The New Blog

I have been hearing great things about Posterous, so I spent some time checking them out and have decided to go with them for my new blog. I am very excited about some of the features. It is still not done, but here is my first post.

A few facts:
1. The address of this blog is currently noahkaye.posterous.com. However, within the next few days it will become blog.noahkaye.com.
2. When I blog, it will automatically post to Twitter, Facebook and my old Blogger site!! Pretty cool, huh?
3. I now email my blogs and they get posted for me! Cool, huh?
4. There are some other really cool features like photo galleries (where you can download any pics you want that I post) and sharing. You can click to share the blog on FB or Twitter. 5. Finally, notice the two navigation options at the top to take you to the NEW www.noahkaye.com and Tricia's new blog!
6. Be sure to scroll to the very bottom of the page for more features.
Lots of great stuff!! I will share more tomorrow. Trying to get this stuff all set up before I am too busy to do any of it.

Reaping & Sowing...Auto Edition

I'm a nerd for cars. You know that by now. They are a hobby of sorts. Driving them, cleaning them, fixing them, buying them...whatever.

I was really bummed to say goodbye to my Avalon last week. Read about that HERE.

Well, one of the things that we had to do this week was to find and buy a car. In the USA, that would have been really exciting for me, and I would have been good at it. But, here....not so much. I just don't know the way it works here, don't know the makes and models of cars and could easily have been taken advantage of for my ignorance.

Here's a neat testimony I want to share:

Back in the USA, I used to help people buy cars. Mainly single ladies and widows who needed an advocate or negotiator. I loved doing it, but it took a lot of time...and sometimes I questioned whether I had the time to be investing into it. But I did it anyway because it was a gift that I thought the Lord wanted me to give. I could have never imagined anyone ever having to help me with the same. Fast forward several years....

Now, we are here and God paid me back. In September we were in China and met a guy from Cape Town named Richard Anderson. Richard worked in the car sales industry for many years. When we told him that we would need to get a car when we arrived, he put us at ease and said he would take care of us....and that he did! Richard sent me an email a week before we landed here saying that he found our car. We arrived and this guy walked us through every single step of the way....everything....until we drove off the lot. The car is awesome! We got more than we thought we would get for our budget and we could not feel happier about it all.

This is how I see it: I sowed into helping others when I had knowledge and expertise...and reaped the blessing when I had no knowledge or expertise. I went from others depending on me-- to me depending on others-- practically overnight. But God met us and blessed us.

I have always believed in the principle of sowing and reaping....and I believe it even more now. What goes around...

Here are some pictures of the Kaye's South African Chariot...a 2003 Opel Astra:

Our Schedule Right Now...

I wanted to take a moment to share a little about our schedule.

Our assignment here officially starts on February 6. We arrived here 3 weeks early on purpose. Right now we are focused on:

• Davis starting school and developing a routine.
• Learning the culture.
• Establishing ourselves and settling in.
• Securing transportation.
• Developing relationships with local people.
• Learning the area.
• Preparing our hearts, minds and souls for an intense season of service to come.

Our days are actually quite flexible and free. We are at peace and at ease. No pressure, no demands. We pretty much do what we want/need to do each day as it comes. We have free time and have actually enjoyed reading, resting and staying connected here at the blog and on FB.

However, all that is going to change on February 6 when we begin CPx! More about that later...

The Final Walk

Our son keeps amazing us. Throughout the journey of responding to God to move overseas, there were moments when I really felt like he was a normal kid....but other moments where his advanced understanding of things blew our minds. Listen to this story...

The day finally came. The day that we had been talking about, looking for, waiting for, raising funds for...the day that we would move to Cape Town to respond to what God asked. Davis was filled with a palpable excitement. He was smiling loads and kept yelling out "yay, we are going to Cape Town today!" Mom, Dad and Selah (Aunt Bird) took us to the airport. After a nice dinner, we made our way to the airport...a dreaded drive, frankly. We decided to just say bye to Mom and Dad at the curb when we unloaded our luggage. Selah opted to park and come in with us. After checking in, we could only walk a few yards before we got to the elevator that would take us down to security. It was there that we bid my sister, Selah farewell. We did...and it was super hard for all of us. We were all crying. Davis was just stoic looking. We took the final walk to the elevator (because we had the stroller) and got on it. As soon as the elevator door shut, he LOST IT! Sobbing. We held him, got off the elevator and stepped to the side where we took about 5 minutes as a family just grieving. Davis clearly understood what had just happened. And it was almost like he wanted to be strong for his Aunt, then lose it when she was gone. And that is the crazy part. He is FOUR--only been four for a week! It really stunned us that he was so in tune with the reality of what was happening.

Many people ask how Davis is handling all this. Frankly, he is doing amazing! And he really seems to grasp far more than we thought he would at his age. I know parents are supposed to brag, but we are so proud of Davis and his tuned in and sensitive heart. This kid blesses us every day. We feel super privileged to parent him.

Many people tell us that he will never remember any of this...and they are probably right...but, we believe that although he may not remember specifics, this is shaping him nonetheless.

New Friends in Five Days!

We have been pleasantly surprised by the new connections we have made in just 5 days. It is really neat how the Lord prepared each of them before we even landed. I know some of you back home were really worried that we would never make friends (enter sarcasm). I wanted to share briefly about some of the people that are making our adjustment easier. We honor each of these people for their kindness to us.

Julian and Laura-Ann George- this dear couple are part owners and full-time managers of the guest house we are living at right now. We will be here for at least a few weeks....maybe a few months. They have been so wonderful to us making us feel welcomed and cared for here in the home.

Brandon and Julianna Jones- this is a staff couple at All Nations who did CPx last year. They are an American couple that is settling here in Cape Town as well. You may recall them as the couple we had lunch with in VA in August. They have been super helpful on so many levels and have even opened their home to us! There is a possibility that we may be living with them for several months.

David and Shawn Hain (and their two sons, Isaac and Jordan)- This is a couple from Lancaster County that moved here in November. We met them for breakfast in November in PA. David is a mission leader and the author of a popular prison addiction curriculum that is being used around the world. He has been invited to work with it here in SA prisons. They had us over for a lovely dinner tonight and some time on the beach! Wonderful people!

Richard and Bernice Anderson- A DIVINE connection....I met Richard in Shanghai, China in September and found out he was from Cape Town (lived in South Africa his whole life). Tricia and I met with him in China and picked his brain about South Africa. Long and wonderful story short, Richard met us at the airport the day we landed with a big smile on his face and has walked with us in some way EVERY DAY since we arrived. He has been a Godsend to us. He has protected and guided us like a Father and loved us like friends. I will share more about him later. I believe God has brought us together for many purposes.

These are just four developing relationships and connections that I wanted to share about tonight. There are many more that the Lord is preparing. We are just so thankful for how we are connecting and what we are learning.

To GOD be the glory!

Our Contact Info in South Africa

A lot of you have been asking for our contact information. Here it is...

Local South African Mailing Address...

Noah, Tricia & Davis Kaye

PO Box 1606, Sun Valley

Cape Town, South Africa 7985

Skype...

Noah: noahjkaye (Noah Kaye, Bowie, MD, USA)

Tricia: tricia31780 (Tricia Kaye, Bowie, MD, USA)

Email...

Noah: noah.ccf@gmail.com

Tricia: tricia.ccf@gmail.com

And if you are not following us on Facebook...

Noah: http://www.facebook.com/nkaye

Trcia: http://www.facebook.com/trkaye

Noah on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/noahkaye

We will have phones too, but not all about giving those numbers out yet. ;-)

Here We Go...

Well, here we go...

We are here in Cape Town and settling in. So far, so great! Here are a few random updates.

We are in a nice (but very small) room at the Silver Palms guest house. We may be here for 3 weeks. Then, we may move again. And then again! ;-) Or maybe not! We just simply do not know. Until July 1 (when CPx is over), we have no control over where we reside. This will likely be the hardest part for us. But God is good, and He will be with us. Tricia has already made our home (our room) lovely.

Trying to secure cell phones and Internet right now and it is quite confusing. So many things we are learning. It will take a while to get past the "feeling stupid" part. For instance, I stand at cash registers and just kinds stare at the cashier and my money as I try to figure out what size bill to hand them...or whether it is coins I should be using?! For instance: I bought 2 diet sodas today for 13.50 and was like....um....ok.....um.....do you want this 100 Rand paper bill or do you want this pile of change in my pocket? So, after the nice lady looked at me funny, she took the pile of change, sorted through it and handed me back a few coins. What a laugh. We will have these moments for a while.

The weather is indescribably beautiful!! There just are not words.

We are excited to begin to connect with All Nations Staff people and begin ministering locally. For now, though, we are focusing on settling in and Davis starting school Monday.

Pray for:

• Davis to get well.
• The car buying process (Monday).
• Emotional Strength....things can go from good to overwhelming fast when you are in adjustment like this.
• Spiritual Awareness and sensitivity to how God's Spirit wants to be using and directing us.

Here is a map of where we are. We are living in Noordhoek:

Our Farewell Video

Web Address Down

We own the domain, www.noahkaye.com and look forward to improving it through the years. This is the web address that we have published on most of our material. However, I am bummed to say that it is not working at this time and will not be until back up until about January 18th. You can always reach this blog at www.pastornoah.blogspot.com! Thank you for your patience and for following us.

My Feelings One Day Before Africa...

Well, we fly out tomorrow evening! We are just about all the way packed. It is astounding all the different questions we get as the time approaches. How do you feel? Are you nervous? Where will you live? Will you be able to be online and updating FB and your blog? Do you need anything? Etc, etc., etc. Well, I thought before leaving, I would just tell you some truth as I know it and see it. I will give it to you straight up...which is how I like to roll:

• I feel like a roast in the oven getting overcooked. I am ready. Take me out. Let me go. It's been 11 months since God called and 3 months since I stopped ministry at CCF. I am ready to love people and minister Jesus in a hands on way! Let's get on with it.
• This is HARD! We are pretty tired and tad afraid. It is possible that we could "move" 3 or more times in the next 6 months. That would not be as dreadful had we not just had a year of that here! We really need prayer for these next 6 months. As of July 1, we will have our own place. Until then, please intercede for grace!
• Davis is getting it more that we thought he would. Today, he and I just had a time to weep together and talk/cry about the things we are sad to leave. It was so healthy. I think it is far better to process openly and honestly with him and to let him grieve with us than to rob him from the chance to process his losses. God was with us. I felt His presence in and through Davis. It was so neat. He is a spectacular 4 year old very in touch with his feelings.
• I feel like Tricia is being stronger than me. She is amazing. I love her to pieces. Proverbs 18:22 is spot on....I have found a GOOD thing....even favor with the Lord.
• We hope to have Internet and update as often as we can. It will be less available and more expensive than here, but we are planning to do what we can! You know me. ;-)
• Even with the tougher realities, we are finding indescribable peace and calm in the assurance and affirmation of the Lord that comes through obedience. He does not promise that obedience will feel easy, but I am here to proclaim that it feels RIGHT! We are simply doing what Jesus asked....and that should not be such a big deal. He died for us and all He asks is that we live for him.

I am holding ever so tightly to the words of Matthew 10: 37-39 right now... “If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it."

Counting on God,

Noah

Sold My Car Tonight. A Tribute to Satin.

Kinda sad tonight. I sold my baby at 8:00 this evening to a friend I've known since High School (who is also a contributor to us in missions). So glad about how this worked out. Those that know me well, know that taking care of my car is somewhat of a hobby for me. Always has been. Love to drive it, clean it, keep it running good, etc. And I really, really loved my 2000 Toyota Avalon (I even named her "Satin" for her smooth, soft ride). Here are a few fun facts about Satin as a goodbye tribute:

• We bought her 30 days after we got married. She replace Miles, my first love.
• Took it to 25 US states (many of them many times each...she really liked FL and GA)!
• She helped me get about _____ speeding tickets. ;-)
• Bought her in 2002 with 40,000 miles on it.
• Sold it tonight in 2011 with 192,000 miles on it!

I would love to own another Avalon someday! This car was so good to us. Selling it tonight felt a lot like putting a dog to sleep. LOL. But....it was just a piece of metal. On to more important stuff....like changed lives. It's worth it!

The day we bought the car in 2002:

Satin, about 6 years ago:

Us, tonight, the night we sold the car (blurry, sorry):

Satin, Christmas Day (several weeks ago):

IF

WOW! The words of this poem are inspiring in the deepest way.

IF by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you; If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, but make allowance for their doubting too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, or, being lied about, don't deal in lies, or, being hated, don't give way to hating, and yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master; If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two imposters just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, or watch the things you gave your life to broken, and stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

Happy 4th Birthday, Davis!!

Davis on January 7, 2007...the day he was born:

Davis last month at almost 4:

Four years ago, my life changed forever. I met my son, Davis Joseph Kaye. I do not have the words to adequately express how much I love this guy. I absolutely love being a Dad and I do not have a single regret yet! I am so totally impressed with Davis's unmatched flexibility, sweet spirit and fun personality. Above all, I see his ever-increasing sensitivity to the things of God....yes, even at four.

Happy Birthday, Buddy. Dad loves you like crazy. And I am proud of you and well pleased!

Here is the prayer that I pray over Davis every single night (he has it memorized too):

Dear Jesus, thank you for Davis and the young man that you are shaping him to be. I pray that one day he will grow up and teach me more of what it is to walk with Jesus. I pray purpose and destiny over his future. Call him to be the man of God you want him to be. Give him a wonderful night sleep and a whole lot of peace. In Jesus name, Amen!

Join our Mailing List

Throughout our time in South Africa, we will be updating this blog. But, in addition, there will be deeper layers of more personal sharing that will happen via our email mailing list through which we will send our newsletter and other important updates about our family and ministry.

So, if you want to join that list, you may do so in the upper right hand corner of this blog. Simply fill out your info and click submit. Then, check your email and click the button that verifies your subscription to our list. That's it. We would love to have you join.

Jesus, the Author

A great deal of peace came over me this morning as I was praying. Peace that I really needed. I would be lying if I said we were not freaking out some days. In 7 DAYS, we are moving to Africa for TWO YEARS!! That is crazy and scary....as excited as we are.

This morning, as I prayed the Lord gave me two "visions".

One:

Hebrews 12:2 tells us to "fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith". God is the Author of our faith, the author of our lives. Authors form and shape the story. They create, imagine and write it all out. God is the author of this calling and the story that is about to unfold in our family in the next two years. If we land, on January 14th and FIX OUR EYES on Jesus, he will be in charge of forming this story. And he wants to do the same in your life.

Two:

The other night, for fun, I made a little video of Davis and his cousins using iMovie. I was able to add credits to the end. This morning, the Lord reminded me of that credits screen. I envisioned it coning at the end of each day of our lives:

Starring....

Jesus....as provider

Jesus....as protector

Jesus.....as healer

Jesus.....as the main character

Jesus......as the producer

Jesus.......as the director

Supporting actors....

Noah.

Tricia

Davis

You.....

Really, at the end of it all, Jesus wants the credit! Whether we use imagery of a book (author) or a movie (actor), Jesus is he star of our show. It helped me so much this morning to get myself out of the center again and keep putting Jesus back where he belongs.

I invite you to do the same this year.

The Sly Candle Girl

Watch the way Davis's cousin Ava cuffs his candle-blowing moment. So classic!

Year in Review

Well, this year officially takes that cake as the wildest, wackiest year yet! It was exactly one year ago that I told Tricia with confidence that the Lord was drawing and calling us to a new season of ministry! Since that confession, it has been a wild ride.

Just for fun, here is the timeline (all in 2010):

January 16th- God crystallized my call to surrender and follow him. I told Tricia we would be leaving CCF.

February 12th- Tricia believed it!

February 26th- After seeking the Lord like crazy, the Lord said that we were to leave our familiar land and move to Cape Town, South Africa.

March through August- Eastern Mennonite Missions (Our sending organization) Acceptance and Preparation Process including budget development and approval.

May 2nd- We announced our calling to CCF, our home church. Click HERE to read the announcement.

September- We visited Cape Town on our way back from a trip to China. You can read some reflections from that trip HERE and HERE.

October 17th- Our last day on Staff at CCF as Pastor. We felt so blessed by our sending.

December 27th- We were at 76.5% of our budget raised for missions! CLICK HERE to read about it. Truly a miracle.

Today- We are making final preparations to depart!

January 12, 2011- We fly out...and the story continues.

God has stretched us, shaped us, taught us, humbled us and led us like never before. Tricia and my faith grew more in 2010 than any other year of our lives, hands down.

Meanwhile people in our lives have loved, supported and blessed us in ways too many to number and too marvelous to describe. We are deeply blessed and we know it! Thank you family, thank you friends, thank you CCF, thank you partnering churches, thank you JESUS!!!!

A we look ahead to 2011, we are envisioning the realization of many of the dreams that the Lord has birthed in us in 2010! Look out. God is on the move!

Noah, Tricia and Davis Kaye

SPECTACULAR Illustration of God's Love!

The video below is quite possible one of the most beautiful illustration of the love of God that I have ever seen. I want to come to God this way in 2011. I want to approach him overwhelmed that he would love me and choose me. The more I know Him, the more I am startled by his love.

Note: Francis Chan has made a grand impact in my life THIS YEAR as his family is doing almost exactly what ours is doing. I obeyed the Lord and wrote him a letter. He got it. I may or may never hear back from him, but I obeyed the spirit of God and did my part.

The Upside Down Kingdom

It seems that my taste in books is changing. Over this year, I have been straying away from leadership and practical ministry books and into books about the KINGDOM of GOD, God's heart for his people, Jesus's intentions for his church.

Last week I finished reading "The Upside Down Kingdom" by Donald Kraybill. Outstanding, well-written, high impact book! It expanded my kingdom heart and enlarged my theology about what God envisions for His people.

Here are a few highlight statements that really spoke to me:

• The Kingdom of God defies definition. It is pregnant with many meanings. This is its genius. It can stimulate our imaginations again and again.
• The Kingdom of God is full of surprises. Again and again, sermon after parable, Jesus startles us. The good guy is turning out to be bad. Those we expect to receive the reward get a spanking instead. Those we think they are headed for heaven land in hell. Things are reversed. The least are the greatest. The moral receive forgiveness and blessing. Adults become like children. The religious miss the heavenly banquet. The pious receive curses. Things are not like we think they should be! We are baffled and perplexed. Again and again, the kingdom of God surprises us.
• The poor understand dependence, simplicity, and cooperation. They know the difference between needs and luxuries. Having fewer entanglements, they're free or to abandon all else for the kingdom. They have little to give up. They simply walk in. And are grateful.
• We are accountable not for grandiose solutions to world problems, but for our personal obedience to our knowledge of the Gospel. It's easy to do nothing because we fear our small part won't count. It's true that one more baby, one more luxury car, and one more vacation home won't make a significant difference. However, when several million other people think and act the same way, the corporate consequences of our behavior are amazing. 5 million more pieces of litter, 10 million more gas guzzlers, and 20 million more babies will make a whopping collective impact. The belief that my behavior won't make a difference anyway doesn't excuse us from moral responsibility.
• The moment we see Church structures as identical with Kingdom, things get dangerous.
• The altar in the church building is no closer to God's heart than a restroom. The unfortunate use of the term sanctuary encourages us to use the church building as a sacred place deserving special reverence.
• When cultural rather than kingdom values primarily shape the church, the salt loses its flavor.
• Agape love is transformational. Agape is bold. Agape is inconvenient. Agape is risky. Agape takes time. Agape is expensive. Agape jeopardizing his social status.
• Coins inscribed with "In God We Trust" are an outright mockery when we spend billions of dollars for defense. We obviously trust weapons, not God!
• A peace that holds millions of people hostage to fear isn't peace. A peace built on military threats, bluffing, and bullying is not peace!

This was just a taste! Read this one. It will rock you good.

New Years in New York

Yesterday, Tricia, Davis and I drove to upstate NY (East Greenbush) to bring in the new year with Tricia's family. This visit is extra special to us for several reasons. It will be our last time seeing Tanya, Artie, Abuela and the kids until 2013 (likely). So, our heart's desire is just to spend quality and quantity time with them. In addition, we are excited to be preaching at Calvary Assembly of God in Hudson, NY this Sunday. Calvary Assembly and Freedom Fellowship (our family's church pastored buy Art Henderson, Sr.) recently merged into one church, so we look forward to meeting new people and new partners in mission. This is one of our supporting churches. Excited to connect with other family and friends while here as well. Always nice to be back in my Sweetheart's hometown.

Looking forward to bringing in the NEW YEAR in NEW YORK! We will be in MD by January 3 for our final 9 days in the USA.

___________________________

Here are the kids this morning getting ready to go out and play in the snow...and there is lots of it...