We've been back in our quiet little town of Buena Vista for 11 days now...the same number of days we spent in Kinshasa. It's been good to be back home, although we may never return to "normal". Our lives have been forever changed and we still find out minds wandering to our experiences in Africa. I (Debbie) have wanted to write a couple more blogs but have found it difficult to sit down and write while I have been processing all that God did during our trip. Today, I want to share some of the things I saw God do, in answer to all your prayers, while we were there...and traveling. I also want to share some ongoing prayer needs that God continues to impress on my heart.
God was so faithful to answer our (yours and ours) prayers for our travel to Kinshasa. We made all of our flight connections, all of our luggage arrived safely, and our physical stamina upheld throughout the entire time. We had one minor issue, at security in Denver, where one of Debbie's ice packs (included in her medication) had melted. After explaining it was for medical purposes--and Debbie agreeing to a pat down--we were cleared to take the ice pack. Our concern, however, was getting it through security in Brussels because they are more strict. We sent word to our friends in Kinshasa to pray specifically that we would be allowed to keep the ice pack...it is part of Debbie's cooling vest which she needs for hot climates. Because we had assistance to our gates (due to Debbie's vision impairment), we were allowed to bypass security in Brussels. God was faithful to hear and answer our prayers for all of our travel needs...even as little as keeping an ice pack.
God also faithfully took care of us in every way, physically. Neither of us had any reaction to our vaccinations or the malaria medication (which often makes people sick). Debbie, who is highly allergic to cats, spent 11 days in a home with two cats--one who liked to sit right above Debbie's head--without any trouble...not even taking allergy medicine. Now, that is an answer to prayer!! In addition, the heat was not an issue for Debbie's MS. God simply cooled the temperatures down while we were there...and gave us consistent electricity too. (It was really hot again, the day after we left, and they were without electricity the entire day.) Yes, God answered that prayer, as well!! We both slept great, even though in a strange bed and house, and God maintained our stamina, while constantly on the go.
God used Mike in ways neither of us expected. He went, hoping to be able to bless the pilots through working in any way they needed him. He was able to build them a stand for their flight simulator. In addition, he was able to bless the Congolese sentinels (guards) who work for the Francises (our host family). Mike spent time, just hanging out, with these men, communicating with them through hand motions and smiles. Just before we left, Mike was able to bless one of the men, by helping provide funds he needed, due to a family emergency. These men have left a forever impact on Mike's life and we hope Mike left a God impact on theirs.
Debbie was able to share the message of finding joy in the furnace to so many children, young girls, women, and men while we were there. Opportunities we didn't even know of before we left, opened after we arrived. She shared with a Congolese Christian school, a Congolese choir, a Congolese women's center (through the use of an interpreter), a women's Bible study, a couple's Bible study, the MAF wives, and the MAF children. God provided enough support (through our financial supporters) to give Joy in the Furnace Bible study books to each of the women in the women's Bible study, each of the MAF couples, and even the couples from MAF headquarters, who had come as part of the team to minister during the MAF Family Conference.
One thing Debbie had prayed, before going, was that God would bring in enough support to cover all of the items we were taking for the MAF families. Because it is so hard for these families to get certain items in the Congo (or it is extremely expensive), they usually ask anybody coming to bring things for them...up to the maximum luggage allowed. The idea is that they pay for those items. We took four large (49 lbs. each) suitcases filled with items for the missionaries, telling them they could reimburse us when we got there...again praying they wouldn't need to do so. The Sunday before leaving, we shared in church that we were $400 short of what we needed to meet our own expenses...that didn't include the $525 we had spent on the missionary items. By Monday--the day before our flight left for Kinshasa--God had brought in an additional $1321...enough to meet all of our expenses, enough to cover all the items we were taking to the MAF missionaries, plus enough to help with expenses we hadn't anticipated. What a joy it was to be able to gift those items to the missionaries...gifts from our supporters!! And what a huge praise to see God raise $6791 in just six weeks!!
Ways you can continue to pray:
Please pray for all those with whom we shared, while we were in Kinshasa. Pray that the message they heard will take root and grow. Pray that lives will be forever changed and that they will find joy in every trial they face. Pray even for the young children, that they will grasp these concepts and they will be able to go throughout life, facing their trials with joy. Pray for the girls at the Tabitha Center, as they choose to live their lives for Jesus, free from those things which once had them bound. Pray they too will find joy amidst the very difficult circumstances in which they live.
Pray for the MAF families...for safety for the pilots who fly in and out of the bush; for the mechanics who work to keep the airplanes running properly and safely; for the wives who maintain the homes, without so many things we take for granted; for the precious children who don't even realize the sacrifices of living there. It was interesting to hear the children share the things that are hardest for them...their trials. Two of them said the hardest thing for them is when they go to the states. They are so used to life, as it is, in the Congo, that it is really hard for them to adjust to everything in the United States. We have "too much", they said. It is hard to imagine living in a place like the Congo and not seeing how difficult it is. But I guess when that is all you've known, you don't know how difficult it is...you don't know what you're missing. When asked if thunderstorms scare them, they all laughed...they are so used to them. When asked if they are afraid of the dark, they said, "it's dark a lot because the electricity goes out." Pray they never lose these attitudes. Pray for the parents who have lived in America and do notice the things with which they do without. Pray they have joy in the ministry to which God has called them. After our time there, we can see how it can be so easy to become hardened to the culture and bitter toward the natives. It is a needy and often demanding atmosphere...one that can drain an American dry, financially and emotionally. Pray that these missionaries always remember their calling...the reason they are there.
Pray for our friend, Lori, her husband, boys, and their precious daughter K, who I wrote about in my previous blog. Pray that God would move mountains so that they can bring K home. Pray for the other hundred plus adopted children who are stuck in the DRC, unable to join their families due to the hold on releasing these children. (You can also contact your government officials, asking them to help resolve this issue, by clicking on the link at the top right of this page.)
Pray that we never go back to life, as it was but that we will be forever changed by this trip. As I wrote in a previous blog, Mike quit smoking while on this trip. Pray he continues to turn to God for deliverance from this addiction, never returning to it again. Pray that he sees the value he has in the lives of people, as he did with the sentinels. Pray for Debbie as she processes all God taught her through the women who live in the Congo...God is still putting all these pieces together. She simply has no words for so much of it.
God has opened up new doors for the Joy in the Furnace Bible study, as a result of this trip...an unexpected blessing. Please pray for Debbie as she proceeds through these doors. And pray that God will spread this message far and wide...to the ends of the earth.
Thank you for all your prayers. And thank you for sharing this journey with us. We may have additional updates to share with you, as God continues to process things within our hearts. We'll leave that up to God.
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Saturday, April 12, 2014
I Surrender All...K's Story
Our flight was late arriving into Brussels on our way to Kinshasa. The two hour and twenty minute layover had now been cut to one hour and ten minutes. I was glad we had assistance getting to our gate, knowing Mike and I would never find it on our own. And then, we sat...and waited...and waited for the car to pick us up to take us to the other terminal. When we inquired about the delay, we were told it was because President Obama was there and the entire airport was shut down, while his flight left. (It was interesting to hear this Belgium's opinion of our US president shutting down their airport.)
Our car finally arrived and we were escorted directly to our gate, where we were welcomed by a smile and the waving arms of...well a woman we had never met but grew to love, in a very short time. We had communicated with Lori via Facebook and had planned to meet each other at the Brussels airport. She was on the same flight as we were from Brussels to Kinshasa and was going to assist us through the Kinshasa airport...and all the way to our friends, David and Sandy Francis' house. Little did we realize the impact Lori and her daughter, K, would make upon our lives during our time in Kinshasa.
K had been abandoned along the roadside in Kinshasa. Lori and her husband adopted K in January 2013. They completed all the necessary steps and paperwork for adoption and she is legally their daughter. However, while they were in the DRC, ready to take K home, the DRC issued a freeze, withholding exit papers for all adopted Congolese children. Sadly, K (and hundreds of other adopted children) is now stuck in a system where she is separated by thousands of miles from her parents. God has blessed K and her parents by providing some wonderful Christian foster parents who take her to church and she receives English teaching twice a week. But it is not the same as being with her mommy, daddy and two older brothers.
K is a precious child who loves her momma and daddy and loves to sing praises to Jesus. And let me tell you she can praise Him...this girl has rhythm and can play the drums like you wouldn't believe. One of her favorite songs is "I Surrender All". When she sings, she sings with all her heart. She may not understand the definition of surrender but you can tell she understands it in her heart. K is learning, through some very difficult circumstances, what it means to give everything to God...to trust Him no matter what.
As I awoke this morning, I had sweet K and Lori on my heart. Lori is now back at home, in Tennessee, once again leaving K in Kinshasa. She won't see her again until they are allowed to bring her home. I know God is working in and through this very tough situation. I know he is bringing joy in their furnace. But this momma's heart aches for them both. Please join me in praying that God will work in the hearts of the Congolese officials to release K and all the other innocent children who are caught in the bureaucracy that is keeping them separated from their parents. Pray that God will let K go home...home to the America where she longs to live...home to her momma, daddy and brothers.
(No pictures on this post due to the sensitive issue of this situation. One day, when K is home, I'll share pictures of this beautiful child and momma.)
Our car finally arrived and we were escorted directly to our gate, where we were welcomed by a smile and the waving arms of...well a woman we had never met but grew to love, in a very short time. We had communicated with Lori via Facebook and had planned to meet each other at the Brussels airport. She was on the same flight as we were from Brussels to Kinshasa and was going to assist us through the Kinshasa airport...and all the way to our friends, David and Sandy Francis' house. Little did we realize the impact Lori and her daughter, K, would make upon our lives during our time in Kinshasa.
K had been abandoned along the roadside in Kinshasa. Lori and her husband adopted K in January 2013. They completed all the necessary steps and paperwork for adoption and she is legally their daughter. However, while they were in the DRC, ready to take K home, the DRC issued a freeze, withholding exit papers for all adopted Congolese children. Sadly, K (and hundreds of other adopted children) is now stuck in a system where she is separated by thousands of miles from her parents. God has blessed K and her parents by providing some wonderful Christian foster parents who take her to church and she receives English teaching twice a week. But it is not the same as being with her mommy, daddy and two older brothers.
K is a precious child who loves her momma and daddy and loves to sing praises to Jesus. And let me tell you she can praise Him...this girl has rhythm and can play the drums like you wouldn't believe. One of her favorite songs is "I Surrender All". When she sings, she sings with all her heart. She may not understand the definition of surrender but you can tell she understands it in her heart. K is learning, through some very difficult circumstances, what it means to give everything to God...to trust Him no matter what.
As I awoke this morning, I had sweet K and Lori on my heart. Lori is now back at home, in Tennessee, once again leaving K in Kinshasa. She won't see her again until they are allowed to bring her home. I know God is working in and through this very tough situation. I know he is bringing joy in their furnace. But this momma's heart aches for them both. Please join me in praying that God will work in the hearts of the Congolese officials to release K and all the other innocent children who are caught in the bureaucracy that is keeping them separated from their parents. Pray that God will let K go home...home to the America where she longs to live...home to her momma, daddy and brothers.
(No pictures on this post due to the sensitive issue of this situation. One day, when K is home, I'll share pictures of this beautiful child and momma.)
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Flying Through the Furnace to Joy
We awoke at 6:00 AM Sunday morning in Kinshasa...which was 11:00 PM Saturday night in Denver. We knew it was going to be a long trip home but were not anticipating all that we would face before finally arriving at our motel in Denver 46 hours later...9:00 PM Monday night.
We almost had our souvenirs confiscated in Kinshasa and again in Chicago. We had guards and immigration agents yell at us, in French (which we couldn't understand), because we could not complete our customs information, without the assistance of the MAF friends, with whom we were travelling...and they didn't understand our attempts to communicate to them that we had visual and reading limitations and could not complete them. We had issues with our carry-ons at all three airport security checkpoints, with something showing up on the x-ray machines...yet always clearing, in the end. We had TSA people telling us to do one thing at the start of the line, then the next person telling us something completely opposite, requiring us to go to the back of the line to put something back in an x-ray tray.
When arriving in Chicago, Mike's passport was withheld and we were escorted to another area...with no explanation as to what was happening. They simply kept saying "Bravo", as they passed his passport off to different people. We were finally told that everything would be okay but that he had a similar name as somebody on the "watch list" and they needed to further investigate. After being interrogated and having to take his hat off (and smooth down his messy hair), he was cleared. If I hadn't been so tired, I would have laughed at the thought of my missionary husband being thought to be a terrorist.
I must admit I shed a few tears along this journey...and Mike kept insisting he would never fly again. Yet, the number one thought that kept going through my mind--and I said to Mike many, many times--was "Don't let the enemy steal our joy." I knew the enemy was taking advantage of our exhaustion--and even preyed on our uncertainties and weaknesses of dealing with an unknown language at the Kinshasa airport--to try to steal the joy of all God had done during our time in Kinshasa. He wanted us to forget all the good of that trip and focus only on the bad...the frustrations of our trip home. So, we held on to Jesus as we flew through the furnace.
After some much needed sleep, at the motel in Denver, we were able to refocus and see how God had brought us through that furnace. He had been with us all the way, even allowing us to keep our souvenirs. Debbie opened up her Facebook, Tuesday morning, and listened to all the comments from people saying they were praying for our safety. It hit us that God had indeed kept us safe. He hadn't allowed it to be easy but He had kept us safe...and that was what really mattered. Maybe He wanted to see if we were willing to live out what we (Debbie, in particular) had been teaching while in Kinshasa). Could we have joy in the furnace?
Another big thing we see has to do with something in which God set Mike free while we were in Africa. After 48 years of smoking, Mike gave it up while we were there. He celebrated his birthday by quitting. Normally, the times he would pick up that cigarette is when he felt nervous. Debbie noticed such a relaxed spirit about Mike during the time we were in Kinshasa. He was so at ease around the MAF families and others in which we interacted. He even talked to strangers on the airplane. And God really used him to minister to the Francises' sentinels. God took away the anxious spirit which would drive Mike to smoke. However, the trip home definitely created tension and frustration within Mike. Yet even when given the opportunity to purchase cigarettes, Mike was not even tempted, showing him that God is teaching him how to handle situations like that, without smoking. He knows he can remain free of this addiction, with God's help.
We had a wonderful time in Kinshasa and saw God work in our own lives as we reached out to those who live there. We are glad to be home, though, where it is quiet...with very little traffic. I know our lives will be forever changed and I pray God has touched the hearts of many through our work there. We may never know how He used us...that is His business not ours.
I hope to post another update, sharing some specific praises and ongoing prayer needs for those in Kinshasa.
We almost had our souvenirs confiscated in Kinshasa and again in Chicago. We had guards and immigration agents yell at us, in French (which we couldn't understand), because we could not complete our customs information, without the assistance of the MAF friends, with whom we were travelling...and they didn't understand our attempts to communicate to them that we had visual and reading limitations and could not complete them. We had issues with our carry-ons at all three airport security checkpoints, with something showing up on the x-ray machines...yet always clearing, in the end. We had TSA people telling us to do one thing at the start of the line, then the next person telling us something completely opposite, requiring us to go to the back of the line to put something back in an x-ray tray.
When arriving in Chicago, Mike's passport was withheld and we were escorted to another area...with no explanation as to what was happening. They simply kept saying "Bravo", as they passed his passport off to different people. We were finally told that everything would be okay but that he had a similar name as somebody on the "watch list" and they needed to further investigate. After being interrogated and having to take his hat off (and smooth down his messy hair), he was cleared. If I hadn't been so tired, I would have laughed at the thought of my missionary husband being thought to be a terrorist.
I must admit I shed a few tears along this journey...and Mike kept insisting he would never fly again. Yet, the number one thought that kept going through my mind--and I said to Mike many, many times--was "Don't let the enemy steal our joy." I knew the enemy was taking advantage of our exhaustion--and even preyed on our uncertainties and weaknesses of dealing with an unknown language at the Kinshasa airport--to try to steal the joy of all God had done during our time in Kinshasa. He wanted us to forget all the good of that trip and focus only on the bad...the frustrations of our trip home. So, we held on to Jesus as we flew through the furnace.
After some much needed sleep, at the motel in Denver, we were able to refocus and see how God had brought us through that furnace. He had been with us all the way, even allowing us to keep our souvenirs. Debbie opened up her Facebook, Tuesday morning, and listened to all the comments from people saying they were praying for our safety. It hit us that God had indeed kept us safe. He hadn't allowed it to be easy but He had kept us safe...and that was what really mattered. Maybe He wanted to see if we were willing to live out what we (Debbie, in particular) had been teaching while in Kinshasa). Could we have joy in the furnace?
Another big thing we see has to do with something in which God set Mike free while we were in Africa. After 48 years of smoking, Mike gave it up while we were there. He celebrated his birthday by quitting. Normally, the times he would pick up that cigarette is when he felt nervous. Debbie noticed such a relaxed spirit about Mike during the time we were in Kinshasa. He was so at ease around the MAF families and others in which we interacted. He even talked to strangers on the airplane. And God really used him to minister to the Francises' sentinels. God took away the anxious spirit which would drive Mike to smoke. However, the trip home definitely created tension and frustration within Mike. Yet even when given the opportunity to purchase cigarettes, Mike was not even tempted, showing him that God is teaching him how to handle situations like that, without smoking. He knows he can remain free of this addiction, with God's help.
We had a wonderful time in Kinshasa and saw God work in our own lives as we reached out to those who live there. We are glad to be home, though, where it is quiet...with very little traffic. I know our lives will be forever changed and I pray God has touched the hearts of many through our work there. We may never know how He used us...that is His business not ours.
I hope to post another update, sharing some specific praises and ongoing prayer needs for those in Kinshasa.
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Shining His Glory and Heading Home...Updated with Photos
The MAF Conference ended yesterday. It was a great ending to a wonderful time with such precious children. We learned how God uses the furnace (problems and trouble in life) to make us into the person He wants us to be. To help illustrate that point, we made cookies. As we made the cookies, the children got to sample the ingredients, talking about how each tasted and how that corresponded to events in life. For example, oats are dry, just like life is often dry and boring. Cocoa is bitter and life can often be sad and bitter. Vanilla sure smells good but tastes awful. Life can sometimes seem like it's going to be one way and turn out to be completely different. However, God uses all the things in our life to make us who He wants us to be...but it often requires us going through the furnace. The same was true with the cookies. Once we mixed them together and put them in the "furnace", they became something yummy.
We also made a craft, using broken crayon pieces. Those broken pieces didn't look very good or worth much but after they went through the furnace, they became something quite beautiful.
The last thing we learned is that God received all the glow-ry (glory) through our hard times. We illustrated how His glory shines from us through the use of glow sticks. Others will know we have been through the furnace by how Jesus shines through us.
Last night was the MAF talent show. Quite a few people shared their different talents for us.
The children sang the two songs we have learned, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego" and "Joy is the Flag". They also recited the six points they had learned.
It was a fun evening. I was sad to tell the families goodbye. I have so enjoyed meeting all of them, working with the children, and ministering to the women.
I couldn't leave without giving each couple a signed copy of my book.
After church today, we dropped off our luggage. (They check in your baggage early here.) Then, we went to eat lunch at a nice restaurant where we were able to eat African food. Mike had crocodile and I had antelope with fried plantains. We both enjoyed our meals very much!!
We are now packing up the rest of our carry-ons and getting ready to leave...in about 15 minutes. Yikes!!! So, no pictures for now but I will add them when I get back to Colorado...Tuesday. Well, it may be Wednesday before I get the photos on here.
Please pray for us as we travel home the next three days. We leave Kinshasa around 10:30 PM here (3:30 MDT). We arrive in Denver Monday evening around 7:30 PM MDT...a long day plus ahead of us. We will stay in Denver Monday night and take the bus home on Tuesday, arriving home around 5:00 PM Tuesday.
We also made a craft, using broken crayon pieces. Those broken pieces didn't look very good or worth much but after they went through the furnace, they became something quite beautiful.
Last night was the MAF talent show. Quite a few people shared their different talents for us.
The children sang the two songs we have learned, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego" and "Joy is the Flag". They also recited the six points they had learned.
It was a fun evening. I was sad to tell the families goodbye. I have so enjoyed meeting all of them, working with the children, and ministering to the women.
I couldn't leave without giving each couple a signed copy of my book.
After church today, we dropped off our luggage. (They check in your baggage early here.) Then, we went to eat lunch at a nice restaurant where we were able to eat African food. Mike had crocodile and I had antelope with fried plantains. We both enjoyed our meals very much!!
We are now packing up the rest of our carry-ons and getting ready to leave...in about 15 minutes. Yikes!!! So, no pictures for now but I will add them when I get back to Colorado...Tuesday. Well, it may be Wednesday before I get the photos on here.
Please pray for us as we travel home the next three days. We leave Kinshasa around 10:30 PM here (3:30 MDT). We arrive in Denver Monday evening around 7:30 PM MDT...a long day plus ahead of us. We will stay in Denver Monday night and take the bus home on Tuesday, arriving home around 5:00 PM Tuesday.
Friday, April 4, 2014
MAF Family Conference
Note: The bandwidth here is really slow during the day and it takes a long time for pictures to load. However, I really want to get this update posted for all to read. So, I'm going to write it and post it. I will try to upload pictures overnight and add them in tomorrow. So, check back for some great pictures to go with the update.
We start every morning with a time of worship, led by Mike and Mary Lou Koto. Mary Lou also provides a little treasure hunt where the children hunt for papers on which the principles and Bible verses are written. They get to read them to the group.
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Then, the youth and children are dismissed to our classrooms. Mike (Martinez) has been helping me with the children and I am enjoying having him in there with me. We have seven children and they are all so precious and eager to learn about Jesus, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
Then, the youth and children are dismissed to our classrooms. Mike (Martinez) has been helping me with the children and I am enjoying having him in there with me. We have seven children and they are all so precious and eager to learn about Jesus, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
Monday we learned that everybody lands in the furnace...i.e. everybody has problems. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego's problem was that they wouldn't bow down to the golden image and so they were thrown into the furnace. We made golden images to represent the problems and trouble in our own lives.
Then, we learned that Jesus is always with me in the furnace. We had fiery furnace snacks and also made a cool fiery furnace craft that looked like real fire when they put a battery operated tea light behind it.
Then, we learned that Jesus is always with me in the furnace. We had fiery furnace snacks and also made a cool fiery furnace craft that looked like real fire when they put a battery operated tea light behind it.
Today, Tuesday, we learned that Jesus sets me free in the furnace. We tied up one of the boys in rope (yarn) and talked about some of the ways Jesus sets us free. Then, we cut the rope and set him free.
We had freedom snacks and made a fun craft where they got to wrap the yarn around sticks, representing Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and then set them free. We also learned that Jesus heals--never harms-us in the furnace. We did a cool experiment (that Miss Debbie learned last year at VBS) using baloons and candle flames to show how we are not harmed in the furnace.
We had freedom snacks and made a fun craft where they got to wrap the yarn around sticks, representing Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and then set them free. We also learned that Jesus heals--never harms-us in the furnace. We did a cool experiment (that Miss Debbie learned last year at VBS) using baloons and candle flames to show how we are not harmed in the furnace.
We had a short class today because we had a family outing (field trip) to a snake park. The children were so excited about going but were still so well-behaved. It was an exciting time at the snake park for sure!! What was fun for me was to see these young children handling the snakes, even those who were afraid at first. It is a great example of what we learned today...Jesus uses the hard times in our lives to set us free of things like fear. It was hard for those children to reach out and pet and hold those snakes but in doing so, it helped them get over their fear of the snakes. Once they touched and/or held them, they wanted to do it again. We should have some great discussion tomorrow.
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Monday evening was a very special evening. I had the opportunity (along with Kristian Westom and Mary Lou Koto) of sharing with the MAF wives--mommies to these children--at the women's night. God gave me a special treat to share with them and they all seemed to enjoy the evening. Using the six principles from Joy in the Furnace, we went through several activities.
1) We bound their ankles and put their feet in VERY hot water, letting them know the furnace is inevitable...everybody lands in the furnace...you can't avoid it. And just like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, we are usually bound when we go into the furnace.
2) I dropped an effervescent foot soak tablet into their tubs of water, sharing with them that God is always with us in the furnace.
3) I talked about how God sets us free in the furnace and took of the ropes that had their ankles bound.
4) Kristian, Mary Lou and I gave them foot massages as I share the truth that God heals--not harms--us in the furnace.
5) I explained that the "ropes" which had bound their feet were actually candle wicks and were intended for something far more useful than keeping them in bondage. As a reminder that God perfects (makes us who He wants us to be and fulfills His purpose in us), we used the wicks to make dip candles.
6) We turned out the lights and I began light tea lights--one by one--as I explained that God receives all the glory through the furnace.
Tonight, we will have dinner with all the adults. I so enjoy the children but am also loving the chance to hear the hearts of these missionaries. These families have given up so much to serve God here in the DRC. You simply would not believe what their life is like unless you saw or lived it for a few days. Yet they share their hearts with joy...pure joy.
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Week Two...Building, Speaking, Bonobos, and a Birthday
It's been a busy start to our second week here in Kinshasa. It's hard to believe we left home ten days ago, arriving here exactly one week ago tonight. We've recovered from jet lag and are sleeping and waking at fairly normal hours.
Monday, Mike awoke around 5:00 AM, to once again head to the MAF hangar with David Francis. He completed the project he started...a stand on which to place the pilots' flight simulator. He even added a place for them to put their papers, while they're using the simulator. The pilots were very pleased with his job. The only problem is he finished quicker than they expected.
Debbie went shopping at The Market, on Monday, with Sandy Francis and another friend. It was quite the experience!!! When you get there, you find somebody to help you...this is very important. Men and women have their booths of goods and are desperate to sell their items. After all, this is how they survive. As you walk down the isles, looking at their wares, they get right in your face, yelling "Mama, mama (what they call women) please buy, PLEASE!" It is hard to not stop and let them convince you to buy. They just sound so desperate...much like a toddler who is begging for that pack of gum. I'm glad I learned to tell my children "no."
Once you find an item you want to buy, the real excitement begins. Your helper then goes to work bartering for you. You never pay the price they ask for an item. You keep at it until you get the price you want. If you don't get that price, you walk away. Usually, they will come after you, agreeing to that price. However, we did have one time where they wanted way too much for an item and the guy would not budge...even after we walked away. We found some great birthday presents for Mike that day.
Monday evening, Debbie shared at a women's Bible study. Some of the women in this study did the Joy in the Furnace study when Debbie first wrote it, back in 2009. Only three of those women are still in the group and now there are several new women. They have decided to do the study again. Debbie was able to present the ladies with their books--autographed--and share her testimony and a little about the study.
Tuesday was Mike's birthday so he got the day off. Debbie went to the Tabitha Center that morning and shared her testimony with the women there. The Tabitha Center reaches out to young women struggling to make a livelihood in the DRC by providing them an option to selling themselves or engaging in illegal activities for their livelihood. Teen-aged girls gather under the direction of women from the church to discuss life's realities and to give the Bible's answers to questions about life that are often left unanswered by parents. In this safe context, girls are taught skills like sewing, cooking, hair dressing, cosmetics and others that offer them an alternative to the assumption that selling themselves is a viable employment alternative.
It has probably been the most rewarding experience for Debbie, so far in our trip. None of the girls spoke English, so she spoke through the use of an interpreter, Valerie, one of the MAF wives, who spoke to them in their African language, Lingala. Together, Debbie and Valerie share with these girls how they can find joy through Jesus, even in the midst of the hardest of times.
After we returned from the Tabitha Center, we ate lunch, gave Mike his birthday presents and then went for Mike's birthday outing...a trip to the countryside to see the bonobos. It was an enjoyable ride, in which we got to see a wide array of Kinshasa living...from the city to the country-side, hundreds upon hundreds of Congolese walking (and walking and walking), market place after market place, a man fixing a broken axle in the middle of the road (causing a traffic jam), hillside farms, children bathing in the river, and more. When we got to the bonobos reserve, we enjoyed a nice hike and had fun watching the bonobos run, play and climb. It was a great day and a birthday, Mike will never forget.
Tuesday evening we went to a couple's Bible study that Sandy and David Francis attend. Debbie had yet another opportunity to share her testimony and the message of finding joy in the furnace. It was a small crowd but the discussion following Debbie's sharing made it apparent that Debbie was meant to be there and deliver the message God has given her.
Today, Wednesday, has been a day of preparation for the MAF Family Conference. We spent some time at the location of the conference, getting things ready.
Then, we met with the team from Idaho, who arrived in Kinshasa late last night. It was our first time to meet with them face to face.
The conference kicked off this evening with dinner and a time of devotions with all the MAF families. Debbie and Sandy made soups all afternoon to take to the dinner. It was fun meeting all the families tonight...the ones we hadn't yet met. Debbie was excited because all the children arrived into town and she finally got to meet all the smiling faces she will be teaching during the conference.
Please pray for us as we begin the Family Conference tomorrow morning. Most of you will be sleeping when we are in conference since we are 6-7 hours ahead of you. We have spent a lot of time with David, Sandy and other missionaries this week and are learning so much about life here in the DRC. We are understanding more about just how discouraging and depressing it can be, the stress these missionaries face, and the frustrations they encounter daily.(Just driving to work, school, or to the store is enough to make you want to never leave your house. The worst streets, worst drivers, and worst traffic in the US are far better than anything they have here. It is crazy!!!)
Pray this conference will really be a time of ministering to these families...each member of every family...from the tiniest baby to the oldest adult. Pray for peace for the mommies who are leaving their children with ladies they don't know. Pray for the children to feel safe and secure with the new faces who are caring for them. Pray for the hearts of the adults, teens and children to hear the message God has planned. The theme for the conference is Joy in the Furnace and each group with be studying the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (from Daniel Chapter 3), with Debbie's Bible study as a backdrop.
We love and miss you all and thank you SO much for your prayers and support.
Monday, Mike awoke around 5:00 AM, to once again head to the MAF hangar with David Francis. He completed the project he started...a stand on which to place the pilots' flight simulator. He even added a place for them to put their papers, while they're using the simulator. The pilots were very pleased with his job. The only problem is he finished quicker than they expected.
They had other projects they would have like him to do but didn't have the right supplies for him to do them. He has done some odd jobs for David and Sandy Francis (where we are staying) and has helped us today, with carrying things.
Debbie went shopping at The Market, on Monday, with Sandy Francis and another friend. It was quite the experience!!! When you get there, you find somebody to help you...this is very important. Men and women have their booths of goods and are desperate to sell their items. After all, this is how they survive. As you walk down the isles, looking at their wares, they get right in your face, yelling "Mama, mama (what they call women) please buy, PLEASE!" It is hard to not stop and let them convince you to buy. They just sound so desperate...much like a toddler who is begging for that pack of gum. I'm glad I learned to tell my children "no."
Once you find an item you want to buy, the real excitement begins. Your helper then goes to work bartering for you. You never pay the price they ask for an item. You keep at it until you get the price you want. If you don't get that price, you walk away. Usually, they will come after you, agreeing to that price. However, we did have one time where they wanted way too much for an item and the guy would not budge...even after we walked away. We found some great birthday presents for Mike that day.
Monday evening, Debbie shared at a women's Bible study. Some of the women in this study did the Joy in the Furnace study when Debbie first wrote it, back in 2009. Only three of those women are still in the group and now there are several new women. They have decided to do the study again. Debbie was able to present the ladies with their books--autographed--and share her testimony and a little about the study.
Tuesday was Mike's birthday so he got the day off. Debbie went to the Tabitha Center that morning and shared her testimony with the women there. The Tabitha Center reaches out to young women struggling to make a livelihood in the DRC by providing them an option to selling themselves or engaging in illegal activities for their livelihood. Teen-aged girls gather under the direction of women from the church to discuss life's realities and to give the Bible's answers to questions about life that are often left unanswered by parents. In this safe context, girls are taught skills like sewing, cooking, hair dressing, cosmetics and others that offer them an alternative to the assumption that selling themselves is a viable employment alternative.
It has probably been the most rewarding experience for Debbie, so far in our trip. None of the girls spoke English, so she spoke through the use of an interpreter, Valerie, one of the MAF wives, who spoke to them in their African language, Lingala. Together, Debbie and Valerie share with these girls how they can find joy through Jesus, even in the midst of the hardest of times.
After we returned from the Tabitha Center, we ate lunch, gave Mike his birthday presents and then went for Mike's birthday outing...a trip to the countryside to see the bonobos. It was an enjoyable ride, in which we got to see a wide array of Kinshasa living...from the city to the country-side, hundreds upon hundreds of Congolese walking (and walking and walking), market place after market place, a man fixing a broken axle in the middle of the road (causing a traffic jam), hillside farms, children bathing in the river, and more. When we got to the bonobos reserve, we enjoyed a nice hike and had fun watching the bonobos run, play and climb. It was a great day and a birthday, Mike will never forget.
Tuesday evening we went to a couple's Bible study that Sandy and David Francis attend. Debbie had yet another opportunity to share her testimony and the message of finding joy in the furnace. It was a small crowd but the discussion following Debbie's sharing made it apparent that Debbie was meant to be there and deliver the message God has given her.
Today, Wednesday, has been a day of preparation for the MAF Family Conference. We spent some time at the location of the conference, getting things ready.
Then, we met with the team from Idaho, who arrived in Kinshasa late last night. It was our first time to meet with them face to face.
The conference kicked off this evening with dinner and a time of devotions with all the MAF families. Debbie and Sandy made soups all afternoon to take to the dinner. It was fun meeting all the families tonight...the ones we hadn't yet met. Debbie was excited because all the children arrived into town and she finally got to meet all the smiling faces she will be teaching during the conference.
Please pray for us as we begin the Family Conference tomorrow morning. Most of you will be sleeping when we are in conference since we are 6-7 hours ahead of you. We have spent a lot of time with David, Sandy and other missionaries this week and are learning so much about life here in the DRC. We are understanding more about just how discouraging and depressing it can be, the stress these missionaries face, and the frustrations they encounter daily.(Just driving to work, school, or to the store is enough to make you want to never leave your house. The worst streets, worst drivers, and worst traffic in the US are far better than anything they have here. It is crazy!!!)
Pray this conference will really be a time of ministering to these families...each member of every family...from the tiniest baby to the oldest adult. Pray for peace for the mommies who are leaving their children with ladies they don't know. Pray for the children to feel safe and secure with the new faces who are caring for them. Pray for the hearts of the adults, teens and children to hear the message God has planned. The theme for the conference is Joy in the Furnace and each group with be studying the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (from Daniel Chapter 3), with Debbie's Bible study as a backdrop.
We love and miss you all and thank you SO much for your prayers and support.
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