Fun, fun!

Well, it is actually starting to get warmer here finally! (Today was a little chilly, but we pushed in knowing that it is supposed to be warm again this week!) LOL!
I spent the weekend with Shawn’s family. That may not sound like a big deal – but Shawn’s family is a big deal! (Literally…166 people from Grandma on down!) There was a family wedding and we had fun with cousins, aunts, and uncles that we do not get to see nearly enough! It started on Thursday when Aunt Dolly, Uncle Mike, Timothy, and Stacy got here from Tennessee. My kids LOVE Timothy, so they had a blast on the trampoline, playing video games, and keeping this wonderful 19 year old young man busy! The wedding was beautiful, and I realized anew how glad I was to be a part of this family. Congratulations Wes and Barb! (YAY!) On Sunday then we went out to he Chinese Buffet in town to eat and it was a good thing that we reserved the party room because we had almost 50 people there! Crazy, but fun! John met up with his cousin Jonathan, who is a former MK to Gabon, Africa, so they had fun talking. Then he warmed up to another cousin that is close to his age and they talked video games and whatnot. Both of these cousins will be at Delta Lake next month while we are there, so he is very excited about that!
Speaking of Delta Lake, Shawn and I will be one of the missionary speakers there for family camp this year! We will be speaking to adults, teens, and kids! That means we get to stay in the missionary cottage and we get our meals in the cafeteria. Jon and Esta Schuerholz will be there also, so our kids are really excited to see all their friends! (So are Shawn and I!) The following week we will stay and Shawn will be the missionary speaker for Senior High Camp. God is so good to allow these fun and special times for us!
This has been a good week for me as I daydream about what and where God will take us in the next year. We are looking at hopefully doing an interim pastorate while we raise funds and prayer support. That will give us a place to be and to do ministry while we are here. We had to write to the missionaries in Malawi today and tell them that we will not be back there to live and work. They have been very supportive and are doing what they can to make everything easy for us.
Shawn speaks to a man from Evangelism Explosion in Africa tomorrow about the possibility of partnering with them. Please keep that in your prayers as we seek out the perfect spot for our family.
Also, please keep Shawn in prayer for his teeth! He had a consult with an oral surgeon today, and it will still be another week and a half before they do anything. However, he is happy that they will take out two teeth and they will do it while he is out! LOL!
We are hoping to go to PA and Ohio this week to see friends and talk to the District. We are soooooo looking forward to seeing our dear friends there. We can’t wait to talk and catch up and pray and laugh and hang out together!
That’s all for now!

Some answers

Hello everyone!
So many of you have been praying for us as Shawn met with the people in the IFAP office of the CMA this week. I am happy to report that it went very well!
After meeting with Phil Skellie, we were pleased that he wants us to continue to work with IFAP and that he desires to recommend us to the board as full fledged tent makers! Shawn and Phil talked through a lot of the things that happened in our lives in the past year, and then started talking about what's next.
Our next step is finding an organization to go with. Phil suggested that we look into going with Evangelism Explosion, since Shawn is a trainer and we both use it all the time! So we have contacted some people about that, and will be talking with them this week some more. We were also told to look more closely at SIM, as it is reputable and world-wide! So we have a few things we are looking at! Please continue to pray for us as we talk with people and seek out what God has for us next!
One of the things that Phil said was that he prefer we not go back to Malawi. We have been praying for wisdom in this decision, as there were a lot of pros and cons about this! His idea was that there are a lot of strikes against us there with the government and stuff now because of Acts III, and there is really no reason to fight things constantly when there are other things that will be battles! We agree with him, and agree to submit to this decision. So, we are not going back to Malawi. (So FINAL! I have grieved about this, but knew it was a possibility.) We would like to go back to Eastern Africa, because we know the culture some, and we really liked it, but we are truly open to going wherever we are needed the most. This is another thing you can continue to pray about for us!
As we talk with people over then next few weeks and get some things a little more concrete, we will update you. We will also start trying to get our speaking schedule together, so please do not feel like we have forgotten you!
Thanks so much for your faithfulness in prayer!

Details, details...kinda

Hello everyone! I am writing this rather reluctantly, but with a feeling that it is necessary. I have had many questions since we came back about why we are no longer with Acts III. There have also been many conversations with others that know the complete situation, and they feel I should address things a little more. While I am not sure exactly how to do that, I do agree that all of you who have supported us in prayer and finances deserve a clearer picture of things, so I will be frank and honest.
Shawn and I were (admittedly) desperate to get to the missions field in a foreign country. At the time that we were presented with the opportunity to go with Acts III, we were also presented with another informal offer of a missions job. After praying for open and closed doors, and begging God for his leading, we felt that Malawi, by way of Acts III was the way God was leading.
Before we left there were a few red flags and things that we should have opened our eyes a little more with Acts III, but we attributed it to an immaturity in leadership as far as their Christian walk. Within days of being in Malawi, things became obvious that immaturity was not the only issue. After 6 months we received an email, having no prior discussion. That basically lead us to terminate our relationship with this ministry. We were in Malawi for another month trying to tie up loose ands and talk with the pastors that we worked with. We are now in New York with Shawn’s parents, and have broken all ties to Acts III in every way. Please do not ask us about the blogs and the web site, as we do not have anything to do with it and no longer read it ourselves. My suggestion would be to stop reading it. Please do not send any more support to Acts III for us. Please do not associate us with the ministry in any way.
I say this not in an evil or vengeful way. I truly feel that God did desire for us to go to Malawi with Acts III ministries. We learned so much there! We realized that we do want to be overseas; that we love being in a different culture, despite the difficulties that come with adjusting a family of 6; that our children won’t die from living in a different place, but rather they will be stronger, better people for it because that is what God desires in their life as a part of our family; that we can live a life that is so much more simple than we ever knew possible; that missionaries are people too – and we met some amazing ones there that we will always cherish! God doesn’t make mistakes…and we believe with all our heart that the 7 months we spent in Malawi was not a mistake in any way.
So, now what? Hahaha…good question! We recently learned that Acts III went to the government with some accusations and had our work papers revoked. That in itself is not such a big deal, as there are many missionaries and churches there that would gladly sponsor us to come back under them, and since they have been there for 15 years or more, they hold a lot of respect. The question facing us now is really more of where does God want us? Shawn plans to go to the headquarters of the CMA this weekend to present our ministry and desires to the IFAP office. However, the CMA does not have a field in Malawi. We will be raising our own funds, and have talked with other missionaries and compared budgets, and ours seems to be right on par, even with the student loans we have; but the CMA does not like you to have debt. So here are some of the specifics that we are begging you to pray about over the next week:
1. For God to continue working in us with forgiveness and love; that he would point out areas that we need improvement in, and we would willingly and humbly accept these things.
2. Do we go back overseas? It seems that we should…we can do it, we want to do it, and we enjoy it. However, we aren’t ruling out a missions-type ministry in the States…and by that I mean inner city or church planting! (All ministries are missions, I hope!)
3. That we would have some leading in whom to go with. Honestly, having been born into the CMA (practically), and knowing the wonderful way that they do missions, we would prefer to go with them as full-fledged IFAP tentmakers, possibly starting a field in Malawi. But if they are not interested in us, we have to decide what to do next. We have seriously looked in SIM, because it is recommended by so many other missionaries and is a reputable, large, world-wide organization. There have been other offers from a few missionaries. We are not however, being foolish or desperate this time around. Should God open doors, we will walk through them until they close.
4. Does it need to be Malawi? Let’s not be overly romantic here…we were there for only 7 months, and many of those months were hard ones of adjusting! We love it, we love the people, and we love the area. However, we both agree that our calling has more to do with what we will be doing rather than where we do it. Shawn is gifted in discipleship, teaching, mentoring, and counseling. (I enjoy doing these things alongside him!) We want to go where those things are needed most, and where our way of doing this (relationship-oriented) can be best utilized. Yes, Malawi needs this, but so do many other places. So if the CMA says, “We want you, but we need you in __________, not Malawi” we have another choice to make.
5. That through all of these decisions we would not lose focus of our real purpose…to delight ourselves in him and to love with all our heart, mind, and soul! Ministry is a side affect of these things!

Thanks for sitting through my rather serious blog! And thank you, thank you, thank you for all your prayers and love. Thank you for trusting in and supporting us in our efforts to serve Him!

a little of this and a little of that...

Hi all! Just wanted to tell you that we got an email from Emmanuel yesyeday, and he seems to be doing ok with the stuff happening in his life. You can keep praying for him!
Shawn is still very sick with his ear or teeth...whatever it is, he is up all night in pain and is not getting rest. And we still are waiting for all the paperwork to go through so we can get him to a dentist and doctor! Please pray for him, especially since he has to be on a plane next week when he goes to Colorado Springs.
I had a very nice mother's day going out to lunch with family and then spending the rest of the day at Rob and Deb's. I hope you all had a good day too!
I spoke at a mother daughter banquet Friday night in Medina, NY and had a wonderful evening with some lovely ladies! They seemed responsive to my testimony, and I enjoyed meeting them! I have to admit, I am not exactly thrilled at being forced into the role of "speaker" just because I am a missionary, but God continues to stretch and grow me! I realize a lot of the reason that I get nervous is pride, and that has no place in my life anyway! I speak again tonight at Shawn's parent's chuch to a group of ladies. I do not have butterflies yet...
RJ is doing wonderfully with the potty training! It is really a relief! I know that there are some of you thinking, "Too much info!" But think back to ttimes of buying diapers and stuff, and you will know why I am soooooo excited! LOL!
Have a wonderful day!!!

Emmanuel update

Here is the most recent we have heard from our friend Frank about Emmanuel...keep praying for him!

"You all need to know what happened this week with Emmanuel. I told you about the healing of his father a couple of weeks ago. Well on Thursday night Emmanuel called me that his father had just DIED. Quite a shock. He was NOT sick. While Emmanuel and his younger brother were out of the house a particular family member came into the house and poisoned his father and he died almost instantly. The person was seen and identified, and Emmanuel found the water and glass that was used and it was tested and confirmed. That person is now in prison.

I met Emmanuel this morning to give him some financial assistance, and got a clearer picture of what was going on. These family members involved in this plot were angry at Emmanuel's father over an issue of land out in the home village. When the father was sick they saw it as an opportunity to get advantage by taking him there and putting him under the control of the witchdoctors. When we prayed over him and he was healed their plan was thwarted and this made them even angrier. I really believe now that the sickness he had had was because of witching, to gain control of the land that the father had control of.

I am tempted to say, TIA, baby! (This is Africa) but this kind of thing happens everywhere in the world, even in the USA. But it is still incomprehensible type of thinking from our point of view. I reminded Emmanuel that through the grieving process to remember that his father was SAVED and he is in heaven with Jesus. When I asked the Lord Thursday night about going to the house to pray for him to be resurrected from the dead my impression was to leave it, that God said the father was with HIM.

I know that you all would want to know all about this, that you can be praying for him, his brother and mother and the situation in general, that God would work in the midst of it and others in the family can be brought to Christ through this. "

what's up with us?

Well, we have been visiting parents and family this past week. I tried to post a picture of Anna and her bff and cousin Libby, but it takes too long on dial up! I enjoyed seeing my mom and we were able to speak at my grandmother's Methodist church and my mother's independant church. We are now back in Ithaca and I am getting ready to speak at a mother and daughter banquet on Friday night and then at an Alliance Women's night on Monday! Busy, busy! Shawn will be leaving to go to Colorado Springs in about a week and a half, so we will have more concrete info to share with you all about our future then! (PRAY!!!!)

The kids have enjoyed a couple weeks off from school as we travelled and stuff, but we officially started again today, amid moans and groans! (They think it is the highlight of my day, apparently!) They are enjoying being at Grandma and Grandpa's house and jumping on the trampoline, riding bike, and playing outside! (I am still waiting for warm weather!) LOL

Shawn and I continue to get rested, pray, read, and talk with others that we trust about our future. We are feeling very free with the knowledge that God is in control and that HE holds our future in his hands!

Honestly, I have found myself missing people in Malawi, and missing some of the things there like our house and the familiar routine of life there! I am missing my dear friends there and the men and women we grew to know and love. It is an odd feeling to not know where "home" is! Everyone says, "Welcome home!" and I wonder..but then someone asked if Malawi was home, and I had to wonder...we were only there 7 months! I guess maybe realizing that the only time I will really be home is heaven is a good thing! Actaully, our kids have voiced the same thing in not so many words, and I am glad that they are understanding this concept already!

In not-so-romantic-mission-field news...we are REALLY trying to potty train RJ! Once again...pray! AHHHHH! I hate this aspect of motherhood! Thankfully we live with my mom-in-law who is like the potty training master!

So, not much exotic or exciting happening here! Let us know what is going on with you!!!