Narita Airport, Japan

Back in Tokyo, at the airport at least. Matt and I just got paged - not sure what that's about. Hopefully all is well and we will be off and on our way to Houston shortly. Asia is intense. So many different sights, sounds and smells. I am so grateful for the opportunity to visit here. I like Japan alot. Very very different from Thailand, culturally speaking. But I love Thailand, but for different reasons. If I was one for culture shock I certainly would've experienced it, but by the grace of God I have not. Last night in Bangkok almost did it to me- but sleep won out.

All is well with our tickets to Houston. We board in less than an hour. I miss Sydney so much it physically hurts. I cannot wait to see her. We got her many many fun little presents.

See you all soon.

Love,
Cameron

Weird Hotel, Bangkok

Yeah, so..note to self. No boutique hotels in Bangkok. Now I understand why my mom's boyfriend favors chain hotels when travelling in far off places. At least at the Hilton you know what to expect. Ok, it's really not that bad. Clean and pretty modern. But it smells like moth balls. Weird.

Anyway, 4 am wake up call will come soon God willing :-) We've had such an awesome trip. I was sad to leave Chaingmai and our precious little woodsy hotel there. All the locals were so awesome and friendly. We had a great time with Paul and Mandy. To be honest it will be a LONG time before I eat Thai food. I am dying for a real cheeseburger and french fries.

So on this side of the world things are different. I feel that more here in the weird hotel and in the crazy Battlestar Gallactica airport in Bangkok.

Anyway, we are fine, just anxious like all get out to get home and hug Sydney. And give her all the presents we got her!

Pray for safe and easy travels through 3 international airports and innumerable time zones. Thanks. Love , Cameron

Last Day

We've had such a deeply refreshing time here. It's so wonderful to see my husband so relaxed and encouraged. Please visit www.facebook.com/camerondezenhammon for pics. More later.

Across the Sea

We have moved into our new hotel and I am quite relieved (phew) b/c I chose this place site unseen and three other people were depending on me to make a good choice. It is amazing. I will upload some photos. We are in the middle of a very green area and it's very natural feeling- we have a two story room with a big gorgeous bathroom - two tvs, free wifi, etc...And it's dirt cheap. Wow.

It's been wonderful spending the last week with missionaries. Even though we were off exploring during the day when they were in their learning tracks, we got to enjoy worship, teaching and small group times with the UWM group (United World Missions). We literally hung out with people living in Khazikstan, Timbuktu, Sczechuan Province, Belgium, Costa Rica and the good 'ol US of A. I mean....Timbuktu. That's a real place, where churches are being planted, people are getting acquainted with the one True Living God and M's (that's missionaries to you and me who live in countries with freedom of religion) are sacrificing their comfort and security to be God's hands and feet on earth.

It's pretty humbling stuff. One couple in particular, the ones in Timbuktu, Nepal really struck us. He is the recipient of 6 Dove awards (the Christian Grammy's) and had a successful and promising career in Nashville in the Christian music industry. He left all that and went out on the mission field, living with and among Nepali's for whom Jesus Christ is a foreign and altogether alien concept. One guy who lives in China said that when he finally got up the nerve to answer the question "Why are you here?" with "God sent me"- he found himself faced with a lot of very curious and interested Chinese. Who is this Jesus? And why would you leave your life in America to come here?

Missions is a value that cannot be disputed or denied among believers in the Living God. But as it was pointed out in the message today- Romans 13- we need to understand what that means 'in light of the present day.' What does that mean today? Where you are. Where you live? Why is Jesus relevant to your life, right now?

I continually had the image in my mind of a tuning fork, vibrating with the harmony of God: hope, love and peace. That is what a missionary must be- a tuning fork, a lightening rod- radiating the sound and the vision of rebirth, of life out of death, of redemption and renewal. That is what you are. What I am. No matter where we live.

We're off again tonight to the Night Bazaar- a melee of sounds and sights Thailand style. We will be visiting with a young American couple in Belgium who have amazing gifts that would equip them for coffeehouse ministry in Budapest !!!;-) Of course the incredible Paul and Mandy are our partners in crime for the next two days and they will also be with us tonight...

Blessings and Love....Sawadee Ka!!! (Thank you)....

Cameron

Salty Decisions

So sorry for the delay in getting a post up. Our friends Paul and Mandy Falgout have just joined us to the balance of our time here- we are moving hotels tomorrow and the conference is wrapping up! We are FINALLY in vacation mode! I say finally because it has been over two years since we've had one so this weekend is going to be all about relaxing. Can't wait.

We've learned something- it's time to make salty decisions. Being the salt of the earth means changing the world by the decisions you make day by day and moment by moment.

Sorry to be vague but I will go more into that later.

We've come to Chiangmai during Loi Krathong- a Buddist festival where thousands of paper lanterns are lit and released into the sky like mini hot air baloons. It's a cross between the fourth of July and New Years eve- and it lasts for four days. It's been the most magical, breathtaking experience.

We wandered into the most expensive hotel in Chaingmai quite by accident and decided to splurge and have dinner on the river, with a birds eye view of all the festivities. It took our breath away. A blessing quite unexpected- the best kind.

Blogger isn't cooperating so you'll have to visit my facebook page to see pics- www.facebook.com/camerondezenhammon

Love, C

Chaingmai, Thailand

We made it!

We are here in beautiful Chaingmai, Thailand. The journey here was far more difficult from Tokyo- then Houston to Tokyo. Jet lag is pretty non existent. It's easier to jump 12 hours than the 7 to Budapest. Speaking of, we had a wonderful time reconnecting with our friend Chad Hallowell from Budapest via Tyler, Tx- who invited us to lead worship for this conference. Which, by the way is called "The University Conference" b/c there is no freedom of religion here in Thailand so we are flying a bit under the radar. Can you imagine such a thing? Especially you guys in Houston. Not being able to hold a Christian event for fear of government intervention. The feeling I get though is that no one is going to bother with Americans doing Christianity but I wonder how that would change with Thais.

None the less today is a free day and we are going to go check out some elephants! We miss Sydney terribly so if you see here give her a BIG kiss. We will skype her tonight.

Love,
Cameron

Welcome to Japan

We are really in awe. As I sit in our hotel room for the night (it's 9:00 pm here) I cannot believe I am in Japan. God is so cool. We are going to go explore the hotel a bit. Tomorrow we leave in the morning for Bangkok. Japanese people are beautiful and small. And very polite. I see on CNN that there is crisis in the Congo. I just got done reading Ishmael Beah's incredible memoir of his time spent as a child soldier in Sierra Leone. It brought that struggle home for me. Check it out.

Love,

Cameron

Going to Thailand

Y'all!

In the airport, flight delayed, but not by much. Very tight connection. Worse comes to worse we spend the night in Tokyo which would be totally cool :-) so I'm not complaning. Perhaps I have visions of lost in translation dancing in my head, but what an awesome opportunity that may never come again, right?

This whole trip has been such a God thing- Maybe I sound like a broken record but it is. When we were originally invited to Thailand we had no connection to the place but were thrilled for the adventure. Since then, really in the last few weeks, we've built relationships with people working in Chaingmai and going to Chiangmai. It's crazy! International Justice Mission has an office there and we are going to visit with them. A new friend- the director of distribution for Call + Response- will be arriving the day we leave. We are going to try to meet at a cafe for an hour or so by the airport. I would love to help them with the regional publicity for the movie, really anything I can do to get the word out about it.

Ok, I am going to say later, and eat something. Blessings, C

What's at Stake

I've heard this said alot in regard to tomorrow's election. "Do you know what's at stake?" "Our future is at stake.." and "the most important election of our lifetime." I've heard this over and over again from both sides of the fight. And make no mistake a fight it is. I've wrestled with voting one way and not another, with not voting, with writing someone in...just not sure who. It would be so much easier, or at least it feels that way for me to vote a particular way (ahem, ahem) because my family (or at least some of them) would be pleased with me. I would fit into a particular group at work, at church, among friends. But perhaps for just that reason I resist such a decision.
























This business about what's at stake: here is my point.

I am reading a book about a young boy in Sierra Leone in 1993. One day he is skipping stones and listening to Eric B. & Rakim on cassette tape. The next his family is murdered by "revolutionaries", murdering their country men in the name of freedom from an oppressive government. Weeks later, devastated, wandering and half starved he is drafted into the national army of his country. Barely big enough to carry the AK-47 he is given, he is transformed and trained by revenge to murder on command. He is 12 years old. "Do you know what's at stake?" his commanders would ask him. "Do you want these (insert un printable expletive)'s running your country?"

I bring this up because in other parts of the world, the venomous division that we are only getting a taste of, leads all to often to bloodshed. I was thinking about how in many, many other countries I wouldn't dream of leaving the country just days after an election without my child. In many other places "unrest" follows these sorts of elections and more often than not bloodshed.


The judgements that are passed on either side are so simplistic-- and both naive and cynical. Obama is Hope and McCain will save us. Obama is dangerous and McCain is evil. No matter which adjective goes in front of which name - all these labels are simplistic and sad. Obama will not, can not save you. Neither can McCain. There is only one who can do such a job and He is as utterly unpopular as not voting. This perception that either candidate can represent Jesus is the most ridiculous notion imaginable. Politics cannot save you.

Start with the one. Gary Haugen talks about this so eloquently. If you really want to put your time, money and effort toward something that will change your world, start with your neighbor. Try treating the bus boy at your favorite cafe with the respect of looking him in the eye and asking his name. Roll down your window and talk to the homeless woman panhandling on the corner. Take the money you spend on Starbucks each week and sponsor a child for a month. This will change things, and it's the only kind of change that really matters. It's the one. Caring enough about another human being, for no other reason that they are beloved of the One who created you. And me. And Obama. And McCain.

Fair warning, don't pass judgement on those who might not share your views. Trust God. Put your life in his hands. See where that goes.

And a postscript. Please don't ask me if I've voted, or who I've voted for. I'm voting for Love and for reconciliation and for healing and for redemption. And that's what matters to me. We've all got to put our heads on that pillow each night. Do what you've got to do. That's my vote.

Shalom,
Cameron