Hey Internet. Since I'm doing the whole short term mission trip thing in a few weeks, I wrote a support letter. Mira Mira. I've been crazy busy the past couple weeks. Busier than the usual nonsense. And now I got the sickness. The throat is starting to hurt, I feel incredibly weak, and the sneezes are here. At least I'm getting it now and not 7 weeks in the jungle.

Now here is the letter.

Hello Friends and Family,

On June 28 through July 13, myself and 4 others from my church, Ecclesia, are traveling to the South East Asian countries of Thailand, Myanmar/Burma, Laos and Vietnam on a short term mission trip to help the persecuted ethnic and religious minorities. It'll be in conjunction with Christian freedom International(CFI), an organization which specializes in helping persecuted Christians around the world. This is the second trip to South East Asia through Ecclesia, the last one being three years ago.

We will be working some of the time there with the Karen Tribes, who were our allies in World War II while the rest of South East Asia sided with Japan. As a result of their involvement and because of their Christian faith, the Myanmar/Burmese government (a repressive dictatorship) has been killing them off through "ethnic cleansing." Many Karen (70,000+) have fled to overcrowded refugee camps in Thailand, while ten of thousands remain across the border, deep in the jungles of Burma , hiding from the Burmese Military who will shoot them on site.

CFI came to the Karen's aid in 1998 by providing food, housing, orphanages, schools, and "Freedom Hospitals." The organization also set up teams of "Backpack Medics" who trek into Burma with medical supplies and illegal Bibles on their backs – risking their lives to help the Karen refugees. CFI has also established self-help, educational, and training programs so that the Karen could learn how to help themselves. We'll be potentially be serving by: constructing buildings, helping out in the orphanages, assisting medics in the hospitals, visiting refugee camps and villages and simply letting the Karen know that their fellow Christians in the USA are praying for them.

More information on the Karen can be accessed through this CFI video linked here.

We will also be traveling to Laos and Vietnam, visiting with members of the underground church, supporting them monetarily, with prayer, encouragement and through the smuggling of Bibles across their borders.

Now there are two ways in which you can support this trip:

First and foremost, you can support us spiritually. We'll need all the prayer we can get for fundraising, team training, physical safety, good health, divine appointments with the people we will meeting and an insight to which we will be lead on this trip.

Second, you can support financially. Primarily to take monetary funds to support the people we meet and also to cover some of the costs of travel so as to minimize the cost to CFI. I want to let you know that any money you give would go to the ministry we are doing there and not to paper pushing in some ministry machine. Personally, I am covering my travel costs out of my own pocket and any money given through me, will go directly to the need set before us.

One of the ways that you can give is through personal check, payable to "Ecclecia Hollywood" with the memo written to "SEA trip 2008." These checks can be sent directly to me at

1311 N Catalina St
Burbank, Ca 91505

And the other way in which you could give is through this paypal link.

All donations are also tax deductible. And we are trying to collect all donations by June 15.

We will be documenting our trip though a blog located here. Through this site you can get to know my team and see pictures and maybe even video of what we will be doing and see what God is doing in South East Asia.

I hope that this letter finds you well and if you want to get in touch with me, and hear some more about the trip, you call me at 562-619-4818.

Best Regards,

Mike Sycz

I confess, I am a bad blogger. Four people commented yesterday about my lack of writing. I am ashamed. So much has happened in life and yet I am too lazy to write. I rather watch Battlestar Galactica and 30 Rock.

First thing first: I have a girlfriend. I love her. Hooray. And things have been awesome at that front. Wonderful. Life is good.

The Cubs have been winning lately. This makes me happy. They lead the National League in OBP. This is strange historically and very exciting.

I am going to South East Asia at the end of June. Specifically, Thailand, Laos, Viet Nam, and Burma/Myanmar. I will be smuggling Bibles among other things. I'll post on this later.

Life has been very busy lately. Working over 55 hours a week, teaching Sunday school, leading a couple Bible studies, hanging out with Kelly, and preparing to go overseas. I'm also preparing for a youth program for our church retreat. Craziness. But life is good.

I'm sorry if I haven't called you lately. I will soon. Even all yous who live out of state. I miss you all tremendously.

I promise to write more soon.

thinking about this

Life is good right now.

I'm dating. And it's fun. And good.

And life is busy. Lots of work. 11 hour work days.

I taught Jr High Sunday school this past Sunday. Focused on John 14:1-6. The kids amazed me with their questions and intellect. They understand. So lucky to do this.

Had a terrible day at work today. Kid tantrumed on me today. And because he decided to go lose on me near a fence adjacent to the row of houses, I let him hit, kick and scratch me to seemingly no end. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

Baseball is coming. I love it.

So on the big V day I met Brian Wilson and Kris Kristofferson at a show. A very nice friend decided to take me along and now holds the honor of giving me the best Valentine's day ever. In short, I got to hang out with the Beach Boy before and after the show and see him in his crazy glory. And while he was on stage, Kris K and I got to laugh our asses off. We are now BBF. Fer shur.

Got to do some Geocaching over the last two weekends. Some good hikes.

Saw a good friend off.

Helped celebrate another's birthday

Got some Mojo going.

Kicked ass in the fantasy baseball draft.

I've been into a lot of 20th Century Classical. I tuned into KUSC one day and got hooked. Look at me all cultural like and shit.

Everyone should go to this site and laugh.

I've been a bad blogger in the past week. Neglecting my duties write more on my blog. But I have been very busy with things. And a little lazy. But not too lazy. I think.

Let first just say that today is a tremendous day. Pitchers and Catchers reported for the Cubs. Baseball is coming. Good God this is awesome.

And tomorrow is Single Awareness Day. In which I will spend my day in a euphoric state of happiness because Baseball is coming.

The Lenten season is here I decided to for go the eating of meats. I crave steak everyday and in turn have reminded myself of my need of the Savior.

Last week I purchased a handheld GPS device. Mainly for the reason of Geocaching. Last weekend in fact I went on a nice hike with the Giuntas through a local Canyon and found some hidden treasures. And a couple days later went through the same canyon with Matt P., Corban, and Kari.


We saw some oil pits.


And some seashells in the mountainside.

We also saw some old rusted mining equipment. And since the rains have been good to Socal this year, the trail was green and a stream was running through most of it.

This past Sunday, Pat had a birthday brunch/party that featured friends some fancy Hollywood types. Someone walked in on me peeing. And I didn't mind at all.

I've been invited to a wedding of a coworker. He's a good friend of mine and I want to go but I need to take a date. I need a date because it is an Arabic wedding and I don't want to be a lonely Jew. Who should I ask? It's March 1st.