William Hickey (the older gentleman who reminds me of my Grandfather) got the apartment at Glennbrooke primed. The management never did come through with the paint so we went to Lowe’s to get it. I’m having him stay at Glennbrooke till he gets done. He’s been sleeping in his car. Then I showed him the mission at Huntington Terraces. He’ll be painting that one for me next. He can stay there for a while too. I gave him an air mattress to sleep on. He told me he had a sleeping bag and used his windshield shader as a mattress. That’s about a half inch of hard foam.
Dropped off some forms for our insurance agent then went to help the kids at Azalea. Odaliz, one of the girls who’s like a daughter to me, will be moving to Mexico in the next couple of days. Her dad was arrested at Azalea and put in a detention center in Tennessee. He’s just been sent back to Mexico so the family is going there to see him. They intend on coming back in a couple of months. Sure hope so.
I had such a fun day today with my Uncle Harold. He’s one of the missionaries that I grew up with in Kenya. He had a huge influence on me especially with the idea that you can learn anything if you just try.
We went out for Indian food at Vikhyat in Tucker. The Patels who run the place are from Nairobi. We had a great time talking about the good ol’ days. It was just like being back home in Kenya. Very special.
I came home and rested then Kathy I went out to the Baby Shower party that Patricia, Tito Ruiz’ wife was having. We had a great time and enjoyed some delicious Colombian and Nicaraguan food. I love seeing Tito and Lester’s kids. I really do love those sweet peas. Children are a real blessing!
Friday, September 8, 2007
Tito and I got the band’s PA into my van and we took it over to Gwinnett Crossings. We finally got a key to the downstairs area where the classes will be held.
Later that day I went back to the apartment complexes where we gave out ten large pizzas, registered for the ESL and Tutoring times and our band CRUZ played. I thought we played great. Lester is an inspiring drummer and Tito sings as well as he plays the keys. It was tremendous fun.
Finally got all the stuff upacked and put up at my house around 11pm.
Today was UT–University of Tim–day with Ashley. Once a week she rides with me and I try to teach her more about ministry. It’s always a blessing. Never too much Ashley!
We spent most of the day with Stephen Bandela. He’s the nephew of Sam Bandela who was my mentor when I first started doing this ministry back in 1996. Stephen wants to do church planting here in Metro Atlanta. I’m helping him get set up with partners, supporters and where to plug into ministry. Finding new partners, getting them plugged in and helping them thrive is a major part of what I do. Sam Bandela used to tell me, “What we need is 10 more Tim Cummins!” I’m not sure the world really needs ten of me, but the idea of replicating yourself is a key part of our strategy at Whirlwind Missions.
Ashley and I went over to Stephen’s house to help him get the printer at his house working with his computer. Took some time, but we figured it out.
I also worked with an older homeless man named William Hickey. He reminded me of my Grandfather. I sent him over to our mission at Glennbrooke in Marietta to paint the apartment and give him a place to stay for a couple of days. We’ll give him some money too. Helping people get back on their feet—another big part of what we do.
Kathy and I watched the Last King of Scotland this evening. It’s a movie about Idi Amin. I liked it because most of it was shot in Africa so it reminds me of home. Amin threw so many dead bodies into the Nile River that the crocodiles couldn’t eat them all. They jammed up the hydro electric dam and shut off power to the Northern part of Kenya! I’ll never forget that from when I was a boy in Nairobi.
Does man’s inhumanity to man know any bounds? I don’t think so.
Modern man has only figured out ways to kill men in a more efficient and wider scale. Ay caramba.
Over 125 miles today on the Chrysler. Lotta driving!
Tito Ruiz and I went to Gainesville today to meet with a church planting partner Mike Taylor. He’s done a lot of research on the Gainesville area, in particular the church growth, or more importantly decline.
I’m not big on research like that. I don’t really like to see what I know in my heart is already true. Church is in trouble. A lot of churches are thriving, but in general that doesn’t seem to be the case. they’re just barely holding their own.
When a person’s #1 need is a relationship with God and they don’t have someone to share how that’s possible—it’s a very sad situation.
That’s why I do what I’m doing.
Got back to Chamblee after lunch and worked at my office on email.
Then took computers from my partner Clatie Lewis’ house over to the mission at Pearl Lane. I’m really trying to help the team over there accelerate what they’re doing. Last week I bought a new air conditioner for the mission. This week I took them new computers and some software to help the kids do math and reading.
Went to Azalea to help my kids with their homework.
Went to Razwana’s house to help her install the printer and teach her how to use Microsoft Works.
Ashley went to a presentation my partners at Clarkston International Bible Church had for prospective churches. I hope that gets them more people to plug in. I probably needed to be there more than in Gainesville today. I know Ashley did a great job without me.
Kathy and I are watching the third season of House on DVD.
J and I worked on updating the web site. We’re trying to figure out how to rename the maps to be even clearer to the average user. Ashley has already updated the actual maps. Now she’s working on getting the updated directions together for those maps.
I used the van to pick up chairs and tables from three missions (Azalea, Huntington Terraces and Adelaide Park) and took them to our new mission at Gwinnett Crossings.
Everytime I stopped at a red light the van started to overheat! I managed to make it to all my stops and make it home without the car really messing up. I had to leave the mission early so I could beat rush hour, otherwise the van would have been toast.
Ashley helped me get the van over to the mechanic so they could work on it first thing in the morning.
Kathy and I went to the Slavic Christian Church today. I couldn’t understand a single word. Kathy really liked the music.
Afterwards I ran around Stone Mountain–5 miles.
After resting we went to the Zoo. We’re members.
Then back home to knock out the email.
This weekend we enjoyed biking together around Stone Mountain and seeing a movie–Balls of Fury. I thought it was pretty funny. I’ve never seen a bad Chistopher Walken Movie.
I went to Perimeter Church this morning to meet with my partner Debra Potter who’s in Community Ministry and with two of the leaders of their Middle School department Ashley and Ryan. They’re really interested in getting their students out into the mission field. I can only say a hearty “AMEN!” to that!
Also opened new work at a complex near Perimeter: Howell Bridge. I was rebuffed there a year ago. This year they have a new manager and she welcomed us with open arms! God always has HIS timing.
Went by FBC Doraville to work on email and answer phone calls. Never ends, baby.
I was so tired today I actually blew up my air mattress and rested for about 20 minutes.
Then feeling more energized I went over to Azalea to help the kids with their homework. Some complicated 8th grade stuff that I honestly couldn’t figure out. And I’m really good at math. Crummy textbooks.
Got about 1/4″ of rain each day for the last three days. That’ll help. I think we’re nearly 8 FEET below where we’re normally at.
Put the rest of the newsletters in the mail this morning. If you read this blog and want to get that newsletter drop me an email at timacummins@gmail.com
I finished working on the newsletters today. Ashley had to make some more of the photo cards we’re putting in the letters so we still have about 60 to mail out in the morning.
Had a terrific meeting with one of my favorite partners, Drew Grubbs with Youth Outreach United. He’s a great friend and a real visionary plus logistics guy! A great combination! We’re working together in 11 locations. Hopefully that will expand dramatically.
Also got to hang out with Tito Ruiz–his office is right down the hall from Drew’s. Sure do love those guys!
Lifted weights early this morning. Ran 4 miles this evening.
I had an interesting day in a tough part of Atlanta today: Pittsburgh. It’s an area that has always been a black neighborhood. My partners at the Salvation Army are building a huge center there. I went down this afternoon to help them start work in a local apartment complex called City View Apartments. The owner had fixed up the basement in one of the buildings and made it into a classroom for teaching ESL. I hope to get my Salvation Army partners involved in an after school program there.
I enjoyed hanging out with two Jasons today.
Jason Pope has been my Salvation Army connection for the last couple of years. He’s also been the director of our mission at Hamptons at Lenox. He went with me to recon the new area. It was great to be given such a warm welcome by the manager.
Jason Lemming is my partner interested in micro-loans and finance. We hope to get this program started in the Clarkston area with the refugee community there.
This morning I went to Staples to pick up some supplies for the mailout then to the UPS store where I make my copies.
After my meetings with the Jasons I went over to Azalea to help the kids with their homework and to have them help me label envelopes for this month’s newsletter.
Then I went to the Verizon phone place where I changed my old phone for a new phone. It’s still the same model (LG 8600) just a new phone. My display started to go bad. While I waited for them to transfer the data to my new phone I went to Taco Bell and wrote newsletters.
Got home about 8:30pm. Enjoyed talking to Jesse.
Finished up my email. I’ll work on newsletters again tomorrow morning. Try and make a noon deadline. Kathy is going to Azlalea to meet with some of the Bengali women. Pray that that will be a good experience for her.
