Young America
The Spiritual Forge of Missionary Work: Interview with Joe Siekbert
Joe, with a candidness that's as refreshing as a cool African night, shares his fear of being perceived as overbearing and the importance of a life dedicated to a higher calling.
Turning 18 can feel like stepping onto the edge of the world, pondering the vastness of life ahead. Joe and I reminisce about this pivotal age, wishing for a tighter grasp on faith during those years. As Joe navigates through his reflections on family impact, missionary challenges, and hypothetical scenarios like a chat with the Apostle Paul, his discussion is a treasure trove of insights. Imagine what one would do with a $10 million windfall. For Joe, it's about channeling such fortunes into causes that tug at his heartstrings and exploring the misunderstood narratives of missionary life.
Tales from Africa don't always make it to the Sunday pulpit, but they're the fabric of our final topics. Listen as we recount the grueling effort of building a church by hand and the 7,000 brick journey that taught Joe the essence of perseverance. The spirit of missionary work, the lessons it imprints, and the faith that's tested and tempered like silver, are the cornerstones of our dialogue. And as we wrap up this profound exchange, We are thrilled to steer our audience towards a new horizon - our transition to a YouTube-exclusive presence, where these stories will continue to unfold and inspire.
https://www.youtube.com/@YoungAmerica
Joe, with a candidness that's as refreshing as a cool African night, shares his fear of being perceived as overbearing and the importance of a life dedicated to a higher calling.
Turning 18 can feel like stepping onto the edge of the world, pondering the vastness of life ahead. Joe and I reminisce about this pivotal age, wishing for a tighter grasp on faith during those years. As Joe navigates through his reflections on family impact, missionary challenges, and hypothetical scenarios like a chat with the Apostle Paul, his discussion is a treasure trove of insights. Imagine what one would do with a $10 million windfall. For Joe, it's about channeling such fortunes into causes that tug at his heartstrings and exploring the misunderstood narratives of missionary life.
Tales from Africa don't always make it to the Sunday pulpit, but they're the fabric of our final topics. Listen as we recount the grueling effort of building a church by hand and the 7,000 brick journey that taught Joe the essence of perseverance. The spirit of missionary work, the lessons it imprints, and the faith that's tested and tempered like silver, are the cornerstones of our dialogue. And as we wrap up this profound exchange, We are thrilled to steer our audience towards a new horizon - our transition to a YouTube-exclusive presence, where these stories will continue to unfold and inspire.
https://www.youtube.com/@YoungAmerica
I will probably come over and slap you. It's when people, stinking, eat with their mouth open and they just sit there and chomp. I'm like, oh, it gets under my skin so much I cannot stand it. Oh my soul, that's hilarious. It drives me nuts.
Speaker 2:That's funny. Welcome back to Young America everybody. I am Jacob Blakey, and today we are interviewing yours truly, joe Siegbert. That's right, people All the way from Possum Trot, tennessee I'm just kidding Africa, really. But yeah, yeah, it'll be fun, it'll be good. Same questions for me, and then a couple extras that I thought you guys might find interesting yeah, I don't know how this is gonna go, but we'll find out.
Speaker 1:Nobody does. It'll be interesting, for sure yeah, it'll be fun.
Speaker 2:So to start off, with, what do you think people most misunderstand about you?
Speaker 1:honestly, I have no idea. Um, I don't know, maybe I just come across weird. I don't really know. I don't know, I I feel like I'm I don't know. I feel like I'm overbearing, if that makes sense. Very obnoxious you can be for sure but I don't know that might be. I don't ask people, but I probably should honestly what is wrong with me?
Speaker 2:what?
Speaker 1:do you think, jacob?
Speaker 2:because I have no idea I mean, my main thing is we're just different and so you come across different. Your job is to punch people in the face and my job is to smooth it over for them afterwards.
Speaker 1:You know that's kind of yeah, that's fair enough it's like you know you come across very.
Speaker 2:This is the way it is it's only this way, and it must be this way, or else yeah, that's and just yeah yeah, I mean I well, that's one thing that I've learned is just be very direct and just get to the point.
Speaker 1:Don't't beat around the bush. Yeah, like if you're going to tell me to do something, or whatever it is, I don't want you to beat around the bush or take a rabbit trail down. 12 trails. It's like dude, just tell me how it is and we'll move on with life Like big deal. You know we'll sort it out one way or another.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, so that's something.
Speaker 1:I guess it's different, right one way or another. Yeah, I just yeah. So that's something, I guess it's different, right?
Speaker 2:so I like people that are just like boom, this is what it is, and you know you go from there yeah yeah, makes sense, and that's understandable. I'd rather get punched in the nose and stabbed in the back.
Speaker 1:That's what I figured right, exactly, and then yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Pretty much sums that up, does it yeah?
Speaker 1:pretty much.
Speaker 2:What's your favorite childhood memory?
Speaker 1:Oof. Well, I remember when we were in Africa, we would I think it was every Thursday night or Friday night. It might have been a Friday night, but every Friday night we would get done with school or whatever, and then at night we would make homemade pizza. Oh my soul so good. Like literally from scratch, from the dough, you know, like everything's homemade.
Speaker 2:We do that too, yeah, just not in.
Speaker 1:Africa, yeah, and then we'd have like it was like this knockoff brand of cheez-its, I guess, and then another knockoff brand of um, uh, I don't even know, it's like some kind of chocolate balls or something, I don't know, but like lindor it was here something.
Speaker 1:No, it was more like a whopper interesting, but a little different. I don't they were amazing, though, but I really remember that when we were kids, um, we used to do that and then, uh, the cheese prices got ridiculously expensive and so we quit doing that. But bummer, that was. That was always something that you know as a kid I always looked forward to. It's like, yeah, it's friday, we get to sit down and watch a movie and eat pizza because you know yeah, especially over in africa. It's like pizzas, like yeah like heaven.
Speaker 2:Yeah, should come live in my house for a while fix that for you. Okay, so that was your childhood. Now we got to go to more depressing things. But what's your biggest failure and what did you learn from that experience?
Speaker 1:uh, my biggest failure? Well, I mean, honestly, it feels like life is my biggest failure. Easy killer, easy life is good. No, it is, it really is good, but I don't know. There's just a lot of things in life it's like it just keeps beating you down. It's like, oh my goodness, am I ever gonna learn, or am I ever gonna get smart enough to not do something stupid? Um, but I don't know if there's really one specific example.
Speaker 1:I mean, yeah, I mean I really don't know if there's anything like specifically just a lot of things that could have been better yeah, um, but yeah, I've definitely learned a lot of things from all the mistakes that I've made and I'm very, very glad, glad for that, because I've definitely grown, or at least I think I have a lot, and I think that's good, if you could be remembered for one thing, what would it be?
Speaker 1:Man. Well, if I could be remembered for one thing, I would love to be remembered for a person that, um, that loved god and wanted to serve him with the ability that god has given me. Um, there's a quote that I remember and it's from dody, and he said the world has yet to see a man that is fully consecrated to God. And you know, you just think about that quote and it's like what if there was a man like that? What if there was someone who just completely didn't care about himself and he just simply relied on what God wanted him to do and and he just simply followed the Lord? Yeah, and you know, it's just like that's what my aim is, that's what I want to be. I want to be a man that is fully consecrated to God and just live through faith and trust God. So I guess that's what I would want to be remembered for.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's the best thing. That's why I like hanging out with you, joe, because we both want to do right, you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah Well, iron sharpens iron. So you're definitely encouragement to me and it sounds like I'm an encouragement to you, which is hard to believe.
Speaker 2:I know, it's always like man. I feel that way too. It's like how did I stick this whole foot inside this whole mouth, you know? Yeah, I feel that way too. It's like how did I stick this whole foot inside this whole mouth you? Know, yeah, that's okay. We can stick our foot in our mouths together, at any rate. Yeah, that's right, let's see what's the biggest compliment you've ever gotten.
Speaker 1:Well, I remember this was maybe a year ago, but I remember I was at work and I was texting my dad right before I got to work and, um, I think I was. I, as soon as I got there, I went to the bag and I was washing dishes, or something like that, and so I still had my dad on the phone.
Speaker 1:Um, because you know, I was just washing dishes I didn't need to really focus on anything, but I just remember telling him like all the things that I'm doing and um with work and school and all that other stuff and all the things that go into the podcasts and just basically what I'm doing with life, and uh, I just remember. Uh, he said that he was proud of me and that's always been something that I don't know is it made me feel good, if that makes sense but yeah, yeah, it's the best words you can say to your son, I think, because, yeah, cool, let's see, here we go all right.
Speaker 2:So opposite flip side of that question, what's an insult you've received that you're proud of?
Speaker 1:Man, I don't really remember insults, but Low IQ. Yeah, that's. I'm not proud of that, so that's the kicker.
Speaker 2:No it's not true. That's not what I'm saying. Remember that that's the kicker. No, it's not true. That's not what. I'm saying when you posted that reel about Trump or whatever, I forgot what you said.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah. That was an entertaining one. Yeah, that's true. So what happened was I made this controversial reel on instagram and, uh, basically this guy was just calling me an idiot and so I'm proud of that. There you go like, well, as long as I'm an idiot and I know what I'm talking about and I know my facts, I'll be an idiot in your eyes, but we all know who the real one is oh goodness, how would your parents describe what you?
Speaker 1:do. Um well, I guess they're for it. I think they are proud of me. I think they're happy with where I'm at in life. I think it's good. What more could you want?
Speaker 2:How about this? What is a funny story your family tells about you that you'd like to share?
Speaker 1:That's better than socks and toilets, man. I don't know if I can top that one.
Speaker 2:Um funny, surely, with all your africa, there's got to be something I mean I'm sure there is, but I just don't remember.
Speaker 1:Um, I'm sure if my mom was here she would tell you a thousand stories. But, um, let me think funny story. Um, well, I don't know if it's funny. I mean it wasn't funny then but it is funny now. But I was always known for misplacing my glasses and so like, because I would take them off, because I'd go play or whatever. And I went through so many thinking, oh yeah, that's a good one. I went through so many pairs of glasses. It was stupid. But I remember one particularly. Um, I don't remember what happened, but my glasses broke and you know, like the little corner where it holds the actual frame and then the leg or whatever you want to call it.
Speaker 1:It connects right there. Well, it broke right there, and so my dad. My dad made me take a match and some duct tape and we just taped it together.
Speaker 2:Bones killed.
Speaker 1:It was the stupidest thing that I've ever seen.
Speaker 2:I've known some people like that.
Speaker 1:Redneck it.
Speaker 2:Well, because we're in Africa, you can't just go to Walmart and get new glasses and it's like you got to make it last.
Speaker 1:So I mean as far as the glasses part. Like you gotta make it last. So I mean as far as the glasses part. And I've put my glasses in stupid places and broken my glasses a thousand times. But tape and super glue that'll do the trick you zip ties mishkin.
Speaker 2:Okay, let's see what this will be interesting. What is your favorite holiday movie? Or we could just say holiday, that's easier. What's your favorite holiday?
Speaker 1:I'm going to go with the classic and just say Christmas. You know, as a child, christmas was like the best. And then as an adult you grow up and you're like man. This is sad. Why, I don't know, at least for me anyways, it just feels like it, I don't know loses.
Speaker 2:Luster.
Speaker 1:Yeah something, but I still like it as a holiday. You get to eat cookies and be fat for a whole month. It's great.
Speaker 2:I mean I will stay silent.
Speaker 1:Um, yeah, but I know your mom would make cookies homemade cookies, oh my goodness, especially in africa, because we wouldn't have chocolate chips or m&ms or anything like that. So around christmas time we'd bring well, before we go to africa, we'd bring trunk fulls of just candy and like m&ms and all that stuff and we'd put it in the freezer and just freeze it. So whenever christmas came around, we'd pull that stuff out and make cookies with them.
Speaker 1:And, um, so christmas is, yeah, definitely up there yeah, um, and then if I had to pick a second, it'd probably be july 4th that's no longer in africa, I mean yeah, but that's yeah, I'd say christmas is the one of my favorite holidays cool, let's see okay.
Speaker 2:Okay, this ought to be interesting. What has been your favorite job? You've held Oof. You've had a lot.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I have had a lot. Honestly, I don't know that there is a favorite. I feel like they're all equally blah.
Speaker 2:That's fair. But if you had to pick, the least blah one. What would that be?
Speaker 1:Well, it would probably be Andy's. You know the custard place.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Just because you got free, you know custard. At the end of the night I'm like, okay, I can do that. You can basically put anything in the world you want in that thing and it's oh, it's so heavenly. But I mean, if the world was a perfect place and people actually had a work ethic, it wouldn't be awful. But because nobody has a work ethic, it is awful.
Speaker 2:So then you end up doing everything, mm-hmm.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's awful.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so on the opposite side, then, what's been your least favorite job besides all of them?
Speaker 1:oh yeah, uh, it's a hard one. It would probably be Burger King, honestly, oh well high contenders so I worked at Burger King and McDonald's. So I mean there's both good qualities and bad qualities in both. So I I just say fast food in general stinks. Yeah, I will just say fast food in general stinks.
Speaker 1:So yeah, I will just say both of them really stink just because the the customers that come through are awful Like none of them are nice. They're either old, angry grandpas that yell at you for no reason, or they're all Karens and it's like, oh my soul, make it stop. But yeah, I would probably say it's fast food in general yeah, it's exciting.
Speaker 2:So far I've never had to try that, but I'm sure, yeah, it's possible. My time will come.
Speaker 1:I don't know I don't ever want to plan on doing that again. I mean, if I have to, I will, but the plan is to stay away from it.
Speaker 2:You can get to pick your battles.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, how about this on the topic of well, I don't know if it, but it's kind of related-ish If you could go back and give your 18-year-old self a piece of advice, what would it be you If you could go back and give your 18-year-old self a piece of advice?
Speaker 1:what would it be, you can have more than one.
Speaker 2:I had more than one. Yeah, man, were you 18 the same time I was 18? That was an extra random question, but I don't think so. You had a whole extra year of experience on me, yeah.
Speaker 1:Man 18. I would probably go back and tell myself to have a closer walk with God. Yeah, there's a whole story behind that, but yeah, that was an interesting year. I feel like it's been interesting, obviously my whole life. Interesting, obviously my whole life. But yeah, yeah, without going into all the details, yeah, that would be my answer. Just getting to know god more on a personal level. Um, yeah, know god better and know god more, but you know, we got you know, like we've been saying through this whole podcast and stuff. God knows exactly what you're going through and God puts you in specific spots and he uses those instances to grow you and I'm glad that I can look back and say, yeah, maybe it's not where I should have been back then, but I think I am where I need to be now. Yeah, and I thank God for that because he's merciful and you know we don't deserve it.
Speaker 2:Right, yeah, for real. How about this? Let's see, tell me about the three most influential people in your life and how they impacted you.
Speaker 1:Let's see. Tell me about the three most influential people in your life and how they impacted you Well.
Speaker 2:Or are there three. I don't know.
Speaker 1:If there's three, at least one. Yeah, I know my older brother has definitely impacted me, um, there's always been a great connection with me and him and my younger brother as well. We've all gotten together or gotten along very, very well and I've always looked up to him. Um, I feel like he's always the guy that does everything perfectly and it's it's not annoying, but it's annoying If that makes sense. It's like man, why are you so perfect? Come on. So I've always looked up to him, um, and we've always had a great relationship together.
Speaker 1:Um, and, yeah, you just, he really is a great guy, if you ever get to know him, um, but from definitely personal experience he's, he's brought me a long way, um, you know, with being a missionary kid and all that stuff, and I know people don't know that aren't missionaries, they don't know really what missionary kids go through or what missionaries go through themselves, um, but it's difficult. I'll tell you that. Um, but he, I don't know, kind of stable the waters, if you will. Just, I don't know. Yeah, he just had a very big impact and he still does. But, uh, so I just, yeah, thank the lord for him a lot because he's definitely helped me, um, throughout life, for sure yeah but and he's always been there.
Speaker 1:You know it's not like because, you know, with the missionary kid you don't really have that many friends, because either you're moving all the time or you don't have any time to make friends or you're just not there. And so I think it's important for missionary kids especially to have a good relationship with their family, because those are the people that are going to get you through the hard things and just point you in the right direction. Yeah and so, yeah, makes sense, cool going to get you through the hard things and just point you in the right direction.
Speaker 2:Yeah and so yeah, makes sense. Cool. Oh, okay, here we go. It's kind of transitioning a little bit. It says if you could have coffee with any historical figure, who would it be?
Speaker 1:man, the options are limitless yeah, um, man, there's so many people that I would love to, because you know, you have all the founding fathers to pick from and what their plan, their vision was for america. Um, and you have all the historical people like Paul. Oh, my goodness, honestly, I wouldn't mind going with Paul.
Speaker 1:Paul fascinates me and just recently, I've you know, throughout this year been looking at Paul's life and I've been spending a lot of times in his epistles and it just amazes me how dedicated he is to the lord and he really didn't care what happened to him and it's just as long as the lord is glorified and the lord is, you know where it's supposed to be, then you know he was happy. It's like we don't have to worry about anything. It's just as long as God's glorified. And you know, if I could pick his brain, and I don't know cause he he's literally, I mean, he's not perfect, obviously, but he actually believed the Christian life and just going through all the things that he wrote, and it's like man, he was serious about everything, and so we can read that through the Bible, obviously, but just to be able to talk with him and just know him and just pick his brain would be awesome, yeah it would be awesome.
Speaker 2:Sounds like fun. How about this? If you got? You got 10 million, what would you spend it on?
Speaker 1:well, obviously the podcast um probably the studio dude, that would be awesome. Buy some land, buy studio, buy the best technology um, just uh, get us where we need to be. I'd probably give a ton of it away to relatives probably the Bellaris Ranch, for sure and then invest a bunch of it, I don't know. Just give it away and use it the way God would want me to.
Speaker 2:Right, it's the whole goal of life, to be honest, right? Let's see. If you had to write a book by tomorrow, what would you write it on?
Speaker 1:Probably being a missionary kid.
Speaker 2:That makes sense.
Speaker 1:Just all the crazy things you experience, Because nobody really knows what a missionary goes through, unless you're a missionary. But other than that, the world is oblivious and they think it's a vacation. It's like dude, come on.
Speaker 2:It's not a vacation. It's like what do I look like to you? That's why Joe is strong as an ox, because he's a missionary.
Speaker 1:That is true, yeah.
Speaker 2:Maybe that story will come out.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it definitely builds character, that's for sure. Yeah.
Speaker 2:What is your biggest pet peeve?
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, Okay, so my biggest pet peeve If I see you. I will probably come over and slap you. It's when people, stinking, eat with their mouth open and they just sit there and chomp. I'm like, oh, it gets under my skin so much I cannot stand it. Oh my soul, that's hilarious. It drives me nuts.
Speaker 2:That's funny.
Speaker 1:Respectfully, don't do it.
Speaker 2:I thought you were going to say people who don't understand missionary kids, but I can't blame them for that one. I guess Can't blame them for the other one, though that's on you. What do you think the world will be like in five years? Will it exist in five years.
Speaker 1:I think it will exist. It's just how it will exist. I don't know, there's a lot of things that could go wrong, especially coming up here soon with the elections, and then there's just a bunch of stuff that could go wrong with that. But I mean, one way or another, I think we'll still be here. Yeah, it could get very hairy though. We could have World War III, we could have Civil War, I mean, the options are limitless, yeah.
Speaker 2:But it really all depends.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it really all depends, I think, on what's going to happen during thisless. Yeah, but it really all depends yeah, it really all depends, I think on what's going to happen during this election. Yeah, and that will definitely determine it, because I could see it going into a civil war or another World War III. But we don't know and we're not supposed supposed to know, so we're just supposed to do what god wants about it.
Speaker 2:Amen, that's right, yeah, so what was your favorite thing about africa?
Speaker 1:because obviously you've been there for a while or you were there for a while yeah, um, I'd say I mean, I guess the most favorite thing thing that I absolutely loved was the fruit. That's fair, oh my soul. The fruit was amazing. It was actually real. It wasn't all this processed garbage that we get in America. So yeah, that part was really cool. So yeah, that part was really cool. And then I'd say, as far as people go, I do miss the people that we had in our church, but as a whole, I don't necessarily miss the people.
Speaker 2:Yeah, makes sense. Oh, I almost had the same question twice. Oh, oh, here we go. Okay, can't read my own questions. What was your least favorite thing about africa?
Speaker 1:all right. My least favorite thing? Uh well, there's a lot of least favorite things, just the one, I'd probably say the heat.
Speaker 2:You live in Tennessee.
Speaker 1:Come on, no, no, no, no doesn't even compare, not even close.
Speaker 2:No, no, like winter weather, then eh.
Speaker 1:Like always in the 90s probably and then humidity is like 100 all the time, and so that's what makes it awful, um, because I do remember going up north, um, in the country we were in, and it wasn't as humid and so it wasn't as hot, but humidity that it really kicks the fire out of you yeah, feels like you're swimming when you walk outside well, I remember when we before they had they, before they even had an airport I don't even know what you call it uh, station or airport?
Speaker 1:yeah, um, uh, you would. You would just get off the plane and you'd walk down the stairs and you'd get into this bus and they'd take you to the airport that was over there. But as soon as you walked through the airplane doors to get off, you just felt like this massive poof of just ugh, disgustingness. It was hot, you could smell the stench, it was just awful, and you're just like, oh, let me go back.
Speaker 2:Like get out of the plane.
Speaker 1:The airplane had the air condition on it, so it was still felt good in there. And then, as soon as you get off, it was like whack you in there, yeah. And then, as soon as you get off, it was like whack, you're in africa and you know you are. It's like, oh my goodness here we go again.
Speaker 2:Let's see. Okay, here's the interesting question what was the best thing that you learned in africa? I mean, we could say practically, but I would say spiritually too, because obviously you were there for a while, so you kind of grew up there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, practically, I obviously learned work ethic, because anything over there is not easy. It takes a lot of work to do anything. So, as far as that goes, be work ethic. As far as spiritually, there was a lot of religion, and so that's something that I see through quickly. Um, because everyone there is very religious and they think that just because they're religious, they're going to go to heaven or, you know, because they do all these good things are going to go to heaven, and the most religious people, those are going to be the people that are in hell. That's what hell is going to be made up of. Mostly is all the religious people. I believe, um, but there's a lot of, uh, charismatic churches and, um, a lot of people that think that they speak in tongues and all that stuff, and none of it's true, obviously. But yeah, I've learned.
Speaker 1:I did get a very solid um foundation as far as the bible goes, um, for instance, I'll just give you what my schedule was, um, so let's start on monday, why not? So on monday, monday morning, I get up and have devotions that would go for, you know whatever, a few hours, and then I'd have a Bible class with my dad and then we'd have school, which obviously included the Bible, and then we'd have night classes Monday, tuesday and then Wednesday we'd have church. Thursday we'd have another night class. Friday we'd have a men's Bible class, then Saturday we would go out in visitation and then Sunday, obviously, you'd have church all day, basically. So, yeah, that's basically what the schedule was Just devotions, school, bible classes and then church or whatever.
Speaker 1:But we were always doing something, whether that was teaching in public schools, teaching in deaf schools, just having Bible classes, bible studies with different people. So as far as that goes, yeah, there was a ton of Bible and I did learn a lot of stuff. Yeah, there was a ton of Bible and I did learn a lot of stuff, and I'm glad that I have that foundation, because a lot of people I was like 14, 15, but you know, teaching in public schools to kids that are basically your age and younger or older even sometimes, and it's like you know who has the opportunity to do that, you know at least at that age yeah and um, so that was, you know, pretty cool.
Speaker 1:Um, there's just a lot of different experiences that you know. I have, um, on sunday, which was more recently, but on sunday mornings we'd go to the deaf school and we teach at the deaf school, and then on wednesday mornings, uh, the public schools would have almost like a chapel service, if you want to call it that. Um, so we would go into public schools and we'd, you know, teach the public schools, uh, for like an hour or whatever, and so, yeah, that was always cool. Um, so, yeah, as far as spiritually, I definitely learned a lot of stuff, but yeah, cool.
Speaker 2:See, what is something. Well, the way I wrote the question is kind of weird, but maybe you'll get what I'm saying. Like, what is something you would want to tell people about your time in africa?
Speaker 1:like okay so um no, yeah, I, I think I get what you're saying okay um, I would say that god is definitely going to use it and he is using it currently. Um, you know just the experiences and all the things that he's put me through, um, just being over there. He's definitely, I believe he's going to use it because god does things for a purpose and I 100 believe that, and so the experiences that I, you know, have, and the things that I've learned from there, I believe he will use them in some form, shape or fashion.
Speaker 1:Um, as far as how, I have no clue, but the lord does, yeah you know, that's what matters so I mean, as far as that goes, I am thankful for the different things that I have learned, but would I do it again? I don't know that I would, um, you know if I had the option, of course but.
Speaker 1:I don't know it's different people are led different directions, you know yeah, it was definitely an interesting time of my life and I am glad to say that it is over. Um, yeah, so I mean, I know that kind of sounds crass and like oh man, but if you're a missionary and you know you're a missionary kid, you'll understand um well which this is actually very interesting. But we had a class here at the college and it was basically missionary. He came and he taught the class and it was, uh, introduction to missions and literally everything that he was saying was spot on and like, I'm not even kidding, it was like therapy for me. I know it sounds crazy, but I'm telling you that it was. It was awesome. I really enjoyed that class. Um, so I really think people should learn about missions. Um, at least have a missionary come into your church and just talk about it, just the things that people go through it's life and it's hard.
Speaker 2:The down and dirty practical part of the side things.
Speaker 1:The only thing that they see is what we show them on Sunday mornings.
Speaker 2:Right, that's what I was thinking.
Speaker 1:That's the only good things about missions. They don't show you about all the other stuff you have to go through. It's not fun, I'll tell you that much. But I definitely would encourage churches to have a missionary and just have a class. Maybe have them for a week or something and just ask them questions. Ask them what it's like, you know. Maybe have them for a week or something and just ask them questions. Ask them you know what it's like, and just get to know what it's like. But I mean for one. That'll give people an understanding of it and maybe it will give others a burden as well. So it could be twofold. But yeah, I mean as far as that's concerned yeah that's what I'd say makes sense.
Speaker 2:What I want to hear about is because I think this will be interesting is talking about building the church.
Speaker 1:When you build yeah, that, that's definitely this whole story like makes context joe Siegbert for me yeah yeah, yeah, well, yeah, I guess we'll just get into it.
Speaker 1:So basically it was me, my brother and two of the national pastors, and then every once in a while there'd be maybe another guy or two or something like that, but for the majority of the time it was the four of us. And then my dad was there and he did help out, but know, not as much, um, which completely fine, totally understand. Um, but, um, yeah, so the building process first we had to buy the land and that the whole country is corrupt, so it was a big process to process, to get the land in the first place.
Speaker 1:But, we eventually, finally got it, but we started building bricks. That's the first thing that we started doing and we built I believe it was 7,000 bricks by hand. We wouldn't have any fancy machines or anything like that.
Speaker 1:So, that's where I got all the muscle from. But, yeah, have any fancy machines or anything like that. So that's where I got all the muscle from. But yeah, so we would. Normally it was on friday mornings. We'd wake up at ridiculous hours, like four or something like that, and we would get over there and then we just start, I guess, the routine. Um, and I don't know, I guess I can give you the yeah, might as well well, okay, well, we would get there.
Speaker 1:And then you get wheelbarrows right and they're not these dinky little wheelbarrows, they're like actually big, massive wheelbarrows. And so you fill them up with sand or dirt yeah, it's more sand. And so you get they're heaping like overflowing. You can't stack any more on it. They're full and you have to. They weigh like a ridiculous amount. I don't even know how much, but they weigh a lot and so you're pulling that sucker. You have to push it and you have to get three of them. So you get three of them.
Speaker 1:Put it in a pile. You go and you get um stuff we called quarry dust. It's basically fine gravel. So you take that and you'd get a wheelbarrow of that. And then you'd get a I believe it was two um bags of cement. They're like 50 pound bags of cement and you carry them over um, chop them open and then just start mixing. You'd mix it once and then you would mix it again, but the second time you'd mix it you would add a little water and then the third time you'd mix it and you would just add all the water that is needed. And so by the third time that stuff is super heavy, like because you added water to it, so that's right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, sticking everything, yeah oh, that it was brutal, but uh, so that was the process. And then, um, we would do like week-long weeks of making bricks, and that was brutal too. So and then, uh, I remember coming back home, because we would normally get done by 12 ish it depended on what day it was but yeah, we'd get done by 12, and then we would have to go to school, me and my brother, and so we'd be so exhausted from one from just doing all that work and then just from the sun and being in the heat. But you're doing work and you're literally just sweating. You're just sitting there, you're just dripping sweat and just like puddles under you it's disgusting.
Speaker 1:And then you just like basically fall asleep because you're so exhausted and you're just like you know what I'm not doing school today it was.
Speaker 2:It was awful so how many bricks did you build?
Speaker 1:that was. We did 7 000, I believe it was 7 000 nice, and that's a lot of sinking bricks. And then we had to move them all several times, and that was you would get blisters all over your hands. Oh my soul, that yeah if you knew me then. I was a man's man you know I'm saying the definition of a man's man. Um, not this fat oaf that I am now, but it's okay. Um, I'm still a man's man, but not as much yeah, now you're a scholar yeah, anyways, it's beside the point neither here nor there, but
Speaker 1:um, and then we uh finally got the permits and everything to build the building. And so they had to um dig the foundation. And let me tell you, you think your clay here is bad. You got no, you have no idea. So what they do over there instead of um clearing the land, they make it a landfill and they just dump all their garbage and build on top of their garbage. So you have to dig through all the stuff that they buried and dig it back up and then, um, you know, just to get your foundation stuff, and so that was, and the clay, oh, it was ridiculous. There was a bunch of stuff.
Speaker 1:And then, uh, anyways, we uh built, or at least dug the foundation, and then we put the rebarb and we put the uh cement and it was. It was a ton of work, but, um, we did hire some people, a lot of people, for that part of the process, because there's no way we could do that by ourselves. Um, so it took I think it was about a year or so, I don't really remember exactly. For the building itself, it was about a year or so, I don't really remember exactly. For the building itself, it took about a year, I think, and we finally got it done. And the sad part was, by the time we got it done, it was time for me to leave and come back to college. And I was so sad because, like I've done all this work.
Speaker 2:And I can't get to use my building.
Speaker 1:It was so sad. I'm like, are you kidding me? So I think I've had like maybe two or three services in that building. I'm like, oh, it's so sad, yeah, but I'm glad that they have a building though. So, yeah, that's it. Was it really stank? But it was fun at the same time. Yeah, if that makes sense.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but.
Speaker 1:I mean I mean really stank, but it was fun at the same time, if that makes sense, yeah. But I mean I mean you also got to take in consideration the amount of sun that you're getting because, we're closer to the equator, and then the humidity levels and just the heat is unbearable.
Speaker 1:But yet you're working in these conditions you're, and you're like working, actually working. You're carrying heavy stuff, stuff that, that, um, it's like 50 pound stuff, easily 50 pounds plus, and so you're carrying that above your head or you know, just carrying it in general. Oh, it was, it was a doozy.
Speaker 2:I'll tell you that much and this is why jo Joe was built like a brick. Yeah, that's what I would say.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I made the bricks and the bricks made me. Yeah For real. There ain't no kidding about that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's interesting. This is random, we could be done, but well, it just makes me speaking of building bricks kind of reminds me of what we've been talking a lot about recently with the podcast and the show and different things. It's just like now is the time to establish and build the bricks, the building blocks of what will be.
Speaker 1:Right and I definitely see that coming through the works you know with all this.
Speaker 2:It's taking time, unfortunately.
Speaker 1:It's come so far. We really have, yeah, but I can definitely see the progression and it's good. It's definitely needed.
Speaker 2:So yeah, I mean. Well, any parting thoughts you want to leave with here's, here's, here's. Okay, this will be our last thing I think, it'll be a good way to end. So, for the people who are listening, what is the one thing that you want them to take away?
Speaker 1:Yeah. So the one thing that I would want you to take away is serving the Lord is going to be difficult. I can testify 100%. It's going to be difficult and you're not always going to be happy and you may not like the people that you're with or you know the things that you have to do, but God will give you the grace. I a hundred percent believe that God will give you what you need, and we see that clearly through the what the Bible teaches. God does provide all these things that we need in order to serve him. But I think that the biggest part is being faithful to God, because I remember being a missionary in Ghana and I can't tell you how many missionaries we've seen come and go throughout the years.
Speaker 1:And nobody has been faithful enough to stay. And what does that do for christians, you know, that are trying to make a difference in the world? Well, for one, it shows people that you're not committed to what you're doing in the first place. And then, for two, what are you telling the locals that are there? To just give up on god to, just because it's too hard, because you don't like what you're doing, and it gives your reputation, a bad reputation, and all the other people that are going to that country, you know, to witness to them, to make a difference for god, it gives them a bad name because you can't stick it out for god, because you're a wimp.
Speaker 1:And you know, yeah, you want to do what you want to do, you want to appease your flesh rather than, um, rely on God's grace to get you through it, and so that is the biggest thing I believe in. You know, serving God. It's definitely going to be difficult, but God makes a way and you know I that's definitely one thing that I've learned it. Yeah, it's definitely not fun, but God knows exactly what he's doing and he will use the experiences and the things that he has taught you and he, he's putting you in that position to grow you, and I think that's why a lot of people other missionaries have quit, because it's too hard for them and they're not committed enough to God to just trust him.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:And that's one thing that I've seen in my dad and I'm thankful for is that he, you know. And there's another thing Nobody's over there to watch you and to make sure you're doing what you're supposed to do. It's all on you. You have to motivate yourself. You have to, you know, get the people go out and evangelize. You have to do all of the work, and it's hard. People are not going to like you, people are going to make fun of you, people are going to do things to you and it's not going to be fun, but you have to do it. And nobody's sitting there and telling you hey, you need to do this. It's all God putting a burden on your heart and you fulfilling that burden. And that's what a man truly is If he can go through the hard things that God puts him through and he comes out refined.
Speaker 1:You know, I think of what David says in the Psalms God tries us and he purifies us silver, yeah, and he boils us down to the, to the dross, he gets all that garbage off, he scoops it all off and he refines us. And that's what god wants to do with our lives, and a lot of times we give up too soon. Rather than just simply trusting God and simply giving yourself to God, we just give up and we're like, no, god, this is too hard, I don't want to do it, and you quit and God can't use you because of that.
Speaker 1:Your impact that you would have had is no longer there, and you hurt the others that are around you, and so be faithful to God and he will be faithful to you. So I really do believe that 100 and I do thank god for the opportunity that I have to serve him, because god will use it, I believe. And so, yeah, I hope it's an encouragement to you, because I think it is to me yeah, yeah, that's good.
Speaker 2:The only thing I last thing and this is just a, this is practicality is um, we are working on transitioning the podcast from audio to youtube specifically only, so I will put a link in the description. You can go check out the videos and within the next couple of episodes we will be YouTube only, so be sure to go check us out over there. Same channel, young America.
Speaker 1:We'll see you there.