Monday, October 27, 2008
He's Home!
Kevin finally made it home at 10:30 yesterday morning. So the kids and I did something very uncharacteristic for our family....we skipped church and went to the airport. I've been feeding him lots of American food...double cheeseburger, fries, pizza..and now he's screaming for ice cream. And he's managed to stay awake all day to attempt to reset his body clock back to the central time zone.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Delayed in Delhi
I just received a call from Kevin. He and Joe Pat are stuck in Delhi. Their first flight was late so they missed the second flight from Delhi to Chicago. This flight only leaves once every 24 hours and the next one is overbooked. Please pray that they get on this next flight so they can be home Sunday morning. Also pray for safety. They are stuck in an airport with nowhere to go. It is 1am there now so it is not safe for them to just leave and go to a hotel. We are trying to contact a mission house there to see if there is a way to get them there so they can at least get some rest. They have been in the villages all day teaching and are exhausted. But, with no cell phones I'm not sure we'll be able to get this information to him. So pray he calls again after I have the contact number for him.
Update: Kevin and Joe Pat were able to get a hotel room and safe transportation thanks to American Airlines, who may be my favorite people in the world right now. They will try again tomorrow to get on the flight and make it home. Keep praying!
Update: Kevin and Joe Pat were able to get a hotel room and safe transportation thanks to American Airlines, who may be my favorite people in the world right now. They will try again tomorrow to get on the flight and make it home. Keep praying!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Friday in India
My India updates have come via Facebook messaging as opposed to actual emails the last few days. As I'm typing this, it's about 9:30am Friday in India and Kevin should be close to arriving at the village where he and Joe Pat will teach for about 6 hours. Then they will travel 2 1/2 to 3 hours back to the hotel and get ready to start the long journey home. His flight will take approx. 24 hours yet he leaves Friday at midnight and will arrive here at 10 Sat. morning. I'm guessing he's going to be looking for that 12 hours he's losing for the rest of the week.
As you can imagine, by now, they are exhausted. Pray for endurance and strength as they teach today. Kevin has had the awesome opportunity to help new Christians grow in their faith. So many times, we (as in the church in general) rush in on a mission trip, preach salvation then never revisit the area to disciple those new believers. One of the things I love about our church is our mission work is focused in areas that we send teams to several times a year and we have church planters in each area that are there year round. In June, a team went to Cambodia. Their focus was evangelism and they saw around 300 people accept Christ. Kevin's purpose with this trip was to disciple those new Christians to help them grow in their faith and be able to then go to their own villages and tell them about Christ. So the good news doesn't stop just because we don't have a team in that country all the time.
Sorry, I got a little side tracked from today's prayer request. Energy for the day, health as their bodies are getting tired, and safety in the villages and in the air, but most importantly that the Word would impact the villagers' lives and that it would spread through India like a wildfire.
As you can imagine, by now, they are exhausted. Pray for endurance and strength as they teach today. Kevin has had the awesome opportunity to help new Christians grow in their faith. So many times, we (as in the church in general) rush in on a mission trip, preach salvation then never revisit the area to disciple those new believers. One of the things I love about our church is our mission work is focused in areas that we send teams to several times a year and we have church planters in each area that are there year round. In June, a team went to Cambodia. Their focus was evangelism and they saw around 300 people accept Christ. Kevin's purpose with this trip was to disciple those new Christians to help them grow in their faith and be able to then go to their own villages and tell them about Christ. So the good news doesn't stop just because we don't have a team in that country all the time.
Sorry, I got a little side tracked from today's prayer request. Energy for the day, health as their bodies are getting tired, and safety in the villages and in the air, but most importantly that the Word would impact the villagers' lives and that it would spread through India like a wildfire.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Mystery Lunch and Refreshment Seminars in India
I was able to sleep most of the day today, so I am feeling much better. Joe and I will be eating dinner tonight with our church planter and his family. Tomorrow morning, we will head out to the first village. There is supposed to be about 300 people there that are believers/new believers. Joe and I will be walking them through the discipleship principles from Acts chapter 2. We will be teaching them a Bible story for each principle. Hopefully, they will be able to remember the stories well enough to pass along the discipleship points contained in the stories.
These training sessions are called "refreshment seminars" here in India. I would relate them back to an old fashioned tent revival back home. Picture a tent or a small room, and then pack as many people as you can possible squeeze into the tent or building. It will be people sitting on the floor shoulder to shoulder. There will be people standing in the door ways. There will be people standing outside looking and listening through the windows. It is really something to see.... There will be worship with instruments of different kinds with a small praise team. Believe me, these new believers can teach us some things about worship. They are all in...After the worship, Joe and I will teach for about an hour at a time. After the first 2-3 hours, comes the highlight of my day.
That is lunch time.... My stomach is turning just thinking about it. God bless them, these ladies in the village spend all morning preparing this special food for us and the people in the seminar. Yes, we pay for it, but they do all the work. This is one of those times when you NEVER want to know what you are eating. It will be rice, with incredibly hot and spicy sauces, with "mystery stuff" mixed in for good measure. Now, I am sure there are insects and parts of other things mixed in there... Yummmm. We just are not sure. Some of my friends would say it is just all the parts of a chicken, but I am not so sure... I am sure some of you are thinking, Kevin, you are nuts, now is the time to be fasting and praying. Just tell them you are not hungry. Well, that might work in the states, but not here. Not eating what they place before you is an insult to them and would hurt those nice ladies feelings. Also, before you say, well I would just kind of move the food around on my plate to make them think I am eating... Well, the problem with that is a lot of times they watch you eat to see your reaction to make sure you like it. If you just move it around on your plate, they will simply give you more. Last time I was here, my friend Joe that is with me now, was putting his food on my plate when I was not looking. Pay back is coming! After lunch, we will continue to teach until about 4:00pm and then start the exciting journey back to hotel.
Please pray for our safety. This is an exciting opportunity to teach a group of people that really want to learn. It is an honor to be here. Even with all the "stuff" involved, it is awesome to think that God would allow me to be one of the people that brings his good news to a very dark and lost part of the world. Some people do not understand why we do what we do, well, I just cannot help myself. I must go and share. It is who God has called me to be... I love you all!
Kevin
These training sessions are called "refreshment seminars" here in India. I would relate them back to an old fashioned tent revival back home. Picture a tent or a small room, and then pack as many people as you can possible squeeze into the tent or building. It will be people sitting on the floor shoulder to shoulder. There will be people standing in the door ways. There will be people standing outside looking and listening through the windows. It is really something to see.... There will be worship with instruments of different kinds with a small praise team. Believe me, these new believers can teach us some things about worship. They are all in...After the worship, Joe and I will teach for about an hour at a time. After the first 2-3 hours, comes the highlight of my day.
That is lunch time.... My stomach is turning just thinking about it. God bless them, these ladies in the village spend all morning preparing this special food for us and the people in the seminar. Yes, we pay for it, but they do all the work. This is one of those times when you NEVER want to know what you are eating. It will be rice, with incredibly hot and spicy sauces, with "mystery stuff" mixed in for good measure. Now, I am sure there are insects and parts of other things mixed in there... Yummmm. We just are not sure. Some of my friends would say it is just all the parts of a chicken, but I am not so sure... I am sure some of you are thinking, Kevin, you are nuts, now is the time to be fasting and praying. Just tell them you are not hungry. Well, that might work in the states, but not here. Not eating what they place before you is an insult to them and would hurt those nice ladies feelings. Also, before you say, well I would just kind of move the food around on my plate to make them think I am eating... Well, the problem with that is a lot of times they watch you eat to see your reaction to make sure you like it. If you just move it around on your plate, they will simply give you more. Last time I was here, my friend Joe that is with me now, was putting his food on my plate when I was not looking. Pay back is coming! After lunch, we will continue to teach until about 4:00pm and then start the exciting journey back to hotel.
Please pray for our safety. This is an exciting opportunity to teach a group of people that really want to learn. It is an honor to be here. Even with all the "stuff" involved, it is awesome to think that God would allow me to be one of the people that brings his good news to a very dark and lost part of the world. Some people do not understand why we do what we do, well, I just cannot help myself. I must go and share. It is who God has called me to be... I love you all!
Kevin
Monday, October 20, 2008
Arrival in India
Kevin and Joe Pat have arrived safely in India. As you'll see in his message below, he is getting tired. Pray for supernatural strength this week as they go out to the remote villages and for protection. In the neighboring state, there has been extreme persecution in recent months.
It is about 8:30pm Monday night. We just got here a few minutes ago. I am one tired kid.... We will take the day off tomorrow to rest and study. Joe and I will be teaching groups of about 300 people on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. We will have about 6 hours per day of teaching time, so we need to get our ducks in a row. Please have everyone pray for our safety this week. These villages are about 2 1/2 to 3 hours away from us. The traffic here is horrible, so we need prayer for safe travel and safety from the Hindu folks that do not like us very much.
It is about 8:30pm Monday night. We just got here a few minutes ago. I am one tired kid.... We will take the day off tomorrow to rest and study. Joe and I will be teaching groups of about 300 people on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. We will have about 6 hours per day of teaching time, so we need to get our ducks in a row. Please have everyone pray for our safety this week. These villages are about 2 1/2 to 3 hours away from us. The traffic here is horrible, so we need prayer for safe travel and safety from the Hindu folks that do not like us very much.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Last day in Cambodia
From Kevin:
Yesterday was a lot of fun.... We went to the orphanage and spent the entire afternoon teaching and playing with the kids. There must have been over 150 kids there. We taught them Bible stories, songs, played jump rope etc... I even got the opportunity to teach the men that were there how to throw a football. It might seem strange that they have never thrown a football, but if you saw where and how they lived you would understand. In just a few minutes, we had a pretty good game of pass going on in the yard of the orphanage. I was thinking this morning about all the things that I worry about, get upset about that right now seem very petty and silly. These people would love to have the problems that we face on a daily basis. They would trade with us in a heart beat. For example, yesterday, we were playing in the yard and a little girl scraped her leg. It started to bleed a little, so we pulled out our handy dandy first aid kit and were about to help her. My friend Henry reminded us that a lot of those children have AIDS, and we need to put on gloves before we help her. When was the last time you ran inside to put on gloves before you put a bandaid on your child's scrape. Wow! I just pray that the Lord would use me in some way to bring a smile to some faces and introduce these people to the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ!
Today, is my last day here. It is Sunday morning. This morning people from all over the area will gather on the orphanage grounds for worship. Many of these people are believers and hopefully many new believers will be there as well. I will be talking to them this morning about the importance of prayer. Most of these people used to be Buddhist and some Hindu. They have been taught all of their lives that they need to go to a temple or somewhere special to pray. Now, that they know Jesus, I am going to teach how to live a life of praying without ceasing everywhere you go. I will be using the ACTS model of prayer. Please pray for me that the Lord would use my words and the words of my translator to sink the truth into their hearts. Now, I am sure the devil is not going to let this happen without a struggle, so please pray that nothing will stop the preaching of the Word!
After the service, I will be leading the new believers into the river to be baptized. Please pray that no alligators or snakes or anything else would be there to be baptized as well. (Can you tell I have watched too many movies????). People tease me sometimes for being a country boy from South Arkansas, but you know, all the times that I went hunting with my dad as a little kid has prepared me for missions. Many of the little lessons my dad taught me hunting about staying safe in the woods and watching and thinking ahead are being used every time I go on a mission trip. Thanks POP!
Yesterday was a lot of fun.... We went to the orphanage and spent the entire afternoon teaching and playing with the kids. There must have been over 150 kids there. We taught them Bible stories, songs, played jump rope etc... I even got the opportunity to teach the men that were there how to throw a football. It might seem strange that they have never thrown a football, but if you saw where and how they lived you would understand. In just a few minutes, we had a pretty good game of pass going on in the yard of the orphanage. I was thinking this morning about all the things that I worry about, get upset about that right now seem very petty and silly. These people would love to have the problems that we face on a daily basis. They would trade with us in a heart beat. For example, yesterday, we were playing in the yard and a little girl scraped her leg. It started to bleed a little, so we pulled out our handy dandy first aid kit and were about to help her. My friend Henry reminded us that a lot of those children have AIDS, and we need to put on gloves before we help her. When was the last time you ran inside to put on gloves before you put a bandaid on your child's scrape. Wow! I just pray that the Lord would use me in some way to bring a smile to some faces and introduce these people to the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ!
Today, is my last day here. It is Sunday morning. This morning people from all over the area will gather on the orphanage grounds for worship. Many of these people are believers and hopefully many new believers will be there as well. I will be talking to them this morning about the importance of prayer. Most of these people used to be Buddhist and some Hindu. They have been taught all of their lives that they need to go to a temple or somewhere special to pray. Now, that they know Jesus, I am going to teach how to live a life of praying without ceasing everywhere you go. I will be using the ACTS model of prayer. Please pray for me that the Lord would use my words and the words of my translator to sink the truth into their hearts. Now, I am sure the devil is not going to let this happen without a struggle, so please pray that nothing will stop the preaching of the Word!
After the service, I will be leading the new believers into the river to be baptized. Please pray that no alligators or snakes or anything else would be there to be baptized as well. (Can you tell I have watched too many movies????). People tease me sometimes for being a country boy from South Arkansas, but you know, all the times that I went hunting with my dad as a little kid has prepared me for missions. Many of the little lessons my dad taught me hunting about staying safe in the woods and watching and thinking ahead are being used every time I go on a mission trip. Thanks POP!
The good, the bad, and the ugly
One of the ways I have learned to cope with Kevin being gone for extended lengths of time is to recognize there are some good things about being by myself for a little while. (By myself, meaning no spouse. I've still got 4 kids and a dog running around here. I can't seem to get rid of them.) There are also bad things though, and then there's the ugly.
The good:
*Sole possession of the remote control--this is very important. (Name that movie!) This means the tv is more likely off or on 'Say yes to the dress' or 'Dallas cowboys cheerleaders making the team' as opposed to shows that irritate me beyond comprehension like 'Cops' or 'World's dumbest criminals'.
*I have a whole King size bed to myself and no one to wake me up by snoring or moving too much in the middle of the night. (I'm a very light sleeper.) Not that Kevin does this every night, but it does happen.
*I get a little vacation from making sure I cook dinner on my nights at home. The kids are just as happy with a grilled cheese sandwich as they are with pork chops.
*I can stay up till 2am reading a book if I want and not feel guilty even though I'll probably regret it the next morning.
The bad:
*I'm stuck with all the carpools, drop offs and pick-ups. I especially dislike the 9pm dance pick up after I've worked till 8.
*He's not here for me to chat with about all the little things that happen each day that no one else would care to hear about.
*I'm in charge of everything, and despite what you may think, I don't want to be. I like knowing there are some things I just don't have to be concerned with, like paying bills which I was supposed to do on Wednesday and haven't yet. (Kevin's having a coronary as he's reading this on the other side of world, I'm sure. Don't worry sweetheart, I'll take care of it soon.)
The ugly:
By next Monday, I'm going to start getting tired of being both parents to 4 kids and I'm going to get crabby and it's not going to be pretty. And, I'll still have 5 more days to go before he comes home. Guess I better go read a book and sprawl all over my bed to make myself feel better!
The good:
*Sole possession of the remote control--this is very important. (Name that movie!) This means the tv is more likely off or on 'Say yes to the dress' or 'Dallas cowboys cheerleaders making the team' as opposed to shows that irritate me beyond comprehension like 'Cops' or 'World's dumbest criminals'.
*I have a whole King size bed to myself and no one to wake me up by snoring or moving too much in the middle of the night. (I'm a very light sleeper.) Not that Kevin does this every night, but it does happen.
*I get a little vacation from making sure I cook dinner on my nights at home. The kids are just as happy with a grilled cheese sandwich as they are with pork chops.
*I can stay up till 2am reading a book if I want and not feel guilty even though I'll probably regret it the next morning.
The bad:
*I'm stuck with all the carpools, drop offs and pick-ups. I especially dislike the 9pm dance pick up after I've worked till 8.
*He's not here for me to chat with about all the little things that happen each day that no one else would care to hear about.
*I'm in charge of everything, and despite what you may think, I don't want to be. I like knowing there are some things I just don't have to be concerned with, like paying bills which I was supposed to do on Wednesday and haven't yet. (Kevin's having a coronary as he's reading this on the other side of world, I'm sure. Don't worry sweetheart, I'll take care of it soon.)
The ugly:
By next Monday, I'm going to start getting tired of being both parents to 4 kids and I'm going to get crabby and it's not going to be pretty. And, I'll still have 5 more days to go before he comes home. Guess I better go read a book and sprawl all over my bed to make myself feel better!
Friday, October 17, 2008
We're goin' green
No we're not becoming more environmentally friendly--probably less so since we just painted two rooms and filled our house with fumes. Nathan's favorite color is green and he's been asking to have his room painted green since he was old enough to know it was called green. In my practical nature (aka controlling nature) and thinking green wasn't the greatest color to paint a room when you know your track record of moving every few years, I always said no. The cuteness and the hope that this is our permanent home took over and I agreed.
I did learn that it takes 2 cans of green paint to cover up builder's white. Unfortunately I did not possess this knowledge during my first trip to Lowe's. So after coat one, I changed clothes to go back to Lowe's and buy the second gallon. Changing clothes was necessary because sometime during coat one, I sat on the large paintbrush that one of my boys so kindly left laying in the floor so my backside had a large green stamp on it. I was pleasantly surprised though at how well the green looks and he is thrilled to finally have his green room.
I also committed to painting Zac's room this week. He was home for fall break and wanted to work on his room. His was easier, and only took one coat for which my wallet was thankful.
All this grey just reminded me to tell you that Kevin called this morning (Fri. night for him). They had 7 more salvations today and Kevin rode an elephant. (This is where the grey comes in.) He has promised me there are pictures that I cannot wait to see! Tomorrow is the big evangelism rally then Sunday, Kevin and his travel buddy, Joe Pat, will be flying to Thailand then on to India on Monday.
I did learn that it takes 2 cans of green paint to cover up builder's white. Unfortunately I did not possess this knowledge during my first trip to Lowe's. So after coat one, I changed clothes to go back to Lowe's and buy the second gallon. Changing clothes was necessary because sometime during coat one, I sat on the large paintbrush that one of my boys so kindly left laying in the floor so my backside had a large green stamp on it. I was pleasantly surprised though at how well the green looks and he is thrilled to finally have his green room.
I also committed to painting Zac's room this week. He was home for fall break and wanted to work on his room. His was easier, and only took one coat for which my wallet was thankful.
All this grey just reminded me to tell you that Kevin called this morning (Fri. night for him). They had 7 more salvations today and Kevin rode an elephant. (This is where the grey comes in.) He has promised me there are pictures that I cannot wait to see! Tomorrow is the big evangelism rally then Sunday, Kevin and his travel buddy, Joe Pat, will be flying to Thailand then on to India on Monday.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Cambodia--Friday
Kevin's email for today is below. Remember they are 12 hours ahead so as you're going to bed, pray for them to have strength for the day and as you wake up, pray for them to have a restful night. There has also been some unrest between Thailand and Cambodia this week. We think it has been resolved, but Kevin is supposed to fly through Thailand and on to India on Sunday. Pray for them to have wisdom to know if they will need to change their flights and go through another country.
It is about 6:50am on Friday morning. This is the last day for the two teams to be together. Yesterday, Joe and I went back to the villages where the first team had been and had success. We spent some time with them on discipleship. In the first village, we used the story of Jesus calming the storm to talk to them about the power of God and how we can trust God even in the worst of times. We also taught them the parable of the talents and taught them about using whatever God gives them for His glory. These people love stories and are great with detail. The second village we went to was the one where the first team had 18 salvations the day before. We taught them the parable of the sower and talked to them about staying close to God and making sure their hearts are ready to receive a word from God at all times. At the end of the teaching time, I felt that I needed to take the story and explain the Gospel once more. When I did, the 18 that had trusted Christ affirmed their decisions from yesterday and then 2 more ladies in the group prayed to receive Jesus Christ. It was awesome! In that little village, salvation has swept through, and they will never be the same. That little village now belongs to Jesus Christ. Today, the first team will pack and get ready to leave for the states. Joe and I will be back out in the villages sharing the truth with anyone that will listen. Saturday, there will be a large group on non-believers gathered at the orphanage. I am going to use the Parable of the lost sheep, lost coin, and prodigal son to explain to the group what it means to be lost and then found by the Savior of the World. Please pray that any and all opposition will not be allowed to enter the gates of the orphanage, and I will be able to very clearly explain the truth so both the translator and people in the crowd fully understand.
It is about 6:50am on Friday morning. This is the last day for the two teams to be together. Yesterday, Joe and I went back to the villages where the first team had been and had success. We spent some time with them on discipleship. In the first village, we used the story of Jesus calming the storm to talk to them about the power of God and how we can trust God even in the worst of times. We also taught them the parable of the talents and taught them about using whatever God gives them for His glory. These people love stories and are great with detail. The second village we went to was the one where the first team had 18 salvations the day before. We taught them the parable of the sower and talked to them about staying close to God and making sure their hearts are ready to receive a word from God at all times. At the end of the teaching time, I felt that I needed to take the story and explain the Gospel once more. When I did, the 18 that had trusted Christ affirmed their decisions from yesterday and then 2 more ladies in the group prayed to receive Jesus Christ. It was awesome! In that little village, salvation has swept through, and they will never be the same. That little village now belongs to Jesus Christ. Today, the first team will pack and get ready to leave for the states. Joe and I will be back out in the villages sharing the truth with anyone that will listen. Saturday, there will be a large group on non-believers gathered at the orphanage. I am going to use the Parable of the lost sheep, lost coin, and prodigal son to explain to the group what it means to be lost and then found by the Savior of the World. Please pray that any and all opposition will not be allowed to enter the gates of the orphanage, and I will be able to very clearly explain the truth so both the translator and people in the crowd fully understand.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Thursday in Cambodia
Below is an email from Kevin. They are 12 hours ahead of us so he is already starting his Thursday. In an earlier email, he shared that on Wed., 18 people accepted Christ even though the focus for the day was discipleship!
It is about 6:30am here on Thursday morning. I am getting ready to begin day two. Yesterday was pretty much what I expected. Henry took me to see the killing fields where Polpot had all those millions of adults and children murdered. It was very sad and you could just feel the evil there. Polpot was a lot like Hitler in his methods, just killing people out of pure evil. It was very very sad. We walked along the path beside the mass graves, and I could see old pieces of clothing coming out of the ground and even saw an old tooth on one of the paths. It was an interesting way to begin the day to say the least.
I saw the orphanage yesterday, and prayed for God to allow that ground to become "Holy Ground" because of His presence. After that we went to three different villages. The villages are a lot like the ones in India. They are very poor and focus day by day on survival. The people were so glad to see us. The children were climbing on us and playing with us like they had known us all of their lives. One of the things that always grabs me on these village type trips is that these people have absolutely nothing, and yet they are all smiles and happy. Once they hear the truth of Jesus and trust Christ, it is like all the pieces of their lives are complete. They are sleeping on the ground in these very primitive huts. They are walking around with very little clothing, no need for storage buildings or large closets. Just a happy day to day existence with their families. It is so cool to be able to walk in there with the greatest news they have ever heard. I love my job and calling! Today, I am going to see the prison where the people were kept before their executions. After that, we are going village hopping again. It will be a day of telling discipleship Bible stories to the new believers in each of the villages in an attempt to grow them up a little bit in the faith. God willing, people that do not know Jesus will sit down and listen and hear the gospel as well. Pray for us to have safety and energy to complete the task. It is super hot and draining out in the sun standing, playing, and talking all day. Please pray for safety in travel and for the leaders of the villages to allow us to come in and engage their people with the Truth. Many of these villages require long walks into the middle of nowhere to get to the people. The long walk in is exciting, but the long walk back out is a little different story. I keep thinking about the Apostle Paul going people to people saying "How beautiful are the feet that bring the good news."
It is about 6:30am here on Thursday morning. I am getting ready to begin day two. Yesterday was pretty much what I expected. Henry took me to see the killing fields where Polpot had all those millions of adults and children murdered. It was very sad and you could just feel the evil there. Polpot was a lot like Hitler in his methods, just killing people out of pure evil. It was very very sad. We walked along the path beside the mass graves, and I could see old pieces of clothing coming out of the ground and even saw an old tooth on one of the paths. It was an interesting way to begin the day to say the least.
I saw the orphanage yesterday, and prayed for God to allow that ground to become "Holy Ground" because of His presence. After that we went to three different villages. The villages are a lot like the ones in India. They are very poor and focus day by day on survival. The people were so glad to see us. The children were climbing on us and playing with us like they had known us all of their lives. One of the things that always grabs me on these village type trips is that these people have absolutely nothing, and yet they are all smiles and happy. Once they hear the truth of Jesus and trust Christ, it is like all the pieces of their lives are complete. They are sleeping on the ground in these very primitive huts. They are walking around with very little clothing, no need for storage buildings or large closets. Just a happy day to day existence with their families. It is so cool to be able to walk in there with the greatest news they have ever heard. I love my job and calling! Today, I am going to see the prison where the people were kept before their executions. After that, we are going village hopping again. It will be a day of telling discipleship Bible stories to the new believers in each of the villages in an attempt to grow them up a little bit in the faith. God willing, people that do not know Jesus will sit down and listen and hear the gospel as well. Pray for us to have safety and energy to complete the task. It is super hot and draining out in the sun standing, playing, and talking all day. Please pray for safety in travel and for the leaders of the villages to allow us to come in and engage their people with the Truth. Many of these villages require long walks into the middle of nowhere to get to the people. The long walk in is exciting, but the long walk back out is a little different story. I keep thinking about the Apostle Paul going people to people saying "How beautiful are the feet that bring the good news."
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Almost there! (Kevin's Mission trip update)
I really meant to post this information yesterday, but one of the side effects of Kevin being gone is I get stuck with all the drop offs and pick ups of which there were seven yesterday. Seven times I had to leave my house to deliver a kid or retrieve him/her from whatever they were doing plus take Kevin to the airport at 4am. I usually try to avoid 4am but since it was my last time to see him for 2 weeks I decided to make an exception to my 'I don't do morning' policy.
So as of now, Kevin is somewhere between Seoul, Korea and Cambodia. When he lands, he will have been on a plane for a total of 24 hours with an additional 8 or 9 hours being spent in airports for layovers. Obviously, he's going to be exhausted so today pray for safety as he finishes traveling and for him to be able to sleep tonight even though his body will be telling him he should eat breakfast.
For the next few days, he will be traveling to villages and teaching Bible stories that center on evangelism and discipleship. The people are illiterate so our team memorizes chapters of scripture and tells it as a story. Sometimes they will have the villagers act out the story or draw pictures to illustrate to help them remember. Kevin has 12 stories memorized for this trip. Pray for his mind to stay fresh and to be able to recall all of the chapters easily.
This picture is of one of our team members that arrived earlier last week with some of the children at the orphanage. Kevin's trip will overlap with theirs for a few days. They'll return home and he'll head to India.
I'll post updates as I get them. My understanding is that there is easy access to the internet in Cambodia. Next week, when he goes to India, it will be more difficult to get information.
So as of now, Kevin is somewhere between Seoul, Korea and Cambodia. When he lands, he will have been on a plane for a total of 24 hours with an additional 8 or 9 hours being spent in airports for layovers. Obviously, he's going to be exhausted so today pray for safety as he finishes traveling and for him to be able to sleep tonight even though his body will be telling him he should eat breakfast.
For the next few days, he will be traveling to villages and teaching Bible stories that center on evangelism and discipleship. The people are illiterate so our team memorizes chapters of scripture and tells it as a story. Sometimes they will have the villagers act out the story or draw pictures to illustrate to help them remember. Kevin has 12 stories memorized for this trip. Pray for his mind to stay fresh and to be able to recall all of the chapters easily.
This picture is of one of our team members that arrived earlier last week with some of the children at the orphanage. Kevin's trip will overlap with theirs for a few days. They'll return home and he'll head to India.
I'll post updates as I get them. My understanding is that there is easy access to the internet in Cambodia. Next week, when he goes to India, it will be more difficult to get information.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Porch Surprise
Today, I came home for lunch from work like I always do. As I was pulling onto my street, I noticed the UPS guy in front of my house but I hadn't ordered anything lately so I assumed he was delivering to one of my neighbors. But then, there was an amazon.com box on my porch. I didn't think I had ordered anything but earlier in the day Kevin had accused me of not remembering an entire conversation so I was already questioning my sanity. If I had known what was inside, I would not have been so casual about opening the box. Someone sent me......
I was so excited I screamed when I got all of the air bubble packing material out of the way and saw my surprise. No way I was expecting this one. Then, with a cruel twist of fate, I had to leave it laying on my desk, still sealed shut, while I returned to work. I have now loaded it on my computer and played around with it some. But could someone send me "Photoshop Elements for Dummies" tomorrow? I think I'm going to need it.
I was so excited I screamed when I got all of the air bubble packing material out of the way and saw my surprise. No way I was expecting this one. Then, with a cruel twist of fate, I had to leave it laying on my desk, still sealed shut, while I returned to work. I have now loaded it on my computer and played around with it some. But could someone send me "Photoshop Elements for Dummies" tomorrow? I think I'm going to need it.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Monday night football--Not the NFL
We are 2 games away from the end of Zac's first football season. I'll admit there are lots of activities that I have been to that involved my kids, only because they involved my kids and it's my parental duty to be there. But, I have loved going to all of Zac's football games. Part of that enjoyment results from the fact that I actually understand the game thanks to two events in my life:
1)Coach Burson's 7th grade PE class--He made us learn the ref. calls and signals and all the rules of the game. And because I've always been the studious type (aka nerdy) and wanted to make A's in all my classes, I learned them all, although pass interference still confuses me to this day; no matter how many times my patient husband explains it to me.
2)My entire dating relationship with Kevin and our first year of marriage revolved around him playing football where I was welcomed to the world of hang time and punt averages and national rankings and waiting outside the locker room after the games where the smell of sweaty football players permeated the air.
Now, I get to wait outside the locker room in my minivan and pickup the football practice carpool so the smell of sweaty football players permeates my van. Sometimes we ride home with the windows down and then I spray lots of febreeze.
These pictures were taken at the beginning of the season when Zac was trying out the running back position. Recently, he's been playing safety. I don't really care if they win or lose. I just love sitting in the bleachers, enjoying the cool fall weather. After tonight's game, Kate and Nate decided it was cool enough we needed to have hot chocolate after we got home. Then Nate said, "Mom, we need to stock up on marshmallows for the winter." Which brought to mind the question: When did we turn into squirrels?
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