Dear Friend

We’ve walked different roads, but found ourselves in a Thai restaurant talking about a similar struggle.  The need to hunger for God, and the lack of that desire that must be stirred in us to do the hard things that he’s calling us to do.  I treasure this friendship that spurs me on toward love and good deeds.  It is a rare friend when, in her own struggle, can call out the woman she sees in you and spark her back to life.  I feel that person, the one that I wanted to be, the one that this friend saw in me even as a child, rising up to be victorious again.  How does she do it? The same way every great woman does, she sees beauty and calls it out. What a treasure. 

Parking Lot Prayer

I was standing in the parking lot on Randalsville New Life church, where I came to Christ and started my personal spiritual journey.  What happened as I stood was heavenly, a familial connection that is so rare in today’s world. In the course of 5 minutes, 3 different people embraced me and prayed over me because they saw I had a need.  Praise God for the love of his body who not only says they’ll pray for you, but does it, setting an example that you can follow for a life of loving others! 

Another example of this divine family was when I was preparing my role for the closing of VBS and I was enjoying the little kicks our new baby was giving me in the womb.  A Christian sister I hardly know walked by and I exclaimed in sheer pleasure of the moment, “Feeling my baby kick brings me such joy.”  Without hesitation, she said, “You bring me joy.”  Tears sprang to my eyes because it was to me a great demonstration of what we all long for, a place where we are known and loved, a family without conditions.

Speeding

Sometimes while we drive on slick American highways, I look at my speedometer and see that I am going way over the speed limit!  How does that happen?  Do I have a need for speed?  Despite my years as a sprinter, I don’t think so.  I think that it is a reflection of how the rest of my life gets going so fast.  I go with the flow of the traffic around me!  I start out at a normal speed, but as I get drive along, focusing on the road, cozying myself down for a long drive, I start to move with the business around me, the cars that are going to fast, or the opportunities that are just a little too out of reach.  I find that I don’t realize that I’m speeding along,  dragging my precious family along, out of breath, until I’m just too far past the limit.  I need prayer on this, and am hoping that this furlough, I can start noticing myself zooming along before I'm way over my emotional speed limit.

Mommy, Where Are We Going?

--> I’ve just packed up our two green suitcases for the third time and we head out on the road for our next Vacation Bible School.  I hear from the back seat a sweet voice speaking clear English asking, “Mommy, a going?”, which I understand as, “Mommy, where are we going?”  It tugged at my heart, and I wanted to stop the car, and hug my little resilient missionary girl.

What a trooper.  Mariama has been in three states, four countries, and slept in eight different houses (including a tent) in the last three weeks.  She has met 11 cousins, 13 blood related aunties and uncles, and dozens other aunties and uncles from Indiana to Michigan to New York.  She has played with lots of new children in church nurseries and homes across those states.  She listened to a dozen new songs and clapped along with me, doing the motions that I would soon be doing in front of a mob of enthusiastic children as she watches me from the crowd. Our prayers for Mariama, that God would help her in these transitions have been answered in a lot of special ways, including us learning how to prepare her to meet new people, wonderful hosts loving her by buying special treats and playing with her, and learning how to nap on the go.

Our lovely, artistic host "Auntie Julie" showing us her garden.

We will probably get asked this question again on Monday morning as we pack up once again.  This is what I will say, every step along the way, as we head to the next days destination.

1.     We’re going to New York City to celebrate Daddy’s birthday!

2.     We’re going to Pennsylvania to visit our friends!

3.     We’re going to Schenectedy to visit a friend!

4.     We’re going back to Pastor Al’s house in upstate New York!

5.     We’re going back to Grandma Jane’s house in Rochester!

6.     We’re going back to Nana’s house in Michigan!

7.     We’re going camping with Nana and Papa!

8.     We’re going to Orlando, Florida!

9.     We’re going to Ft. Meyers, Florida!

10. We’re going to Cape Coral, Florida!

11. We’re going to Nana’s house.

12. We’re going to Grammy’s house.

13. We’re going to Nana’s house.

14. We’re going to have a baby!

15. We’re going to celebrate Christmas somewhere!

16. We’re going back to Nigeria!

If, while we’re going to one of these places, you are on the way and you want your house to be one of the answers to this destination question, “Where are we going?”, send us an email and let us know!

Peter and the Savior's Knees

He'd been fishing all night...a master fisherman, and caught nothing.
Jesus, the master, said one word, and the fish came.
We strategize, working up to the last day of our departure, working throughout the night to plan, organize last minute details, hand off to the right people, train, pack...
We have tried to be obedient to cast our nets where Jesus has told us to, and yet, we must cling to his knees, cling to the Savior, for only he can bring the "fish", the fruit, the impact of our obedience.

Here we are in the United States of America. What did our last days look like as we clung to the Savior?

Saturday, July 1st: 
6-7am Zach and I could be seen finishing up final details on the map we painted with the children in the children's classrooms at our church.

7-9 am Found me doing teacher training for the Thursday Bible Study teachers who God has sent, equipped, called to carry on this ministry for these children.

9-11 am We finished painting the children's hands on the tree and I went home with the girls
11-2:30pm We made lunch and then prepared for the Beautiful Me program
1:30pm God provided a translator, which I desperately needed to communicate with the mothers of Beautiful Me.
2:00pm It started raining heavily
3:30pm-7:00pm The mothers and daughters arrived (over an hour after scheduled time) in sprinkling rain for our last Beautiful Me before we go on furlough.
7-10pm we clean up, put the girls to bed, and pack some more

Sunday, July 2nd
5am I go to the office to print quiz questions before electricity goes out
6am The electricity goes out right before I hit print
6:15am I'm walking out the door of the office and the electricity comes back! (Thank you God!)
8am We arrive at the church to get the children ready for the big quiz!
9am Church starts
10am The quiz begins with me reciting 2 Timothy chapter 1, the children singing a Scripture Song from 2 Timothy 3:16 "All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness,"  and the youngest group doing a fabulous job remembering all their quiz answers.
10:30am I witnessed a child I didn't even know was paying attention tell Saul's story of redemption on the Damascus road. His oversized winter coat hung below his knees and over his hands, but his words were clear, and the message moving that God can do and change any situation. The other two groups went, surprising me with their clear answers the demonstrated a lot of practice and understanding of God's word.
11am I recited all of 2 Timothy (except the final greetings), which God had most certainly helped me do, and I encouraged the congregation to know God's Word, learn it, love it!
11:30am We ate lunch with the Pastor's family, an unexpected blessing for this pregnant mama.

12pm Went to have a final meal with our dear friends who are currently caring for Daso in our home
2:00pm-7pm I took a quick nap, visitors came to the house to say goodbye.  One of them is a woman who has inspired me again and again with her continual support and work in the ongoing Bible translation in her own language, Kuce. She's 75 years old.

Monday, July 3rd - Two days before we leave
9am We finish a Scripture Listening and Reading Group (SLRG) training for another ministry.  I was not sure if I should go because of our impending departure, but I was so thankful that I did.  The testimonies were so touching. They said things like, "This is the best seminar I've ever attended!" and "My children were listening and answering questions.  They were so attentive!" and "I will really use this in my ministry because I can see how this is better than what I'm doing when I'm disciplining."  These leaders work with male and female prisoners, patients, female prostitutes, and male drivers at transportation parks.
11am While the training is going on, I run to town to buy the radios they will need to go and apply what we have been teaching them.  I tie in some last minute gift shopping as well. 

2:00pm we wrap up the training and I go home.
2-6pm I pack while Zach is working hard at the office meeting with people.
6pm Our dear friends Rachel and Uche bring us dinner.
8pm We get the girls ready for bed, and then continue packing.


Tuesday, July 4th - The day before we leave
10am We have a meeting with Rachel (who is also on the Scripture Engagement team) about continuing ministry.
11am I go to meet a mother in a remote part of Jos.  Her child has been a part of our ministry over the last year and I couldn't leave without meeting her. 
12:00pm I get a hair cut from a visiting beautician from, of all places, Holland, MI. 
1:30pm I pick up Daso from school.
1:35pm Go to Mashiah foundation and the House of Hope Sewing Shop to see if the sewing is done for gifts to take home.
2:00pm We go to visit a ministry that offers refuge and support to abused girls and women. Give hugs.
3:00pm We go home to continue packing to find some sweet children have come for homework help.  Zach has been working with them, but I tell them they need to go home now.
3:00pm We pack.
5:00pm We go to a July 4th celebration where people talk about all the things they love about America.  It made me rejoice that we're going to this special part of the world, and weep as I held Daso in my arms and they prayed for us.
7pm (July 4)-2am (July 5th) We pack.

Wednesday July 5th
7:30am The car arrives to take us to Abuja.
3pm We check into a beautiful apartment for the night (provided for us free of charge by Peniel Apartments).
4pm We watch Despicable Me 3 in a theatre with Daso and her friend, Reese, Zach, and Mariama.
6pm We get Dominoes pizza and enjoy Coldstone creamery.
8pm We have devotions...a meaningful time in the Word of God, praying with Daso about the days to come.
9pm We present her with a Nigerian girl doll that is dressed from her own culture as a going away gift.
10pm We repack and get ready for the next day.


Thursday, July 6th
5:30am We load in the car
6:30am We say goodbye to Daso with tears and "You are my Sunshine"
7:00am We check in and board BA for London and then on to Indianapolis (a day earlier than our flights were first booked, do to the flight being cancelled on Friday).

Friday, July 7th
8pm We arrive in Indianapolis where my sister-in-law, Susannah picked us up.

So the furlough journey begins.   
Oh, Jesus, we cling to you!
May you show yourself faithful and true, 
Complete what you started in us there
May each we left behind sense your care. 
May the children learn and grow, 
May Daso your love know, 
May mommy's and daughters connect, 
May those trained remember, reflect, 
May your Word go forth with power, 
May you be their strong tower. 
Father, we cast on you our desire to see results
For only you can show yourself strong through our weaknesses and faults. 
Increase our faith that you will indeed do, 
What you have have planned as we surrender to you.

Painting the World!

Isn't that what we want to do?  Paint the world?  To leave splashes of life and beauty everywhere we go? That is what we pray we have done in the last five years since we joined our ministries in Nigeria. We pray that God has been in full color in our lives, clearly seen and experienced by all who spend time with us.
We are returning to the US as a family (minus Daso who will return to her biological family) after     2 1/2 years in Nigeria.  Oh, Lord, we pray your color spreads, that what you have done through us brings light and life to many!

This morning, though, Zach actually got to begin painting the world on the wall of our children's Sunday School classroom.  What fun to think of leaving behind this physical representation of what we hope our lives are about!

Quizzing!

About 45 children came for Thursday Bible study yesterday, and here's what they did!

Keep praying for these young people as they quiz, and that the quiz coaches will regularly meet with them in the next week to prepare for July 2nd!

Pray that the truth of the Scriptures they've learned and the Bible stories will sink deeply into their hearts.
Praise God for the faithful teachers that come and devote themselves to these little ones!

There are three age levels.  This is the middle group.

This is Mariama's group.  Ms. Maria did a great job of singing, telling stories, and loving them.

The teenage group has the most questions on 2 Timothy, all our Bible stories learned, and the Bible verses.

Happy is a good name for this girl on the left, and she's a good quizzer too!