Lovin' the Littles

Imagine a summer for your kids without camps, VBS, swimming lessons, or English speaking friends.  Got that?

Then, imagine a group of people swooping in with energy, love, and trunks full of American goods to put on a three day Kids Class (freeing up the parents for the marriage retreat).  Well done, Church, well done.

Some of the greatest blessings of being an overseas mom come by walking through the challenges.  My kids had not been with other English speaking kids in nearly a month.  That is the hard part.  BUT, look at the friendships that form when missionary kids gather.  Doesn't the body language say it all.....

I'd be willing to believe the team from America did not pull a bag of goldfish or animal crackers or a craft project out of their Mary-Poppins-like trunks without an outburst of enthusiasm from this group of kids.

What makes this life worth it, though, is not the American treats visitors bring, the games they play or the rockets and catapults they created together this weekend.  No, no.  Watching our kids fully engaged in worship shoulder-to-shoulder with their friends each evening was what makes it all worth it.  I don't know how we could have instilled that kind of appreciation for the Body and for fellowship in worship at such a young age had we stayed in America.  I say this to encourage you (and us) to keep stepping out in faith when all you see is the cost, trusting that in His name our kids will overcome.

I continue to be struck by the body of Christ that is big enough to care for us, transfusing the exact encouragement we needed that Africa could not provide, though we'd never met this team, nor had they experience with ministry in Africa.  How is that even possible?  I picture the right hand not knowing why the left hand is hurting, but hearing the head say, "Go over there and take care of it."  And so they came.  I want to be so in tune with the Head that I don't have to know the whys to obey.

Forever let the Church proclaim......

Thankful for YOU

We've known from the beginning, when you signed up to support us before we even asked, that we have an incredible group of people front row with us.  You continue to send e-mails, prayers, and encouragement at just the right moments.  On more than one occasion, I have prayed, "God, I can't do this anymore" just minutes before Philip walked in the door with a care package that changed my mind.  It's not the goodies in the box that make me stay, but the reminder we are not here alone, we represent Christ on behalf of you in this place.  It's beautiful; it's simple; it's such an honor.

Yesterday was just such a day when Philip came home with a box from a friend and co-worker so bristling over with goodies that I nearly cried.  Thank you, Mr. Dave!  My favorite exclamations in the unpacking were these:

"Oreos?!  I can't believe we got Oreos!"  (Titus)
"I can't believe we got Oreos, and they aren't even broken!"  (Philip)
"I am not going to spill one single crumb."  (Emily)

On the way home with the package, Philip looked in his rearview mirror to see the man from the post office on the moped behind him, flagging him down.  He pulled over to learn another package had just arrived for us.  Does your mailman chase you down when you have a package?

So, Philip returned in the afternoon with a birthday box of pregnancy teas, lotions, and snacks from my sweet sisters.  Now I really feel spoiled!  With the astronomical cost of shipping, we appreciate every box as the treasure and sacrifice that it is. 

Titus paraphrased Deuteronomy 8:10-14 for this day:

¹⁰ When you have eaten snacks and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the beef jerkey he has given you. ¹¹ Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. ¹² Otherwise, when you eat Mentos and are satisfied, when you get new squeaky toys and tear them up (Toto), ¹³ and when your pregnancy gear grows large and your Oreos and granola bars increase and all you have is multiplied, ¹⁴ then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of stress, out of the land of hunger.

Today we are thankful for God's goodness to us through you in so many ways!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!