Yesterday I heard from World Orphans that they have postponed their international trips until 2013,  including my planned trip with them to South Africa in December.  It's good news both ways,  as now I can concentrate on local ministry,  and international kindness-spreading in 2013.

Beginning next week I'll begin doing home visits to clients of the Peoples Resource Center food pantry in Wheaton,  bringing them food items to those who are shut-in,  or have no transport.  I've heard many of them are elderly (and very lonely) and just waiting for a kind soul to pay any attention to them.  They feel the world is passing them by,  leaving them in the dust,  while on their way in the constant pursuit of more.

I'm enjoying attending at Wheaton Bible Church,  and am slowly getting plugged in to a community there,  For the past couple years I thought of myself as a wayward pilgrim,  a minimalist,  someone content with what I have,  which is a lot compared to many impoverished villagers in the Third World.  Now I feel like a part of a community once again.

This Sunday I'll again head to Willow Creek's downtown Chicago campus.  Just can't get enough,  or get away from there.  Will still plan to attend there once a month.

Sometime in mid-late October I'll join WBC's Hunger Team,  their version of Meals on Wheels.  It will be similar to what I'll be doing with Peoples Resource.

Remember to choose kindness!

Last weekend,  tropical storm Isaac formed in the Atlantic,  roared through the Caribbean Islands,  Puerto Rico,  Hispaniola (including Haiti,  dumping tremendous rains and caused mudslides) and emerged into the Gulf of Mexico.  Isaac ate some Wheaties and became a hurricane just prior to slamming into the New Orleans area late Tuesday night.  It wreaked havoc along the Gulf Coast for a few days,  drenching the area with rain and even spun up a few tornadoes.  Now,  on September 1 at 11:33AM CDT,  Isaac is making his presence felt here in the Chicago area,  disrupting many Labor Day weekend festivals.  Isaac will continue to hang out in the area today,  this evening/tonight,  and into tomorrow,  before continuing onward. 

The rain is so desperately needed here,  after this past summer's drought. 

Right now,  even through I was sort of in a "drought" this past summer,  my life now is anything but a drought.  In fact,  it's becoming the "hurricane" that Isaac was just 5 days ago down on the Gulf Coast.  I have been in contact with World Orphans,  a Colorado-based missions organization that specializes in reaching out to orphaned children in poor countries worldwide.  I even applied for an opportunity to travel to South Africa with them last week,  and on September 20 I'll find out if I made the team to head out in December to South Africa,  ministering in the Durban and Pretoria areas.

Beginning in late September I'll begin doing "home visits" to clients of the Peoples Resource Center food pantry in Wheaton,  who are shut-in,  or have no transportation.  Many new opportunities are opening up at this time.  The past couple weeks I've communicated with folks I have not heard from,  or spoken to,  in 3 months.  Even went down to Parkview Church last Saturday evening,  then went to Willow Creek Chicago last Sunday.  I'll attend down there again on September 9.

Stay tuned,,,lots happening.

As always,  remember to choose kindness!