MEET Kahle

It is my understanding that this particular blog is to be an introduction. Be that as it may, I prefer to think of it as an outroduction. A: because I’m tempted to think that “outroduction” is a clever turn of the word, even though it’s not actually clever at all. And B: because if you put a little thought into it, it makes sense, though I’m sure you’d find if you put a lot of thought into it, it makes little or none. So for those of you less intellectually invested in this material, I propose the term “outroduction” as this time of getting to know us is in conjunction with seeing us off and sending us out.  

Now that that bit of silliness is out of the way. My name is Kahle (kāl). Among the passport photo’s you saw on the first page, I’m the one that looks like a fourteen-year-old that was just caught stealing a pack of gum. And I consider myself terribly blessed to be going on this trip; this adventure; this ministry; and this physical, emotional, and spiritual journey. And despite the sappiness of the sentiment I sincerely stand by it (three cheers for alliteration!). And not just for the going am I blessed but also for going with this particular team. For truly what other combination of people could more adequately present our Gospel of Freedom by such a testimony of facial hair? Mike with his traditional beard opposite Mick and his generally clean shave but for a hint of a shadow. And JC (perhaps the most liberated of us all) with his power chops and go-hawk complimented by his wife’s own very feminine lack of facial hair. And though I am currently sporting an unkempt beard, I will likely carry across the ocean only side burns of some moderate length. If that’s not an encouragement to the underground church in South East Asia, I’m not really sure what would be.

Speaking of encouragement, I can’t really explain how excited I am to meet brothers and sisters a world away. Family members who speak a different language, live a completely different live, and have extremely different trials and struggles, but share the same Faith. I should use and exclamation mark because I’m that excited… ! . I’m not sure if this will make you feel better or worse, but as much as I am looking forward to helping and serving and encouraging these people in such a surrealistically dire situation, I am aware (in some crude sense) that I will likely be far more helped and served and encouraged by them. That thought is both a humbling and invigorating one, and I am eager to share with you every good thing as such thoughts turn to experience. 

Be blessed.

Love, 

-mkm-

(“mkm?” you might be thinking. “What’s that?”… Those are my initials.  My middle name is Kahle and my first name, like my last and like the names of the other non-leaders of the team, starts with M. So now you know and should no longer be surprised to see those particular letters where one would expect my name to be)