 of your entry will go into a pool that is split between the top three winners and $5 of your entry will be donated directly to COTN.

Signing up:
Just follow the directions below:
First, click on this link: http://games.espn.go.com/bpredictor/en-us/frontpage
When you get there all you need to do is scroll over the tab that says "My Groups" and click on "Join a Group".
Then type "COTN Bracketology 2010" in to the search box and click "search".
If you don't have an ESPN account, click the button to create one and follow the short process. If you have an account the "sign in".
Next, click "Create and Join" and you'll be added to the group and be able to fill out your bracket.
Brackets must be filled out before the kick-off of the opening game (June 11th, South Africa v. Mexico, 7am)
Can't find the group? No problem, just send me an email and I'll send you an invite.

Donation and funds:
Once you j0in I will contact you with donation instructions. All fund raised money will be designated to my missionary fund within the Venture Department. The totals of all $5 entry fees will be split between the top three winners. So the more people that enter, the more money to be won.
(Don't have 10 bucks or don't want to make a donation? That's okay, join anyway. Only those who pay up can win. But everyone is welcome!)

Don't know soccer?:
That's okay. (you're probably in the majority) But good news, I plan to help you out! I'm turning my blog into World Cup bracket central. There I will post entries on how to pick your teams as well a daily preview highlighting one of this year's 32 teams with descriptions and predicitions. So check it out every day! The link is: (http://www.bleeksinthedr.blogspot.com)

Wanna party?:
Yep, there's more. Some COTN-Seattle employees are currently planning a party to watch the semi-final game at 11:30am on July 7th where we will announce how much was raised and who the entrants that are still in the running are. The admission is a small donation or your filled out bracket. More details to come but mark your calendars.

One more thing:
Please invite your friends! Please, please invite your friends! Remember, it doesn't matter if you like soccer or not. This is simply a fun, fun way to raise some money and win some prizes. The more people we get the sweeter the donations and the greater the prize!

Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

And C'mon Yanks!

A few more shots

2010-02-26T11:32:00.000-08:00

I will leave you this weekend with a couple more pictures. This is what it looked like in Port au Prince. I saw this cathedral as the sun was setting behind it and shining through what stain glass is left. It was surreal as it was at the same time a beautiful and heart-wrenching sight. The photo of the buses below is a great communication of the mass exodus we saw coming out of the city each time we entered and left. And lastly, the picture of the child. This became a normal sight while we were there. It didn't even phase us after a couple days. Though now looking back on it, it is so sad.
Yet, above all, I am becoming more and more convinced that there is hope for this child and each and every person who was affected by the devastation. The Lord is at work. I pray that He would continue to help me listen as He uses me and my community to bless all of us who are in need in so many ways.

I know I promised more...

2010-02-24T08:57:00.000-08:00

I know I promised that I would continue to share my thoughts and experiences regarding my trip to Haiti. I have opened up the computer to start many times this week... but I just haven't been able to get myself to do it. I am torn by wanting to passionately remember while on the same hand wanting to block it out of my mind altogether. I am not sure what to do with these feelings and am seeking places to talk. So don't worry. I will make blog posts as I work through this.

For the moment though I would ask that you pray for one Haitian as you read this: His name is Bernard James. He is a young man who we picked up in Port au Prince one afternoon and brought into the DR for surgery. He is a painter and showed me some of the amazing work he had done. We connected and he gave me all his information on the backside of a photo of one of his works. I truly think that one of the biggest disappointments of my life is the fact that somehow during my packing to come home I lost that piece of paper. So I do not know where Bernard is now but would ask that you would pray that he is healing and able to continue to produce amazing and redemptive works of art. Above is a picture (albeit it cheesy and very missionary cliche looking) of the two of us just after his leg surgery as he was being waited to be airlifted, to the USS Comfort I believe. He painted the Bob Marley portrait on his shirt. He had so many amzing paintings that didn't make it through the quake. I pray that they are only the beginning of a beautiful life for him.

Bonne Nuit et peut Dieu bénit Haïti
(Good night and may God bless Haiti)

"It hurts, I'm hungry."

2010-02-08T13:29:00.000-08:00

Wild cries erupt from the child: "Li fe-m mal, mwen grangou!" Farmer looks up, for a moment he's narrating Haiti again. "She's crying, 'It hurts, I'm hungry.' Can you believe it? Only in Haiti would a child cry out that she's hungry during a spinal tap."
- from Tracy Kidder's Mountains Beyond Mountains, as she watches Paul Farmer as he administers a spinal tap to a thirteen-year-old child with meningitis.

It has been about a dozen days since I returned home from my earthquake relief trip to the Dominican Republic and Haiti. It was a trip of horror, joy, anger, awe, fear, and tears of many sorts. Since my return I've wanted to talk so much about it, and on the other hand I've not known how to say anything. But I do want to let all of you who supported us by so many means how things went. So, after I enjoy a long weekend this weekend I will add several entries that'll try to paint a picture of what it was like in the DR, in Haiti, and in my mind and heart. But for now I will simply leave you with two videos of scenes that will be burned into my mind for the rest of my life.

This is the first major damage we saw. This is 11 days after the quake and people are still digging into what looked like a large apartment building with the only tools they have:

This was thescene that made me cry. The hillside across this small valley used to be a slum with hundreds of home built one on top of the other. Most of the homes are now in piled in the bottom of the valley:

It is people from this and surrounding neighborhoods that we were able to get out of Port-au-Prince and into Jimani for medical help.

I saw destruction and pain that I have never seen before, and hope to never see again. On top of it all, what I saw was just the beginning of so much more need and pain to come. Food, water, disease, order and shelter are all question marks hanging in the nearing days and months as help rolls out and the rainy season rolls in.

Thank you for your support. More to come.

Back to Barahona

2010-01-26T03:35:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally have a second to sit down update everyone. Sunday we came back to Barahona (after breaking down during a 2 1/2 hour drive in the dark, in the middle of nowhere) from Jimani on the border. Yesterday we then got up, took our big yellow bus and headed to the airport here. There we met two US military Blackhawks full of 11 children and their families who had been rescued from Jimani. COTN has committed to caring for them for at least a year, giving them holistic care and helping begin to mend physical and emotional wounds.

The devastation I've seen is incredible. The carnage and destruction will haunt me for the rest of my life. I couldn't help crying as I witnessed piles of rubble, a mountainside full of homes that are now at the bottom of the valley, and bodies in the street. But I cried tears of joy when I saw these kids get off the choppers and knew that these 11, and many more will be nursed back to health long term instead of just being fixed up and sent to a refugee camp like so, so many others.

Here are a few pictures of the kids arriving yesterday and getting settled into the clinic. I decided I'd rather post the happy pictures rather then focus on what CNN has already tirelessly covered:

Hope

2010-01-24T09:58:00.000-08:00

I turned on the news today to see a man being pulled from the rubble - alive and smiling ... Hope runs eternal. It is amazing to think that there could still be people alive just waiting for someone to hear their voice.

I opened my email today to find a note from an intern we took to the DR with us two summers ago. She is a nurse (she graduated last year), she is leaving on Wednesday ... to bring Hope.

Watching the news last night I saw two families receive children that they had been waiting to adopt for over a year ... from the wreckage comes Hope.

My doctors office collected many medical supplies to go with a team this week. While they were doing so people in the waiting room began writing checks and one woman left and bought supplies to donate ... we are looking for ways to bring and give Hope.

My sister-in-law, Shelly, wanted to "do something" (as so many of us do) and now has collected enough money and supplies through one email to create over 200 care packs for the children ... we can send hope even through the small things (like a clean towel).

What can we hope for next? What will happen next? I hope that we will not forget - as I see the news and talk to Brandon there is a LONG road ahead for these people. I hope that the efforts do not stop. I hope that even though the news coverage is beginning to slow down we will not stop hoping for he next steps. I hope that we will find our strength in God and work together as a team to bring His Hope to a hurting nation.

While I am not sure what the next steps will be to help rebuild this country I am hopeful that we will be apart of those steps and more than that I am hopeful that Haiti will be covered in prayer so that God can bring Hope to these people.

Things to pray for -

-Continue to pray for energy for the teams and for the COTN staff

-For healing. Not only physical healing but for emotional healing. They have felt many after-shocks and the people are so afraid that they have run from the clinic and are very reluctant to return to the inside.

-Hope - pray that Hope would continue and that God would be at the center of that hope.

Praises -

-People are still being found!

-Medical supplies are becoming available and are making it through to the clinics/hospitals

-People are willing to step out and say "here I am Lord - send me"

Kids

2010-01-21T20:19:00.001-08:00

Well I was able to talk to Brandon again tonight for a short period of time (I had gone out to dinner with Brenda and Julie, Brandon's cousins). He and the team are doing well, although are tired physically and very stretched emotionally. As I sat watching CNN tonight (after Caitlyn went to bed) and saw the kids laying in hospitals with no parents it broke my heart. I then reflected on my own situation - it is challenging to be here without Brandon. However as i looked at those kids I thought who I would want to take care of my daughter if I was gone ... then I tried to imagine a stranger holding her. I then realized that Brandon is a stranger to these kids but I hope that he has the chance to hold a child's hand because he is the perfect stranger to bring love to a child.

"Here I am Lord send me" ... these are dangerous words as you might be called on to go. As I talked to Brandon tonight I could hear in his voice and his words that this is emotionally very challenging. He at one point said that he felt like it was the aftermath of a war; there are so many hurt and so many people in need.

Energy

2010-01-20T21:16:00.000-08:00

I spoke with Brandon tonight (just after midnight his time). He asked that we all be praying for energy for the team(s). It is amazing how much work they are squeezing into one day and yet there is still so much to do; and will be for months to come. Scott (my brother) also wanted us to let you know that if you are following the COTN up-dates there was a small misprint. The aftershocks that happened really didn't affect the hospital/clinic that we are currently working in (and on a side note Brandon was not at the clinic and so didn't feel the aftershock).

Some great things are happening -

1. All of the doctors do have a place to stay AND all of their food has been taken care of while they are there! (God answered that one in huge ways).

2. We are finding ways to help with relief with the medical supplies that we had at the COTN clinic.

Continue to pray for -

1. Energy. Doctors are working around the clock and along with that work they are needing to alter their normal practice to what supplies are available. Along with that the COTN support staff (Brandon, Erik, Scott etc.) need energy as they receive teams and work on all the logistics ... trying to make "organized chaos"

2. Supplies. There is still a need for all types of supplies.

Again thank you for all your support. This is the update I got in a short phone conversation tonight and wanted to let you all know before I got a little sleep. Everyone is fine and working hard.

Aftershock

2010-01-20T09:32:00.000-08:00

I just spoke with Debbie Clark (COTN's co-founder) and she informed me that they could feel the aftershock in Jimani. There was no damage that happened to the hospital that they are working in but everyone knew something happened.

Today they are receiving a team of doctors and will be taking them to the hospital/clinic in Jimani. There are still some huge needs that Debbie shared with me, and that Scott was able to share with Kelly (you can also check their blog the link is on the side).

-medical supplies, they are short basic things and are not able to get to everyone because of lack of supplies

-places to stay, we have people landing today who can help but we don't have a place to "set-up camp" - it would be great to find a church or large building where everyone could stay together

-and funny enough if you have a helicopter around that you are not using it might be helpful for getting supplies to the hospital (at least it would be much faster).

Please continue to pray for everyone involved. Thank you again for your support.

Word from Brandon (and the team)

2010-01-18T17:35:00.000-08:00

I just spoke with Brandon and here is the update that he gave:

They traveled to the boarder (to the town of Jimani) today and were able to find a clinic to work with. It is an American clinic, and we already have a doctor working there. The clinic has may open surgical rooms and is in need of help. COTN has now activated a team of doctors that will be arriving on Wednesday to go and help. Brandon said that while they were there they saw truck loads of people arriving from Haiti seeking help, and many people waiting and needing help.

The team will be traveling back to the clinic with some of the supplies from the COTN clinic as supplies are running low. Then they will travel back to the capital to pick up the team of doctors that will be coming to assist.

Here are the things that they asked we pray for:

-interpreters - who speak Creole

-medicines (morphine, saline, etc.)

-more connections in Haiti - so that they can provide as much help as they can (currently they are helping on the DR side of the boarder)

thank you for your continued support and prayers

Plan for Day One

2010-01-17T19:24:00.000-08:00

I just spoke with Brandon - they made it safely to Barahona (where COTN has their ministry). The team is getting settled in for the night and making preparations for tomorrow. They will be traveling to a town that is right on the boarder tomorrow (I apologize as I can't remember the name) to see what the greatest needs are. From there they will phone back here to activate different teams (depending on the needs) to come and help. That is the most I know at this point - it was a long day of travel.

Prayer Requests:
-please pray for rest tonight and every night so that everyone can wake ready to serve and meet the needs God puts before them.

-please also continue to pray for safety

-Please also pray for energy to serve and eyes to see everyone as God sees

Thank you - we will again up-date you as we have information.

On the Ground

2010-01-17T12:21:00.001-08:00

Brandon, Scott (my brother), Erik and the rest of the team made is safely to the DR. They are now on route to the COTN site (a few hours from the airport and about 2 hours from Haiti). That is the whole up-date I have for now...so far so good!

God is good and I am sure he will bless the efforts of everyone. Please continue to pray for their safety, their work, and all the people impacted from this huge event.

We will do our best to up-date the blog as we have information.

Trip to the DR and Haiti

2010-01-16T17:52:00.000-08:00

Friends and family,
I want to let you know that I am on my way to the Dominican Republic tonight. A small group of COTN staff are headed down to help out with the Haitian earthquake relief work. We have a few goals:

Accompanying us is a doctor who will be assessing the medical situation in our clinic, as we have been flooded with Hatian refugees from across the border, as well as the medical needs on the border and in Port-au-Prince. We will then call back to the US on Monday with and assessment in order to mobilize doctors in Washington and on the East Coast who are currently waiting or our call. We may have a medical team on the ground in the DR by Tuesday.

Also we will be working with the proper authorities to mobilize a way to move a container of food that we currently have in our possession into Haiti. As soon as we have word that the store will be able to be replenished (since the current food is meant for our kids) we will work with a partner organization to see that the container gets to the right place.

Third, we will be working on transporting bottled water and medical supplies to those in need.

Please pray for our progress and safety. If you would like to follow along we will have a journalist with us who will send ongoing stories back which will be featured on our web site; www.cotni.org.

If you would like to help we are in need of many, many resources. For info on that and for ways to give please follow this link:

http://www.cotni.org/news

Thank you so much.

In Him,
Brandon

Haiti Disaster - COTN response

2010-01-13T14:06:00.000-08:00

Haiti, the Caribbean country that shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic, was hit by a violent earthquake shortly before 5:00pm on Tuesday, January 12, 2010.

The magnitude 7.0 quake—the most violent to hit Haiti in 200 years—was centered about 10 miles southwest of the capital city of Port-au-Prince and was felt strongly in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, and Cuba—both hundreds of miles away.

The earthquake destroyed buildings and houses and has left thousands homeless in Haiti. While the exact death toll is not yet known, it is expected to be catastrophic.

A word from Chris Clark, Children of the Nations president and CEO

Greetings from Africa,

While en route to Malawi this morning we received word of what could be the largest earthquake in history in Haiti. We are saddened by the incredible injury and damage that has been done. Fortunately, we have confirmed that our Dominican staff, children and families sustained no injury or damage. Praise the Lord for His protection!

COTN–DR is currently assessing our clothing, medical and food stocks in order to respond immediately to our partner ministries in Haiti. If we are able, we will send all of our current stock of food reserved for our Dominican feeding programs to Haiti.

As financial support from our partners allows, we will send additional supplies to support the victims in Haiti. We will also need to replenish our depleted inventories so that we may continue to minister to children in our care in the Dominican Republic.

Your help is greatly needed financially. To DONATE today please paste this link into your web browser:

http://www.cotni.org/opportunities/142?tag=Dominican+Republic

We are monitoring this disaster and will give updates as we receive them.

For the children,

Chris Clark,
Founder and CEO

Prayers for Haiti

2010-01-12T19:07:00.000-08:00

Please pray for the people of Haiti right now. A 7.0 earthquake hit this afternoon with at least 13 aftershocks since. It was felt throughout the DR though there are no reported damages yet in the Barahona area from the COTN staff there. But please pray for the families of all our Hatian kids who live in the bateyes. They are all connected to family back in Haiti and I'm sure some will be effected and learn of news in the days to come.

For continuing coverage CNN is doing a great job: http:

www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2010/haiti.quake

Teething

2009-12-03T08:40:00.000-08:00

I know we haven't posted on this site for awhile. Well, no excuses other than to say that we continue to enjoy the new addition to our life that God has given us in Caitlyn Grace. We do have a big announcement: she just got her first teeth! Yes, two poked through on Monday. And our dentist gave her a toothbrush to celebrate. She loves it! No cavities for this little gal.

Eyes

2009-11-13T11:04:00.000-08:00

Eyes are a funny things, they are constantly talked about and in so many ways;
“what beautiful eyes”
“I have my eye on you”
“I have been watching (implying using your eyes) …”
And how many different mascara’s could there be to make your eyes more attractive?

Yes, eyes are fascinating in my opinion. On the Internet it says that your eyes will grow very little from the time you are born until adulthood (that is why most babies hear the comment “what big beautiful eyes”). As I watch our daughter and look at her eyes I wonder if God made our eyes big at birth on purpose. She is constantly looking around and trying to take things in; maybe that is why they are so big. She is also full of wonder when she sees something new, she looks with an inquisitive look and then typically gives a big smile (which include her eyes). She sees everything for the first time with no judgment but rather with love and excitement.

How does God want us to use our eyes? I am challenged by this today. I am challenged as I come home from teaching and have not seen every kid through God’s eyes but instead have allowed myself to view my students through my own eyes. I am challenged by “seeing others as God sees them” in this moment with some difficult students. So, how do we see people the way that “God sees them”? I am not sure how to answer this. I know that I want to see my students as the gifts that they are. I want to see them as God sees them but I stumble and need to refocus as they say. That being said I don’t know where to go from here. I am not sure how to “put on a different pair of glasses” and see my students in the light that God sees them. I think however it starts with recognizing that God has created everyone (even Jr. High students) with plan and purpose. It begins with knowing that our Creator loves His creation and has called me (us) to love His creation as well. I know that as Caitlyn (my daughter) grows there will be difficult days when I might not see her as God sees her but I want to start trying. I want to start trying to see people as Caitlyn does and smile, I want to see people as God sees people… to have grace and love for them. And mostly, I want others to see God in me. When I finish the school year I want students to know they were genuinely cared for and wonder why… and possibly ask the question so that it opens the door to tell them about my faith.

So in conclusion for today – eyes are amazing, how are you seeing others and how are others seeing you? If one day doesn’t go as well as it could thankfully there is always tomorrow.

First fall

2009-10-20T20:31:00.001-07:00

Caitlyn had a great time celebrating fall this weekend. There are more pictures on her blog. (Link on right)

A happy recovery...

2009-09-24T13:23:00.001-07:00

So the last two weeks were full of strategy meetings, leader retreats, and corporate training. I was gone ALOT and it was taxing, even though it was good. This week I've been so tired I can barely smile. But here is one thing that truly did light up my heart... She has a smile like her mom's.

A Triathalon Across The Country? Yep!

2009-09-01T10:53:00.000-07:00

Two young guys have taken up the challenge to ride, swim and bike their way across America this fall. And they are doing it all for COTN's I Love Baseball program. They started in Seattle Sunday evening and will end up in Barahona, Dominican Republic in about two and a half months.

KOMO 4 news did a peice on them which you can see by copying this link into your browser:
http://www.komonews.com/home/video/56393332.html?video=pop&t=a

You can also keep up with them on their website:
http://dhtour.vibeglobe.com

Go Brian and Phil!

BOLD

2009-08-27T12:14:00.000-07:00

It is sometimes difficult to be “bold” and sometimes our society tells us that being “bold” is a bad thing; however I believe when it comes to faith that is just what we need to do. We have been very blessed by in many ways since getting married almost three years ago. We were blessed to be able to afford to purchase a condo, we have been blessed by strong role-models in marriage, blessed by family, blessed by our supporters (Brandon’s ministry/job would not be possible without you all), blessed with a beautiful healthy baby girl and most recently blessed with a wonderful childcare provider. It is amazing through that even with these HUGE blessings (and there have been many little ones as well) it is easy to know the blessing and not give the glory to God but rather to go the way of the world and say “we are lucky”.

As I am returning to work this week I decided to eliminate the word “luck” from my vocabulary when talking about our childcare and say exactly what transpired and that is that God provided an amazing blessing to us. I say this as another challenge to those in my life to rise up and share the good work that God is doing in your life with everyone. It was amazing even today on my first day to walk in and with my co-workers (both believers and non believers) to say “yes God did provide great childcare at the perfect time for the perfect price” instead of “we got very lucky”. While I am not convinced that this will make people instantly turn to God I do think it will open the door to bigger conversations about faith and stepping out into faith.

All of this to say, what would happen if Christians eliminated the word “luck” from their vocabulary and really gave all the glory to God and recognized every blessing (both big and small) as gifts from God. I am convinced that while a small step it is sometimes the smallest steps that open the doors for bigger steps and those big steps are what will impact the Kingdom.

Just a thought – be bold in faith who knows what God will do with your words and actions.

Love,
Shannon

They're on my side?!

2009-07-31T10:02:00.001-07:00

Assume I am on your side …

Today at church we welcomed our new pastor, we are excited to see what he will bring to the Creekside community and we are excited to see where the church will go next. As he was speaking he was talking about how we are developing a new relationship (the pastor with the church) and that we are bound to make some mistakes along the way but to always “assume we are always on each others side” … what an interesting concept I thought. In our society that is counter-cultural in my opinion. Often I find myself thinking and or discussing with others the common questions of “what did they mean by that?” In hearing this sentence of our new pastor’s sermon (I didn’t hear the whole thing as I was distracted by Caitlyn for part of the time) it has caused me to think about my attitude.

As I sit here and think about all of the conversations that I have in a day (most at this point revolve around parenting) it occurs to me that I go on the defense often. Frequently I find myself wondering why people say things and I read even into their tone of voice … this is partly due to the lack of sleep but now I am wondering if how I approach conversations also plays a large role in this thought process.

I believe that Christ calls us to support one another and to work together. I think that by checking our attitudes about conversations and second-guessing other people’s intentions could go along way in furthering the kingdom. It is my new challenge (and I would ask you to join) to assume first that others are on our side – that when my spouse asks a question it is not implying anything other than trying to understand… that when someone gives advice it is simply because they want to share their experience not because they think I am doing something wrong, and so on. With that I am going to try to better represent the Kingdom in my conversations by speaking to others so that they know that I am on their side. Although I think that this is truly a challenge that will improve relationships I also think it will be difficult and I will need to remind myself of this new idea of assuming others are on my side when in conversations until it becomes a natural mind-set.

Thanks for reading my thoughts on this as I try to process things from church (we are glad to be getting back to our community after 6 weeks with Caitlyn). Enjoy and if you are up to I assume that others are on your side as your first mind-set.

With Love,
Shannon

Independence day...

2009-07-09T13:32:00.000-07:00

As I was up feeding our daughter last night around 2 am I began to look around our living-room and to think about the 4th of July/Independence Day. I know that we are celebrating our Independence from Europe but in my sleep deprived state I took it one step further as I looked at the flag from Brandon’s late grandfather.

I began to think about our freedoms. I thought about the faith that we attempt to live out each day and how without our freedom/Independence that would not be possible. Brandon and I have had the great fortune of traveling to many different countries (he has clearly gone to more than I have) but as I looked at my short list of travel it was amazing to think that so many places didn’t have the freedom to worship a god of their choice. I am so thankful for the freedom that we have to worship our God – the creator of the earth.

I also then thought back to the time of Paul and the restrictions that people had for worship and for living their lives (particularly women). It is amazing to ponder how life would have been different in those times for not only me but also for our daughter.

As I sat there for 30-40 minutes thinking things through I began to praise God for the country we live in and the freedoms we have to freely worship. I then moved to thinking about how God has given us a free gift and we need to take that gift and freely give to others. That is what I believe we are called to do – and that is what I also believe we are trying to do by working with COTN.

Brandon has felt called to serve with COTN for that reason; he was able to freely receive God’s gift of life through a mission trip he took with COTN while in college. He now is working to give others that same opportunity – to receive the same gift through a similar experience. He is not only working to give college students that opportunity but also to give and love on the kids of the countries that COTN is working with.

…while some of this is a stretch from fireworks; it got me thinking about how we are lucky to live in a country that is free and that Christ offers and even bigger Independence/freedom if we would just except it. As I woke then on the morning of the 4th (again a few hours later) I was again reminded that each morning in need to except that freedom in Christ and that I need live tat out to the best of my ability in everything I do – not only because I am called to that but to be an example to the people around me and now to our daughter.

With love and gratefulness,
Shannon

New picture on Baby Bleek blog

2009-06-11T15:27:00.000-07:00

Baby showers and family

2009-05-22T10:10:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of the recent rash of baby showers over the past week.

The 285k was a success

2009-05-02T22:40:00.001-07:00

Check out this link:

The link shows a news report (King 5) about the feeding program at COTN. They did a nice job describing the program and highlighting COTN - hopefully many people saw this report and will feel compelled to help children around the world.

Copy and paste:

http://www.king5.com/video/news-index.html?nvid=357737&shu=1

Thank you for your continued support!

A week in the Dominican...

2009-03-26T04:19:00.000-07:00

Well, I've spent the last 7 days in the Dominican Republic with a group of 70 college students from the University of Washington. Here are some highlights:

- Transformation: The first day in the first village I watched as the students stood back and watched the kids run and play on their own, not sure how to interact. Yesterday I watched as students played tag, were used as human jungle gyms, and had their hair braided by the kids.
- The students have greatly improved the lives of 6 families in the villages so far by transforming the dirt floors of their homes into nice, new, and much more sanitary cement floors.
- Health: 72 people, 3 cases of unsteady bowels, 1 rash, 1 allergic breakout and broken finger (unfortunately same girl), 1 separated shoulder, 1 strained pitching arm, 1 tweaked knee, some cuffed knees and a lot of red skin. I'd say pretty good ratio so far.
- 4 nursing students saw 7 births, 4 of which were C-section.
- We packed 16 softball players, coaches, the driver, me and all their gear into a 9 passenger van to head across town for game.
- I reconnected with many of the kids I spent time with in on of the Haitian villages, called Los Robles, this summer.
- I've spent time with the COTN-DR staff, true friends.
- I've shoveled, rode buses, drank coke, worshiped, and simply hung out with college students, my most favorite people on earth!
- I've spent time hanging outwith my brother an sister-in-law, whom I absolutely love and am blessed to have the opportunity to call family.
- And for me, I've simply smiled so much.

7 days down, 7 to go. Can't wait to see what happens today!

Thanks you so much for your support and love. Please pray that we would continue to experience even more of God's work. And for me: pray for my energy and for comfort as I desperately miss my wife and soon to be daughter.

Here's just a few of many pictures of the precious moments I've seen and experienced.

The new additions!

2009-02-20T13:13:00.000-08:00

Introducing the newest additions to the Bleek clan... Just after 8 EST this morning Brandon's youngest sister Kim gave birth to two beautiful baby girls!

Alyssa Michelle Sizemore
Born at 5:25am on 2/20/09
Weight: 6lbs 9ozs
Length: 20in

Maya Anne Sizemore
Born at 5:26am on 2/20/09
Weight: 6lbs 5ozs
Length: 19in

New additions

2009-02-20T07:13:00.000-08:00

Maya Anne and Alyssa Michelle Sizemore were born into the Bleek family this morning around 5:15 PST in an Atlanta hospital. Both are over 6 bounds (one's 6lbs 9oz!) and they are healthy and well. Mom (Brandon's sister Kim) is recovering from a c-section as we speak. Hopefully we'll be able to put some pictures of these precious little girls up soon. Grandma and Grandpa Bleek and Aunt Shelly are headed to the hospital. Carter Sizemore (almost 3) will meet his new little sisters there too.

A good heart, a little face... AND IT"S A _____!!!

2009-02-14T18:14:00.000-08:00

And we can prove it. To see the gender and images of our beautiful little ____, click on the "Baby Bleek" link to the right.

Vote now!

2009-01-08T16:58:00.000-08:00

Will Baby Bleek be a boy or a girl? You can weigh in right now.
Just click on the "Baby Bleek" link to the right. There you'll see a poll on the left. Click "Boy" or "Girl" and cast your vote!

It's a.... well it has feet!

2008-12-18T23:04:00.000-08:00

Yep, we're officially going to be parents! We are so excited and definitely covet your prayers. We have another blog with some ultrasound shots on it. Check it out at www.babybleek.blogspot.com.

A video from last year's Sierra Leone intern leaders...

2008-12-18T13:49:00.000-08:00

Sierra Leone Summer from Laura Brost on Vimeo.

Join me in the DR this Spring Break!

2008-12-02T08:52:00.000-08:00

I want to invite my supporters, family and friends to join me in travelling to the Dominican Republic this Spring Break. There we'll come alongside the Children of the Nation’s ministry that’s working in the barrios and bateys near the southwestern town of Barahona. This is a unique trip; All ages are welcome! We are hoping to have a wide range of participants; retired, single, teenager, and even families are encouraged to join. This trip will be shaped around the participants who join. There are a wide, wide variety of needs and projects in the DR (construction, English classes, sports camps, etc...). Instead of picking a project beforehand we our going to put our team together, see who we have, and then pick one or two of the many needs that this team might best address. The trip will be the evening of March 27th through April 5th and the approximate cost is $1200 plus airfare (currently around $850 from Seattle). The hope is that you might come and see a place that's made a great impact on me, see the children COTN ministers to first hand, and also get a better picture of the work I do specifically with interns. If you are interested or would like to find out more please fill free to call me or you can email me at brandonbleek@cotni.org. In the email feel free to include some of your interests. That way we can start looking into projects that might fit our team. Hope you can come!

Malawi kids...

2008-10-31T10:16:00.000-07:00

Here are our celebrity visitors from Malawi... We took them to the top of the Columbia Tower, 74th floor. It was dizzying even for me!

And here they are in their national garb. I fell in love with Tika, the smallest one.

Let's get back up to speed!

2008-10-25T16:46:00.000-07:00

Wow! It's has been a LONG time since we up-dated you on our lives. Well, here's a quick over-view and some pictures to highlight what is going on in our Kirkland home and around the world.

• The school year is off and rolling for Shannon. It's been a great start; the kids seem to be motivated and are excited about 7th grade.

• Brandon has been coaching a girls U7 soccer team – and man, can they play!? They've been thumping teams, usually winning by around 10 goals. No joke! It's been a great way to be involved in our community and give back.

• Brandon is following up with students from the summer and getting ready for next year. He's been working hard to iron out some of the “kinks” from last summer so that this year can be even better.

• Brandon is planning to take a few trips this coming year; one to Africa to see and learn more about the intern program there. One to the DR where we hope to take a group from our church and any additional supports that would like to go see the work being done there. You interested?!

• State side COTN is in the middle of the “banquet season” we have some kids here from Africa that are performing at each banquet. They are doing an amazing job – it is amazing to see where these kids began and where they are now. The theme of the year is “look at me now” – as we look back and see how the children arrive at COTN and how they are now it is amazing to see what God is doing. We feel so blessed to be working with a mission that is truly impacting kids lives and in such huge ways! God is good – all the time! (We'll try to post a picture soon of the COTN kids who are currently here from Malawi)

• We also were invited to speak at our church. The sermon focus was "outward living". It was quite an adventure to work together on this but we feel like we did well. Here's the link if you'd like to listen (just paste it in your browser):
http://www.ecreekside.com/Audio/Sermons/Sermon20081012.mp3

• We are again beginning the process of fundraising for Brandon’s salary and ministry expenses (apprx. $50,000 for 2009). We are trying to live within our means within this financial crisis, so pray that we could find good support and shepard it well.

We hope that this brief post finds you all well. Thank you so much for all you've done for us. We can't imagine making this journey without each and every one of you. We anticipate sending out a letter in the next month please be praying in this economy about continuing support us.

Hurricane Ike passes by

2008-09-08T11:49:00.000-07:00

As hurricane Ike passed by the Dominican Republic yesterday it rained and poured. Algodon, one of the villages COTN works in, was evacuated due to rising waters. Thankfully everyone is safe and were able to return home this morning. We don't have a damage report yet. Please pray for the families there who've been affected. Please also pray for those next door in Haiti. Ike hit them much worse. Below is a CNN report on the damage.

A meaningful encounter

2008-09-03T15:09:00.000-07:00

It doesn't seem like it's been very long, but in reality we've now been home for just over two weeks. We're definitely starting to get back into the swing of thing, though I think we are still a bit tired. Our summer in the DR left many impressions on us and as we've looked back we've realized that were so many lessons we learned while we were in the DR. Yet, among everything we saw and learned, there is one experience that I am personally still trying to figure out. It was an encounter that actually happened after our wheels had touched back down on American soil:

The first leg of our trip home took us from Santo Domingo to Miami. That afternoon we landed in Florida amidst the dark clouds and heavy rain of tropical storm Fay. Luckily the runway was still open and we were able to land and make it into the terminal. After immigration and customs we transferred over to another terminal for our next leg to Los Angeles. We found our gate and, unsurprisingly, the display board behind the counter informed us that our flight was delayed. By that time we were hungry for dinner so we scouted out some places to get some food and for a location where I could resume my two month hiatus from Starbucks mochas. Well, in order to find the mermaid I had to go way over to another terminal. While I did that Shannon stood in line at one of the only decent place to get some food on our corridor, Pizza Hut. She picked up a personal pizza for herself and two for me (she knows me so well!) then sat against the wall in the crowded waiting area in front of our gate.

I returned to her, my sweet caffeine-infused cocoa nectar in my hand, and we sat enjoying our "return to the land of ready to order food" feast. We finished up our pizzas and then began the wait. As we sat our future avion pulled up to the gate from it's previous route and unloaded it's passengers. The people on that plane exited behind glass doors, closed off from our waiting area, that directed them down a separate hallway towards their own customs process. That was when a man, sitting about 15 feet in front of us in the waiting area, got up and made his way towards the plane and it's exiting passengers at a rapid pace. He quickly walked towards the glass doors that he supposed assumed would automatically open on his approach but was able to stop short of almost being painfully stood up when they didn't budge for him. It was this moment when I first began to realize this guys was a bit confused and out of his element. I watched as after his near nose bending incident he seemed to communicate with the guard behind the doors who let him know he needed to sit back down and wait until the plane was ready. The man wandered back over to his chair, sat down his brief case, and returned to waiting. Yet he still carried quite a confused, almost panicky, look on his face. It occurred to me that I had unmindfully studied him a few minutes earlier. As I had surveyed the crowd my eyes had rested on him for a few moments. It was because he looked stunningly similar to those who we'd just worked with in the bateyes all summer. He was very dark and had the face structure of a Hatian. He had lightly colored and heavily worn cut off jeans and the type of over sized t-shirt that was regularly found in the street markets of Hispaniola. As I looked I knew this guy must be Haitian and that he probably wasn't very well off. As I reflected on my observations and now studied his actions and reactions my heart grew heavy for him. I wondered what he was doing here and, especially, what he must be feeling in a place like Miami.. somewhere so different from he was used to. I hurt for him a little and hoped he was okay. Then I mentally moved on. I popped in my iPod headphones and and slipped back into my world of waiting for the next flight, wondering if we'd make our connection in L.A., and thinking about what I'd do when I got back to our Kirkland home.

Right then was when Shannon leaned towards me and whispered in my ear. She had been watching the guy across from us too. She'd observed his situation and she'd felt for him also. But that's where the similarities around our observations ended. Shannon doesn't just observe and hurt, she acts. "I'm going to go see if he needs any help." I pulled out my ear buds to watch as she approached him and began a conversation. The first thing that became apparent was he didn't speak much English, only Creole. After they engaged in the typical struggle through a conversation between two people of different mother tongues Shannon did return with some information: This guy was headed to L.A. too; he was from Haiti, it was his first time in the U.S., he was going to visit his brother-in-law, had no luggage or anything beside his brief case containing only his ticket and passport, had no money, hadn't eaten since leaving Port-au-Prince, and had no idea when the plane L.A. was leaving.

Shannon always comes prepared to fly. She dug out some of the crackers and peanuts she had packed for the plane ride and delivered them into his excited hands. She learned that his name was, at least partially, Yusef and she explained that the plane was late while changing his watch to reflect the time it was now so that he could anticipate our departure. She returned to our seats by the wall, satisfied that she could help. A few minutes after Yusef got up and came over to us. He loved the peanuts and asked what they were called. The plane was delayed some more and Shannon explained what time that meant we'd be in L.A. He saw Shannon's phone and asked if he might be able to call ahead to let them know when he'd be there. He had his brother's number memorized but needed to write it down to communicate it to us. Finally we got through and he reached a fellow Creole speaker on the other end of the line. His face lit up once he was able to clearly communicate for the first time since he'd left. After the call Shannon showed him that it was possible to get free water, how to use the drinking fountain, and where the bathroom was.

After some hours we finally were allowed on the plane. But the adventure didn't end there. We sat on the tarmac, in the middle of the storm, for another couple hours. First for weather, then for a broken antenna, and then because there was no vehicle to push us away from our great. As the time of departure kept getting pushed further and further back Shannon would get up and go back to Yusef to make sure he was okay and in the know. About 3/4 the way through our wait she called the brother-in-law again to give him and update. Then we finally departed Miami, long over-due and scheduled to arrive hours after our connection would depart.

We made it up and out of Fay and across the continent to the west coast, where we landed around 2:00am. (Our connection left at 10:30 the night before) Now we had two desires; to see Yusef connect with his brother-in-law and to get ourselves to Seattle. Now we split up. Shannon went to the counter to get us straightened out and I went outside with Yusef. We got to the pick up area, called his brother-in-law to let him know where he was at, and placed Yusef in the right place to be picked up. As soon as I knew his brother was coming right to where Yusef was we said our goodbyes and I headed back to try and help Shannon figure out our flight mess. It goes on quite a bit from there. By this time we were so tired and frustrated with American Airlines. We got pushed around from agent to agent and were finally told we weren't getting any compensation. We ended up spending the short night before the morning flight to Seattle on the over air-conditioned tile floor or Terminal 3. But something from that night that will always stick with me was my departure from Yusef. "when will I see you again?", he muttered out in broken English. I don't know. But then I thought of a phrase that many Dominican's used this summer. Dios sabe. God knows. I'm not sure my message got through to him but the hand shake did. We departed.

I still have the number for Yusef's brother-in-law on the peice of notebook paper he wrote it on. And I've often pondered dialing it out of curiosity of how he's doing (though that might come across a bit weird). Since that day I've often reflected on our encounter with him and realized that it was beyond coincidental. Here was a man sitting alone as the hectic hustle, bustle, loudness, flashiness, and prosperity of Miami-Dade International Airport's occupants buzzed around him that day. People shopped, ran, talked, ate, yelled, and slept without even acknowledging or truly even noticing that he was in their presence. Here was Yusef, completely alone, on his own to struggle through understanding how to find his flight to L.A., how to make sense of what was being said over the already inaudible loud speakers, and to process the pizzas being ate, the flat screens being watched, the massages being given, the kids with Gameboys, and drinking fountain mounted to the wall. As I realize how out of place he must have felt I see that God put us there because we had just come from the same. All summer it took work to go to the store or figure out how to make a call on a cell phone. When we first arrived in the DR the noises of people speaking around us in public areas was simply an unintelligible buzzed. We, much like Yusef, were lost in the foreignness. Over and over all summer we encountered a person here or there who noticed us above through the crowd and lent us a hand as we navigated everything new. Now God, on our way home from our summer, after we thought our time of service was up, God has placed there, in the middle of a crowded storm-shelter like airport terminal, to notice him. We were able to help a man navigate his way through a new land to his family. Yes, he probably would have made it fine without us. But at least with us the journey contained a bit less angst, a little less hunger, and a bit more hydration.

And for me, well I learned a few lessons through this experience. One; as we re-entered our culture we got to see it through another man's eyes. The lessons to be learned from that our abounding. Two, I realized more and more why I love my wife. If it wasn't for her I would have just sat and hurt for the Haitian man sitting across from us. But because of Shannon, Yusef easily found his way to L.A. and left an impression on our hearts. I thank God that He paired me with a woman of action and a woman who isn't easily intimidated. Time and again throughout the summer Shannon would do things I didn't because I was intimidated by the language. Or she'd say hard things to the interns that needed to be said but I didn't want to. And so often she'd spend so much time caring for others.. not just in though but in deed. Shannon simply does what she thinks God wants her to do without having to get past herself. I've got so much to learn from her.

I learned from from this to keep our eyes open for the people God puts in our paths and to be ready to act on their behalf. And, moreover, I learned that I'm so glad I kept mine open when He decided it was time for Shannon's path to cross mine.

Shannon, thank you for what you taught me this summer. It wouldn't have turned out nearly as good without you.. for me or for the people whom we both saw but for whom you pushed us to act towards. I love you.

In Him,
Brandon Bleek

Back home to front (and rear) ends...

2008-08-21T13:37:00.000-07:00

Well, we are officially back from our Dominican adventure. It feels a bit surreal right now. I've spent the day doing laundry and renewing my driver's license (my b-day is Saturday!) and Shannon is spending the day at work preparing her classroom. Teachers start Monday!

Our trip back was a bit longer than we had intended. About 3 or 4 hours after the interns flew out of Santo Domingo on Friday afternoon tropical storm Fay came crashing ashore. It was crazy to see the rain literally being blown under the door in the hotel we were staying in. We couldn't see a lot because of the floor to ceiling storm shutters that they put over the doors and windows. But when we woke up the next morning there was definitely damage and still a lot of water. We were spending the next few days with Scott and Kelly. There was still a ton of rain when we drove over the mountains and the rivers were running high. But by the time we got to the coast it was sunny again and we were able to enjoy our days at the beach with the Hamptons. We learned quickly that the storm wasn't done with us yet. We flew into Miami on Monday night and caught right back up with old Fay. Somehow we still got out of Miami, though it was at least 4 hours behind schedule and in a complete downpour. That put us into LA way after our connection. So they put us on the first flight out the next morning. The problem was it was 1:30am and we were told we needed to check in at 4:30. So we got our "nights" sleep on the tile floor of a very air conditioned terminal 3. It was a very long couple days of travel that included not only delays and weather but also some other crazy (laughable, exhausting, and heart-breaking) experiences; including a very large man on our flight to LA who we couldn't wake up and just climbed over to get to the bathroom, some very frustrated airline employees, and a Haitian man we met who spoke no English and had no money and was simply trying to get to his brother-in-law who lives in LA (I think I may blog about this later as it was quite an experience, especially considering where we had just come from).

But we finally walked through the door of our Kirkland condo and are now trying to get back into the swing of things here. We realized right away that it might be a little harder to readjust then we thought:
- One example was that I got in my truck to drive us home from where Bethany had stored it for the summer and was totally weirded out by driving something that had a front end. I hadn't realized it but all summer I had driven either a Toyota van, a Daihatsu flat bed, or a couple of mini-vans. All of these vehicles have the engine under or behind you with nothing between you and the car your following but a dash board and windshield. I realized I was going to need to adjust back a bit when I was worried about sticking my Rangers front end too far out into the intersection.
- Another example has to do with the other end. Shannon got up to go to the bathroom Wednesday night and habitually threw her toilet paper right in the basket. It was simply what we had done all summer and it was just the norm until she realized that we don't actually do that here. I think it made her realize that there was going to be some adjusting back too. That and the fact that for the past two nights she hasn't been able to keep her eyes open past 6:30 or 7pm!

Anyway, we just wanted to let you all know that we are home. We are taking a couple days to recuperate now and are jumping right back into the swing of things on Monday. We hope that we can catch up with you all very soon. We'd love to share our summer with you as well as hear how yours was. Thank you so much for all your prayers and support. We had a great time and are excited to be able to continue our ministry with COTN back home.

We will write more soon!

Our last Dominican post...

2008-08-12T04:41:00.000-07:00

Sorry it’s been so long since the last post. A ton has happened over the last week so we’ve been running around quite a bit. Yesterday we began the process of saying good-bye. We finished our Tutoring and English classes and had goodbye parties with the kids. It was both a celebration and a bit sad. It’s amazing how attached you can become after two months of learning and playing together. But we also talked about how God has had us here for a specific amount of time and that He’s got more in store for them after we leave. It was comforting for all of us to realize that, like a tree that takes a lifetime to grow; our work with these kids was but one of the many times they’d be watered. We were faithful to His call this summer and He will continue to water and fertilize them once we leave. Today we say goodbye to the small group/bible-study the girls have been leading in Algodon. (This might be a little harder) Then we have a Despidida (goodbye party) with the staff tonight and take off for our debriefing in Santo Domingo tomorrow morning. Therefore, this may be the last post before we arrive back in our Kirkland condo next week! It’s crazy to think that it’s already over. We wanted to give you one last snap shot into what has been doing this summer so below is a report that Shannon put together of some great events last week. Enjoying reading it and thank you so, so much for all your support and prayers!

God Sightings:
Tuesday’s are special days for the interns in the DR this year. They do two major things; in the morning they have a small group Bible study and in the afternoon they play softball. The small group is in Batey Algodon and softball is in both Algodon and Batey Los Robles. This has been going on all summer but we want to tell you about this past Tuesday. Last Tuesday seemed like a miracle that just kept going and going all day long!

Here’s a quick run down of all the times I saw God at work: In the morning we left the mission house on time (that is a miracle in and of itself); when the girls arrived for small group they were excited for the lesson they had planned and had prayed that all the girls would come. They did, and they connected with the girls so, so well. It was actually so successful that when Brandon and I went back to pick them up the Dominican girls wanted the interns to stay so much that they came out of the school, locked the gate behind them, and told us that the interns had left had left and gone to heaven so we should just go back without them! The morning was so encouraging to the interns and was such an answer to prayer. Then we returned to the mission house for lunch (our lunch time fluctuates from noon to 1:15 so we had requested to have lunch at noon because of the busy afternoon schedule). If you have ever been to the DR you would know that time is not of huge importance down here – relationship is, so to try to request a meal time was a bit of a push. However here was God again! When we pulled in at 11:45 the food was done and on the table ready for us to eat!!! This was great, as we needed to go quickly from lunch so we could take the big flatbed Daihatsu truck to pick up all the softball girls and take them to a game between the two bateys that we had arranged as a way to end the softball ministry. As we clamored to Algodon we saw none of the girls standing and waiting for us. Therefore we had to go looking for them in each of their houses. Forty minutes later we finally were able to collect them all and pull back on the road headed towards Los Robles. We were now behind schedule and if we had to do the same thing when we got to there we weren’t sure we’d have time for much of a game. So as we bumped down the pot-holed road we quickly prayed that somehow everyone would be waiting and ready to go. Sure enough as we pulled through the gate into the school there were all the girls, sitting and waiting to go! This was a particularly amazing as it was the first morning all summer that we didn’t have to go to each of their houses to look for them. The next event could be seen as a spot of trouble but in the big picture it was amazing: after loading everyone (40+ people) into the back of the truck we hooped in to go and it wouldn’t turnover, not even a single little click. We sat there for a few minutes checking the battery and wondering what to do. Then decided we’d try to “push-start” it. Now this is no little truck, it’s a tall, long, flatbed work truck. So everyone unloaded, got behind the truck, and started pushing. Brandon popped the clutch 10 yards down the playground and the engine roared to life. The best part is that when the girls climbed back in the truck they were no longer divided but rather united in victory that they had all saved the day. The other great part (that I thought of later in the evening) is that if this had happened at our first stop in Algodon there’s no way we would have ever started it again as the road out is all uphill. After that drama we went to the field and started the game. The first couple innings started out really well but then, as the game got more competitive and calls became more questionable tempers started to fly. Right when we were thinking, “okay, we might need to call this thing off” David Cuevas (COTN DR’s short-term Team Coordinator and Sport’s Ministry guru) arrived and was able to take over the job of umpire for the rest of the game. Upon his arrival the mood changed instantly and he was able to bring things back under a bit more control. The timing couldn’t have been better. The girls were still competitive and Los Robles, the eventual losers, were not at all happy. But David was able to drive the Algodon team home as to avoid any uncomfort in the back of the Diahatsu. This was great to because the interns were able to have a blast with the Los Robles girls during the ride home (which included a water fight) and they left the day with smiles on their faces.

It is amazing that as we look through our days we can either choose to say we had a “lucky day” or we can really look and see that Christ has been in everything we’ve experienced. My hope is that we will continue to see Christ in all our situations, both here and when we return home.

Thanks so muc h for your friendship, love and support. Though we will DEFINITELY miss it here we can't wait to see you all soon!
In Him,
Brandon and Shannon

The home stretch!

2008-08-04T15:16:00.001-07:00

Today we began our last full week of ministry with the interns. It seems too soon to be thinking about leaving. In some ways it feels like we have only just begun to find our places here and in other ways my heart longs for Kirkland (or at least the Northwest). This has been a wonderful experience of working, laughing, living and learning. I’m confident that none of us will leave this experience the same as we arrived. God has done a mighty work in and through us over the past two months. I can see why Brandon loves this place and these people; it’s an amazing ministry that is happening here and I’m glad that God called us to participate in what He’s doing here this summer.
Since our last post we’ve done a few things (well many things but here are a few highlights). We, along with Scott and Kelly, went to dinner at Kate’s host family’s casa. It was an evening filled with food, great conversation and some hilarious dancing. We also went with all of the host families to the beach Saturday. It was a fun day as we were able to witness wonderful interactions between the families and their interns. It is clear that God placed these interns with wonderful people and has been with them in all their interactions throughout the summer. Sunday Brandon and I took a few hours off to go to hotel pool (we bought cokes and so got to swim). It was so fun to sit and only be with one another; it was re-energizing and we think we feel ready to go for these last days.
This week will begin the long process of saying good-bye and bringing our classes to an end. We go into it a little heavy-hearted, as we have grown attached to so many people here. However we also begin this week with the confidence that God will bring how He’s been working through us to completion. The thing we’ve always remembered about this ministry is that it began before us and will continue after we leave. When we began the summer it was our goal to fit into the ministry that was already here; looking for where He was at work and discovering where we could best get on board. I think that is what has happened through our tutoring, English, Softball practice, nursing, and more. So while it will be difficult to leave what we’ve put our hearts into it is also wonderful to know that the next group can pick up where we stopped.
As we finish off please continue to pray for health; while everyone has been healthy for a week we don’t want anyone to miss out on their last week with the students. Please also pray that, as we prepare for the debriefing time next week, God would show us how to best lead their leaving process and help the transition back into life at home.
Thank you for your continued support.
Love,
Shannon
(Some photos below. You can also hear things from the interns point of view at www.drinternteam08.blogspot.com)

Una Boda!

2008-07-27T06:56:00.000-07:00

Last night we had the privilege of going to Katherine’s wedding. This is a person Brandon has known since his first trip 10 years ago. When he first met Katherine she was 11 years old and they have seen each other often over the years. It was a wonderful day and she looked very happy to be starting a new life with her groom. Many parts of the wedding felt similar to a wedding back home. Everyone stood when the bride entered, her father escorted her, she was wearing a beautiful white dress and he was in a very nice suit. There was much joy throughout the entire evening. Two major differences that we noticed were that there was only one dance and it was between the bride and the groom. They looked wonderful and clearly are in love with each other, it was so fun to watch. The other difference was with the cake. There was a delicious looking cake in the back of the room however as people finished eating the food they all began to leave. We wondered why no one was staying to eat the cake. Later we found out two things; one that every guest has their picture taken with the bride and groom in front of the cake. (see our picture in the slide show below) Then, after everyone has had their picture taken, the guests leave and the cake is finally cut, only to be served to the bride and groom’s families. Thankfully the bride’s father (Julio a co-worker at the mission) specifically invited us to stay for cake and eat from his family’s portion.
All in all it was a wonderful night and a great day for the family. We felt very honored to be apart of their celebration. We wish them the best as they begin a new adventure together!

Three weeks left...

2008-07-26T11:53:00.000-07:00

Well, it's now been three weeks of going, going, going, without a rest day. We are loving it all but we are also excited the weekend is here and we can at least sleep in a it.

This weekend we are going to a wedding of some old friends of Brandon; they were some of the first people Brandon met 10 years ago on his first trip. I am very excited to go to a wedding in a different culture; it should be fun. We were not anticipating going so had nothing to wear to the wedding. Thankfully Brandon fit into some of Scott’s formal clothes (although the pants are a little long); however I needed a dress and Brandon needed shoes. One of the intern’s host families are known for their bartering skills and so took us shopping. It was hilarious! I was trying on dresses and was sweating so much at one point that I had to have help taking it back off! Meanwhile Brandon was trying to find shoes and some dress socks. When we found the items to purchase it was amazing to see Carrion (the host dad) at work to bring down the price. When he was done we paid just slightly over half price. Can you imagine being able to bring down the price when clothing shopping?! We then taught him the saying “you’re the man” which he proudly said over and over. It was a unique experience and we are excited to wear our new Dominican clothes to the wedding tonight.

Last night we had the interns over for a night of the comforts of home. It was a lot of people to fit into Scott and Kelly’s house but they were thrilled as we bought pizza and Coke, and Kelly made them brownies! It was a great night together (with everyone healthy) before they go spend the weekend with their host families. Brandon and I continue to be amazed by this group and are thrilled to be apart of a group who seeks after God’s will.

Pray for:
- recupperation and relaxation this weeknd, so that we may eneter the next week with energy, joy and endurance.
- for the interns as they spend the whole weekend with their host families.
- that we would stay strong during these last two weeks of ministry.

Thanks!
Shannon

The interns having an "American Night" at our house

A few pictures from the summer

2008-07-26T06:36:00.000-07:00

Half-way through!

2008-07-22T04:00:00.000-07:00

Week 4 updates from Shannon and Brandon

Shannon’s:
It has been a different week for me with many unexpected adventures. We sadly had an intern that became quite sick. She had stomach cramping, having just had a friend get her appendix removed I was very worried. Turns out she had an amoeba and a bad reaction to the medication. Thus she was admitted to the clinic over night … and therefore so was I. We spent a night in the clinic just down the street from Scott and Kelly’s house, where Scott had been earlier this year. Turns out it was a nice clinic/hospital – different than in the United States but when it was all said and done the intern is better and we learned new words in Spanish. Shortly after that we had a second intern need to be admitted for a similar reason (she is also doing better). So I have now had two nights in the clinic and have made some new friends with doctors and nurses.

The next big adventure was taking the interns on a retreat. It was slightly different than we had originally planned but it turned out to be wonderful. The interns felt refreshed and we believe that they are ready to take on the second half of the summer. We went to a hotel for Friday and Saturday night, on Saturday we also went to a beautiful beach three hours west. It was very fun and nice to see another part of the country.

The last part of this past week was sadly saying goodbye to two of our teammates, Andrew and Jenna. They were with us for only half of the summer because they are in the process of coming on staff with COTN and needed to go home to continue fundraising. They were wonderful to have here and will be dearly missed.

Week four held many different emotions and adventures. It is also interesting, as we have passed the halfway mark. That for me is an odd feeling, one that I am not sure what to feel. I have so enjoyed my time here with these interns, the Dominican Staff and of course with my family and yet I feel joy to return home to friends and our home. It is a mixed bag. One thing is for-sure I am learning that although my day might not go according to my plan God can and will show up if we invite Him and then seek His presences.
We shall see how this second half unfolds – I am excited to see how the adventure will continue. Please pray that we could continue to be present where we are present and invest all of who we are into this program and this summer.
Shannon

Brandon’s:
Well, we are halfway through. It’s crazy how fast it has gone by. I can’t actually believe it! It seems like just a little while ago that Scott and Kelly were picking me up from the airport so I could get ready for all the interns. Now we are in full stride with tutoring, English classes, small groups, softball, etc…

As Shannon said above, the last couple weeks have been a bit crazy. Having two sick interns was a new experience for both of us. It is very difficult to figure out what is going on medically with someone when no one in charge, or at least in the know, speaks the same language as you. Being in the clinic was the ultimate in foreign experiences and wore us all out a bit… especially Shannon. She not only spent two nights in the clinic alone, with all the worries about the sick interns, a new environment, crazy noises, and simply alone, but she also went all around town tracking down nurses and doctors, delivering stool samples, getting results, and buying medicine. She was on a mission to make sure those girls were healthy and will never, ever, get enough praise for how much she did and cared! Please pray that she might be able to get some rest and recover from all the time she spent working and worrying over the intern’s health, even in the midst of the work she’s still doing among them each day.

You could also pray that Shannon and I might have some time soon to connect and process. The late nights and busy weekends have some times made us feel like two ships passing in the night. We need to carve some time, and reserve some energy, so that we can give each other our best.

As for me, I would simply ask for prayers for strength and perspective. I think after the last 4 weeks of driving people to the bateys twice a day, trouble shooting many things, investing in interns, and running all the other errands that come along with a trip like this, I’ve gotten a bit tired. I woke up this morning at 4:45 and knew I needed to pray that God would remind me why I’m here and that He’d help me not make this trip about me but about what He’s doing in and through the girls. Also, over the summer, I have once again become aware of my desire to be loved and, though that’s a God given part of me, how I take can that too far by having my feelings hurt by little things like an intern not sitting up front with me in the van or confiding in someone else, an idea being shot down, or a friend from home not writing back right away. I’m really, really praying for perspective in this area. My desire is to step outside of myself and focus on loving more than on being loved. Help me pray that I would concentrate on loving my wife, my friends, my family, the interns, and the people here before I analyze the ways I’m being loved… and that I would find my identity/worth in Him, not them.

For the interns I would ask that you would continue to pray for health. I’m sure more of us will have parasites, etc. before the summer is done. But pray that we would be as healthy as possible and that occasional sick nesses wouldn’t be discouraging. Also pray for them as they continue this week. The mood has changed for two reasons; the end is now in sight and they have gotten into a routine. I would ask that you pray that they would invest everyday and would make the most of every interaction they get between now and the end. Pray that we could help the see that God called them here for each and every day of work this summer and that they’d not slow down through the second half of the race but would push even harder as they realize the finish line is closer.
Brandon

Ingrid saying goodbye to a little amoeba friend she picked up (right) and us enjoying our retreat at Bahia de las Aguillas (below).

Week 3 update

2008-07-10T04:31:00.000-07:00

Well, we are most the way through week three of the internship. Things have been going pretty well. Of course, there are always some hiccups. But I have to tell you that I am so, so proud of our interns. They have been so flexible and self-starting. For example one of the events that we have had planned for a few weeks didn't go off as planned so we ended up having a free morning on Tuesday. Instead of getting upset or disappointed they simply said, "Okay, let's go find some kids." They ended up hanging out with some of the smaller kids and playing games with them. Shannon and I have been so impressed that after three weeks of living with host families, working in the heat, and facing some challenges, that there have been little to no complaints. We really couldn't have asked for or imagined a better group of interns.

A lot has been going on this week. Jessica and Rachel joined a group of nurses from the COTN clinic who've been traveling to the bateyes to give tetanus vaccinations. It's pretty amazing. The people out there haven't had them so they've been giving shots to people anywhere from 3 to 95 years old! (See picture below). Monday Wednesday and Friday mornings have been filled with summer school tutoring for smaller kids in Algodon, Los Robles and Don Bosco. (See pic) This is mostly working with the real young kids on reading, writing and math. (See pic) The afternoons have been English classes. Some of the interns have been teaching conversational Spanish in the bateyes while Megan and Ingrid are teaching a beginners class for kids from town. A few other things have been going on. Andrew, with the help of two American high-school students, has been building shelves for the wear house and will then be organizing and inventorying it. This is a huge job. Pray for him as he leaves next Friday and is really hoping to finish it before then. The girls have also been coaching softball in the bateyes on Tuesday afternoons. At the end of the summer the girls will play each other. As you can see A LOT is happening! Here are some prayer requests as we continue this work.

Prayer requests:
- We've had a couple interns get sick with Amoeba's. Pray for their recovery and for the health of the rest of the interns.
- There has been a lot of Americans here this week with two short-term teams in town. Some of the confusion this can cause can wear people out and cause some strain to relationships. Please pray that the interns would overcome any tension and truly continue to love on each other.
- The interns will be spending the entire weekend with their host families. This can be tiring when you don't speak the language and aren't used to the living conditions. Pray for endurance and that they would find joy with their families.
- Pray for Shannon and I to continue to love the interns. We have been frustrated at times. Such as times where we ask the interns to hurry up and get in the van or to put their bags in a place out of the way of the teams and then they don't listen. We really, really love these interns. Pray that we wouldn't let little things get in the way of our love for them.

Thank you for your interest and prayers. Your support is making this summer go so well!

Jessica giving a tetanus vaccination.

Lauren tutoring the kids in Los Robles.

Week 2 intern update...

2008-07-05T16:37:00.000-07:00

Week two held many events here in the DR, both for the interns and for us. I will begin with the interns; their week began with planning in the morning for next week’s tutoring with Maritza (the education staff person for the COTN). They start tutoring in the bateyes next week. They worked hard and as we left yesterday they all seemed confident to begin. Their afternoons held many different events; Monday there was a slight mis-communication so we ended up with some extra time on our hands … that we conveniently turned into team bonding. Tuesday afternoon we began a ministry of softball! We split up into two groups and went to different bateyes where we played softball with 14 to 18 year old girls. At the end of the summer we hope to have a friendly game between the two teams. Wednesday and Friday afternoon they went to go teach English in the same bateyes. I went to two different classes (there are three) and was very impressed. They are working hard and the kids are so eager to learn. It was very fun to watch. On Thursday afternoon we took the interns to an ATM machine and then they treated themselves to ice-cream. Brandon lost a bet and owed one of the interns a cone. It was a fun afternoon with last minute preparations for the coming events. Today we had a “hang-out” time with the interns at the mission house. We spent the day swimming and just supporting one another with the culture changes.

For Brandon and I the week was eventful as well. We had a few car troubles; well only one problem (no we didn’t lose it) it wouldn’t start. The starter had apparently moved away from the part where it turns the engine on (clearly I know a lot about cars). But since the mechanic took the starter apart and fixed the problem the car has seemed to run fine. But prior to getting the car fixed we did have a funny thing occur. Here in the DR most houses (all that I have seen) have pad-locks on the doors. Scott, Brandon and David were working on getting the van started while Kelly and I were getting ready. They got it working, then Scott and David left and Brandon came back inside locking the gate behind him and leaving the van running as it was finally working. When we went to leave we were locked in our house as the keys were in the running car outside! We had to then call a neighbor to come let us out of our own house – there is something I never thought I would do!
Our other great adventure of the week was going to an outside crusade (or something similar). We took the interns and drove out to bateye Algodon. It was very fun as we danced with the people of the village and worshiped the same God in different languages. The pastor then invited Brandon to give a greeting on behalf of the Americans – thankfully one of the interns speaks excellent Spanish and went with Brandon. Finally the last funny thing of the week was the 4th of July. I brought down Kraft Mac and Cheese – so we ate that in honor of America’s independence. We also saw 5-10 (it depends on who you ask) fireworks being shot off about a block away. It was fun to have the chance to see fireworks and to have some foods from home … I love the blue box!

Week two had ups and downs emotionally but overall it was a great week. It is evident that God is doing huge things down here. We are so thankful to be apart of the ministry that is happening here and look forward to how we will fit into that picture in the weeks to come.

Prayers/Praises:
• Please pray for the interns and us as bodies become fatigued, pray against illness and dehydration
• Please pray for the ministries that we are apart of down here; Monday everything goes into full swing – there will be little down time
• Praise be to God that so far all of the interns are getting along well with their host families and are really engaging in the culture
• Praise be to God that the van is working and that we are able to have a vehicle for the entire summer to transport interns to their different ministries

Thank you for your continued support through finances, prayers, and encouraging words on email. We are so blessed to be apart of communities that care so deeply. We will continue to try to update the blog a minimum of once a week!

Intern pics week 1

2008-06-30T08:02:00.000-07:00

Well, here are some of the pics fro our intern group this first week. They have been really getting to know the culture!

Post-week 1 update

2008-06-29T10:48:00.001-07:00

One week and so much has happened it is difficult to say it all in a post on the blog, I however look forward to sitting with everyone and talking about this wild adventure God is taking us on when we return. For now I will try to give you a glimpse of what has happened in the last week.
Things I have seen and possibly stared at:
• A concho driver (a person riding a motorcycle who picks up passengers), carrying three other people and a mattress driving down the street.
• A horse race going by in front of Scott and Kelly’s front window
• People playing dominos on a table in the middle of the street
• Kids trying to have a camp fire to roast marshmallows on the sidewalk (this was hilarious and sadly unsuccessful for the kids)
• Live chickens and other animals for sale to eat
• The food – as I try to know exactly what is being served in English
Things I have marveled at:
• The friendliness and welcoming attitude of everyone on the COTN staff – they are excited to have us and truly want to know each intern
• The commitment to family that people have here, it is a neat thing to see generations of families all living close together and gathering on almost a daily basis
• How quickly people give praise to God, especially the staff – nothing happens without saying thanks be to God (which I know in Spanish but can’t spell)
• The work that has been done in the different villages and bateyes (Haitian villages) and to hear the accounts from Scott and Kelly about the progress that has been made. Yesterday we heard the history of the city and wow, God has done huge things here!
Things I have taken for granted at home:
• Microwaves
• Constant electricity
• Clean water
We are so excited to be here and to see how we can fit into the ministry that is already taking place. It is amazing and it is wonderful to see how the perspective of the interns is changing from bringing a ministry to fitting into what the needs are in this place. We’re waiting expectantly for what God will do next in and through us! Thank you for your constant prayers, please continue to lift us, and this ministry, up in the coming weeks.
Dios le bendiga,
Shannon

Host Families

2008-06-24T12:39:00.000-07:00

I just witnessed an amazing event as non-Spanish speaking college students met up their host families who don't speak English! It was amazing to see how they were all working so hard to communicate and on top of that how clearly God was present in the meeting and in the smiles on the faces of everyone. I too have a wonderful host family (Scott and Kelly) - thankfully they speak English and Spanish ... it is really helping out. In fact Scott translated all the introductions as the families stood to share and then the interns stood to share. I am so impressed with the knowledge that Scott, and Kelly, have gained both of the culture and language of this country. I don't have much time but it was a great three hour lunch as the interns met their families for the summer. I look forward to hearing the stories they will have of learning about this culture and the joy they will have in the small victories (of creating a whole sentence). I am confident that God will be present in those homes and that this will be an experience that no one will forget. Thank you for all your support, I am sure Brandon will update the blog with more details later.

Everyone Is Here!

2008-06-24T04:01:00.000-07:00

Good Morning! Everyone has arrived safely in the DR, and life is beginning to take shape. The first night we stayed at a hotel called "Betty's House" it was great - and air conditioned. Next Brandon and I moved into Scott and Kelly's apartment and the interns moved into the mission house for two nights (also air conditioned). Tonight the interns will move in with host families, they are very excited ... although I am not sure they know how hot it is when you sleep. I (Shannon) decided to update the blog as everything is new for me, and almost nothing is new for Brandon. Here are a few highlights:
1. Yesterday we got to tour the entire operation here. It is amazing to see how God is using this organization to serve this community. I was so amazed at the schools that we saw and how excited the children were about the schools. They wanted to go and be inside the gates of the schools ... something that I hope for American students.
2. All of the neighbors hangout outside in the evening. The first night we arrived at Scott and Kelly's house we met all the neighbors as they were sitting outside chatting and having juice. I love the community here, everyone is welcome anywhere (almost); although it can have the opposite feeling as well when you want to go to bed and there are many people stopping by - Scott and Kelly are very popular.
3. It is hot - I am amazed at the heat ... I had been worried about cold showers but I would say at this point I would love a cold shower.
4. I am humbled that God would choose to send us and work with these 9 wonderful interns and with these people. Our hope is that we will be able to fit into the work that is already being done here and that God would open our eyes and the interns eyes so that we may truly take in the vision and that we would see a glimpse of His Kingdom.

I have to say that it is exhausting to take in everything and in a different language. I feel very tired, some might say from the heat, but I think it is because all of my senses are working over time. There are so many new sights, sounds, and smells; I am constantly looking around and trying to figure out what is happening around me - for those of you who know me well I like to be apart of the conversation and currently I feel like I am just an observer of conversation (hopefully that will change in the coming weeks).

Alright well it is 7:30 am and I need to begin getting ready for the day - as you pray for us please keep these things in mind:

Praises:
✦ Everyone got here safely
✦ That we have the opportunity to live with my family for two months
✦ We are healthy

Prayer Requests:
✦ That we would be leaders who could constantly point the interns towards Christ and allow them to experience what God is doing not what we are doing
✦ As the interns are placed with host families they could adjust to a new living situation and that they would see the joy in that situation.

Turkiye!

2008-06-21T03:10:00.000-07:00

The interns are arriving so no more soccer for me. But sitting in a little pizza place with Scott and some Haitian guys watching the finish of this game was enough for me for the whole summer! Check out these highlights. Go Turkey!
ESPN

I'm leaving right now to head to the airport to pick everyone up. Pray for safe, and on time, arrivals.

Sweating in paradise...

2008-06-17T08:30:00.000-07:00

Well, I arrived in the DR two days ago. It's great to be back and to see all the people I know down here. Scott and Kelly (my brother and sister in-law) came and picked me up at the airport. It was quite the un-Dominican experience at first now that I think about it: the afternoon was overcast and not too hot at all. We first tooled around the capitol a bit, then went into a multi-story parking garage and took the elevator up to a big ole mall. Just like I had done a couple days before... After the mall we went across the street to, of all places, Taco Bell, where I enjoyed a combo number 3 and a Pepsi. Ah, it felt just like I had made a 'run for the border' down the street from our lovely Kingsgate condo! I was right at home.

Yet the reality that I was in the Dominican Set in pretty quickly after that. We got on the road in the Hampton mini-van (and I mean "mini", see pic below), which Kelly refers to as "the Mallow" as it's likeness to the savory treat is quite stunning, and headed out on the 3 to 4 hour drive west to Barahona. We soon realized we were definitely going the opposite way from everyone else though. Their were massive amounts of trucks, vans, mortorcycles, mules and mosquitoes (psyche on the last two!) headed back into Santo Domingo after their weekends in the country. And absolutely no one was shy about passing eachother. I thought I has gotten used to the loose-lawed driving during the years that I'd been down here. But man, this was something else. Numerous times we had cars, even busses, head straight at us and it wasn't them who were going back in their lane. Nope, we had two options; either we pull to the shoulder or let the bus be the graham cracker flattening us out to size. Well we made it home. But that (and the constantly sweaty feet) reminded me quickly that I was back in the Carribean.

The last two days have been good though. I've been able to hang out with Scott and Kelly, meet with Angel and David, and start thinking about orienting the interns. All in all it's been great being here the last two days.
In the next few days we will mostly be finalizing the host families, preparein their Mission House stay, and figuring out finances

The interns arrive throughout the day on Saturday. We will spend the night in the capitol their first day here, and then, after a bit of orientation, we'lll throw them and all their stuff on a bus and bring them to Barahona. The first week will then be orientation and ministry preparation. And they will start their ministries soon after that. Please pray for their safe travels and for me and Shannon as we prepare to orient them and get them settled. Thanks!

Oh, and pray for patience as I wait for my wife to show up. Being hot and having mosquitoes bite me is one thing, but being without her is misery on a whole other level!

Turkey, Croatia, and 7 Dutch goals?!

2008-06-12T18:55:00.000-07:00

For those of you playing he Euro pick 'em. Here's each other's brackets. Enjoy!
Go Turkey!

Josh's: DOWNLOAD FILE
Greg's: DOWNLOAD FILE
John's: DOWNLOAD FILE
Ryan's: DOWNLOAD FILE

EURO Pick 'em challenge

2008-06-05T12:12:00.000-07:00

Well, since the Mariners are not really entertaining right now, the Sonics are loading the trucks and the guys with helmets are getting DUI's I thought maybe we could interest ourselves in something else:

EURO 2008, the biggest tournament next to the World Cup, starts this Saturday in Austria and Switzerland. (More people will be watching this world-wide then the Stanley Cup, NBA play-offs and MLB combined..) It's gonna be a month of madness and all the games are on the ESPN "family" of networks. So there could be some exciting watching. To make it a little more interesting I thought we'd enter into a little pool. :)

I've created an excel bracket (the down-loadable link is at the bottom). All you have to do is fill it out and send it to me by Saturday morning. (bbleek@gmail.com)
Here's how it works:
- There are two pages, the Group and Knockout stages.
- Fill out the winners of each group game.
- Then, no matter who you picked in each of those games, go ahead an pick the winners of the quarter-finals. Once you enter you quarter-final winner it will be automatically forwarded into the semi-final box.
- Pick the winner of each semi-final game. Those will be automatically forwarded to the final.
- Pick the final winner and answer the tie-breaker question.

Scoring is explained on the bottom of the Knockout sheet. I will keep track and will give a few updates throughout the tourney. (I will send out my bracket by Sat. so you can see my picks are legit.)

There is a very, very, very optional buy in. A $5 suggested donation will go towards my ministry at Children of the Nations. If you want to buy in just give me some cash of I can tell you how to donate online. BUT if you don't want to donate please feel very, very free to still play. This is for fun and I'm just throwing donations out there as an idea on the side.

Alright, happy playing! And God bless the beautiful game!

Here's a blank bracket: DOWNLOAD FILE

Here's my bracket: DOWNLOAD FILE

A week in the life...

2008-05-16T16:23:00.000-07:00

A few people have asked me, "so what does your week look like?" Well, I got enough asking that I thought I'd take this week and let you know what I did. Here it goes:

Monday: I drove in to our new office in Seattle, down on Ravenna and 65th. I got there around 8:15 in the morning. I start my week out with a little preparation. I take out my personal mission statement and read it over. From there I list out the things I'm going to do for my week. I take a little time to get in the Word and say some prayers then I start my week. The first thing I do is turn in my weekly report to my supervisor. This lists all the tasks and meetings I am aiming at during the week. After that I start going through my list. Monday mostly consisted of looking at the "assignments" that each intern turns in each week. In their training they have reading on various subjects, like "entering another culture" or "working as a team", and questions to answer each week. I then look over all their answers and try to respond to either things that make me want to ask more questions of them or simply confirm that they are processing the information well. So on Monday I mostly did that as well as just a bunch of emailing and office work. I worked with our leaders on insurance, attempted to contact staff in the DR, and did A LOT of talking on the phone to mostly intern leaders and COTN staff - encouraging and assisting them along with troubleshooting some communication issues. I also did some donor care work... making lunch dates, writing thank yous, etc...

Tuesday: This day look different. Again I headed into Seattle for the day. In the morning I went in and did the obligatory email check. Then I had a phone meeting with one of our DR interns who is currently going to school in Idaho. I try to check in with every intern that is going to the DR every other week. Either in person or by phone. After meeting with her I headed over to UPC where I was interviewed for a book they are putting together for their 100 year celebration. It was great to tell about how my years as a staff member at UPC had really helped me grow up and had prepared me for the job I'm in now. After that I headed back to the office where we did a presentation for the staff that shares the building. Our office space was donated to us by Samaritan Counseling Center. Our space is actually the old choir room in what used to be Ravenna Presbyterian Church. Well, we just told the counseling staff who we are and what we're doing, so that they wouldn't wonder who those young people taking over the upstairs were. We then had an open house for them to come up and see our space and get to know us more. After that was more office work. This time was mostly spent on email and the phone, figuring out some intern logistics. At 4 I was off to UPC again. There we had an I Love Baseball board meeting. The ILB is coming under COTN as a program so we talked about that traditions as well as strategized on ways to raise money so the current guys down in Barahona can continue the program. I ended the day by conference calling with a young couple who is in the process of coming on staff with COTN in the Internship Department. They are also going to the DR this summer so we spent time online trying to find them the best airline itinerary. They were real troopers. We must have talked for an hour and ended about midnight their time.

Wednesday: This day started at 6am. I got up, grabbed some coffee, and after a short devotion sat down at the computer to begin a long logistical day. For the first few hours I worked on things like scanning passports, ordering prescriptions for this summer, mailing donations and reimbursements, and taking a quick trip to the drug store to buy a 3-ring notebook to organize all the DR info I will need to take with me this summer. I then spent time with my supervisor, Jody, on the phone. We have a weekly meeting. Next I talked to the DR Liaison over in Silverdale about how to get ahold of our DR country director. After that I talked with Nolan Giesbers, UPC's Mission Coordinator. We discussed how to combine the training that he is giving the students who are going to Malawi with the training that we do with them so as not to overload them. We had a great conversation and then I sent off to the UPC girls a revised training schedule for them that will take some weight off. Then, after lunch, I talked to some fellow staff member on topics ranging from Sierra Leone ministry projects to T-shirts. Then I did one of those super sprints through my inbox. It took awhile but I narrowed it down from about 60 to 7 or so. Hallelujah! I finished the day with more airfare phone calls and a phone meeting aimed at encouraging and guiding the intern leaders who will be going to Sierra Leone this summer.

Thursday: I started this morning at 7am. It took some coffee to get going. At 7:30 we have an intern staff meeting. (Four staff people are located in Orlando so we run on EST a lot.) After staff I did some emailing, sending out a weekly email to all the interns reminding them of where they are in the preparation process. After that I ran over to Virginia Mason and saw the travel doctor. She prescribed me my Malaria medicine and scheduled me for a TB test. I came home and got my ducks together then called Andrew, a young man in Orlando who is fundraising to come on staff and is going to the DR this summer. We had a great chat about fundraising and relationships. Then I met with a donor for lunch in downtown Bellevue. On my way home I spoke with a young woman who is coming on staff and is going to the DR, Jenna... Andrew's significant other. We talked a lot about Dr preparation. Then I had an hour long phone call with Angel Pena, the DR Country Director. We got a lot of stuff together for this years interns. It was very productive. I ended my day by sending some more emails about logistical things to staff and individuals and by compiling a notebook for each countries intern program. Oh! And I updated this blog! Very productive I must say.

Friday (tomorrow): I am headed into the office after Bible study to do some week ending emails. I'm meeting for coffee with one of our interns. I'm finishing up some office/logistical stuff, like the weekly report I send my supervisor. And I'm delivering some books that will be sent on to Malawi for our Country Director there who is doing his PhD through a graduate school in Seattle.

Well, there is a week in the life of Brandon Bleek, Internship Program Director. I hope this gives a bit of a picture of what I do! Blessings and thanks for your support!

Prayer Request - please join us!

2008-04-18T11:21:00.000-07:00

Praises and Prayer Requests:
• We just spent a week with Brandon’s family and more specifically Kim and Carter (Brandon’s sister from Atlanta and her son Carter) – it was so fun!
• Brandon had a wonderful trip to the DR – he accomplished many things for this summer and spent some good quality time with Scott and Kelly (see post below)
• Please pray for the preparation of our minds, hearts and all the logistics as we get ready to lead the intern team in the DR this summer
• Please pray for clear communication with the leadership in Malawi and Sierra Leone as he prepares for the interns who will be serving there this summer.
• Please also continue to pray for our budget – amazingly God has provided every month but we have not raised what we need in order to cover our travel expenses for the summer:

Important request: As most of you know we are traveling to the DR for the summer. It is going to be a wonderful time where we’ll be leading a group of college students through a cross-culture experience. We are very excited… but we need to get there first. We are humbly coming to you to ask that if you have any airline miles you would like to donate to offset (or possibly cover) the cost of our tickets that would be amazing. It is quite expensive to get from Washington, across the US, then down to the DR. We are also in need of covering the cost of our expenses there (i.e. room and board, transportation, and a few ministry costs). If you can help us in this way, or know of anyone who might be interested in assisting us, please contact us. We also ask that you’d join us prayer, asking that God would give us this provision.

Brandon ran a half marathon!

2008-04-17T14:25:00.000-07:00

On March 13th Brandon ran a half marathon. It took 2 hours and 10 seconds. Not bad for a 33 year old who's starting to get gray hair! Below are some pictures.

Brandon's March Trip

2008-04-16T10:58:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful trip to the Dominican Republic at the end of March. I want to first say thank you for all the prayers and support as I went down there. The trip was very successful. Primarily, I was able to work with the national staff to get ready for this summer’s eight-week long internship program, which Shannon and I will be leading. Some things we did were; discuss the passions and skills of the interns and how those might meet specific needs the COTNDR staff and children have, begin a conversation about what each intern’s individual ministry will be this summer, and worked on where each person on the internship team will live. We resolved that each intern will be living with a host family and we will be staying with Scott and Kelly. (Currently, Angel Pena, the Country Director of COTNDR, has sent out applications to families from several churches around the Barahona district to see if they might be interested in hosting an intern. We are praying that God would lead us solid and caring Christian families who would host our interns.) All in my entire trip was a productive time, allowing us to begin aligning the vision for the intern program with the vision of the Dominican national staff. Really, Shannon and I are constantly amazed by how God continues to bridge gaps to further the Kingdom. My trip was just another example. I, speaking almost no Spanish, worked with the national staff, some of whom speak limited English, to truly begin to dream about the Kingdom work God will do this summer through some American college students in the Dominican Republic.

Even amidst my work down there I also found some time to spend with my brother and sister-in-law, Scott and Kelly, who are COTN missionaries (see their web page under the “links” section on the right). It was fun to stay with them, watch Scott work with short-term teams down there, and experience how God is using them as they interact with the culture, the staff, and the children. I was also very blessed to spend some time with some of my former students and co-workers from University Ministries (the department of University Presbyterian Church that I worked for over the past). When I worked with Umin I lead/sent a total 13 teams of college students to the DR and it was so exciting to see that legacy continuing. The students worked in all our villages, did construction and played baseball. I also had some time to go to some baseball games (one of my favorite sports) and check out our I Love Baseball program (www.ilovebaseball.org). It was a fabulous trip overall, but, also, I’m glad to be home and that the next time I go Shannon will have the adventure with me! Check out some of the pictures he took from this last trip in the slideshow on the side (there are not many but a few good ones are included).

Current Prayer Requests

2008-03-06T14:11:00.000-08:00

Prayer Requests - 3/6/2008:
- Pray that I could fully invest in the summer interns, Associates, Intern Leaders, and the staff who I am currently leading, helping them to explore who they are in God’s eyes and how He might use them in His Kingdom.
- Pray for safety as I travel to the DR the 18th through 27th and that I would accomplish what I need to in order to best prepare for the interns.
- Pray for Shannon’s safe flight to Orlando for our Intern Leader Training, and that it would be a time that helps the Intern Leaders feel better equipped for their duties.
- Pray for my fundraising. My goal for the year is $50,000. Right now, if all my pledges come through, I have raised just above $36,000. As you can see, I still have a ways to go. Please pray for additional people to come behind me this way.

March Update

2008-03-06T14:09:00.000-08:00

Dear friends and family,
I truly hope this letter finds you all well! I wanted to write and give you an update on my new ministry. As most of you probably remember, I left the seven and a half year-long chapter of my life at University Presbyterian Church this past fall and transitioned into the role of Internship Program Director for Children of the Nations. (www.cotni.org)

I’ll tell you what, since I started in January I feel like I’ve been thrown straight into the fire! I’ve definitely had plenty to do. Most recently, one of my large projects has been to revise our manual that w give all the interns as they prepare for their two-month long trips in one of our countries. It covers topics such as fundraising, training, dealing with cultural differences, packing, staying healthy during your trip, and staying spiritually fresh…just to name a few. I’ve also spent my last few weeks interviewing the students who’ve applied for our intern positions. It’s been fun to hear the stories of students who truly desire to serve and who want to think about what God might be doing with their lives this summer. I’m excited because this last Friday I was able to call many of them and tell them they were accepted for the internship. Now that we have interns we begin the work I really enjoy: working individually with them to coach them through the process of fundraising, training, and preparing themselves for their overseas internship. Also on my plate have been the interviewing, acceptance, and placement of our Associates – college graduates who have decided to do an extended fourteen-month-long internship in one of our countries. I had the pleasure of making the phone calls to let this year’s group know they were accepted into the program and now I’m working particularly with our sole male candidate. He comes to us from Ireland and will be spending his year serving in Sierra Leone.
I’m also looking forward to some of the ways I’m going to be able to serve in the near future. On March 18th I’ll be hopping on a plane to the Dominican Republic with 70 college students from University Presbyterian Church. It’ll be great to hang out with students and staff that I’ve been connected to over the years, but my main goal is to use my 8 days down there to plan for the interns who will arrive in June. From the DR I’ll be flying back to Orlando where I’ll meet Shannon and a group of young adults who will be this summer’s Intern Leaders. There are usually two leaders per intern team/country. In Orlando we will lead a training retreat for these folks to prepare them for the experience of ministering to college students as they take them overseas.
That leads me to what I am most looking forward to right now. As most of you know, Shannon and I will be the Intern Leaders for this summer’s group in the DR. I’m excited to start walking with 8 interns and 2 staff that will make up our team this summer. It’ll be fun to be with these guys as they begin preparing for such a great adventure and then to be there as they go through the process of discovery that happens when they see, hear, and serve God in ways they never have before.
Outside of work life has been good. I’m proud to report that Shannon and I celebrated our 1st anniversary a few weeks ago. We had the opportunity to spend the night in Leavenworth and also spent a couple days up at Snoqualmie Pass playing in the snow. We feel so blessed that God has allowed us to interweave our lives and journey together. (For those of you who would like to hear more about that adventure and see some pictures just click on “Our life” in the contents bar on the right side of this web page) We’ve also enjoyed recently seeing Shannon’s family over the holidays, as well as my family and my great little nephew and beautiful little niece. Other than that Shannon has spent the winter coaching volleyball…they kicked butt on Tuesday! And I have spent my weekends teaching ski school and grabbing some turns…I went backcountry skiing last Saturday! Also, we’ve really been enjoying getting to know our new church family at Creekside Covenant.
Lastly (I hesitate to say this because it’s always hard for me to ask but) if any of you might consider praying about whether you might want to support me financially or not please shoot me an email or give me a call. I would love to answer any questions you might have. Blessings to you all!

The Bleek's - one year and loving it!

2008-02-20T18:51:00.000-08:00

Celebrating our first anniversary in Leavenworth

We wanted to give all our friends and family a quick update on how life is for the Bleek's right now. Our definite highlight happene this past weekend. On Saturday we celebrated 365 days of marriage! We know one year doesn't seem too long but we took the opportunity to really celebrate it. Our anniversary had a mountain theme to it. We took off from our Kirkland home on Friday afternoon and headed up to Snoqualmie Pass. There Brandon taught his usual Friday night ski lesson. Then we spent the night up at the Bleek condo where before going to bed we joined Brandon's parents in munching on the anniversary cake that our wedding cake baker graciously made for us, at no charge! Saturday morning Brandon helped his dad dig out their second floor balcony due to the record amount of snow that has pile up in front of it. Then we headed off to Leavenworth. In Leavenworth we spent our actual anniversary night at a beautiful little B&B named the Scandinavian Escape. We were excited to learn upon our arrival that the owners, Vern and Linny, were Christians and Linny had actually been a speaker at the camp in Yelm where Shannon used to work. If you're ever thinking about spending the night in Leavenworth then definitely check them out. We had a great time sitting in their hot tub under the stars, looking at the moonlit mountains hanging over Icicle Creek. We also loved the room we stayed in which had a bed that made you feel like you were sleeping in a vey comfortable tree house. That night we took some time to write down our favorite memories from this year and to set some goals and dreams for the next one. Also, while over there we used a gift our parents gave us to treat ourselves to a nice Italian dinner out. In the morning we went and explored the local ski hill (the perfect place to take your kids to learn how to ski!) and we walked around the town. Then we headed back to Snoqualmie Pass to stay one more night at the Bleek condo. There we went on a walk up the ski slope and back down through the snow-buried neighborhood. One of the funniest moments happened at the end this walk. On the hill between the condo and the parking lot some kids had dug a tube/chute to led down. Well we didn't have a sled but Brandon decided to jump in it anyway and just use his ski pants. Bad decision. About 2/3 the way down there was a bit of an ice chunk right in the middle. Brandon hit his tailbone on it and, well, he hasn't been able to go on a run since...and sitting has been pretty painful too! On our final morning we ended our celebration by driving up to Alpental and going snowshoeing.... Well, we intended to go snowshoeing but we got there and the trail was so packed down that the snowshoes stayed strapped to Brandon's pack throughout what ended up being the entire hike to a beautiful alpine bowl. We got alot of sun, enjoyed the snow, and played around a creek that must have been buried under 15 feet of snow! All in all we really enjoyed our celebration and are so grateful for the gift of each other that we've been given.

In other news we've been thinking alot about family lately. We really enjoyed having Shannon's sister and parents here for Christmas and will always cherish what it was like to have both our families together. We've really enjoyed using Skype lately too. We've used it to talk online to Shannon's brother, Scott, and his wife, Kelly, down in the DR a bit. We've been able to use it to talk to Brandon's sister, Kim, and her husband, Shane, and son, Carter. It's a blast to be able to see him using the video. Otherthan that we've enjoyed getting together with Brandon's sister, Shelly, brother in-law, Josh, and neice, Calla, at least once a month for lunch. (See the picture of Calla in her new ski goggles below!) And we've loved seeing Brandon's parents on Friday nights at ski school.

Lastly, we've really enjoyed attending Creekside Covenant Church lately and feel like we are becoming a part of that family. We are grateful to have people who know us and care for us there. We are also grateful to have all of you. Thanks for taking the time to read this and to care for us! Blessings from the Bleeks!

A new year is off to a good start...

2008-01-04T08:00:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year! Our hope and prayer is that 2008 is a year where you will see God's blessing on your lives and where you might grow closer to Him, becoming more and more rooted in just how much He loves you, your families, and your friends.
As Shannon and I look back on this past year we are overhwelmed by the ways God has blessed us. It wasn't a smooth year for us. Instead it was packed with newness and change that took some adjusting and getting use to. But as we look back on the events (getting married, Brandon leaving UPC, deciding to go to the DR, deciding not to go to the DR, coming on staff with COTN, and trying to raise support for a new position) we are confident that we have seen God's provision.

We want to give you a quick update about where we are at. Early in December as we were doing our fundraising we prayed that by Friday, Dec. 21st we would have fundraised enough money to have a minimal salary for the year. To our excited surprise God answered our prayer. On that Thursday we received a handful of checks that brought us to our minimum number. We were excited and relieved to see God do this. It allowed us to sit back and truly enjoy our Christmas break. We hosted Shannon's family at our little condo in Kirkland and spent time with my family in Federal Way and West Seattle. Having both families together made for the best Christmas I have ever experienced!

Now it is back to work and ministry. I am diving in three days a week working on the internship program. Right now I am working on re-writing the internship manual. The other two days a week I am still giving to support raising. We are right now in a place where we can afford to pay the mortgage, gas, electricity, etc.. But with our minimal salary we have no room for saving, retirement, or any other sort of spending. Needless to say we still have a ways to go. Please pray with us as we pray for more to come in to cover these things as well as to cover all my ministry expenses (travel, phone, etc..). We are hoping to raise another $20,000. We ask that you would pray specifically for that number.

Lastlly, we thank you for your support and prayers as we continue to try to walk in God's will for our lives. We are so appreciative of a community that has surrounded us with prayer and support. We feel truly blessed to have all of you in our lives. (I've included a picture fro our Christmas break just to share with you the fun we were freed up to have)

In Him,
Brandon

We need your support!

2007-12-18T10:18:00.000-08:00

We are excited to start our ministry. Brandon has been working hard for the last month on doing fundraising and it has been a blessing to see who has responded! We now have enough to at least get us started at the beginning of the year. We have fundraised about half of our goal of $50,000. Starting at the first of the year Brandon will begin a schedule of working on the internship ministry three days a week and still doing fundraising two days a week until this goal is complete and he is able to be freed up to do the ministry full time.

You can still help! In fact, we need your help. We still need to fundraise $25,000. We are intently looking for people who will commit to coming alongside us financially to see our vision happen. These donations will go towards Brandon's salary and ministry expenses as well as our trip between June and August to lead and mentor the interns in the Dominican Republic.

How do you help? we are looking for people to commit to us both on a monthly basis and with one time gifts. In order to make a contribution this is what you need to do:
1. Make your check out to "Children of the Nations"
2. Send it to Brandon and Shannon Bleek, 14342 126th Ave NE #A202, Kirkland, WA 98034
3. Include a note that says whether this is a one time gift or if you'd like to contribute a particular amount on a monthly or yearly basis.
4. Do not write Brandon or Shannon's name anywhere on the check so that you may use it as a tax deduction.

Details: After you send your check and commitment note you will recieve a response from Children of the Nations that gives you the options of sending a monthly check. You will also recieve instructions on how to sign up for automatic withdrawals if you prefer your regular donation to be deducted striaght from your checking account.

More questions? Do you still want to consider what you are giving to? Here are a few ways to find out more:
1. Call or email Brandon: 206-579-9364, brandonbleek@cotni.org
2. Check out the Children of the Nations web site: www.cotni.org
3. Click the link on the right that says "Ministry". Included there are a vision statement for Brandon's job and his job description.

Thank you: We are grateful that you would consider giving to our ministry. It is a blessing to see that people want to come alongside of us and support us, freeing us up to touch the lives of college students around the country and to enable those college students to greatly affect the lives of orphaned and destitute children in Africa and the Dominican.
Also, if you can't come alongside us financially you could always pray for us. We need that just as much! Contact us if that's what you'd like to do.

Vision Statement

2007-12-18T10:15:00.001-08:00

Brandon Bleek – Intern Program Director

What am I doing?
My main goal is to develop and maintain mentoring relationships with individual interns and intern leaders as they experience serving destitute and orphaned children cross-culturally. I also, in the future, hope to multiply myself – growing up leaders that will Shepard college students in their communities as they undergo these experiences.

Why am I doing this?
I believe there are three roles my position can serve in God’s kingdom.
1) I can provide an experience that interrupts the lives of college students. This interruption removes them from their regular world and routine and allows them to see God’s world in a new way.
2) The students learn that they have a purpose. By seeing God’s world through a new set of lenses they come to see that there are roles they can have in serving that world and its needs.
3) These students can use their individual talents, skills, energy and passions to enhance the lives of orphaned and destitute children in Malawi, Sierra Leone, Uganda and the Dominican Republic.

Why is this so unique?
God uses cross-cultural experiences to open our eyes and shape our lives. When a college student has one of these experiences their lives are often touched in a way that changes the way they view God, the way they see His Kingdom, the way they see themselves, and what they want to do with their lives. There is no substitute for how an experience like this can touch a college student’s life.

Why do I need you?
I can’t do this on my own. I need partners in ministry that will give of themselves to allow these college students to have these experiences and to touch the lives of the children.

I need people in these three areas.
1. Prayer – this cannot and will not happen without a group of people that will pray for these college students and their experiences.
2. Financially: I need ten people to donate $100 a month, twenty people to donate $50 a month, and 40 people to donate $25 a month. These finances will support my salary and ministry expenses.
3. Volunteering – I need people who will volunteer their time in a number of ways to become a part of the COTN family.

How can you get involved? Call me at (206)579-9364 or email me at brandonbleek@cotni.org.

Job Description

2007-12-18T10:15:00.000-08:00

Title: Intern Program Director
Department: COTN-USA Internship Department
Immediate Supervisor: Doug Hanson
Length of Contract: 2+ years

Essential Job Functions:
• Primary Function: Develop and maintain a mentoring relationship with individual interns/intern leaders during the training and debriefing portion of the internship program
• Secondary Function: Develop and maintain relationships with partner university programs through consistent and thorough communication with campus ministers and/or leaders for the purpose of ongoing intern discipleship and mentoring.
• Third Function: Recruit and develop COTN Program Coordinators to serve as leaders in each COTN country which hosts interns.
• Fourth Function: Work in cooperation with the Intern Spiritual Director to develop the COTN internship program, including but not limited to recruitment, training, in-country ministry, debriefing and follow-up.

Research and Development Responsibilities:
• Develop and implement a marketing/promotion plan for individual interns and groups
• Collaboratively work with the Venture staff to develop the Venture Community social/missional utility and utilize this tool for further development and debriefing of interns.
• Update/re-write the COTN Internship manual
• Update COTN web content to reflect the current internship program
• Coordinate with the Intern Spiritual Director to establish a routine schedule for the interns that will provide strategic space for personal spiritual development during the interns’ stay in-country including but not limited to individual devotion time, group devotions, group worship time and church
• Compile a list of diverse ideas that may allow the interns to more effectively mentor the COTN kids in a cross-cultural setting including but not limited to relationship-building activities, small group Bible studies, theological seminars, social outings, outreach/evangelism and Vacation Bible School

Preparation Responsibilities:
• Work in cooperation with the Intern Spiritual Director to review all intern applications
• Conduct phone interviews with all interns and make recommendations as to which interns to accept into the program based upon agreed upon criteria by the third Friday in February
• Establish and maintain a relationship with all accepted interns through a bi-weekly phone call and/or email from the week of acceptance through the week of departure
• Work in cooperation with the Intern Spiritual Director to conduct a training weekend for all Program and Spiritual Coordinators in March
• Maintain bi-weekly communication with all Program Coordinators, encouraging and guiding them through the preparations
• Create an emergency plan to be implemented in the case of any unforeseen traumatic event

In-Country responsibilities:
• Maintain regular weekly contact with Program Coordinators during their stay in-country
• Create and maintain weekly updates from each country (blog, eventually COTN site)
• Visits all COTN countries during the second half of the internship to encourage and refresh all Program Coordinators
• Be prepared to counsel any Program Coordinator in the case of a traumatic event during the course of the summer
• Serve as the emergency contact for any situations regarding interns arising in any COTN country
• Serve along with Shannon as the Intern Program and Spiritual Coordinators in the Dominican Republic during the summer of 2008.

Debriefing Responsibilities:
• Increased communication with Program Coordinators during the final in-country week of the intern program to ensure that all portions of debriefing are executed well and thoroughly
• Coordinate with the Intern Spiritual Director to plan and execute a debriefing retreat for all interns and Coordinators in September (Coordinators should remain an extra day)
• Continue bi-weekly phone calls with all Program Coordinators for at least four weeks after their return

Communication Protocol:
Weekly interaction and coordination with Intern Spiritual Director
Bi-weekly phone meeting with Venture Director, Doug Hanson
Monthly written report submitted to Venture Director, Doug Hanson
Bi-weekly conference call with Internship Development team

Qualifications:
Spiritual Relational Communication Skills
√ Seasoned commitment to Christ √ Facilitator √ Flexibility
√ Prior leadership experience √ Sensitivity to people √ Excellent communicator
√ Passion for college-age student’s √ Highly Relational √ Good organizational skills

You're invited to our dessert reception!

2007-12-07T06:56:00.000-08:00

You are cordially invited to a dessert reception for Brandon and Shannon Bleek.

When? Monday Dec. 10th at 7pm.

Where? Upper Crust Catering. 8420 Greenwood Ave, Seattle.

What? A time to hear from Chris Clark, President of Children of the Nations International, about COTN’s mission and to hear how you can partner in Brandon and Shannon’s journey with them.

How? RSVP to brandonbleek@cotni.org as soon as possible.

Directions: From I-5 take exit 172, head west on N 85th st, building is on corner of Greenwood Ave and N 85th, enter on 85th next to the bus stop, parking available on surrounding surface streets.

Brandon and Shannon hope to see you there!

Changes...

2007-11-19T10:02:00.000-08:00

As most of you know by now our plans have changed. We are staying in the US and I (Brandon) am taking a position as the Internship Program Director for CHildren of the Nations. The best way to explain it is that the location has changed but the mission hasn't. Also, we are going to leave the blog titled "Bleek's en la Republica Dominicana" because as of right now we will be spending the summer in the DR working with the interns.
Also, if you want to reach me regarding any of this stuff I have a new COTN email. It's brandonbleek@cotni.org.

Below is the letter explaining the change that we sent out. If you didn't get a chance to peruse it then here it is for your reading pleasure.

Dear friends and family,

We know you might be asking yourself right now, “What, another letter from Brandon and Shannon already?” Yes, it’s true. It’s already time for an update from us! God has been working in our hearts and we want to share it with you. In the last month the Lord has taken us through a process that has given us the feeling of being on a roller coaster. We’ve been excited, confused, challenged, and affirmed.
As you know, we were so excited to share with you the news about our move to the Dominican Republic to serve with Children of the Nations. Sharing that with you and seeing your response has been an affirming and heart-warming process. But we need to tell you some new news; some things have changed since we let you know of those plans. We have been diligently praying and thinking and have felt God directing our course in a slightly different direction. First let us say that we are committed to the mission of Children of the Nations to save and serve destitute and orphaned children, growing them into leaders that will change the face of their communities, even their nations. We have felt the call to become a permanent piece of the COTN family.
What’s fascinating about the family we are joining is that more than simply being a family with one direction they are a piece of a worldwide movement that God is directing. This movement is leading young children out of desperate situations. But not only are those children being saved from awful situations, God is also transforming them into children that will be tomorrow’s leaders. Instead of living in hopelessness they are growing into children with dreams, dreams that now have the potential of being fulfilled. I wish I had room in this letter to tell you some of the stories of how the children’s dreams have been coming to life. It is amazing what God is already doing in the lives of those children through this anointed movement.
As Shannon and I have talked and prayed we, however, are discovering a change in the way God wants us to join this movement. We have taken the last month and looked at our gifts, passions, and calling as individuals and as a couple. God has helped us realize there might be other places for us to serve. In the past years I (Brandon) have learned that I am at my best when I can sit down with college students and ask them pointed questions that get to the heart of how God is working in their lives, especially through the lens of a cross-cultural experience.
In mid-October another opportunity was brought to our attention. Jim Branch, COTN’s Chief Operations Officer, said he saw me perfectly fitting into another role, that of the Internship Program Director. At first I passed this suggestion off, telling him, “That sounds great but at this point we are fully committed to going to the DR.” I didn’t think of it again. A few days later Shannon came to me and asked a question. She boldly asked if I thought God might be calling us to COTN but not necessarily to move to the DR. If there’s one thing I’ve learned since being married last February it’s that when my wife speaks I should listen. (Shannon truly is the wise one in the family!) So I listened. The reasons and evidences surrounding Shannon’s question were poignant and sound. In short, we absolutely saw God calling us to join the COTN movement but maybe in a slightly different capacity.
Our next step was to pray and seek God’s will on how we could best serve His Kingdom. So we did. Then we took our thoughts to a few prayer partners to join with us. The long and short of it is that we are going to stay in the United States. I will serve full-time with COTN and Shannon is going to continue teaching at Inglewood Junior High.
So this is where God has lead us. As the Internship Program Director I will be recruiting students, preparing them, and mentoring them as they engage in a nine month long experience that culminates in an eight week long internship in one of COTN’s four countries; the DR, Uganda, Sierra Leone and Malawi. I’m excited about this opportunity as it uses my gifts year-round. My vision is to equip college students to help the COTN children achieve their dreams and become tomorrow’s leaders, while in turn providing the college student with a life-altering experience that will also impact their life and community. My position will include traveling to campuses to find college students to partner with us and travel to projects in our countries.

This step is a big leap of faith for us. My position is entirely fundraised. We need to raise $50,000.00 worth of support. This support will include my salary and ministry expenses for running COTN’s internship program. These expenses include plane tickets, meeting with campus pastors, trips and phone calls aimed at encouraging students. First we want to thank all of you who have already given to our mission with COTN. We have been blessed by your generosity and your desire to partner with us. For those of you still wondering if you should support us, we encourage you to give either of us a call. (Brandon 206-579-9364, Shannon 425-890-2223) We would love to sit down with you over a cup of coffee and explain more to you about our vision and desires, and about how you could partner with us.
Our biggest need is two fold; we need people who will support us with monthly giving as well as pray for us in this major change. If you desire to come along side us monetarily then please make your checks payable to “Children of the Nations” and those will be fully tax deductible. After writing your initial check I will send you instructions on how to sign up for automatic deductions if you so desire.
Thank you all for your tremendous support. We hope and pray you will continue to partner with us through support, fellowship and prayer. Thank you for riding this roller coaster with us and for encouraging us along the way.

In Him,
Brandon and Shannon Bleek