Rwanda details

So,here's an update on what we know about our mission trip to Rwanda . . .the Rwandan government is wanting to see all (with the exception of one for special needs) orphanages closed by the end of 2013.  This includes the Victory Rwanda Home of Champions, located in the village of Sheli, 20 km from the capital city, Kigali.  So here is this beautiful property without a purpose . . . 

February 1, Kim and I were asked to consider a longer term mission trip to Africa.  We went through a process of praying, analyzing, and finally surrender.  At that point, we had an interview with Dr. Hazel Hill, director of Victory Churches International. She saw Rwanda as a good fit for us. The plan was to scout first and then trust God to show us if our family was to move there for a minimum of 2 years.  

Kim and I are scheduled to be in Rwanda from August 5-20.  During this time, we will connect with the assistant directors (who are local Rwandans), get to know the locals, gain a better understanding of what the current needs are, connect with other missions in the area and dream of possibilities.  We do know that there is a need for Kim to train young men to install and maintain eavstrough.  We are also looking at a sewing school, life skills training, ESL and hopefully a nursery school.  We will know more of the needs after our trip in August.

When we go, we will take suitcases full of party supplies for the kids when they have a birthday reunion and celebration in late fall.  We will also include knitted and crocheted hats for each one (boys and girls 4-18).  We would also like to bring lipstick and nail polish for the mammas who are at the home.  Whatever we can get, we will bring over.

The trip over in August will cost around $6000.  This money is to be raised by Kim and I, it is not funded by the church--though we will be having fundraisers.  At this point, we are a little over half way there with $3200 raised.  Our tickets have been purchased and 3/4's paid for.  Our next step will immunizations (June 3), they are $500 for each of us, plus the expense of our room and board in Rwanda . . .it does add up quickly to total $6000.  

Trusting God for the finances has been faith-stretching, especially with Kim not able to work with his knee injury.  It's been a good reminder that it will not be our strength or might getting us to Rwanda, but instead, it will only be by God's provision that we go.  What's amazing is our missions fund has been added to almost daily!  We've been collecting bottles, selling Epicure spices, setting up chairs and trusting God that our fundraising needs will be met.  When the groceries were left on our step over a week ago, we saw that God was taking care of our needs even before we vocalized them, and we are continuing to see this, both with our home and this mission to Africa.

After Kim and I visit Rwanda this summer, we trust that God will show us very clearly if we are to go.  If it is "yes", our next step will be selling the majority of our belongings to raise the money for tickets (my best guess is it will cost approximately $15000), raise monthly support ($1500/month, or 25 people sponsoring us at $50/month), find a renter for the house, settle the business and prepare to move 7 people to Rwanda.  While it sounds like a lot, you need to realize that only a year ago, we were planning a quick 3-week mission to Mexico . . .not anticipating all God had for us.  While we don't know for sure (we are at about 75% sure) we will be moving to Rwanda, we do know that even this journey has been a trip of a lifetime and we are thankful for the lessons already learned.

Count it all Joy

It's been a week of waiting on God.  We've had doctor, massage and physiotherapy appointments.  In the midst of that was an attempt to work, which ended painfully for Kim.  Jobs continue to come in, but it's a helpless feeling when you want to meet the customer's needs, but are physically unable to. Added to that is the lack of income, bills coming in and a looming trip to Africa.  The week has been challenging.

We are coming up to day 12 of this injury.  In some ways, not very long, but in others, painfully long.  We are faced with reality that trust is a deliberate choice, not something you say once and it's done.  There have been times where we've questioned God, wondered if this was a punishment, been frustrated and just plain depressed.  I've tried to be optimistic, but in the end, the only thing Kim and I can do is be honest with our emotions and pass the weight of this situation over to God.  We have been brought (continually) to the point where it is a deliberate surrender of how we are feeling and a choosing to trust that God will take care of us.  

Despite how things may look, we are seeing the humour.  For months, Kim has been praying for the right helper to come along side.  Well, I am asking him to stop praying for a helper, because we have so many offers to help, there's no way he could keep everyone busy!  I know I haven't laughed as often as I should, and I do tend to take things too seriously, but God has a way of bringing something in to bring out bursts of laughter.  Daily, we are seeing blessings come as we are reminded to put our trust in Him.

It feels like we are in an intense boot camp, training for whatever is to come.  Instead of shying away from this lesson and "running for the hills", I think our faith has turned a corner as we plant our feet firmly and hold on tightly to what we know.  Any reliance on our own confidence is being stripped away . . .but it is good.

So, what do we know?

-Kim's knee is stretched, not torn.  Already healing is taking place and progress is being see.

-Our needs are being met, despite the lack of income, God is providing.

-This is a minor bump in the road, not a major setback.

Proverbs 3:5-6, Jeremiah 29:11, Philippians 4:13

In all our years of walking with God, has He EVER let us down?  

So why would we worry now?

Worried about not being worried??

When I saw my husband sprawled on the ground, I knew it was something serious. He was tossing a football one moment, and next, writhing with pain on the ground, his knee injured. The rest of the evening should have viewed as chaotic, but it wasn't. Sure, my husband spent the remainder of the picnic in one position, and getting to the vehicle was a painful process, but in it all, there was a peace. Getting home was a series of misadventures, but setting up chairs was aided by friends. As the reality of the seriousness of Kim's knee sunk in, I was remarkably calm. We anticipated a restless night, but sleep was peaceful for the entire family.

Sunday came and we all made it to church on time, just a bit slower than normal. Kim's knee was swollen, stiff and couldn't handle any weight or pressure--still not looking good, especially with a full work schedule in front of him. Even with the circumstances, we had a peace.

This is where I seriously started questioning myself. Was I just being naive or indifferent to our present circumstances? Was I missing something? No, I understood the gravity of what was happening, yet I was in peace. Despite the circumstances, there was a calm around me, a reassurance that I was not to worry. I was at rest.

I can honesty say that I have never experienced a peace like this before. It's been 3 months of craziness, yet in it all, I have generally not lost sleep, worried or fretted, or even wondered about our future--even though there is a measure of uncertainly. Problems, challenges and worries have come up, but just as quickly, I have been learning to surrender them to God and know that He will need to present a solution. While it hasn't been easy, it has been good. What's amazing, is we have been able to see God work in some amazing ways.

The night Kim injured his knee, instead of rushing him straight to the hospital, we got him comfortable and lingered at the picnic. Yes, he was in pain, but he was still there to connect with people. Over the course of the evening, a doctor answered his questions, crutches were provided, a brace was provided and even help for setting up chairs came. It was as though solutions were coming before we even presented our concerns.

Sunday was similar. We found ourselves surrounded by prayer and encouragement. Upon arriving home from church, 3 huge boxes of food were waiting on our front walk! Wow, how can words express our gratitude to God! We don't know what tomorrow will bring, what will happen to work this week, or what the diagnosis of Kim's knee will be, but we do know that we are not to worry about tomorrow, we are to cast our cares on God and to trust that God will continue to hold our family. He's never let us go, so why would He stop now?

It's Really Happening!

"Pack your bags, you are headed to Kigali". This is what the computer screen showed me. I had just booked our tickets to Rwanda! I had been watching the ticket fares go up steadily, but it wasn't the time to buy the tickets. Over the weekend, I found a good deal, and by Monday, I knew we needed to act soon, but how? The last few months had been incredibly difficult for Kim. Jobs were delayed by the wintery weather and just when he would get going on a jobsite, the weather would turn bad again. Added to this, payments were slow coming in and we were working with an income cut in half for the last three months (yet throughout this time, bills were paid and all our needs met). Now, to spend over $4000 on tickets seemed outrageous.

The tickets were booked and within a few days, they have been 3/4 paid for. Don't ask me how, all I know is God is good and when He calls us to step out in faith, He is with us every step of the way. It's a battle though. I spent much of this last week overwhelmed by the task before me. Never have I felt so inadequate and untrained. I have no regrets with my years of Bible school, children's ministry and homeschooling. I absolutely love what I do, but I don't have credentials behind my name. It's just me. So the thought of going overseas and serving in a country where certificates and credentials are valued seems overwhelming to me. However, God is bigger. He did not stir us up in this direction if He didn't think we could handle it. The battle comes down to me choosing to go in God's strength as opposed to my own.

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength! It's incredible to know that God can take my simple gifts, strengths and passions, and use them them in a mighty way! I think of the story of the boy who shared his lunch (fish and bread) with Jesus and it was used to feed over 5000. It was all God's power, but He used someone offering what they had and the miracle took place.

This is where we are at. Our family is offering what little we have to God to use us as He sees fit. Whatever the outcome, it is up to Him. In the meantime, we want to be willing and obedient, ready to be used however He chooses. The best is yet to come!!

--so, how can you help?
1. Pray, for peace, protection and provision
We are in Kigali, Rwanda, August 5-20
2. Get creative, we want to bring up to 100 knitted or crocheted beanie (tight-fitting) hats for the kids. They will be coming back to the home for a reunion/birthday party in November, so if we can take over gifts and party things in August, it will help. The hats will be a gift and the extras will go to Kenya for the kids there (ages 5-18, boys and girls)
3. Give, if you can to help with our flights, accommodations, etc. We won't say no to money (or pop bottles, or Epicure orders where 30% of the order goes to Rwanda (those can be ordered from anywhere in Canada and shipped directly to you).

Thank you:)

Not My Child!!!

One of the most amazing parts of this journey to missions to Africa has been the incredible words of wisdom given to us. As crazy as it seems, there's not a hype or giddiness about this possible life-changing event. It's been an agonizing, slow surrender, with an underlying peace.

Just yesterday, my husband met with a wise friend who challenged us to think about the worst possible scenario and process how we would deal with it.

A mission trip is not a honeymoon period of highs with a few lows, instead, it's challenging, tough, and lonely, with a few bright spots. It is getting past the glamour of short-term and recognizing the battle of the long-term, without the familiar, safe and secure.

When I think of surrender, I have to say that probably the easiest is to surrender ins my own life. However, the thought of possibly losing my husband, takes the surrender to a deeper level . . .okay, so God can take care of me, right? Now, what about the reality of losing one of my kids? Now wait a minute! God has plans and purposes for them, He wouldn't really ask me to give up my child, would He? I've heard it said that God won't ask us to do what He hasn't already done. John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, He gave His only son . . ." Oh. I see.

I have never lost a child, never, not even in early pregnancy. I cannot fathom the grief that pierces a mother's heart when she experiences such a loss. Now, God is asking me to surrender? I cannot think of a single scripture that promises you a life without loss, grief or surrender, but there are countless that speak of God's comfort, love, and hope for a future.

This surrender is not limited to when you approach the mission field. Thinking of the bombing of the Boston marathon and how a young boy lost his life, it was not in a "dangerous territory", this tragedy took place in a safe place.

I am not getting into the power of praying for protection, etc, there is incredible power in prayer and might in praying scripture, however, where it all starts is a deep rooted surrender in the heart of the parent. Can we fully entrust our child into the hands of God no matter what happens?

This is what God is asking me to do. I need to surrender myself and my children to whatever may come, good or bad, life or death. This could be what God requires, or we may not all come home from Africa. If that were the case, I can't say how I will handle this, my only hope and prayer is that somehow, only by the grace and strength of God will I be able to keep stepping forward.

Point of Impact

This morning started off like a typical Saturday, sleeping in, reading and generally taking our time, but that all changed when a series of emergency vehicles came to a screeching halt at the park behind our house. When the police arrived, we realized that something serious was going on.

As we ponder the thought of going to Rwanda, it was recommended that I read as much as possible to get a better understanding of the genocide and political climate of the country both 19 years ago and now. I am in the middle of reading about one of the deadliest civil wars of my lifetime. What stands out as most tragic is that those who felt completely safe and secure one day were killed the next.

It's a tragedy when life loses it's sanctity and violence on the other side of the world doesn't impact us nearly as much as it should. How often do we find ourselves caught up in the day to day "trappings" of today's society and forget the need around us?

I was able to tour a beautiful new home my husband is working on. The best way to describe it is "grand" and "spacious" with every convenience possible right at the young owner's fingertips. I am pretty sure the walk-in-closet rivals my kitchen in size! As I walked through the house, I couldn't help but think about the scripture that speaks about storing up your treasures in heaven. . . Life here is so temporary, do we really want to put our everything into living for today?

Back to the park this morning . . .the police tape is gone, the body is gone, but the sorrow of what happened remains. A life forever gone, a family forever impacted. We don't know the circumstances of this death, but we do know that for this person, their time is done. You can't help but wonder about those moments leading up to the end. Did they know yesterday that they would die? Would they have changed anything in their life? Could anything have been done to change this course? Only God knows these answers.

For me, I can't help but wonder if this was a neighbour, a familiar face, someone who needed to know about Christ. Was there a point where our family could have made a difference in this person's life? Again, I will never know, but I can't help but wonder . . .

So why have these seemingly random events together made such an impact on me? Well, as we've considered going overseas, I have to say that the dangers of bringing our family into unfamiliar territory present a very real concern. Missionaries are not exempt from violence, murder and torture. Years ago, when faced with my trip to India, God clearly asked me if I was willing to die--and I almost did die from a ruptured appendix. Now, I feel like I am being asked if I would be truly willing to risk my family. What if we all don't return? What if my children are hurt or killed? Would I be truly willing to take that risk?

Just today I was reading in the bible this verse: “Dear friends, don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that. (Luke 12:4 NLT). It's so easy to see death as the ultimate end to everything, but that is not the case for believers. At the same time, it's easy to see life here as our everything, so the focus can easily be to live life to its fullest.

But what if there's more? What if we have the power to make an eternal difference? How can we make an impact beyond our own little world? What if our family was prepared for such a time as this, to surrender our comfortable living to make an impact in Rwanda, Kenya, or wherever God places us?

I don't want to settle for comfortable if God is calling us to make a point of impact in the lives of others. If that means a new country, a new culture and new dangers, so be it. As a family,we want to fully embrace all that God has for us. It's time to step out . . .

Little Seeds

When Kim and I were thinking about the approaching interview for missions, we did our best to talk through as much as we could. One question we wondered might come up was how many people we had led to Christ. Even as we vocalized it, I felt myself inwardly cringing. I am not a numbers person. My life's goals are not consumed by how many people I've "witnessed" to. For me, relationship is needed and being sensitive to where God is directing me is vital. There's been times where someone in our family has run into a church acquaintance during the week and barely recognizes who they are (because their actions were so opposite of how they are on Sunday). This has been sobering. I tend to be a "what you see us what you get" person, so seeing contrasts during the week is disturbing (but it happens). I know I am quite transparent with my feelings (even more so when I write), so I can't pretend to be someone I am not.

Back to the cringing with the "soul winning" thing. . .I am not afraid to share my faith, but I would much rather use actions. Words come and go quickly, but your actions and day to day living demonstrate who you are and what you believe on a much deeper level. While I may not have the quick answer to persuade my neighbour to Christ, I can deliver a meal and just listen when they are going through a tough time.

But, when I stop and try to thing of actual numbers, it's easy to feel inadequate as a Christian. I can't say that I've personally led hundreds to Christ . . .to be honest, I have no idea, we taught kids ministry for many years, but???? However, have I been able to inspire and encourage? I would hope so, using gifts, talents and opportunities God has given me. If I can encourage someone to get one step closer to God, haven't I played a part?

Too often we count ourselves as insignificant because we aren't the one preaching from the pulpit, bringing the masses to church or leading a bible study, but wait! God can use us right where we are at, we just need to be willing.

During the week where Kim and I were feeling the most inadequate, God brought a student to us who needed Jesus. Only a few days into her stay, she made a decision for Christ. We didn't see her as some " project" or "target", she was a young lady who wanted to know more about Canada. She was searching and we were in the right place at the right time to be used by God.
We just learned that she's already been sharing Jesus with her family! Wow! A seed sown, a seed being used by God!

It's the same with this mission trip. God isn't able to use us any more then anyone else. Just because we may end up in Africa doesn't mean you can't be used any less right where you are. We ALL can be used by God to reach those He puts in our path. Isn't that exciting? Don't ever let yourself feel inferior or insignificant just because you aren't doing what the person beside is doing. God has so much for you. Hey, if God can use us, God can use anyone:) We all have little seeds to sow.