India part 2

2 days later on the  24^th  we headed to a different village for the remainder of the trip. We were welcomed with roses, such an honor. We did the show, than in the afternoon we piled 20 people into the 8 passenger van and headed to the beach. Ride Nature brought some skim boards from the states for the kids to use too. It was a great day! The next day we did a video premiere in one of the villages. We had so much response, people were coming forward for prayer, God was definitely there.

The next night we 4 street demos. We piled into the van, brought moto-taxe (the taxies with 3 wheels) but a generator in it with a P.A. system and pulled up on village streets. Ramon danced, then I skated and we shared Jesus. That one of the best nights for me because none of it was planned out.

The final day Friday the 27^th we hit up a surf competitions. It was the second one ever done in India. People flew in from all over the world to be at it. We connected with a local dude with a surf school and hooked him up with some product, he had such a big heart for teaching kids how to surf. That night we began the long trip home.

We donated 12 complete skateboards and 6 skimboards a bunch of shirts and sunglasses too. We were the only people with skateboards in the part of India and we were blessed to bring something new there.

So that was India in a nutshell. I thank God for opening up the doors to go. Once again thank you for making it happen. Please pray for India. Matthew 9:37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.
Most people in India have never heard the name of Jesus and as the verse goes on to say is "Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Pray. 


In closing... I got a mullet for one day and Justin went back to his past with mutton chops. 

India Part 1

6 months ago I was approached on a 12 day skate/surf trip to India. I was super interested. I spent a lot of time in prayer about it and God opened the doors.

There were 6 of us going on the trip in all. Justin, the director of the trip with the mission organization Youth Hope, Mark and Shannon, founders Ride Nature an organization dedicated in bring skateboards and surfboards to kids in poverty. Ramon a professional break dancer, Matt a Youth Pastor in Fort Myers and myself. And I must not forget the local missionaries that made it possible. David, Steven and Don.

Fast forward 6 months, September 16, Fort Myers, Fl boarding a plane with Matt and Justin to Chennai India, not knowing that my life would be changed forever.

 32 hours later we landed in Chennai and met the rest of the team there. I thought I’d seen everything but I was wrong. We drove down the streets, seeing temples for every possible god but no Churches. The main purpose for the trip was to do assemblies and city events and village work. The next day (Thursday 19th) We did 2 school assemblies in the morning, each school had over 500 kids. We did a little skit, Ramon would dance and I would skate. After that each of us spoke about Jesus.

Ramon showing the kids some dance moves.

The orphanage

That afternoon we headed to an orphanage on the outskirts of the city. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever seen before. The children slept on beds without mattress and blankets, they didn’t have clothes without holes and only got a little of food. We have so much here in the States and we always want more. But we must take the shackles off our eyes because life isn’t about comfort. The money we spend on coffee in the morning can feed a family for a day. We did the skit then showed the kids an action sports video that Ride Nature made, that had been translated into their own language. They loved it! After that, we hung out and showed them how to ride a skateboard and dance.

Worshiping with the kids.

The next day we did 4 school assemblies and Saturday the 20^th we headed out to a village. It was like stepping back 100 years minus the vehicles. Thatch huts, dirt roads, it was pretty gnarly. We went to a church and center David had planted. We did our show after we sat down on the floor for lunch. The ladies but a piece of paper on the floor in front of us and dumped a big scoop of rice on it with some meat. All the kids ate it with their hands, I got half way though then had to use a fork. But Ramon and Mark were the true troupers who did the whole meal. After lunch we went into a big field next to the building and played cricket with the kids. It was the first time we ever played but after awhile figured it out, well kinda.

We came back the next day and did the exact same thing. It was around 100 F out and I was looking for any excuse out of cricket. 10 minutes into the game a kid runs up to wanting me wanting to play with my ukulele, that was my ticket to freedom.

Summer Camp!

When I was in Costa Rica I had the opportunity to apply for a job at a Christian Camp here in WI called Covenant Harbor as the skate park instructor. I got back home the first week of April and sent in my application. God hooked it up and I got the job.

So the second week in May put in my 2 weeks at McDonald's (more like one week) and headed to camp. I wasn't sure what to expect, but before I knew it I had so many new friends and loving every day. The first week of campers came in June, I saw a couple super gnarly injuries that made me question if this job was even for me. I mean its one thing if a homie slams, you laugh at them, ask if they're okay and they get back up, but when its a kid there it's something different.
 With Prayer God got me through it.

As camp went on I experienced so much joy, I saw so many kids learn how to drop in and taught so many kids tricks. There were days when all the pads and boards were being used. Kids would run to the park to go skate.

One day a kid that had to be 7 was trying to drop in and fell. He started crying. I ran over to see if he was okay and with tears in his eyes asked, "how does a kickflip roll" and he got back up and started skating again. The stories never end.

Not only was I the skatepark instructor but I was also a cabin buddy (I would be assigned a cabin each week and hang out with them and be a counselor on the counselor night off). I loved meeting new kids and hanging with them. Granted, it did get a little weird at points. I also had the amazing privilege to be in the skit many nights over the span of 3 weeks and judge a few talent shows. I had 2 characters, Theotis Fooberpants, (A character a bud of mine created while we were on tour back in 2011) the second named Carl which was an indecisive me haha it was so rad goofing off and having fun on stage, making kids laugh. It was definitely one of my high points as well. 

This summer we had over 2,000 kids. Over 2,000 kids who heard the name of Jesus. When I heard this it blew my mind, every kid that came to camp heard about Jesus. How rad is that?! I saw camp as a mission field. Many of the families of the kids were not Christians and their parents sent their kids here. It is so rad to look back and see how God worked.

Camp ended the middle of August and we all headed back  home, to school, work and wherever else. I left with tears in my eyes as we all said good bye. The mission was finished and the message was shared. It might have been some of the hardest 11 weeks of my life but it was some of the best 11 weeks of my life.

Skate Church Carpio

It is so rad to see where Skate Church has gone in La Carpio. When I was here in September we had 5 guys we were discipling and now God has grown it into something so much bigger.

EMERICA!!!!!

Front board

YWAM came out and did a message, Best Trick comp and a skit for the dudes

Yoel and Carlos pointing out the winners

The skit

CARLOS!!!!!!!!!! Inward heel!!!!!!

Me saying goodbye to the fam

Skate Church Escazú

Saying good bye to the dudes at skate church. I leave Thursday.

Back 180

Luis talking again

heel flip

Kick flip

This weekend

Skated with the dude.

Luis front 50

Yoel back 50

Luis sharing with some dudes in Carpio

Beach trip

Hit up the beach for some r&r with the homies.

Skate Church Escazu

Luis Aponte is a Pro skater from Panama, he came out this week for Wild in the streets. He is an amazing dude with great heart for God. In the pic he's sharing with the dudes.

kick flip

Another pic of Luis sharing.

yo soy rojo haha Rad pic with the mini me

Mulisha!!!! Blunt

One of the kids I skate with a few times a week. Rock to fakie

Wild in the streets

EMERICA WILD IN THE STREETS! Today we took the bus into downtown San Jose for Emericas wild in the street event. 5000 skaters showed up to go wild in the streets and skate through San Jose.

Friday!

Another amazing busy weekend. On Friday we had a great session rippin with the locals.

Some good food made by Chef Mulisha

Skate Church La Carpio

Skate church was amazing! We brought some ramps out, and had near 40 kids come. It was packed!! But God is soooo good and we had a great time.

Handing out some new completes for the kids to use.

BS Heel

Tre

I was blessed last night to tell my story and share how God can use our skateboarding.

RAD WEEK

It has been a busy busy week.And we have see the power of God.

Last Monday and Wednesday a team from TX came to help work on the local community center.

Before

After

they also blessed us with some fresh completes

Friday we headed to the mens retreat. And had some amazing fellowship over the weekend.

Mark 16:18 "they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all" We were hiking through the jungle and one of the men got bit by this eye lash viper. We rushed him to the hospital and the doctors were stunned why his hand swollen or anything.

Sunday night we had skate church.

One of the groms using one of the new boards

The mini me