Birds Nest3

Langauges, languages everywhere! And a first for me!

2012-02-10T16:25:00.000Z

Since the beginning of the year, I have been learning to crochet. I generally do not have time to do much for myself, so getting to do this is exciting, especially since Rich also watches the kids while I get to go learn.

When I first went, my crochet teacher, who is a pastor's wife, tried to talk to me as I worked. However, that did not last long because I had to pay too much attention to the work but wanted to chat. So in time they began chatting in their own mother tongue as long as it was just family. If neighbor's came by they often spoke in the language I speak, so I would have to look up from my work. Sometimes another neighbor would come by speaking the language we had learned before, which requires even more effort on my part now, which meant I just had to sit the work down. Once done with our lesson, my teacher initiated that we would pray together for one another's family and ministry. She prayed in the national language and I prayed in the local language we speak now. After a few weeks of really concentrating and not much chatting, I finally have the hang of it. Maybe one day before too long I will be able to do it and chat at the same time. So my crochet lesson involves no less than three language and usually ends up being four.

The languages thing is pretty common when visiting in homes around here. I have recently been visiting with a lady who in enjoying reading the Word. She is technically old enough to be my mother, since she has children my age, but she is not much older than my sister. A few weeks ago she was looking for her resume. Her contract with the school at which she had been teaching had ended in December. She had searched though a ton of papers before I got there but could only find her son's resume, which could be used as a template, but she really wanted to find hers. She did eventually find it. One of the headings on every resume here is languages. Both she and her son had five languages listed.

How is it that we as Americans are so proud of ourselves when we speak just one language outside of English? How is it that these people who speak so many languages can see themselves as lacking intellect just because they do not have as many degrees as we do?

O, in the title, I mentioned a first for me. When I went to my crochet lesson yesterday, my teacher's husband told me to go on in the house, because my teacher was getting dressed. I went inside and placed a bag of clothes for their son who is a little younger than William and their daughter who is seven months younger than Lydia-Ann. My teacher, and friend, got distracted from her dressing by the clothes. She was only half-dressed but was so excited that she hugged me. I am not sure what shocked me more, being hugged by a half-dressed woman or the level of gratitude which she showed. I pray that I will always remember how truly blessed I, and my children, have been by all that we have been given.

Wow, is it 2012 already??

2012-02-10T15:51:00.000Z

I cannot believe how fast time flies sometimes. 3 years ago this month we were attending a meeting in Virginia to look at our prospects of returning overseas. We met some wonderful people, who we are still very close to, in hearts if not in miles. The Father had done so much just to get us to that point, and He has continued to do still more.

At that time, He had worked through others to get us from college loans that could have purchased a small house to a debt equal to that of a small car. Over the course of the next few months, we would continue to pay down on it, to the point that we are completely debt free now with a nice sized savings in case emergencies happen. What a wonderful feeling it was then but even better now.

Rich had needed to get some more schooling for us to qualify to return, which he did, so that we would be considered associates. Since we arrived here, we have been changed to permanent status but Rich is still looking forward to finishing his masters, though there may be some changes to expedite that, which would be great.

We met some friends that week who scattered to the world in the months to follow. Some have returned to the states for medical reasons, and some have found the Father using them in ways they did not expect to reach the nations. Some have added to their family by births or by creating new families through marriage.

Some specific highlights of that week were playing Phase 10 with our new friends while I was wearing leopard print pajamas and fuschia high heels (I had forgotten my slippers).

Kneeling in a group in prayer with a beloved brother who feared that saying goodbye to his father would be the last time to see him alive, which wound up being the case a year later. Rich who had known that feeling and the flight back was able to encourage this friend as he prepared for that.

Breathing a sigh of relief that we knew where we were called to go while others had no idea in the world where the Father was calling them.

Rejoicing in the fact that we were able to see some friends that we had not seen in a while and the Father only knows when we will see them again.

Breathing a sigh of relief as we were given the affirmative that we would indeed get recommended to return overseas, after being in the states for over two years. (Of course that did not compare to the call we got two months later making it official as we were on our way to Disney World.)

Sometimes it feels like no time and sometimes it feels like a lifetime ago. Wow a lot can happen in three years! Thinking of my precious friends around the world.

Problems with Neighbors part 2

2011-12-31T16:12:00.000Z

I am overdue on writing this post, but I thought it was worth sharing. Back in November, we had a lot of things on the to do list the weekend after Thanksgiving. We traditionally decorate the house for Christmas that Saturday and Rich was just getting back from a conference and trip to the capital, in addition to a last minute trip to our town by a pastor from a neighboring country. As if all that were not enough, we had our regular time of letting the kids go out to play with the neighborhood children and the ensuing refereeing of arguments, etc., with other children.

Some children had been playing in front of the house and had come into the courtyard to get a drink of water. That was not a problem until our children had gone back out side but the neighbor kids were still in the courtyard. I stepped outside our door to ask them politely to go outside the gate. Most were understanding but one decided to be sassy/ cheeky towards me. He went a step too far. I tried to talk with him and he ran away. I foolishly tried to catch him, since I was wearing a long snug skirt, so it was no surprise when I tripped and fell scraping my elbow. It was also foolish to try to chase a boy whose parents I knew. It was my foolish thinking to try to catch him, but his foolishness to be rude to someone who knows his parents. I dusted myself off and went directly to visit his parents.

I hated to wake his mother who was sleeping because she was sick. I asked to speak to his father, and one of the older children went to get him. He entered the living room and woke his wife. I told them what he had done. I told them that I would want to know if my child had done something like that, so I felt sure they would want to know as well. I know they try to be good parents and would not want their child behaving that way. They apologized. Then the father began going on about how much television the children watch and what type of shows they should not be allowed to watch. I was not going to speak on that but rather let them make their own minds up about that. I left their house with the air being clear and our relationship as neighbors in tact. I guess television is an issue no matter which side of the ocean one lives on.

As a side note, the mother sent over a bunch of grapefruits a few days later. Good neighbors!

Giving to the Poor at Christmas

2011-12-31T15:49:00.000Z

Last week, I had decided to deliver some food staples to a few people as preparation for giving to others in celebration of the gift of God in the giving of His Son Jesus. Actually I had decided a few months ago that I was wanting to give to a couple of ladies in particular. Unfortunately, whenever it worked out that I was going to do it, it was very close to one of the local holidays and I did not want there to be any confusion about why I was giving the items. I did not want to be thought of as anything other than a follower of Jesus nor that my gift was a sacrifice to gain bonus points with God. In addition, most of the people around us would be considered poor by American standards and giving to anyone at those holidays opens a can of worms for others that are in need. It was just easier to say that we were not giving at all at those holidays because we are not of that religion.

Last Friday I finally delivered on something God had laid upon my heart to do. The first house was a widow whose husband died just a few months ago and she is still in her time of mourning, meaning she does not leave the house. I took some rice and a few others items that are basics for cooking along with a package of cookies for the children. The kids were excited and I got to pray with the widow. I shared with her why we celebrate Christmas, the birth of the promised Savior, and that Jesus had also taught us to give to others as well. They were very appreciative and kind. The widow was fasting that day but was going to go out later to get food, but now she did not have to go searching for food. God provides just in time.

The other stop was made that afternoon. It had been a while since I had been to the house, so I thought I was lost when a house was being built in the way of the route I had gone before. I did not recognize the way, but eventually just kept driving from what I remembered and found the house. I was trying to be inconspicuous but that is impossible for a white person to do around here, especially one caring a rather heavy bag of rice, etc. This house was the residence of my lettuce lady from the market whose husband had died about the end of February. I gave them the items for which they too were grateful. I met some other members of the family, including the widow's mother who is paralyzed from the waist down, as best I can understand it. I shared with them like I did at the other house, about the real meaning of Christmas and how we are taught to care for others as well. A male family member was there visiting who interjected that Jesus had no father, a comment which took me a bit off guard. The comment is not uncommon in this setting, but I was just not anticipating it right then. So as to expound though on what he had said, I turned to the story of the angel's appearing to Mary. It would both explain that he had no earthly biological father and thus the reason that Jesus is called the Son of God. I ended my time with them by praying for the elderly mother's health and the children's school as well as peace for the family. Before I left, they gave me some lettuce and tomatoes to bring home.

How strange it feels sometimes to be given when one goes to give. I was giving out of my abundance, while they were giving out of their poverty. Of course that brings to mind how much God has given to me, and how little I have to give back to Him. Oh that I would be as grateful as that family and as ready to give back to Him as they were to give to me.

World Hunger Day!

2011-10-03T18:09:00.000Z

Sunday, October 9, 2011 is World Hunger Day. It may seem a little overwhelming to think about that concept and how much hunger is actually in the world. Let me share a story with you that might bring the idea a little closer to home.
Back in April a nearby village had a fire. It destroyed many homes and a large chunk of their stored food. It was not yet time for planting and the rains were still at least a month away, so a long time remained before the harvest would be ready. Some of our team went to survey the damage and see what could possibly be done to help. The government had done the same thing and brought staples out quickly but then left and seemingly forgot about the people. Our team continued to visit and check on them. After close evaluation, petition was made to the World Hunger Relief to help this village. Funds were provided. Rice and grain were purchased and delivered. A door was open!
A team member shared the Good News. Some were not interested, but others were. Tapes were handed out. Team members continued to go out to check on the village.
Somewhere along the way a tape got into the hands of others from another village. They came to our town seeking out someone to come tell them the Good News as well.
A few team members went out to share more at each of these two villages. As they shared at the second village, a visitor from yet another village heard and wanted someone to come to tell their village these stories as well.
Now these team members are going out to story in three villages over the course of two days every week. These people may not have heard had it not been for a fire and World Hunger Relief.
The sad news is that the World Hunger Relief Fund is very low. It may only be able to operate another couple of months, unless something drastically changes. Giving to this fund has not been able to keep up with droughts, famines, hurricanes, tsunamis, and the like.
Please consider how you can be a part of bringing the Good News to hurting people.

This is too much!!

2011-09-03T19:37:00.001Z

Recently, I came to the point of saying, "This is too much!!" I didn't just say it once, but actually came to that point at least 3 different times in one month.

I am a people-pleaser by nature. I struggle terribly if I know someone is upset about something. I think of every reason in the world why someone may be upset. I have been freed from this by the love of the Father and freed to please just Him, but it does not mean that it does not still run through my mind. The longer it goes unresolved, the worse it is.

Working with other people and personalities can be difficult. Trying to communicate is a challenge because you have stuff going on in the speaker, stuff in the hearer, and stuff going on around that clouds things. I had done something that had offended a team mate. Due to various circumstances, we were not able to resolve things for a time, waiting for us to be in the same place to talk. In the end I had offended in spite of trying to not offend in a different way. I love the foot-in-mouth taste!

Then I had to sit down with a local sister. Over the course of the last year, I had made a number of cultural mistakes that had offended her and others. I have no idea how many others I had offended because I was culturally unaware. It is a reminder that it is not enough to learn another language. Language is the least of our differences. It hurt my heart to know that I had offended her and that she had been bearing all of this so long.

As if all that had not been enough, I had spent so much time getting ready for and starting home school that I admittedly gave scraps to my husband. When we did spend time together, I was so tired and grumpy that I was not pleasant to be around. I had a terrible case of cabin fever as well from focusing on it so much as well. As a result our marriage relationship was strained, though I was trying my best with what I had left over. But that was just it, leftovers.

In just about every relationship possible, I had come to the point of it just being too much. In every instance, too, it was almost completely me. I needed to get out of my tunnel vision. I needed to set my sights on the One above all of those little things. "Be Thou My Vision" When I am worried about my stuff, I inevitably fall. When I focus too much on others and worry about saying or doing every little thing just right, I fail. When my eyes are set on Him, my paths are made smooth. Help me, Father, to seek You and Your Kingdom first.

We have abandoned....

2011-09-03T18:53:00.000Z

This is the follow up to "This is why we are here" and "Some who have never heard have now heard."

I had gone with a local sister on a Thursday in May and answered a lot of questions for a gentleman. Then we went back as a family to share with the entire village the following Tuesday in June. The response had been, "Thanks but no thanks. Don't call us; we'll call you." So we waited. We waited for four weeks. Then out of a need to just check on them, we called on a Tuesday.

The response was "I am so glad you called. I wanted to call but had no phone credit. Please come back and share more."

So we went back on the first Saturday in July. We were running a little later than we had planned and saw storm clouds as we approached the village. We were afraid we would have to excuse ourselves after just arriving if the rain actually began to fall. Before we could say anything, the people gathered were quick to tell us we would have to leave if the rain came. The only good road to get there would be covered over if too much rain came. They asked us to please get started quickly before the rains did. We got through the story and covered a comprehension question or two. The rain began. They thanked us and told us we needed to leave. As we left a little boy "greeted" our truck by running into it while running. Thankfully God kept the little boy from getting seriously injured.

We returned the next week. We planned to review the story from the previous week and were ready with a new one as well. Those gathered listened politely enough but still seemed distracted. They asked if we had any tapes or books in their language. We had a few. We gave them what we had. Then they asked about us having people from other villages come to meet with them, but it would mean changing the time we were going out there normally. That was no problem for us. However there was a problem. They were wanting to invite the people to come mid-morning. But then the group that was meeting would be expected to provide lunch for the guests. The house we have been meeting at though is headed by a widow and her son who is a youth. The men most faithful to meeting do not have the means to provide food for so many people, especially at this time of the year. (Last year's crops have run out and this year's have not yet come.) They were asking for us to provide the food. It would take too much space in this already long blog to explain, but the short version is that we were uncomfortable providing for everyone. We would provide for ourselves and a little more. We suggested that maybe everyone that came could bring a little to be cooked together there. We promised to pray about it and get back with them later in the week.

We called them to say that we could not help at this point but that we would be there on Saturday to talk with them. Once again we went prepared to review the stories of the previous weeks. Before we could even begin, the men that gathered obviously had something on their minds.

They asked us the same question they had asked us every other time. We thought we had answered the question but obviously not if they were asking it again. "How do we enter The Road?" We talked about believing and praying and having faith. We thought they were asking for the 5 things they had to do, as they were used to doing. We said they had to choose to follow just one way because you have two feet but can only be on one road. They agreed. We told them there was not a quick list to check off. Rich drew two parallel lines in the sand to show the idea of them not being the same and choosing. One of the men, politely, changed Rich's picture to perpendicular lines. He then wiped away the other one saying, "We have abandoned the other way. We are on this road."

So the question actually was not about entering but rather how or what it means to be on it. We answered a lot of questions and read a lot from The Book about what it means to be Family. They have already been out sharing but were having problems with taking care of their fields as well. We explained that they could share the load of sharing at other villages. If each agreed to go to a different village, none would have to leave their fields for more than an afternoon or so. They agreed that this was doable.

The rains have now come and the road to get to this village is barely above water, at our last visit. In addition, when it isn't raining they are needing to be at their field. Please lift up these men to be bold in the time until we can get out to them again. Lift up the literal and spiritual fields to be abundant in harvest. Also lift these men up that they may not be swayed nor distracted from the Truth.

A broken and contrite heart.

2011-09-03T17:38:00.000Z

Today's lesson came through my child, although I guess a lot of my lessons do. Yesterday Mariama had a hard time obeying, specifically her daddy. It was not new stuff but a handful of things all on the same day. Daddy had given her a direct order, but then she disobeyed as soon as daddy stepped inside. She has specific boundaries of where she can play outside and she is only to be out there when one of us is there to watch her. She ran from the back courtyard to the front and out the door. I stepped out to say she needed to come back since we were not out there. Not only had she gone outside, but she had gone beyond the boundaries. Then last night as they went to bed, she was playing as Rich put them to bed. He told her to stop but she did not. After a couple of warnings, she was made to get in her bed rather than sleep on the cushions they had laid on the floor. She had her immediate punishment, but something more needed to be done after the repeated disobedience of the day.

A few weeks ago Mariama and Lydia-Ann had gone over to our househelper's house to play. Mariama had asked if they could go again sometime. I told our househelper how much Mariama was wanting to go again. Thursday our househelper said she wanted to take all three of the children on Saturday morning. We agreed as long as all of them were well. However, after yesterday's behavior, we just could not trust Mariama to behave out of our sight if she could not do so in our sight. Thus we allowed William and Lydia-Ann to go today but Mariama stayed home.

I had to make it clear to Mariama that this was not going to be playtime with Mommy and Daddy. This was a consequence of her actions. No buying treats at the market run which needed to be made. No going to drive on the airport runway when going to dump the bag of dirty diapers. No tea parties. No fun. Chores and playing by herself were on the agenda. Even at that, I started to worry that the point was not being made. As lunch time approached though, she fell into tears about missing William. She was lonely without him, and she was having to do chores while he was having fun. I asked her if it felt good to be as sad as she was. She said that it was not good. I told her that her daddy and I felt just that bad if not worse yesterday when she disobeyed. She seemed to understand then, but only time will tell.

As hard as it was for me to see my little girl hurting, I knew that it would take a moment of brokenness for her to be truly repentant. Isn't that the way it is for me though? If I am in my sin and I get a slap on the wrist or even a little "spanking" that hurts for brief moment, I em quick to return to it. However if the pain I feel brings me to tears and brokenness, I am more likely to actually change my ways. Some people mistakenly think God relishes the times that we are broken. I think instead that His heart breaks just as mine did to see Mariama so sad. Rather it is the restoration of relationship that He relishes. (As a disclaimer, I am not saying that all times that we are broken and come to tears is due to our sin. Sometimes it is due to the sin of others. But sometimes it is our sin, and it is this that I am speaking of now.)

Some who have never heard have begun to hear!

2011-06-06T12:42:00.000Z

This blog is the sequel to "This is why we are here". We went as a family the day after that post to the village where I had gone the week before. We called as we were on the way to let them know we were indeed coming. We arrived and the gentleman that I had spoken with the time before began gathering everyone.

When everyone was gathered, our language helper and friend introduced us and our work. I prayed for us as we began. Afterwards, Rich shared an overview of the Word, from creation to the Son. When he was done, he invited those listening to ask questions. Some really great questions were asked. Rich did a great job of answering, though at times having help from our friend to make sure the words were very clear.

Overall the response was, "Thank you; we're happy. But don't call us, we'll call you." It was left open-ended in case anyone there was interested, though most did not seem so. However, one could sense the Helper working in some of their hearts. Now we wait to hear from them and for the Father to bring the fruit. Our responsibility is to be obedient. Join us in petitioning Dad to give dreams and visions of what is true to those who heard.

This is why we are here!

2011-05-30T14:04:00.000Z

Lately, it seems that I am constantly striving to find balance in my life. One week I hardly get out of the house for anything, and cabin fever quickly sets in on me. Another week, I get out more than I expected, but then I find myself getting way behind on the kids' home school. Recently, Rich has begun to help me do some of the teaching for home school a few hours at a time, so that I can get other things accomplished and he can do what he needs to as well.

Last week, it came to my attention that a trip needed to be made to a village to which I have gone once. I was going to have language class early that morning, but then I could go---if Rich would cover a whole day of home school. That was going to be more than he had done before, but I was confident that he could do it.

After class, I came by the house to pick up Lydia-Ann, and then we headed out to pick up a local "sister". We headed out to the village, but the day was quickly getting away from us. We arrived and did the usual greeting. A gentleman arrived and after a while inquired why no one had come back to teach them. A volunteer team had come last year and taught a few stories, but they have not returned yet. This "sister" translates for most of our teams, so she explained that she had not returned because the volunteers had not. I explained that we have work here in town, but that we would be glad to come teach if someone was waiting.

The gentleman then began asking questions, some really good questions. Our "sister" let me answer and then would help me know what needed to be clearer based on the expression the man showed in response to my words. He asked for clarification on who wrote the Book, what the cross was, and from where the Son came. I tried my best to answer all of these and explain the virgin birth. Wow! "Sister" said we would ask the ladies for questions after lunch. Before we could do that though, he asked for Rich and I to come back to teach the people there, about twenty to twenty-five people on the next Tuesday.

Wow! This is why we are here. To share the Truth with those that are hungry. This man was hungry and had gotten just enough from the volunteers to whet his appetite. I still feel so inadequate to share the Word, because I just do not know if I can answer all the questions that will arise in a way that he can understand clearly. However, the Spirit filled and spoke on that day, and He is faithful to be there the next time. Tomorrow we go to the village to share with them all. Our "sister" will be going with us to serve as back up. Lift up our family as we go to share, because the enemy does not let go of his territory without a fight and the road to get there is rough.

Trying to help can get someone into trouble.

2011-05-30T13:02:00.000Z

A few weeks ago, we were getting ready to go out to the village with a friend. We were running a little late, so my friend came by to see what was taking us so long. I was so glad she did because a girl came by while she was at the door. The teenage girl came to me with a sob story. It was one you could hardly believe was true, but it would break your heart if it was. I wanted to help but we were on our way to the village. I asked my friend if the girl could stay at our house until we returned and could figure out what to do for her. We took the girl to my friend's house. We explained the situation to her husband, who agreed to let the girl stay there for the day. After spending the day at the village, I went to visit my friend and her husband. I said i wanted to help the girl but that it was not prudent for her to stay at our house. I asked if she could stay at their house, while we figured out where the girl belonged. I took them some food to help out in caring for the girl.

The next day the girl came to visit me at my house. She had originally asked for a teammate, so I let the teammate talk to the girl. I thought the teammate would know her, but she did not. We got a little more of the story, but I also realized that some of the details changed. I decided to investigate the next day, when I would be going to language class.

I went to language class on day 3 of the saga. My language teacher informed me that it was not wise to have a minor stay in the house without going to the police first, because the police could come after the person sheltering the child. I planned to go to my friend's family to suggest we take the girl to the police, once my class was over.

Before I headed home, though, I decided to check out more of the girl's story. My teacher went with me to ask a neighbor that the girl mentioned if the girl had ever worked for her. The neighbor had never even heard of a girl by that name. We explained the situation. A neighbor across the way heard us talking. She said that the story sounded like the daughter of another neighbor of theirs who had run away a few days before. My teacher went to see the other neighbor. The father and the mother of the runaway girl agreed that they thought this was their daughter. I brought the mother and my teacher to my house.

I went to get my friend and the girl from my friend's house. As we neared my house, the girl got increasingly more nervous about what was happening. As we approached the gate, she took off running. We searched all over for her to no avail. I took the mom over to my friend's house to talk out what had happened. The mother reaffirmed that this behavior was normal for her daughter. I took the mother and my teacher home, just as I had said I would.

That afternoon the father and mother of the girl came to see my friend and her husband. Understandably the father was upset about the situation. When emotions are high, things can be said or taken in a way that one does not intend. When there is a problem, individuals are supposed to go to a mediator, who might be the chief, to get things straightened out. If that does not work, then one proceeds to the police or court. The father went to the police and came back with an order for my friend's husband to appear at the police station the next day.

Since I was the one who took the girl to the house and asked my friend's husband to let the girl stay there, I could not very well leave him to take the fall for everything. I resolved to go with him to give my testimony to the police, as did my teammate. Though the town we live in is a good size and is what we might call a county seat, the police have only one officer in charge of listening to and recording testimonies. A more pressing incident happened, so our case was put on hold until the officer finally asked us to come back the next day.

Our langauge teacher had come and we were standing outside the police station with her. She is well known in our town. A gentleman from the government building came over to greet her. She told him a bit of the situation, but he wanted to hear the whole story in his office. We went to his office to discuss the situation. He understood but also understood where both sides had made errors. He asked us all to return with the father to fully address the situation. We did. The gentleman asked the father to please forgive the situation and to release the police papers.

Often it is about who you know. It is also about following proper protocol on handling situations.
"In all things, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone."

Mariama the Evangelist part 2

2011-05-29T22:24:00.001Z

Mariama went outside when she got done with her home school work on Friday. She was visiting with our day guard and a friend of his who spoke English. I thought Mariama was telling the other young man about teaching him English. She was also telling him that she would be willing to study the Word with him if he wanted to learn more about the Truth. She was almost overwhelmed that she now had several people to whom she would teach the Word.
The following day a man came by that I did not recognize and was asking for Mariama. It seemed very strange to me, so Rich went out with her. It was the young man from the previous day.
Today, I was visiting with a teammate, who also has our day guard work once a week at her house. She said he was retelling what had happened with Mariama the day before. Mariama was talking with the friend and then the friend was translating for our guard. She said that they questioned whether it was really Mariama or some spirit, because she was talking so seriously about things much too advanced for a 5 year old. My reaction was that it was indeed a spirit--the Holy Spirit. The Author promises that His word will not return void and that no speaking of the Truth is wasted.
Mariama has a clear vision for what we are supposed to be doing. She also has quite a personality, but this is an example of that personality being channeled in the right direction. She is a little ball of fire!

How do you handle problems with neighbors?

2011-05-29T22:00:00.000Z

In April, we had an incident with some neighborhood girls. We often struggle against neighborhood kids who think that normal rules of politeness in this culture do not apply to us, because of our skin color. For instance, one must always greet properly, especially before asking for something. But often youth will come to us asking or even demanding something from us, having never respected us enough to greet us. They quickly find out that we actually do know the culture around here, and do not try it again. But in April, we had a different type of incident. It is not important to retell to all of you the incident, but I wanted to share with you how we got it resolved.

I told our house helper about the situation two days later. She was very upset and said we needed to go talk to them. We needed to let the girls and their families know that we would take them to the police if this ever occurred again. Her initial reaction was echoed by our language teacher, who said she would have chased them down and beat them. Our language teacher agreed with the house helper but took it a step further, in that we also needed to go talk to the chief of the neighborhood to let him know about the event, because the chief knows about everything that goes on in the neighborhood and is the step before the police. In the event we had to go to the police, the police would go to the chief for more information.

That afternoon our house helper went with us to track down a lead to find the girls that were involved and address them. To start with, the girls denied being any part of it. But Mariama was sure she recognized them and someone else came in to confirm it. Finally a girl confessed to being a part of it. She began to show signs of guilt and repented. She begged for forgiveness. We said we forgave her but also warned her if it was to happen again. She and a friend begged us not to go to the chief, but we insisted we must.

We went to the chief's home. Unfortunately he was out, so we left a message and asked him to come visit us. Our house helper went by to remind him as well. He did not show. We waited another day, and then we went back to the chief's house. We explained what happened and how we handled it. He wanted to make sure from what house the girls were. He understood the situation and thanked us for coming to him.

We want to feel at home in the place where we live, but I wonder if we will ever really feel like we belong.

William the Evangelist part 3

2011-03-09T18:08:00.000Z

Since some time has passed by and I have very few details on the following events, I will group them together.

Once again in November, we were in our neighboring country doing some shopping. As often happens, some who work with those like us are believers and sometimes they are not yet believers. William found an opportunity to talk with a man who was working at the guest house at which we stayed. He was sharing with the man about Jesus and about getting to be a church if he told his friends. Later on, I came to find out that this man had at one time claimed to follow the Road but had since turned back to his old way because of many pressures from his family life. My prayer is that this man would be challenged by the words of this very bold, very young man to not forsake the Truth.

On this same trip, I am not exactly sure what, but I know that both William and Mariama were sharing with another man who was also working at the place at which we were staying.

Some time later back in our hometown, I had sent the children out to play, and then later I decided to go out to greet a friend as well. I saw them running by and asked where they were going. William said, "To tell someone about Jesus." "OK," was all I could get out. I did not know who nor how it had come about. Later I found out that the young man who spoke some English had told William that he wanted to learn more about the Jesus road. So he was going to tell him. William has since made several visits to this young man. Maybe Rich or one of the young men here who have been following the Truth will get to visit with this young man soon.

Both William and Mariama have told our house helper about Jesus in English. Unfortunately her English is not nearly as good. I know she has not understood most if any of what they have said. I pray though that I will soon be able to water whatever seeds they have planted and see fruit abundant.

Sometimes we who have been in the Family for too long get caught up in saying just the right words or even if we know enough to share. Sometimes those of us overseas get caught up in whether we know the language well enough yet to communicate clearly. As William and Mariama remind me, the important thing is to get the Good News out and then let the Almighty do the rest. We have told them that we are hear to tell the people about Jesus. When they ask how long we will be here, we tell them until the people have heard. So they are doing their part to make sure the people hear. Am I making the most of every opportunity like they are?? I need to get busy.

William the Evanglist part 2

2011-03-09T17:27:00.000Z

Most of our team has either had or has the same language teacher that Rich and I have. She invites all of us to spend the day on all their major holidays. Last September was one of those days. The ladies sat near where the cooking was taking place. The men chatted. The children watched TV. From that aspect, it was not much different from holidays in the states.

Many times holidays can be good times for spiritual conversations. However, because it is our teacher's house, we all know that she has heard the Good News multiple times and it is likely that others in the home have as well. William had watched TV and played with the kids long enough I suppose. After lunch, the older boys/ young men had gone into the courtyard to make tea. William went out to join them. Among them was a young man that spoke some English. William told him that Jesus was not (just) a prophet and went on to tell more of the Good News. When he was done, he instructed the young man to tell his friends, so that they could have a church.

Not having been there, I do not know exactly what William told him nor of the young man's reaction, but I am sure seeds were planted that day in his heart. William is not going to let his age stop him from sharing. He is taking every opportunity to share. He has not gotten the local language down yet, but no one who knows English will get away from him without knowing the Good News if he can help it. He has the plan for church planting down pretty well.

William the Evangelist part 1

2011-03-09T17:09:00.000Z

I am way overdue for starting this series. I will try to catch up without missing too much. The first in this series actually took place May of last year. We were on our shopping trip to a neighboring country where English is the first language.

We had gone to a restaurant our first night there. This restaurant is especially nice because they have a fabulous play area out front. You can sit on the patio in front of the restaurant and watch the kids play. William and Mariama were out playing of course and busy making new friends. One of the girls they played with was named Christina. That night as they were getting ready for bed, they told me that Christina had been sick that day and they said they wanted to pray for her to feel better. I said ok, and was praying inwardly that they did not get sick as well. William also prayed that she would tell other people about Jesus. Since it was late, I left well enough alone.

The next day, we went to a grocery store and as we were checking out, who should come in?? Christina with her mother and a sibling, I think. William and Mariama yelled across half of the store that they had prayed for her. I asked them not to yell across the store, but because they did so, conversation was initiated with the workers hanging around the cash registers. Christina and her mom came over and they shared once again that they had prayed for her. William's retelling of his prayer lead to him laying it out there that those hearing needed to follow Jesus.

As we got into the truck when we left, I took the opportunity to remind him that we needed to pray th atthe person knows Jesus personally before we pray that they tell others. Because of the yelling across the store, I wanted to shrink in embarrassment. However, I could not have hidden anymore than a Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon could have. I am still so filled with pride at how bold they were and are.

Mariama the Evangelist part 1

2011-03-09T16:42:00.000Z

Mariama is such a sweet girl! She has that sweet, innocent childlike faith. We have at times had people visit our home. Often she would go get her bear that says the Lord's Prayer or sings "Jesus Loves Me", but I really was not sure why. I thought she just wanted to show them something nice. Well, we saw one of Rich's friends at the market a few days after he had come by the house. She said, "I like him. He knows Jesus." I said, "Really, how do you know?" She replied rather matter of factly, "Because I showed my bear to him that sings about Jesus. Now he is a follower of Jesus too." I was touched and yet sadly replied, "If only it were that easy honey. Knowing about Jesus does not mean that he has accepted who Jesus is and chosen to follow Him."

Well she has continued to learn and grow spiritually and been listening to her brother, who will have his own blog series soon. So a couple of weeks ago, on a Friday night, I heard her outside talking to our guard. Rephrase, not talking, but rather singing to him. She sang "Jesus loves the little children," "Jesus loves me", and "Victory in Jesus" followed by some conversation that could not be heard from where I was. When she same inside, she seemed rather proud of herself. She said that our guard was a Christian now. Really?? She has told him that Jesus was not just a prophet, but our High Priest. She told him he needed to pray to Jesus. Then he was about to pray, as he does 5 times a day, and she thought he was going to pray to Jesus. She had been speaking to him in English, which he does understand somewhat, but it is not totally clear to him. I had to tell her that he might take a while to really understand, and someone might have to talk with him in his language for him to fully understand. I hated to squelch her optimism, but I was quick to praise her for the seeds she planted and her effort.

A week or so after this Rich and I were getting the family ready for family movie night. I do not even remember how we got to talking about this again, but she began talking about that night from above. She was wanting to go follow up with the guard and ask him if he had asked Jesus to come into his heart yet. We talked about what that meant and that we should do something before asking someone else if they have. She said she had not done that yet. We talked about what was involved and then she said she needed a minute "alone". Then she bowed her head in front of us and prayed the simplest but most important prayer of her life.

Because she is so smart and she hears us talking about these things all the time, we wanted to be sure that she really understood. A few days later at lunch or dinner, something came up about Jesus forgiving our sins and becoming the boss of our lives. She said that she had done that. Playing a little silly, I asked, "when?" She said, "You know the other night before family movie night." I said, "O yes, I remember, I just wanted to make sure you did." Then she shared this news with Grandma as we skyped on Sunday.

Oh, my sweet girl! What precious childlike faith!

I don't belong here!!!!

2011-01-30T18:55:00.000Z

Ok, don't get scared by the title. I am not freaking out. I am not saying we are moving back to the states. Just keep reading.

It often happens here as we are driving along roads, especially long drives. We say to one another or just to ourselves, "We live in Africa!" You would think after the preparation it took to get here and the 16 months that we have lived here that we would be passed this. But I have heard of others who asked veteran workers here when that feeling goes away, to which the veterans responded, "I don't know. When it does, I'll let you know."

Not too long ago, I had one of those moments, but it was more specific. It was the "I am in the minority" realization. As I drive through neighborhoods here, I find myself surprised to see pale faces, especially ones that I do not know. I am used to driving and walking amongst a sea of dark faces, most of the time. I can dress like they do, speak as they do, and even carry my baby on my back like they do, and still I will be the object of stares. In fact when I carry the baby on my back, I get corrected if she just slips an inch, where as the local women can have their babies practically hanging down to their knees with no one correcting them. No matter how much I try to be as one of them, my skin color will always give me away.

On that note, it is difficult being stereotyped for one's skin color. Because I am white, I "am rich, speak French, do not speak a local language, am unreligious and do not pray or know God." All of the above things are untrue. It is assumed that we do not know the culture or customs here. People may come when they need help expecting us to give them all they need because we are "rich", when the culture is to only give some of what is needed thus sharing the burden of providing with others. It is assumed that strangers can come begging for something from us, without greeting properly, which is thoroughly improper.

Sorry for that rabbit trail. Back to my point. As I drove our truck through a sea of dark-faced children, I was reminded that I do not belong here. But it is more than skin color that separates me. Many of those around me are not followers of Jesus. Many of those that claim to be Christians are catholic and are only so by birth, because they were born into a catholic family. In fact, most of the people here are their religion because of the family that they are born into. There is very little personal belief. For example, the religious myth I touched on earlier. I am American and thus I am a Christian for that reason. TV shows from America must also be Christian. So what is seen on TV is what I am like. Wrong!

"My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by your truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world." John 17:15-18

I do not belong in this world, much less in this specific place. I pray that you will know the Father's presence when you do not belong.

Waiting can be such an anxious time!

2010-07-19T10:17:00.000Z

Waiting! It is one of my least favorite things to do in the world, especially when it is waiting that I can do virtually nothing about. I have been known to go a different route in traffic, not that it got me there any sooner but at least I was not sitting and waiting. But the last couple of weeks have been the hardest I think ever because I have been filled with so much worry.

Before we came to the capitol, we had a plan. Rich would drop us off. He would stay here a few days to see the doctor with me and then go back to our town for two to two and a half weeks and then return to the capitol. But two weeks ago, the doctor's announcement changed our plans. Upon seeing me, even before examining me, he begged me not to have the baby that week because he was not going to be there. After examining me, he said I would wait a week, maybe two, but not three or four. So we had to shift plans. We had not packed stuff for Rich to stay that long. He had not let people down there know he was going to be gone that long and had even said he would do something for some of our teammates. There was stuff we left that we planned on him bringing up with him. He had planned on taking some language classes for a couple of weeks and so we had not brought all our language materials. Would it be worth the gas for him to go back for just a week? After all, most of the stuff we left behind could be purchased here in the capitol. But could we risk him missing the birth of our third child??? The answer for all of us was "No!"

So what were we to do??

Well, we had some medical things that Rich was needing to get taken care of here in the capitol, so we would try to accomplish those things while we waited. We quickly shifted gears and got Rich into a doctor to get those things started. Rich had some "minor" surgery within days of us being told that I would not wait but maybe two weeks. So during his recovery, I became a little nervous about going into labor while he was still recovering and how much focus he would have on me or how much I would be able to care for him. But he recovered and more time passed.

I went for monitoring last Thursday and expected to hear positive news, since I had been having lots of contractions since we arrived in the capitol. The contractions were good enough for the midwife to call the doctor. Unfortunately, upon his exam, I was not any more or not much more progressed than I had been a week and a half before. He told me I was too stressed and that I needed to relax, so that the baby would come. Stressed??? Relax?? Who was he talking to? Seriously??

So I came home and looked through my pregnancy books to look for tips that might help and tried to think of ways to go about relaxing, since it is not a natural past time for me. One of the books suggested warm baths with a few drops of lavender oil each time. I finally thought of where I could get some essential oil and found lavender. I began taking warm baths twice a day. I did not know if it would really work for what the book said, but at least I would be clean and move in the right direction of relaxing. I followed my morning bath with a nap, had an afternoon rest with the rest of the family, and then took my evening bath just before bed. I even had a cup of tea or a little glass of coke while I was soaking. Sounds like a pretty relaxing routine right? Well I still did not feel relaxed, and cried more in those couple of days than I had the past several weeks.

Saturday evening though, as I sat and soaked, I began crying out to God. And the Father heard me! I was concerned about what would happen if she did not come soon and that we had "wasted" this time that Rich could have returned to our town. But the Father reminded me that we made the best decision that we could with the information the doctor gave us. That is all we could go on to make our decisions. Now if the doctor were to be wrong, we could not help that. Good, bad, or indifferent, this is what we decided needed to happen and that could not be reversed. As for the "wasted" part, God knew what I could handle as far as caring for the kids on my own and He knew how much Rich could not handle being apart from us. Anything that we could have done differently was in the past and could not be changed. No going back in time now.

Today marks two weeks. If she comes this week, then yea--everyone will have been right. If she takes longer than the doctor thought, hahaha--she fooled him! If it takes up some of our vacation time as well as medical and paternity leave for us to be here, that is ok too, because we have it and have not hardly used any in the last year. Whatever happens, the Father knew what was best for everyone in our family. The Father also has perfect timing, even if I do not know His schedule. He is still working to fashion Lydia-Ann together in my womb, and she will come out when He is done! I am thankful that God is God and I am not, and that He continues to teach me to trust Him more each day. He is still working to fashion me into more of His likeness as well.

It's almost time to go to the capitol---Hooray!

2010-06-29T06:47:00.000Z

I am so excited this morning that it is almost time to go to the capitol to the point that I could hardly sleep and got up early. Of course, there are the obvious reasons for me to be excited. First of all, the arrival of our new baby girl in the next month. Second, some cooler temperatures hopefully. Third, some time off from language class, though I will still be studying while there. Fourth, getting to see some friends while we are there that we have not seen in a while. But, some additional reasons have come to mind today for which I am very grateful.

William is a sweet and loving son. He rarely gets into trouble, other than maybe for forgetting to pick up his toys and more often his books off the floor. He is so smart, that homeschool is a breeze. But he is a BOY! When he goes out to play, I tell him to stay near the house, so I can find him easily and not to throw dirt or rocks, especially at people or animals, and not to hit with sticks. But inevitably, the piles of rocks and sand in front of our neighbors' houses call to him. Now playing in the sand piles does not bother me terribly in itself, because this sand tends to be pretty clean. Nor do the piles of rocks bother me, as they love to climb on the mountains of rocks. However, when playing turns to throwing, I get concerned. Yesterday, William started throwing rocks. His friend decided to throw them back. One rock hit William on the side of his head. There was apparently a continued exchange and then William got hit in the arm with either another rock or a stick. My heart breaks when I hear my children crying and see them hurt, but at the same time I feel like he is receiving the consequences of his actions because he threw the first rock. He just happens to not have as good of aim as the other boy yet. But I do not want him hitting the other boy in the head either. While it makes me sad in a way to think about William not seeing his friends for a while, it will give me the opportunity to relax knowing that there will not be any rock throwing while we are in the capitol. I know boys will be boys, but it can give a mother heart failure to think of their child taking a rock to the head.

Mariama on the other hand is beginning to concern me with being too loving to others. She is precious and loves her siblings so much, even the new baby girl before she even arrives. She has a tendency to get in trouble more often though, choosing to enforce some rules to William while breaking the ones she wants. She is so very smart, sometimes too smart for her own good or ours. She is a girly girl, and yet she tries really hard to hang tough with her brother and his friends as well. On Saturday, she was in on the rock throwing, despite the fact that I told her to leave the rocks alone. She hit a bigger boy with a rock, so he hit her back with a stick. Once again, it hurts to see one's child crying and hurting, but natural consequences will be faced. Yesterday, however, she was playing outside and some bigger boys had brought her flowers they had picked (probably from our bushes). Later on in the house, she was calling them her boyfriends. I said we just needed to call them friends. She reinforced that they were her boyfriends. Boyfriends??--she is 4!! Now I am not unaware of the preschool or kindergarten "romance" among children. But when the boys are easily as much as 5 years older than her, it is a little disturbing, especially in a culture where children tend to grow up so quickly. Then in the afternoon, they came by the house and she was hugging them. She is an affectionate child, but it is inappropriate in this culture for Rich and I to show one another public displays of affection. We do not need her starting that at such an early age, or any age for that matter. I let her go out and play on her own, particularly with the little girl from next door, but yesterday made me more concerned for her safety.

How much freedom do I give without letting them be in danger and how much restriction do I put on them without being the mean white lady? How do I show others that we want to be part of their lives and have them be part of ours without sacrificing their safety? I know they will likely miss their friends a lot while we are in the capitol, but I am looking forward to a little relaxation of the mind and heart. I am also looking forward to having a little down time with just me and them as well. I am working on "being anxious for nothing but in everything, through prayer and supplication, making my requests known to God," but a little time that does not instigate the anxiety will be nice.

Mariama's Day of Lying

2010-06-09T12:50:00.000Z

I came home from class to find my children playing. I had told Mariama that she could have gum that morning after she finished breakfast. When I got home, she asked if she could have some. I asked her if she had some already and she said, "No." William chimed in that she had asked the boutique owner for some and he had given her some. I asked her if this was true and she denied it. I asked the househelper if she had some, and she showed me where the gum wrapper was. I questioned Mariama again with two witnesses and evidence against her to give her a chance to tell the truth, she continued to vehemently deny that she had any gum. After this she was disciplined, because she had lied.

Later that afternoon, we went outside to play. I reminded Mariama not to go into houses asking for food, especially sugar, which she loves to eat raw. Shortly thereafter, I heard Mariama yelling, "Wait", in the local language. I tried to call her to me but got no response, possibly because she could not hear me. I kept hearing her yelling "Wait!" I went to check it out. From inside the house she said she was not eating sugar. I called her over to me. She was covered in sugar, all over her face and clothes. I asked her again about the sugar. She vehemently denied eating any sugar. It was apparent she had and likely that the ladies of the house were trying to get her away from the sugar, which is why she was yelling. I sent her back to our house and gave myself time to cool off before going in to discipline her.

I could not believe that twice in one day she would lie so blatantly with so much evidence against her. But it got me thinking later about sin in general. Isn't that the way we all are with a sin we relish? God sees and knows everything, and yet we act like He has no idea what we have been doing. Evidence is stacked against us and we are caught with our hand in the cookie jar as it were, and yet we still try to deny our sin. Why do we do that? Do we think He does not know? Are we trying to tell ourselves that we are innocent? And yet the Father disciplines us to teach us and to make us holy as He is holy, for this is what He calls us to be.

The Greatest Part of Mother's Day!

2010-05-10T08:42:00.000Z

Living overseas and being a parent can bring many challenges! Trying to get your children to learn a new language when they are playing with friends and not hitting with sticks or throwing rocks when they do not understand the other children for example. Trying to teach your children that they cannot just do or have whatever they want when the culture says it is ok for small children or for children who are "special" like yours are. Trying to get your children to play with the children rather than the animals because the animals are still such a novelty. Teaching your children to just eat with their right hand and not their left, because the left hand is "unclean". Teaching your children not to drink the faucet water because it is unhealthy and will make them sick and to treat them for heat rashes when the heat seems unending. Teaching them to just play rather than play according to their imaginations because often their imaginations just do not translate well.

But the greatest part of my mother's day was also something that I would only have the pleasure of experiencing because of where we live. We meet for worship each Sunday with the others on our team, which is another couple and two singles. One of the greatest joys of being a parent is watching one's children worship and contribute to the worship of others, which often does not happen in the states.

Mariama loves praise and prayer time. She is great at singing and wants to make sure everyone gets involved, which is one of those times that her leader personality comes out in a good way. She likes to ask each person in the group if they have a song they would like to sing, so that no one feels left out or does not miss out on the opportunity to share. She does have to be kept focused though, otherwise she will run away with the praise time. She would have us sing for a full hour if she could. She also is great about sharing prayer requests when it is time to share them. She is especially good about remembering prayer requests that others have shared, much longer than most of us do. She can be rather simple in her thoughts or repetitive, but she is only 4. One of her praises yesterday was that we get to tell others about Jesus. Now for her that means she has to show any one who comes into the house her bear that sings "Jesus loves me", but that is what she sees as her contribution. Oh, if it were only that simple!!

Then William is our teacher/ preacher type, more quiet and reflective than Mariama but desiring to share what is on his heart. William loves to share what he has read from his devotional or Bible or whatever other book about the Bible that he has. He gets so excited about sharing that it is hard to get him to wait until the time to share scripture. Yesterday, he did not just read the devotional and lead us in repeating the Bible verse and the prayer, but he even started it out by tying it to something from personal experience. The devotional started out talking about the children being sad because a bird died and he tied it to the fact that our househelper's dad had died, a long time ago, but still a person close to him and not just a story in the devotional. He often will also lead in singing a hymn, and it may not be one he knows the tune to but he likes the words. His favorite as of late has been "Holy, Holy, Holy" but he is not bound to it alone.

God has blessed me with two precious children, so very different from one another in their gifts and talents and personalities, but both so very aware of who He is and why we are here. Often the things about them that cause me the most challenge at other times are the very things that are used to bless me when it comes to worship. William has come to a personal relationship with Jesus, but Mariama has not as of yet, though it seems often that she is quite close. I am so looking forward to seeing what this next precious gift that God is giving us will be like and how she will glorify the Father at even a young age. I am so blessed to be their mom and pray that I teach them even half of what they teach me each and every day.

Vocabulary teaches so much!

2010-05-04T16:44:00.000Z

A culture's views on marriage and parenting tell so much about their culture. Today in class I learned 5 words for a man to use meaning that he is married. There are 5 other words for a woman to use meaning that she is married. The words are almost the same for the man and woman but the endings are different. The words for the man to use are in the active voice, meaning it is an action which he performs. The words for the woman are in the middle and the passive voice meaning it is something that she does to herself or something which is done to her.

The word from the lesson which I started today is the most ironic to me. For the woman, it is "joodoyaade" which means "to go to sit". For the man, the word is "joodinde" which means "to make to sit." Obviously the word sit could be interpreted stay, but it is still ironic to me. The idea that a woman here would sit is humorous. They have so much work to do, especially as they get married and have children. The idea that they would be sitting is funny to anyone who has seen how hard these women work.

The second word my teacher taught me, which I had already learned, was "mareede" for the woman, which means "to be kept, guarded". The word for the man that corresponds is "marde" which means "to keep, guard." This word is actually my favorite I think to express marriage. It offers that security that women desperately need to feel in the marriage relationship and one of the purposes for men in marriage to protect her and the home. Literally as I would say it would mean, "I am guarded." I love that word picture!

The third term could be looked at either positively or negatively, depending on your personal experience. The word for the man is "tiggude" meaning "to put a veil on someone", and for the woman "tiggeede" meaning "to be veiled". Often brides in western culture will wear veils, but then they are unveiled for the groom as they marry. I believe that is symbolic of how she has been protected and preserved for her husband. With the idea of being veiled as a term of marriage, I see a picture of her beauty and preciousness being preserved still for her husband only. It is not a prison for her but a means of protection and guarding. A woman in the Bible who was not veiled was seen as a loose woman. In Song of Songs, Solomon describes the bride's beauty which lay behind her veil, which was for he alone to know and cherish. The women here wear a headcover when they are married, which is a type of veil, but not as restrictive as the veils other women wear. The veil of the temple was to keep sacred the Holy of Holies. I too like this word picture, though I know some would argue the negative side of this term.

The fourth term for the man is "resde" simply meaning "to marry" and "reseede" for the woman meaning "to be married". This is the least informative and least descriptive of all the words used.

The fifth term for the woman is "hortaade" meaning "to be old or to no longer be tired" which is ironically humorous once again as the lives of the women here are quite tiring. However, the term for the man is "hortinde" which means "to esteem someone very highly". I am not quite sure why this pair of words does not sync up as well as the others, but I definitely like this term for the husband to use. The idea that a husband would highly esteem his wife is fabulous. Unfortunately it does not always happen as often as one would like. But I am blessed in that I feel highly esteemed by my husband.

Isn't language funny? In English we have but one word, "married", and it offers so little in the way of a word picture. But this language offers 5 different words for both the husband and the wife. Which one is your favorite term and why?

Blessed beyond measure!

2010-04-28T16:25:00.001Z

"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father, who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!" Matthew 7: 11

I do not think I could have felt possibly more blessed than I felt yesterday! The Father showered me with good gifts! I will start with the insignificant and move to the most significant.

First of all, we did not just get one or two packages in the mail, one of which was for Easter, but three, one of which was for my birthday, still 3 weeks away. We were so blessed with all the goodies, even the noisy toys from grandma. We got candy, pajamas for the kids, a maternity top for me, a couple of outfits for baby, batteries, and bacon! I am waiting until my birthday to get the rest of the birthday box. My mom has really outdone herself lately.

Second, Rich went to pick up our new air conditioner unit. We were trying to tough it out by waiting as long as we could to get one, but the time came that we just could not sleep at night. It actually got to Rich sooner, but as soon as he had ordered it, I began being unable to sleep well either. And for me, that problem will only increase over the next two to three months. He knew that and did not want me to suffer from lack of sleep or his grumpiness from his lack of sleep. My husband takes such good care of me!

Third, the Father was protecting my son from his own folly, when my six-year-old thought he would see how sharp my husband's razor was and shave his own head in the shower. He shaved just a little patch of hair off and then a chunk off his thumb. I was so thankful that the chunk was not out of his head, and that the thumb could be covered with a simple regular band-aid. Anything that can be covered with a band-aid cannot be that bad. Thank You Lord for Your protection over my son.

Fourth, I got an email from my mother. It is such a blessing to hear how happy they are these days. They are the happiest they have ever been as they approach their 50th wedding anniversary in August! In a day and age where 50th anniversaries are rare, and happier ones even more, it is a blessing to see. It is also a blessing to have a father who is man after God's own heart, which is equally rare in this day and age.

Fifth, I had a short but good visit with a friend. When I arrived, she was washing baby stuff by hand and then washing the baby. Then she was ready to help me with my language class homework while she nursed her baby. After we were done with the homework, I had her listen to a couple of the beatitudes that I am memorizing for my pronunciation. She acknowledged them as truth and good, despite the fact that Jesus said them. This is a small step, but significant as I get closer to sharing more and more truth with her.

I was blessed beyond measure yesterday! I am living the Great Adventure on my way to Paradise! (Yes, I have been listening to that one Stephen Curtis Chapman's greatest hits tape that we have.) I cannot wait to see what the Father has in store for the future!

Denaboo!

2010-04-20T15:53:00.000Z

So I went this morning to a baby naming ceremony, which is called a denaboo. It is held on the eighth day. In the morning, the child's head is shaved and officially named and prayed over. Then depending on how elaborate, the family will serve a sort of oatmeal with sweet yogurt on top for breakfast, a lunch of rice and meat from a sheep that has been sacrificed, and then a snack or something in the afternoon.

The one I went to today was different from any I had ever attended before. I took a gift just like I would to any other denaboo, as you would take to visit after the birth of a child. But then several men, including the husband and possibly their religious teacher, came in the room where I was visiting my friend and her baby and prayed over the gift I gave and for me. It really was not that much of a gift yet appropriate to this culture. Typically, I have just gotten a, "Thank you," and that been the end of it. So I was quite taken a back to have such a big deal made over this small gift. The family was doing what seemed a rather simple celebration, and while it is not their first child, it is their first boy.

On a more humorous note, my friend had given birth last Tuesday evening. Apparently right after I left from my weekly visit, she went inside and gave birth at her house. I had no idea that she was laboring while I was there. It was just occurring to me that she was pregnant! She said she would have named the baby after me had it been a girl. I guess I missed out this time!

Many around us are already planning on us having a baby naming ceremony and talk about it. I don't think they realize how long I have left! We are trying to plan how we will do it differently, so that there will be no confusion over why or how we are doing it. Pray for wisdom as we prepare for this event.

Priorities!

2010-04-18T17:36:00.000Z

This week I have been convicted about my priorities! But at the same time I just do not know where to start sometimes. Some days I am really good about staying on task regarding language and ministry. Other days I am really good about focusing on the kids' school and meeting their needs. Unfortunately, all these things are easy to pay attention to when they are screaming so loudly, figuratively speaking, for my attention. But the two people who are to have most of my time and energy are often the ones that get the least or at least not my best.

I have a habit of waking up early to have my time with the Lord and a cup of coffee before anyone else wakes up. This is great when I actually wake up on time and have had a good night's rest so that I am focused when I do get up. Unfortunately, it has been difficult for me to either go to sleep on time or to stay asleep all night for one reason or another and so my time with the Lord suffers. So then shortly after I finally get started with my quiet time, some cute little girl who is awake too early comes in and distracts me. I try really hard to stay focused and send her back to bed if it is too early, but nonetheless I am distracted. As a result, I sometimes feel like I am going through the drive-thru at McDonald's or worse yet, Krispy Kreme, where I get nothing of real substance to get me through the day. I'm not saying everyday is this way, and have in fact had some really insightful times lately as well, but they are fewer and farther between than I would like. Lord, help me to be more faithful in my times with You and to be at my best for You!

Then my day begins! The following is an ideal schedule, though very few days are ever ideal!
7-8:15am Get the laundry going and breakfast ready,family prayer time, eat, and finish getting ready for class.
8:30-10:30 language class

11:00-1:00 Homeschool

1:00-2:00 Lunch and hanging out for a few minutes while all the yummy food settles
2:00-3:00 Rest time because it is too hot to do anything else, when we do not have meetings that is
3:00-5:00 Ideally study time tho often interrupted by "Mommy! Can we...?" unless we did not finish homeschool earlier and have to finish at this time
5:00-5:30 Get redy to go visiting which means often a few minutes dedicated to Mariama to make visiting time smoother
5:30-7:00 Visiting or sitting outside to watch the kids play while I try to get in some more studying
7:00-8:00 (ok 8:30) dinner and getting kids to bed
8:30-9:30 (ok 10) Getting myself ready for bed and possibly watching a show on DVD with the hubby before collapsing asleep

As you can see, there is someone who gets my leftovers, and he deserves so much better. Rich gets what is left of me at the end of the day, which I cannot say is very much, once the two blessings that are walking around are done with me in addition to the one I am currently incubating. He is such a great husband and deserves my best! Plus that is actually how the Lord designed it. God--#1, Spouse-#2, and then kids and then whatever else. Unfortunately, it is easy to get that order mixed up. Lord, show me how I can show my husband that he has this significant place in my heart! Lord, show me how to give my husband my best, and not just my leftovers! Lord, thank you for this fabulous man that you have given me!

The Enemy's Tactics!

2010-04-18T16:48:00.000Z

This week I was studying the temptation of Jesus as recorded in Matthew 4. Several things struck me as interesting that maybe I had never thought of or that I had forgotten about.

First, Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. When we are tempted, we often will say that God is nowhere around, but obviously God was there because the Spirit led Him, in addition to the fact that He is God in the flesh. We act like we are hopeless and without ability to resist, and yet Jesus did resist because He was not alone, and neither are we. My children recently drove me crazy with their response when I questioned them about why they had done something they were not supposed to do. At different times for different offenses, each of them basically said, "Satan tempted me." I was more infuriated rather than less, because that is so often the weak excuse we give, "The devil made me do it." I agreed that he had tempted them but said that was not an excuse, because they were the ones who made the choice to listen and obey!

Then the tempter came to Jesus and said, "IF You are the Son of God,..." The tempter knew very well exactly who Jesus was and what He was capable of doing, and yet he taunted Jesus by saying "if". I will get to Jesus' response later. But the tempter comes back a second time with "IF You are the Son of God..." and then proceeds to twist scripture. Jesus responded to him again in the same fashion. A third time the tempter comes at Jesus saying, "All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me."

The tempter has not changed his tactics and yet we still fall for them. He questioned Jesus' identity, and he questions ours as well. "If you are really a Christian...." "If you are really a child of God..." "If you are really saved by grace..." You fill in with whichever line he has used most on you. Then he proceeds to twist the words of the Father, which he has done since approaching Eve in the Garden. Then last but not least He makes promises that He cannot keep, and yet for some reason we think he can and will. He promised Jesus the world, which was not really his to give. He promises peace, an easy life, and pleasure, but all he brings is pain and grief and anything but peace.

We must be wise to his tactics and learn from Jesus how to respond to him. In each and every step of the temptation, Jesus quoted scripture to contradict what the tempter had said. But that requires us learning and memorizing scripture, so that we are ready in the moment that we are tempted. I have always wanted to learn more scripture but cannot say that I have always done the best job at carrying it out. I was challenged anew this week to do that very thing and I would challenge you to join me, so that we might be ready for battle! Take up your "Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." Ephesians 6:17

"I knew you would not want me to go to there because I would be tempted."

2010-04-12T09:44:00.001Z

Last Monday, we had a bit of a scare. William had asked to go down to a friend's house when he first went outside. He played down there for a while and then he began to go back and forth from playing elsewhere to playing out in front of our house. When it came time to come inside to clean up, however, William was not to be found. Rich had looked at the house that William had asked to go to and then called for him up and down the street while looking into the courtyards as he walked. He checked next door which is a typical hang out for William as well. Not finding him around here, Rich went over to another house a couple of blocks away. Still not finding him, I texted our teammates to pray quickly that we would find him. Rich went back to the beginning looked inside one of the houses where he had just looked at the courtyard. Low and behold, William was found sitting inside the house watching cartoons on the television with the father of the family, despite no kids being around. Needless to say we were thrilled to have him found and did have a talk about him needing to let us know where he was going if he changed from where he had already told us. We also bought him a watch with an alarm, so that he would know what time to come home.

That night however as we talked about where he had been and the fact that he needed to let us know when he changed houses. He said, "I knew you would not want me to go there because I would be tempted." He had gone to that house before and just sat watching television. When we send them outside to play, it is because they have had enough to watch and need to go play actively. I pointed out that I would rather know where he was going and began to address that he obviously knew he should not go there if he did not want to tell me for that reason.

How often do we do that though? We do not really want to talk to God about where we are going because we may get an answer that we do not want. It may or may not necessarily be a temptation but not be exactly where the Lord wants us to be spending our time. Maybe it is even a good place but it is not the best. Maybe it is a place that is comfortable and the Lord wants to push us out of our comfort zone. Maybe it is a place where we will be tempted and we do not want to run from the temptation. Maybe we can say we can handle the temptation, but why do we test ourselves and then get mad at ourselves when we find ourselves giving into the temptation. We would be wise to stay away from the place where we know we would be tempted. How about you? Are you talking to the Father about where you are going?

My life is not my own!

2010-03-24T10:30:00.000Z

Well before I get started, this is likely to be very emotional so get your kleenex ready. This blog stems from some very emotional moments lately by Rich and myself. Don't be thrown off by them though; keep reading and see if the Lord speaks to your heart as He has spoken to mine. I am going to work backwards on my timeline so stay with me.

This morning I was awakened by a dream of what may happen in a few months. I and the children will be coming to the capitol a month or so before the baby is due. Rich will bring us, spend a few days getting us settled, and then will return to our home for a few weeks until closer to the due date. In my dream, I went into labor before Rich had come. I proceeded to call him to come and then go to the hospital. But after arriving, it was discovered that things were not moving along as they should and that something was hindering it from doing so. I then had to make the decision on my own to go ahead with an emergency C-section without my husband by my side. I called him quickly to tell him what was going on and to let him know he could stop driving quite so fast. We would all be there when he arrived. Well, I was greatly relieved when I woke up that this was just a dream, but at the same time had to deal with the fact that this was all a very real possibility. I think this stemmed from a friend recently having to have a C-section, which was not her desire either. Having to make that decision on my own would not be easy nor fun at all, but I could do it if necessary, particularly after a conversation with Rich a few weeks ago.

One Monday afternoon, Rich came home from class and I was sitting outside watching the children play and attempting to study. I looked terribly pale to him and completely lacked all energy. I had already been diagnosed with anemia and was trying to do what I could nutritionally to fix it as well as take my vitamin, but it did not always stay down. Apparently what I was doing was not enough. The way I looked combined with what Where There is No Doctor said about anemia quite frankly scared Rich. The thought of losing me in the delivery of our child was more than he could bare. He said it would be hard to see the child and not hurt for me. So needless to say, we stepped up our efforts and got my prescription filled for a stronger medicine to treat the anemia as well as became even more proactive about my nutrition. My husband and all my children need me too much to not take the best care possible.

So, my life is not my own! It is not now because I have children depending on me for care and nurture and teaching. It is not because I have a husband who desperately needs a helpmate. But that really is not new, but rather has been the case since we were married, whether we realized it fully or not. 1 Corinthians 7:4 says, "The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does." But further still, it has been a long time since my life was my own. 1 Corinthians 6:20 states, "For you have been bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body." As a child, I made a profession of faith and claimed that I had been bought with a price. I have struggled over the years with my own thoughts of how things should be and with the desire to "own" some part of me. But with the recent events, I am reminded that I am not my own, not just for my husband and children, but for my Lord who paid the ultimate price that I might have life more abundantly. I am no longer a slave to sin which brings death, but a slave to righteousness which brings LIFE! What a blessing after so many years, that I continue to be drawn deeper into the heart of the Almighty Father!

I pray that each of you knows the joy that this LIFE is, knowing the freedom that resides in the fact that your life is not your own. May the Father bless you today anew!

"It takes a village to raise a child"??

2010-02-22T01:53:00.000Z

This week I found myself apologizing twice to neighbors over situations with my children. The first time was because I made a hasty defense of my child without knowing all the facts and had to go apologize after hearing the whole situation. The second time I was trying to find out why my child had been disciplined by someone else because he did not know what he had done. Sometimes the phrase, "It takes a village to raise a child," is a good thing and sometimes not so much. Here is my story!

Wednesday this week, I was staying inside to study while Mariama and William had gone outside to play. William had gone to a house down the street, where I have frequented often and consider them to be friends. I know he can play there safely and that if he does anything wrong, he will be redirected. But so far as I can tell, he plays well with the children there and the adults like him. Mariama had chosen to stay outside our house and play near . Our guard was able to watch her and she was close enough to get water or let me know she needed anything. After a while I heard Mariama hollering and a young woman was inside my gate making Mariama scream by teasing her. I quickly told the woman who works next door to leave and that she ought to listen when a child says to leave them alone. I came back inside to work more on what I was doing and then was called to come back outside. A banana seller had come. While out there I mentioned something about the situation to my guard. He informed me that Mariama had initiated the teasing with the young woman by playing with her. So the young woman was simply responding to what Mariama did and had come inside the gate because Mariama had run to hide. When I understood that Mariama had started it all by acting improperly towards an adult in the first place, I had to eat some humble pie. I went next door to apologize and explained my hasty reaction. Mariama has had some rough days recently that I attribute to culture shock for lack of another explanation. She said it was no problem and no need for apology, and then I stayed a bit to visit with the rest of the house. First apology for the week down.

Today I was once again working on stuff inside the house and the children were sent outside to play in front of the house. After quite a while Mariama came running to the house saying that William needed me to come quickly. I went outside to see my son covered in dirt, not an uncommon site. Mariama was telling me that a girl had hit him, and he was saying it hurt. I asked what had happened and the children that had seen what happened confirmed it. I had to pray quickly before going over there that I would not overreact but listen calmly. I greeted as I went into the home and they directed me to the master of the house. I went to greet him and since they did not come to me, I just began telling them I had a problem. I said that someone from the house had hit my children and that I needed to know why so that I could explain it to them. The master of the house denied it but the woman who had done it began to explain to him. Then she came to me to explain. I said that they did not know why because no one said anything to them. She explained that they had been told to leave the dirt alone before and that they had been playing in it again. The lady of the house came behind her to explain what the sand was for. I said that they had not understood when they were told. I said that no one had told me. They did not understand the language well enough yet and that I could not correct them if I had not been told. I apologized for myself and for them not obeying and messing up their dirt. Another man came up behind me and began explaining also that it was good for the children to play in it because they get it in their eyes and it was dangerous for them. I agreed. I said they understand some but not all the language yet, so that is why they had not listened before. It seemed to be resolved after I apologized some more and we returned home. Second apology for the week down, or is it the first for this week??

"It takes a village to raise a child" is nice when you don't have to worry about whether your children will be safe or not but is not so great when others discipline your child in a language they do not yet understand completely. But you cannot have one without the other, I suppose, and thus I cannot relish one aspect and have too much contempt for the other. Give me wisdom, Lord, in how to parent and help the children learn the language quickly, so that they can understand what not to do. Lord, help me to make my children feel secure and let them know that I am always on their side first, but help them to learn that they are not able to do whatever they want either. Teach me Your ways, O Lord!

Living between the extremes!

2009-12-13T17:49:00.000Z

Now before I go too far, I will make this painful admission now. We are among the richest in the area in which we live. Though we have not been to all the homes, I feel pretty safe in saying that. This is not to brag at all, because I would venture to say that all Americans who have a job and live in a house, rental or owned, are as wealthy if not wealthier than those we live around. Anyone who has been to a third world country knows this. I felt like I needed to say that before going into what I really needed to say.

We live in a town that is very much a mix of statuses. Where we lived before, in the capital, it was a mix, but there were streets between those who had much and those with not so much. Here is very different, because you have a hut essentially right next to a very nice house.

On one side of us is a home built much like ours, with a cement wall around it, since it has the same landlord. The husband is a doctor who travels a lot and has his own car. His wife and children are there all the time and have a househelper. The children go to the private Catholic school, not because they are Catholic but it is seen as a better education, which costs money. They have a television and refrigerator, thus they have electricity, and they have running water. They have nice furniture and are very comfortable.

Yesterday I was invited into another compound by a lady who lives there. All I knew of it was the wood thatch fence and one of the young men that lived there. As we walked into the compound, she went straight to the cement building in the center. As I approached the entry way, I saw that there were four doors, each with it's own lock. She told me she rents her room. It was dark, because she has no electricity and the sun was going down. I did not notice the well as we went into the compound, but I know there must have been because there was no running water. There were no windows to speak of. She invited me to sit with her on her mattress (not bed), one of two in the room, her only furniture. She had a sheet hanging up separating her "room" from the "children's room". She is a widow with several children. She said she had no food for her family and asked me for work. I found myself very uncomfortable and almost speechless as I sat in the most humble of surroundings. She said her knees hurt, likely arthritis. I prayed for her body to be well and that she would have peace, especially as a widow. I tried to go a short time later to take her some food but she was not there. Despite her situation, she was not embarrassed to invite me in to her home, but she did so warmly.

Even as I write this, I contemplate the humble entrance of our Lord into this world. There was no mattress and no curtains. Nothing but the hay for the animals. "Away in a manger...."

More opportunities for prayer!

2009-12-06T15:16:00.000Z

Well since I went into the details of trying to make visits to new homes and still make visits to the ones we have met in the last post, I will not revisit that here. However, I will let you know, that often the person you first make contact with in a home seems to be your strongest contact and you get nailed down as a friend to that person. Early on, like the first week, as we walked as a family, we found a home where there were men and women and children out in the street with whom we could talk. It seemed the perfect place to stop. It actually wound up being a combination of two households. The one most interested in holding a conversation with me was an older teenage girl. It was ok, since I needed the language help and she was willing to without wanting me to make her a paid teacher. She helped me interpret from our other language, and I helped her with her English a bit. But when it comes to making an impact on a household, we really want to focus on the older generations. Plus, I would rather have a friend my age or same station of life. But once again, a contact is a contact, no matter the age.

Well on subsequent visits, the young girl was unavailable, out studying for school or something. So I began talking to whomever was there. Once it was the grandmother in one of the homes, who was so helpful by telling the names of everything that was around us, from things on the ground to the animals going by us. Sometimes it was only one lady who did not talk much, but at least I was able to hear them talk some to the other neighbors as they passed and we talked about the children playing.

On Friday, it started out like that but did not end there. The lady who was out front invited me in to greet the matriarch of her home and a lady they had visiting. I greeted the matriarch, who I had met once before. (It made me feel better, because she did not remember my name. I often forget theirs when I meet so many but get so embarrassed about it.) I also greeted the lady they had visiting. She proceeded to bless me and our family, though it was the first time we had met. Then after a time I went back out side, so I could watch the children, ie make sure Mariama was playing nice.

After a while one of the other ladies from the house across the way came out just to greet me, before going back to what she was doing. A short time later, someone from behind the fence was trying to get my attention. I went over to greet whoever it was, and it was the grandmother from the previous visit. We chatted about things for a while. Then she shared with me how she had broken her hip 9 months ago and that it still hurts so much. It hurts when she lies down and she has to use a cane to walk. She had never shared any of this with me before, and I had just figured it was normal old age. I took the opportunity to pray with her, for which she was very grateful. Open doors with a woman of influence, praise Him! Ask the Father to provide more open doors and the opportunity to share more with these homes. Ask the Father to give her relief from her pain, so that she can rest better, and may she know it is Him.

Going deeper with a friend!

2009-12-06T14:24:00.000Z

Well, I had an exciting visit from a friend yesterday morning but before I tell about the visit, I must give some background. As of Friday, we have been in our town for 2 months, other than the two trips out of town. We have had 6 weeks of language class. Every week it is a struggle to balance study and visiting with neighbors, both of which are crucial to our purpose in being here. I have been frustrated by trying to find time to meet new homes while still having time to visit the ones we have already gotten to know. It would be nice if just once someone would come to visit us instead of always saying, "I haven't seen you in a long time. Where have you been?" Although, 2 months is not really that long, especially in this culture.

While in Dakar, I had the opportunity to see an old friend of ours with whom a lot of personal time and interest was invested. When we left, she was a newlywed with a new baby and a good business, and all was well. Sometime after that her business went by the wayside. In the last year or so, her husband took another wife and brought her into their same small house. My friend was 7 months pregnant at the time and the stress of everything caused her to have the baby early, who did not survive. Things have gone from bad to worse and now it looks like they will be getting a divorce. But on top of that, without a job, she has no money to provide for her son, so her husband's mother is now caring for the child. Terribly painful story that absolutely tore me apart!

So this week, I was visiting the house I had written about before in "New friends!" I am not really sure why I was prompted to tell them about my friend in Dakar but I did. Maybe it is because I needed a story to tell so I could talk at my own pace, rather than them talking so fast that I can not understand them. Maybe it was the Father's prompting. I did not really know at the time, but I got more of an answer yesterday.

My friend (the one who had called everyone together to pray) came by to see me rather early in the morning, at 9:00. For the most part only people who are working are out that early, or women are on their way to the market, but no one is visiting that early. I tried to suggest we sit out side because that is what they normally do, but she was not wanting to sit. So I thought maybe she wanted to visit inside. I invited her in and we chatted a bit and I gave her some coffee. She told me how everyone in her household says how good I am and her husband had told her to come see me.

Then as I sat on the floor, she shared with me about having 5 children but that now she has 4 because one of the oldest had died some time ago. I was so stunned that she was sharing such personal information with me, because that is not typical. (She shared more with me that did not register with me at the time but has since, which I will try to make sure I understood later.) I prayed for her and for the Father to grant her peace in her heart because that can cause fear regarding her other children as well and because the Father knows how a heart hurts for the death of a child. I told her my mother's story of having a child die and then the peace that only the Father can give when a child dies or a child goes far away. After I prayed for her, she left thanking me and telling me how happy she was because of me.

She came back a short while later with a bag of grapefruits because she knew I liked them and that Mariama had eaten one the other night at their house.

I have had my first visitor and it was a big time visit! I have no idea what the Father is doing, but He is definitely doing something. Keep lifting up my friend and her household, that they may all come to know the Truth very soon.

Why am I here?

2009-11-25T09:03:00.000Z

Why am I here? What could make me leave my family and friends? What could make me leave the conveniences of America? What could cause me to put my children in unfamiliar territory? What could cause me to have my family in a place where illness is always a possibility? What could make me stay in a place where mice and bugs come into my home regularly? What could cause me to learn a difficult language with urgency?

Certainly not "a crutch for the weak" nor the "opium for the masses." Certainly not a tradition that gives me comfort and is ok for me, but which is not great enough to convict and bless the whole world. It is truth! It is the "knowledge of truth which is according to godliness, in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago, but at the proper time manifested, even His word, in the proclamation with which I was entrusted." The Father sent the Son into the world to live a life perfect and unblemished to be an example for us and to make the way for us to be with the Father eternally.

I have heard it said, "If I am wrong, what harm is there because I have lived a good life. If those who do not believe are wrong, then they will spend an eternity apart from the Father." Though true, this is not even enough to propel me to the life I live. I have known times of clear leading and I have known times where I did not know the next step. I have known great joy and great sorrow. I have known times of poverty (american style) and times of wealth (African style). And yet God's peace has always been sufficient. What else can bring that peace? Not any government! No rally in the economy! Nothing but the Author and Perfector of Peace! If I have such great peace and the whole world is seeking it, how can I keep it to myself. I have a hope of an eternal future which is great! But more real to me is what I have already experienced in my life. My mind cannot fathom the greatness of eternity in the light of all I have experienced. But I know in whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able! I am eternally grateful for all that The Father has done for me and for the abundant peace with which I have been blessed!

Happy Thanksgiving!

New friends!!

2009-11-10T20:54:00.000Z

Yea for new friends! William and I passed by a house last week on our way home from buying bananas. I could not hear all that the ladies inside were saying, so they invited me in to the courtyard. As I left, they said they would come to see me on Saturday. On Friday, one of the ladies was walking by our house and said she would come see me the next day. I was so worn out by the long week that I misunderstood what she said. So I still waited on Saturday for them to come, but they never showed. No wonder, after how confused I was on Friday. So I decided to go there again today. They have tons of kids for William and Mariama to play with and I wanted to make sure they were all ok.

As we walked down the street, I saw my friend sitting outside of her house. I went over to say hello and she asked where I was going. I told her I was going or coming (I can't remember which verb I used) to greet. She got excited and invited me into the courtyard, where she told everyone else that I had come. The older lady that I met last week came over along with some visitors they had. Within a few minutes, both of the women's husbands had come over to greet me as well. We chatted for a while. I talked at toddler pace and listened to them rattle out the words. It was so good to find a home where they speak the language I am learning, ie. not another dialect, and people who were so glad I came by to visit.

Shortly before I was going to leave, the older lady said she was going to take care of the children and then mentioned that her body hurt. I asked the lady if it hurt just then or all the time. She said it pretty much hurt all the time and went to do what she needed to do. I expected her to return in just a few minutes. As the time drew closer that I really need to leave, I told the younger lady that I was going but that I would be praying for the older lady's body to feel better. The younger called the lady and her husband over to pray right then. I told them I would pray in our first language because I do not yet feel comfortable to pray in our new language. So we all prayed. When it was over, they all expressed how glad they were with me for coming over. The younger walked me and the kids home. She came into my courtyard before going home and said now she could visit me. That was my best visit here thus far.

Praising the Father for new friends!!!

Pressing on!

2009-11-10T16:50:00.000Z

Yesterday's Word study was from Philippians 3. Verses 13-14 took greater focus for me than ever before. "Forgetting what lies behind" means not only the bad stuff but the good stuff I might want to sit and relish. Each day is new! That means I have to live each day pressing on to the finish. I cannot say, "I've done well, so think I will sit back and rest." As long as there is breath in me, the Father still has something for me to do. I cannot start well and then end poorly. Then I just get remembered as one who ended poorly. Yes, I need to let go of the bad in the past. But I must also set aside the good, and pursue even greater things. Life is a marathon, not a sprint! We must run each mile consistently with the same fervor with which we began, if we are to win the prize set before us. Until we draw our last breath, we have not yet laid hold of it. So press on daily!
One can imagine that by starting the day with that passage, I strained through the day. As I laid down at night, I felt good about how I had spent the day. Language and studying, caring for the family! But I cannot even be content in that. I must press on even through the rest of today to the very end. So to my fellow travelers on the narrow road, I say, "Press on!"

Being middle aged!

2009-11-04T21:56:00.000Z

Ok, now I know many have said that I could not be middle age because people expect to live longer these days, in my family in particular. However, it is funny that some languages, ours for example, have a word for child or for older person, but nothing for the age I am in. It is this funky in between age. I feel like I know nothing or at least have much to learn most days. But some that are younger, not as far down the road as I am, look to me for encouragement and advice at times. To add insult to injury, my body shows that I am in between both ages. Youth have their blemished skin. Older people have grey hair. I would be ok to have one or the other, but both is just not right! I guess that is what makeup and hair color are for, huh?

I realize that this is a much more trivial post than my others but it is just another part of my life. But before you think I am unhappy or feeling sorry for myself, let me reassure you----I love my life! I am not in the best shape of my life, probably, but I am closer to the Father than I have ever been. I have a super husband who is an awesome cook and leads our family to follow the Father. I have precious children that are so sensitive about spiritual things and desire to be a part of what we are doing, which right now is learning language. I live in Africa!!! Which sometimes is said, "Oh, that's just part of living in Africa" and at other times is, "Living in Africa is so awesome." I start to write "so cool" but that would not be accurate because it is so hot. I miss many people, my parents in particular, in the states, but the Father is faithful to give me what I need each day. I love my life! I would not change a thing! I am content! I am thankful for all that I have been blessed with in my life! Every day with the Father is a new adventure. I cannot wait to see what tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day, etc., hold for us!

A faithful Father!

2009-11-03T14:10:00.001Z

Last Friday, we had a review/ assessment/ quiz to see how much we were getting in our language class. Books were closed. We had to pronounce, conjugate verbs, and know numbers. It was comforting to know how much we had gotten and challenging to realize what we have not. That night we had the team over for pizza and movie night, so we were up late.
Saturday, we went to the marche to stock up on food and my change purse was stolen. Thankfully it was not much by our standards since we had already gotten the shopping done. Then we had a couple that is dear to us visit, but it was more of a business call due to a meeting all day with our team leader. Then the team was over that night along with the couple for dinner. Another late night!
Sunday was a good time of fellowship and praise with the team. Then spent the afternoon planning the week's homeschool. Up late again because of talking to Grandma.
Monday found me just worn out. One should never wake up tired. I nonetheless woke up to meet with the Father. In Ephesians 3, the Father fed me a tremendous prayer that Paul prayed, which I needed that day. The Father is good! That morning was language school and homeschool. The team over for lunch. Then we finished homeschool and then went to bed early.
Today was another great time in the Word of Ephesians 4. The Father is faithful to meet us and feed us well from His Word. Make a date with the Father today!

Tests of Obedience Part 2---I have more children!

2009-10-11T14:22:00.000Z

Due to technical difficulties like not posting for almost 3 years and forgetting the info to log on and changing email addresses, Rich set me up with this new blog. Hope you like it.
The last post was so long that I decided to make this a 2-parter, so here is part 2.

"And the King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me'" Matthew 25:40

Before I tell about this morning, I need to give some of you some background info. In this country, I cannot speak for anywhere else, there are young boys who begin begging on the street for money as young as 3 years old. They do not do this because they think it is fun. Their parents, for whatever reason (financially unable to care for, etc.), have given their children to a leader in their faith to be cared for and instructed in the religion, which does not sound all that different from Samuel at first glance. The boys,though, are then sent out daily with meager food provisions to beg for money and then they are to "bless" those that give to them. Thus these boys are essentially orphans, emotionally. For reasons I will not expound on in this blog, we do not give the boys money as a general rule, but rather food that we might have on hand. In town, it is difficult, because I typically do not carry food with us in the truck. However, at home, I have a much harder time saying no, because I obviously have food here.

The other day, one of the boys had come by, and I had given him some food. He said, "jaap naa la yaay," which means literally, "I catch you mother." I understood the words but had never heard that phrase before. Essentially what he was saying was that he was calling me as his. I have a new son, who has the same name as Rich's Senegalese name. They are hungry to be nurtured!

This morning, though, Dad took me deeper. A boy came to the door and I gave him what I had, a banana and a Vitamin-C tablet. He tried to "bless" me and I asked him to stop and know that I had given this to him in the name of the Son. I came in to wash dishes as I had been before he came and Dad prompted me to question why I did not want him to "bless" me. After answering why, Dad prompted me to begin praying for and blessing them as I have opportunity.

No sooner had that conversation finished with Dad than another knock came at the door. I checked and saw 3-4 boys. Dad does not waste time!!!!! I grabbed a couple of bananas and a few more vitamins. By the time I got back to the door, some more boys came running, making the number more like 8-10 boys. I gave out what I had of the bananas, smaller pieces than I had intended, and what vitamins I had at the time. I came back in for more vitamins and went to hand them out. As I handed out the vitamins and banana, I prayed over them all in their language that Dad would care for them, since He was the one that created them. They asked for water and I gave that to them as well. None of them even tried to "bless" me but left with smiles.

Dad often tests our obedience, and often I fail. But sometimes, I actually listen.

So very thankful we picked up that large bottle of Vitamin-C tablets at Costco with my brother and sister-in-law, so my being sick had a useful purpose. Thanks Todd and Kristi! It might make it a couple of months at this rate, hee hee hee!

Tests of obedience

2009-10-11T09:38:00.000Z

"Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him. For to this end also I wrote that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things." 2 Cor. 2:8-9

So this week, my Word study has focused on prayer and the importance of blessing others. These verses from today pretty much sum up the week.

First, we got to our town. Like everywhere else in the world, there are those that for one reason or another are not all there mentally. One lady in particular has "her corner" in the same place that we find convenient to park. In the middle of the week, Dad laid it on my heart to go pray for her. I resisted not knowing why or for what purpose exactly or even how she would respond. Dad continued to press the issue. I was impressed to pray for Dad to restore to her the mind He created her to have. I know that He is able to do more than I could ever imagine, so I finally obeyed. Rich drove us over there and stayed in the truck with the kids. I tried to go give her a little food but she waved me away. I tried to give her a little money and she waved me away again. I reached out to touch her arm and she did not move. She did not wave me away, nothing. She just sat and let me touch her and pray. I prayed in her language, as best I could, though not as eloquently as I might have in English. I tried not to think about what anyone around me/us was thinking as they passed by where we were, though I felt the eyes of them on me. Now nothing miraculous happened as far as we might assess, i.e. she did not come suddenly into her right mind or anything, but who of us knows why God laid that on my heart. Maybe it was for her to have a human touch. Maybe it was for the people to see compassion in action, since they are so used to her. I know it was for me, for Him to test my obedience, and for me to do what He says despite how crazy others might think I am.