Pioneer...

The last few months I have spent a great deal of time thinking and pondering at where I am at, the life and the ministry that the Lord has asked me to be part of. A long time ago I said those dangerous words and I was very serious! “Here am I Lord send me!!!” I didn’t care where and didn’t care what… I just wanted to be used greatly for the kingdom, to be part of his master plan.

Then it happened, My heart broke, my ears began to hear more than I wanted them to, my mind was filled with dreams and visions, my mouth would open and I would be shocked at what was coming out as I spoke.

Long ago, a simple prayer “here I am Lord send me” mixed with an over whelming desire to have an intimate relationship with my lord and creator. As one missionary I know calls it “A laid down lover of Christ”.

As the Lord began to pour himself out on my wife and I we started looking for a place (organization) to see how and where we could fit all that the Lord was pouring into us. We became very frustrated as we could not find any one with the heart and vision that was being given to us. With that said the Lord made it clear that what he was giving to us was not to fit anywhere else! But it would be a new wine!

He said I am making you Pioneer’s who will take my heart to my people and do what I tell you to do when and how I tell you to do it. You will say what I want you to say when, how, where, and to whom I want you to say it to.

I am sorry but who in the world wants that kind of ministry? I thank God that I was so in love with him and so ignorant at that time! What did I say?? “Here am I Lord, send me”! I did add though, that if I was going that he better go before me and he better be behind me.

So Wow, a pioneer sounds nice, but what is it and what does it look like really?? By definition a pioneer is: one who leads the way, to open up, break new ground, initiate, establish, prepare, blaze a trail, be the first, light the way, set an example, break through, set up, start, begin, launch. These are all words that if you would have asked me four years ago I would have told you none of them described me. Yet for the last four years this is exactly what I have been trying to do. Taking what God has given me and go trail blazing, breaking new ground, being the first, lighting the way…

This is so not easy, all my life I belonged to something that already existed. Someone had already invested their life to get it going. Then I and others would come along and join what was already working just adding our talents and skills to keep it going. Most organizations, church’s, and businesses are like that. You have people who set it up and establish it then others get to come and help maintain it. Really reaping the harvest and blessing of someone else’s hard work, sweat, and tears. (at least it can feel like that some times.)

I have been learning the last four years that pioneering is not easy, many people love to watch but will most often not get involved. But the moment that there appears to be some organization, structure, and programs, they come by the hoards. Is it safe to say then that there seem s to be more maintainers than pioneers in this world??

I have learned that pioneering can be a long, frustrating, and lonely road. One that many don’t choose to go down! But there must in the end be an incredible amount of joy and satisfaction gained by watching what you have spent so much time and energy trail blazing. To see those who grab a hold of it and take off with it running making it work just the way the Lord had you prepare and launch it off.

This is one of the reasons why I must not stop! I cannot stop and will not stop until I see what the Lord has said happen. The other reason of course is the knowledge that I am in the center of what God has for me and my family no matter what happens, that in itself makes it easy to keep going.

So If you are a pioneer and love to be a starter/ trail blazer/ ground breaker/ etc. etc.

If you feel you have a heart for Africa and want to see the Lords kingdom established in a mighty way then please feel free to contact me for more info.

Last Sunday with our Lord

Last Sunday we were invited to come and speak in a church about 25min north of Bujumbura. We had no idea what to expect! We were pleasantly surprised with a church filled with 75% under eight teen years old. Oh man was it fun!!!


Got my best (only) cloths on and are ready for church...... I don't know sometimes they can be so loud!

All kids from the community trying to decide if they should come to the church or not.

Worship Begins/ Lead by the kids mind you... how cool!

After speaking we began to pray for every one.

He thought it was about time to start with music again.

All in all it was an awesome day as we got to see God pour out him self on these kids!
it was my understanding that there were some people missing from the church that day.
None the less God was pleased with his church last Sunday!
I will attend a church like that any day! Gives a whole new meaning to child like!

Why Burundi

Rwanda and Burundi Once know as one Nation, one people…. This was changed during the time of colonialism. There was a split and the people divided! Forming now two nations, two governments and somehow two people

Yet in the Spirit they are still looked at as one! Both nations are known as the heart of Africa.

They are also known as sister nations; I would go as far as calling them twins! When you look at them at first it is so easy to tell that they are related. The more time you spend with them you begin to realize that yes they are very much related but just like real sisters they are also quite different.

Rwanda appears very much to be the older sister. More developed, can express it’s self much more, is in the center of attention, (like most older sibling’s) want to be in charge, (as reaching adolescence)knows what’s best and does not like to be told what to do by any one, etc. etc. the list can go on and on.

You know in the times of the bible and I believe even in some cultures today, the first born usually gets what is known as the birth right. Most often this means that the first born has the right to the largest and or best part of the father’s estate. This can cover land, livestock, money, etc., when the birth right is handed over. It normally comes with the fathers blessing.

I believe that Rwanda is the first born of the sister nations therefore was given a birth right and blessing by the father in Heaven to be a carrier of his presents and to display the very power of God, as the heart of his African body they are to pump his glory and power through the nations of Africa. Call it a spiritual heritage if you will!! In history you will find that this very thing started to take place on several occasions but as fast as it started it was also somehow stopped. The heart of Africa has seen Meer glimpse’ of what God has planned for his body!

In my observation and time spent with the people of the two sister nations I can give this as an analogy.

In the bible Luke 10:38-42 tells a short story about two sisters Mary and Martha. When Jesus and his disciples came to a village, a woman named Martha welcomed them into her home. Her sister Mary sat at the Lords feet, listening to what he taught. Martha was worrying about all the details for the meal preparations. She went to Jesus and said “ Lord isn’t unfair” (another translation says)”Lord doesn’t it bother you that my sister has left me to do all the work?”

Two sisters, two attitudes …. One is what you would call a busy bee… focused on nothing but the tasks at hand. Always working, always busy, always concerned with what (it) looks like, always pointing the finger at what the other is doing or not doing… The other attitude is quite different! It Says she Sat at the Lords feet, listening to what he taught. No details, no work, no concerns, it was an attitude of this is the Master and I must be with him at all cost. I have something to gain from just being at his feet! Notice the response of Jesus to Martha. “Martha you are so upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about, Mary has discovered it- and I won’t take it away from her.” Jesus did not tell her that all her work was in vain or that she was wrong to work so hard. It was a matter of priorities. What is the focus on? What comes first?

Rwanda is very much like Martha… They have a very large goal and much work to do! The focus on the development of the nation is for sure the key priority. When there you can really see that everything is busy, busy, busy, work, work, work, buildings going up right and left, changes occurring around every corner, they have been doing an amazing job and at the pace they are moving I am sure they will reach their 2020 vision goal and if not then they will just barely. It is impossible to go there and not be impressed! First thing from everybody’s mouths is “Wow how clean!, how secure!, So beautiful!” This is partially true. In Rwanda you learn the saying that nothing is what it seems….This is the truth! As Martha they are very busy, concerned very much with what (IT…)looks like, and always pointing at the other, focused on what the other is doing or not doing. This comes with a very high cost and it is the people paying it.

The people are so precious! But they are living in a lie and extreme pain!! Trauma cases raise almost every year (when they should be decreasing..) when you’re identity is taken away from you and your not free to talk about who you are. “Oh Martha why are you so worried about all these things?”

“Mary has discovered it- and I will not take it away from her.” So far my observation and feeling about Burundi is that of Mary, Martha’s sister. Not worried about details. The people are not high strung at all but very low key and easy going. I see that attitude that was in Mary, just wanting to sit at the Masters feet and listen. There seems to be such a hunger for God and a desire to hear what he has to say. Of course with such a contrast as this I can not say that Mary is found with out any troubles at all. I am sure as we continue to keep our eyes on the Lord and pray we will begin to be shown more and more of God's plans for these beautiful people.

I believe that just as Rwanda and Burundi has the same past, torn by years of war and genocide. They also have the same future, calling, or heritage if you will. Both sister Nations are known as the heart of Africa! They have a very big job to do, if they are going to see the power and glory of the Lord Pumped through the vein’s of the African body, the body of course being the continent of Africa…..

Just as it is in the case of a real heart, if all the chambers of the heart are not working properly then it puts a stress on the parts that are. The result of this is having a weak heart and if the heart is weak then the body will be weak as well! So it is with the heart of Africa (Burundi & Rwanda), God desires them to be strong and healthy. Living in humility and displaying extreme righteousness! As they humble themselves, repent and fall on their knees to pray, God says he will hear from heaven come and heal their land. This is just the beginning!!!

You see for many years now, I would venture to say more than a decade. God has been speaking to his heart about his desire to bring them in to a promise land, a land flowing with milk and honey….(sound familiar???) That he is going to pour his spirit out in a mighty way and that great revival will sweep through his heart and not stop there but grow in momentum as it gets pumped through nation after African nation. We will even see and feel the effects of it in the west!!(How can we not) But it will start right in the heart! It is not hard to see why the enemy wants to kill the heart through, Genocide, etc ….. it was happening long before anyone was even aware! Is it really over now??? Or is it just changing names and faces?? We couldn’t or wouldn’t define it when it was slapping us in the faces. So now it is even easier to ignore what is happening! What am I talking about? Oh nothing, everything is great! There is finally peace and things have never been better…..The world had no idea what was going on then and I wonder if they even know any more now.

Satan will do anything to see that This Continent is known as nothing less than the Dark Continent!

God is changing this!!! Keep your ear to the ground; things are happening all over this African body of Christ!

Revival is coming to Africa and it will no longer be known as the Dark Continent!!! There are revival fires starting all over, and Africa will be SAVED!!!!

Thank you Lord for putting me in the Heart!

God, dreams, and more God...

Ahhhhh!!!!! The last few months has all been a blur……

It started back In Nov. when I woke up from a dream that God gave me. I say “a dream God gave me” because If you know anything about me, you know that I don’t ever have dreams and when I do they have all have been from God.

In the dream I was approached by the Rwandan gov. and told that we had to be out of the country again. When told this I went home and shared it with all the other staff, children and family. We assembled in the living room of the house and all began to cry out to God. The strange thing was that our prayers were all focused on the fire and glory of God coming down. We were crying out for an anointing to fall upon us. Then literally a fire came from the sky and began touching us all!

When it came time for us to leave Rwanda we went to Burundi and began to start Sozo Ministries Africa there. We saw such favor of God!!! Miracles were flowing, dead rising, deaf hearing, blind seeing, etc….

The Ministry was growing like wild fire! We contacted the staff in Rwanda to tell them the awesome things that were occurring. To our surprise they shared with us that the same was happening there….

We found out that they had also really grown in number, when we left there were nine kids. Shortly after it went to 20, then 50, before they knew it they found themselves with 200 kids and miracles happing daily.

When we shared this with the people of God in Burundi many of them rose up and said let us go help what God is doing in Rwanda.

After this I woke up, it was about three or four in the morning. I began to weep because I knew what this meant. Forget the outpouring of God; I was upset that we were going to have to leave Rwanda!

After talking to Stella about it we had decided to try to do what Moses did. Astrid on the other hand was somehow rejoicing , feeling it was about time for a change. I wanted to cry out to God and ask him to change his mind, to make another way. I prayed and prayed…shortly after we received word from the minister’s office that the letter for our registration process was ready to pick up.(this was the letter we have been trying to get for the last three years) You can imagine our excitement I’m sure!! I thought to myself “WOW I really did it I changed God’s mind”….

When I arrived at the Minister’s office, to make a long story short… I did not get the letter! To make matters worse I had got in a verbal fight with the assistant of the Minister. I had to leave Kigali once again with no letter or even any for sight of future registration. As I took the two hour drive back home crying and praying the dream I had came back to my memory. I decided it was time to start sharing it with others.

As I began sharing the dream with others it seemed to them that it was highly unlikely to happen. After all we had already been removed from the country ounce and then told in the last hour we could come back. Our friends advised me not to just go off a dream but to seek confirmation first.

This made perfect sense to me, So I began to ask God to confirm if this dream was really from him. I started to read about all the times in the bible that people had dreams and the effects. It was really not so reassuring, as many of the people in the bible upon having a dream would wake up and respond almost immediately to what God had shown or said. Tell me what makes us today any different than the people back then? Does God no longer speak using dreams? Do we not trust that God would speak that way? Or is it us??? Do we really know so little about God and his character or perhaps trust so little in our ability in hearing him if he is to speak to us. Let’s face it we are most of the time looking for the audible voice or flash of lighting. We trust so little in our ability to clearly hear his voice that sometimes I think that God must laugh or get frustrated with us because he might answer right after we pray but then we spend another couple of weeks or longer asking him for confirmation in what he has already said. Out of fear of screwing up and being wrong, I am not saying that having confirmation is wrong.

Or maybe I am! How about, instead of wasting so much of our own time, let’s have such a relationship with God that when ever, and however, he chooses to speak to us we will listen then obey the first time. I can only imagine the amount of time saved and things we can accomplish when this is done.

In my case I began not to ask if the things in the dream would happen but how much time did I have before it would happen… ounce again God answered very quickly! On Jan.8^th I was called by the immigration and asked to come in for a meeting. In the meeting it happened just as in my dream! I guess this was the confirmation….Ha Ha… A little late…. Were given seven days to wrap everything up and be out.

On the drive back home I received an exhortation from the Lord. He said “Travis you know me! You know my voice! You have had little problem in the past hearing from me. You did not want to accept my plan for you and your family. Now you see you are paying the price! What could have been done in almost three months you now have only seven days to do! Will you still obey?”

I spent the rest of my drive repenting and telling God that I am his servant and I must obey. Of course as we began to unfold the news to everyone it was very hard to believe. We were of course asked about what was next, you can only guess our answer…. Burundi ….On Jan.12^th we sat down with all the kids and staff to pray as I had seen in the dream. It was a pretty awesome time and I could sense that there was something that started stirring in the heavens although it just did not reach the breaking point. It is something that we are going to have to continue to press in on. Also that same day we received a lot of concerning emails from the American Embassy and some friends talking about a travel advisory between Rwanda and Burundi. They were highly advising not to travel between the two countries due to some unrest that was still occurring from the time of the cease fire and peace agreement made between the last militias group and Gov. People would tell me that I should go into Uganda or Tanzania because it was of course safer and easier. I was not concerned about what was safer or easier but with what the Lord had said. On the same day of receiving those disturbing emails we had also got another one that night from someone we had not heard from in a long time. They said they were praying for us and God told them that Isaiah 41:9-17 (paraphrased, “I am with you, don’t be afraid! I am personally on your case! I will do away with those who are against you. I will make you into a threshing sledge, new and with many sharp teeth.”)

So what do we have to worry about…. Right….I thank God for his leading, now if I can just learn to be a bit quicker in my response to his leading!

So here we are now in Burundi! We left Rwanda on the 15^th of Jan. with only what would fit on top and inside the car, leaving everything behind for the staff and kids at the Gilead house, Pioneering God’s work yet in another nation. Some may ask why Burundi. Others might even wonder where the hell it is, it sounds more like an ethnic dish than a nation.

Just stay tuned as in the future I will be writing more on why Burundi and the awesome planes that God has for this little place, located right next door to their sister (Rwanda)!!

Dreams/Visions/ Tears....Let there be God!!!

Clicking on the following link will take you to a video clip that a good friend of mine put together after hearing a dream that I shared with him. It brings tears to my eyes every time I see it!

Before watching it let me share with you the story behind it.
Dream of Rwanda!

I will have to go back a little ways in order for you to get the whole picture.
In 2002-03 God called us to go for him to Rwanda as we spent the next few years preparing our selves, God really began pouring his heart and vision for his people here into us. We spent many a nights crying our eyes as we would spend time in his presents having him downloading his heart in to our heart.
(Be careful asking for God's heart, if he knows you are serious and he decides to give it to you.... All I can say is...Holy crap!!!What was I thinking??? Gods heart is 100times my size and it was literally crushing me!!!)
I was on the floor balling uncontrollably and physically in pain. I found myself in the next moment begging God to stop!!! He told me "But Travis you said you wanted to feel what I feel for my people in Rwanda, you said you wanted my heart for them"! I told God I was so sorry but I can not handle his whole heart, for the very wight of it was going to kill me. I asked in return if he would settle to give me a piece I could carry. I latter made the same mistake telling God I wanted to see what he saw over Rwanda, I wanted to see with his eyes... It was way to much Info for me at that time. Again I had to beg the lord to stop showing me.
In 2005 we stepped into Rwanda and it was here that we joined the war that is going on over Rwanda.
Not a war of flesh and blood but a war in the spiritual realm, a battle of principalities and ruling spirits.
We have been on the front lines from then until now! The Principalities of this place do not want us here!! For they they know that we represent the very plans of the most high God.
They almost succeeded in our removal from this place back in April of this year when lies and rumors were being spread wildly about us until finally the Gov. asked us to leave. It was through much prayer and I believe God him self came down on our behalf. When One hour before we had to be at the airport we received word that it was a big misunderstanding and that we did not have to go. I do not have to tell you about the rejoicing that went on around the world after that.
We did fly out away, not because we had to but because we decided to take that time and have a little holiday. The first in three years!! This was on April 3rd, the birthday of my lovely wife. On April 4th at around two or three in the morning I was woken up by this dream. All I could do was cry when the Lord told me "Travis I want to show you what you are really fighting for, I want you to see the big picture!" He went on to tell me that we were not alone and that he had his servants those were his laid down lovers, positioned all over the continent fighting for the same vision!

Please take your time and watch the following clip. I will then share more. Dream of Rwanda!


Rwanda The land of a Thousand hills! Rwanda "THE HEART OF AFRICA"!!!

With out having to use to many words at the risk of this going on for hours...
Rwanda is known as the heart of Africa! A heart pumps blood through out the body giving it life... With out the heart pumping the necessary blood that the body needs the body will get feeble, week, and sick. You could say that the heart brings life to the body! As soon as the heart is not working properly or stops, you see the effects instantly in the body.
Rwanda Is holding keys, Keys to unlock the biggest African revival in history!
Keys that will change the way that the world looks at Africa! Africa Known to the world as the dark continent...known for the wars, famine, death, Genocide's, etc...
This will change!!!! God says this is his continent and he wants to see his Glory and his kingdom to be established and it will be known once again to the world, but known as a continent of light! A place that will shine and become a beckon to the world as the glory and the power of God is shown burning through the nations of Africa. Burning like a wild fire!!! Blazing, burning, shining brighter than the sun... Showing the world what happens when God is given control of a Nation!

Arise Oh heart and sync your beating with the beating of the heart of your God. The Father in Heaven is calling you to take your place in the body.
You have been weak and feeble long enough! You have been made to be sick so that you can not do your job.
What are you pumping through the body??? Do not let the poison of pride, fear, deceit, and destruction enter the blood stream!
On the contrary let the heart beat with humility falling on it's knees and praying, then God says "I will hear from heaven and come and will heal your land"!

God is longing for the chance to make his heart strong and healthy, vibrant and full of life. So that he might pump his very self through the blood vessels of his body.
wake up oh heart of Africa! Take the keys the Lord has given to you and unlock the chambers to the heart so he can use you to pump his life giving blood to his body!

A WARNING MUST BE GIVEN, SAY'S THE LORD!!!
If you do not take your place, I will strip you of your keys and give them to another...For I will have my way!

No Lord, any thing but that!!! Part 2

It appears that the story is to be continued.... Why???

When arriving there it was just as I had suspected. We filled the necessary paper work and then came the question. what do you want with these boys? I could tell that the police officer wanted to see justice served. In spite of that I told them that I had gotten a very large amount of my things back and that the boys were being very helpful.I told them that I for saw that they were going to have many problems with the people that they sold my stuff to and felt that, that in itself was a very good punishment.
With all that said I told them that I would not press charges and that they could let the boys go. I also had asked if I could see Baptist because I still had some questions for him.
I found out that he was no longer there but transferred to another place about 30min away. But I of course really wanted to talk to him I asked them to please take me to him. after arriving there I was able to see Baptist but not really take to him much. I did how ever tell him that I forgave him and that I did not hold anything against him. Letting him know that I had told the police that he was free to go. He was very happy of course, then time was up... I was able to add that I wanted to talk with him when he was out! It is not easy to talk when having people hanging over your shoulder.
When I was on my way back to Kigali I was informed that Baptist would be moved to one of the near by prison's the following day. I was a bit confused but it some how confirmed my thinking. No matter what I said it was not going to change what was happening to Baptist. They did not want him to go free! He would go to prison and for how long?? I have no idea... one of the officers mentioned that it should be about a month.
I don't know Gods plan for this and what will happen in the future to Baptist.
What I do know is that my heart has changed and I have and am ready to do that what God has told me to do. I think often of Baptist and what he must be going through in this moment. I was told that his wife is carrying his baby right now.I pray often for the both of them!

This is why I say it is to be Continued.... Only God now knows the out come!