Whooo...are...you?

 

From the book, Love Does : 

"the real game of Bigger and Better that Jesus is playing with us usually isn't about money or possessions or even our hopes. It's about our pride. He asks if we'll give up that thing we're so proud of, that thing we believe causes us to matter in the world, and give it up to follow Him. He's asking us, "Will you take what you think defines you, leave it behind, and let Me define who you are instead?"

 I don't in any way feel like Jesus is playing a game with us, but I like the emphasis here and think it's worth considering.  The challenge of allowing the Lord to define our family, and not try to take back the reins has taught us so much.  Leaving behind what has defined us up to this point is tough- BUT GOD...  He provides the encouragement and support that enables us to move forward in faith.  He blesses us and loves us so deeply!

My growth group at MTI... dear sweet ladies bound for 4 different continents! 

 

 

 

Blessed days

I think he forgot how cold snow is!

The kids made snow cones...and hot cocoa!

We took a fun walk up to a rock formation

Megan built a bridge between U.S.A and Burkina

Crazy hair day...

Intense competition!

Me and my girl!

Future missionaries!

Fun friends

Sweet babies!

French

Language study is a big hurdle when entering cross cultural ministry.  You have to be able to communicate the Truth in order for It to be heard.  You have to be able to interact in order to build relationships, upon which brotherhood and discipleship can begin!

Huge Hurdle.

Because we need to learn French and the tribal language, we have a lot of work ahead of us-  Our preference would be to get to Burkina A.S.A.P and learn language as we go.  One move, immersion in African culture right away, and French study in one fail swoop...

That scenario made sense to us from this side of the Atlantic Ocean!  But...as with most things that seem simple, language study is not quite so simple.  Of the 4 families on our team, all 4 have advised us to study in France (and many others who are 'in the know').  We didn't like these recommendation, and we protested a little-a lot!

Unhappy with our options, we prayed and waited.

Lots of research, reading and talking with experienced people who have walked this road, led us to more questions than answers- but prayer led to a solution!

We will begin language study in Georgia (U.S.A), and then in September, we will attend a language school in France that is specifically for missionaries working in French speaking countries.  

While in Georgia, a wonderful woman, who happens to be a French professor has invited us into her home where she will tutor all five of us twice daily!  Options for a whole family to learn language are slim- so this is an enormous gift she is giving.

The story of how this came about is miraculous, and we'll share it in person when we see you, but we are so blessed and want to PRAISE GOD for His hand of provision!  We never could have imagined this solution... yet the Lord did! ...again!

We are immensely grateful to Miss Fio for welcoming our family into her home and her life~  She is serving the Lord into her seventh decade of life, and we are thrilled to know her!

Accepting this season of language study has felt like an unwelcome season of waiting because we are so eager to be in Burkina, but we are slowly coming to realize that this time of language study is vital to ministry.  So we will accept the path lying before us and remember that the Lord has ordered our steps perfectly!  Each day is a day to minister, savor and serve Him.

Every country, language and situation is different; in our case, we have to learn the tribal language from French, not from English, so it's not an option to only learn one language!  It is super important to share the Gospel in the "heart language" of a people group, so that the good news that we have to share will be heard, understood and received on a deeper lever, by the grace of God.


It was daunting to even consider ministry in a country that would require us to learn 2 languages- but it's AMAZING to see the Lord provide for our learning needs in such incredible ways.  He is God, and He is Good!  The burden of language is feeling lighter today, and we are constantly reminded that He has called us and He is with us every step of the way!

I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.  Psalm 9:1

We're Here!

The kids enjoying other kids who know what life is like when you're getting ready to move to Africa!

Focus on the Family headquarters is just around the corner, and we LOVED Whit's End, and Odyssey!

A 3-story slide that you had to be 5'9" or under to go down... Jana just made the cut off!

         

They had a wardrobe that you could walk through to enter in Narnia!

                     

Even the Imagination Station was there!

                                           

Politics???

 Since I am not a very politically savvy person, I will likely never again post about politics... but on our trip across the United States to attend Mission Training International's SPLICE session, we have happened upon some great goings on!

 Our first stop was in Danville, KY to visit our dear friends who moved from MT to KY at the same time that we moved to GA.  This happened to coincide with the Vice Presidential debate at Centre College!  We stood on the roadside and watched the motorcades speed by-fire trucks, suburbans, police, lights and sirens.

 Even the coffeeshops were on board for the VP debates coming to town!

We stood on the lawn outside and watched the debate on the huge screen~ it was a great experience, especially for the kids to see all of the preparation that goes into hosting such an event.  Secret Service agents, law enforcement, and even a Mobile Decontamination Unit was set up in the surrounding area!

Herman is dead...

...we hope!

Aaron brought home a stowaway.  We call it Herman.  Science calls it Cutaneous Larva Migrans.
We named him as a coping mechanism to deal with several weeks of hosting this most unwelcome parasitic guest! 

Herman is a worm living in Aaron's hand.  He can't penetrate the dermis, so he doesn't have any potential to threaten general health and well-being.(or at least that's what they've told us) But still- it's creepy!!  We've seen two different doctors, and treated him with two different meds- by treating, I mean, attempting to kill.

He would have died on his own eventually- but we aren't that patient.  When Herman moves, it itches and is highly irritating- and we're greenhorn missionaries, so we wimped out and gladly swallowed whatever pills the docs threw our way!  We are chalking this up as fun, exciting story number 1- many more to come I'm afraid!

Whelmed

When we arrived in Burkina I was whelmed.  Not over-whelmed, but completely whelmed...  It took a few days to figure out if that was 'normal' for a person who is preparing to relocate the entire family, or if it was bad- I wondered if it was an indicator that we wouldn't be able to handle it!?!  Since I'm  the mama, a lot rides on my willingness to walk this road.  I wondered if my feelings were just the way any person in my shoes would feel...  My brain had no 'box' to put sights, sounds and smells into.  It took a couple of days to create new "boxes" for my mind, and the Lord's grace and peace allowed me sort all that I was taking in.
Nothing was normal.  I enjoyed some of the differences and didn't care for others, but overall the real challenge was just the unfamiliarity.  The unknown is always a stretch- whether it's the unknown of ordering a different drink at Starbucks, sitting in a different section in church on Sunday or the rhythms of life on a new continent...
Since tears are my "go-to" emotion, they flowed for 2 days...cuz that's how I roll...
and then I spent time in the village...
I saw the people who call this place home.  I saw despair and illness, smiles and laughter, and need.   The need for a relationship with their Savior.  The need for joy and the hope that lies within US.  We who rely upon His strength are equipped to go into any circumstance when God leading us.  Upon leaving the village my mind was overflowing with questions and challenges and ministry goals.  The things that I saw were overwhelming, but I felt excited, exhorted and encouraged by a desire to be a part of the lives that I saw and to be a neighbor to these people living 6,561 miles away from my home. 
I met people who have names, hopes, goals and gripes, (just like me)and have a loving Father (just like me)- but no one has told them about Him yet. Their life and experiences have pointed to a God, a Creator, but they know nothing of a Savior and a relationship that is available to them today.
The night before we left for Burkina I had a thought:  If I was a specially trained medical doctor and I had a cure for a terminal illness in a world where many people were dying of every second, would I choose to share my cure or stay comfy and cozy?  If I was willing to share it, would I be willing to share it with only my friends and family nearby, and maybe my grocery store clerk?  Or would it be my responsibility to be a part of getting the cure to the dying.  Do I realize that we are all terminal, and Jesus is the cure for all that ails us?
It showed me that that I (our whole family) am willing, able and equipped to take the gospel (the cure)to the ends of the earth.  The realization that I am not a specialized doctor, but instead an average homeschooling mom could have kept my vision small and my willingness confined; but then I remembered how often God uses simple things and simple people to do His Great Things!


I want to be a willing servant of the most high God.  I want to be used.  I have been so blessed to be a child of the King, growing in relationship with Him since age 6.  He has given me big faith!  I feel joyfully obligated to obey God's word and carry the light and love of Jesus Christ to my soon-to-be neighbors in a land far away!

 Sing to the Lord, all the earth;
proclaim his salvation day after day. 
 Declare his glory among the nations,
     his marvelous deeds among all peoples. 1 Chronicles 16:23-24

More pictures

The internet cafe while staying at the farm... we were able to send and receive email

A glimpse...

This is a video clip that I took while we were riding the bus up to the Capital.  Hope that it gives a good glimpse of the sights, sounds and overall atmosphere from our trip.  This is on the main highway- the smaller towns and villages are quite different, but this is interesting none the less.  I welcome questions as you have them, so don't be shy!

We are beginning to plan a trip out west this Fall, centered around a training in Colorado.  We are so looking forward to spending time with friends and family along the route from Atlanta to Colorado and then Montana! (woot!woot!)  We will be sharing at Canyon View church on November 18, and are praying for opportunities to visit churches, small groups, family gatherings or individual dinner tables to tell of what God has done over the last year, and what the next steps are.  We'll be driving across the majority of the country and we're eager to show pictures and enjoy fellowship centered around what God is doing among unreached people.  Pray with us for those who have still not heard of Jesus, and how God will unite each of our hearts with His purposes in the days to come.
It is our hope that our time in your home or church will be an encouragement and a testimony to how God uses ordinary 'Joes' to do extraordinary things!  Let us know if you are up for an invasion, and we'll plan accordingly.  If you are already supporting us,  we are tentatively planning to invade you when we pass through- so brace yourselves!  We haven't figured out how or when to get to California, so we can't make any dates in SoCal just yet...

Home and Safe

A mosquito coil, placed under the table at night to protect us during dinner!

We rode a bus up to the big city

A long layover in Paris allowed us to meet the 4th family on the CMF team- and see Notre Dame

That's the Eiffel tower to the left of my head! 

We safely traveled for about 40 hours and are home now!  We had a long layover in Paris, so we coordinated with a family who are currently in language school in France to meet them, and see Notre Dame.  It was a long, full journey, but we had no complications or challenges.  Aaron preached at church this morning, we did laundry and packed, and tomorrow we will go retrieve the kids!  They were blessed to be with family for 2+ weeks while we were away- but we are SO looking forward to being with them!