Well, the time has come! God has rewarded our persistence! I know it's short notice, but we want to let everyone know that we leave Thursday, October 2nd. All of our required forms, visas, passports, vaccinations, funds, and assignments have been completed and received! A huge sigh of relief can probably be heard as you read. We are still packing and wrapping up the last minute details this week. Thank you to all who have provided support along the way. It is truly amazing and a testament to God's character of provision. When we needed a vehicle, someone said "this is for you". When we needed funds, others said "this is yours". When we needed discipleship, wise people said "listen to this". It's because so many people said "Yes!" that we are in this position waiting in confidence and full of faith. Thank you God for providing the way for our family.
As we experience new things and grow in the faith and knowledge of God, we want to update as often as possible. We don't know the details of how that will work out, but know that you all will be in our hearts. Please continue to pray for our family over the next few months specifically for health and safety. Leave a comment if you would like to choose a date for us to share in praying for each other. We are happy to add to the list.
We are going to be somewhat vague with the details of our trip purposely, but we can explain some of what we anticipate. Because of some changes that have taken place in Mozambique, we will spend more time in South Africa. Our trip will start and end there, with Mozambique sandwiched in between. Our return is expected to be December, 23. During the school our schedule will be quite busy. Monday through Thursday will be mostly classroom and lecture time, while weekends will be community outreach and church service. We look forward to the many speakers and teachers we have the great privilege to hear. After 2 months, we will travel to South Africa and begin a time of extended outreach. The extended outreach has aspects of both agriculture and school, which Carolynn and I are most interested in and purposely chose to do.
It's with a sad heart that we leave so many family and friends behind for a time, but we carry with us the memories that easily comfort and sooth the heart, as well as the hope of our return. As much as we cherish these relationships, we also carry the hope we have in Christ and the reward of giving up all things for Him. Be blessed!
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Saturday, September 6, 2014
Haiti Shining Bright
Mike here-I was sitting amongst 40ish shining lights who call the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere their home. They were children from ages 3-16 that attend a church involved with a partnership orchestrated by World Orphans, an organization devoted to caring for orphans throughout the world. My home church is the other end of the partnership. A group of 10 of us traveled to Haiti to continue building a relationship that began about 3 years ago. We were all damp with sweat and rain, basting in the 90 degree tropical heat. With the ocean to our fronts, and mountains to our backs, the scene was surreal. I couldn't help but think about the beauty of Gods creation all around me. I watched the children as they ate as much rice, chicken, and beans as they wished. The joy radiated from their eyes as we enjoyed our first meal together. A little girl that I guessed was about 4 caught my eye as I finished my meal and returned to my seat at the long table. She had gotten a second full plate after quite simply causing the first to disappear. Her body leaned over the plate with her face set hard. A look of determination settled in her eyes. Soon the second plate was finished. Most of the other children had gone back to playing with members of our team or found a ball to kick or throw. Adults began to clean the dining area. Lovescar, (pronounced Luv-e-skuh) who is actually 6 years old went back to the counter for her third plate. As she began eating, a member of the caregiver team approached and suggested that Lovescar had enough to eat.
My heart melted for her and I couldn't help but wonder what a normal day in her life is like. It was suggested by a translater that maybe she hadn't experienced being full before and just didn't recognize the feeling. She had become accustomed to eating whatever was put in front of her. Over the next three days I was able to see Lovescar's personality come out, most notably when we had to leave the camp to resume our trip. The children would be staying for the rest of the week. As we said our farewells, emotions poured out through our tears. Both adults and children alike couldn't suppress our desire to stay together just a little longer. We hugged and cried, being careful not to miss any of our friends. My wife nudged me in the side with a smile and said "Somebody isn't happy." Lovescar stood close by our side with arms folded across her chest. Her face had once again been set hard with determination. How dare we leave her after all the fun we had together. We gave her hugs anyway, knowing that she would soon give up her disappointment and find joy in playing with the other children.
As I finished building paper airplanes for some of the kids to fly, I noticed the pastors from our partnership walking toward the area I was at. They had told us they would come to camp to check on us at some point. Pastor Lomondre strolled up next to me and we sat down on a ledge while we watched the children play. We soon struck up a conversation with Pastor Lemondre working hard to use his best English. Our conversation was a delight! We talked about church in America, the children in our partnership, my life, and his life. He motioned to a little girl with beads at the end of her braids and said "She's mine." I said "Oh, your granddaughter?" To which he replied "No. My daughter. She's the last one." Surprised, I came back with "You hope!" Our conversation revealed that he has eight children and his daughter is ten years younger than the next youngest. She really was a surprise! His wife gave birth at age 46.
There are all kinds of mission trips and ways to support those in need, but one thing I have learned through experience is that relationships go a long way in making a lasting difference. I thank World Orphans for encouraging support through relationship because it works. Though our church sends regular financial support, I believe the greater impact is happening when people such as myself take matters to God in prayer. We have been alongside our friends when they struggled to learn how to float in the ocean, and we laughed as a silly skit about David and Goliath was played out, and we were filled with joy when we worshipped the same God who loves each one of us. It's because we were there and each of those experiences have been etched into our memories that we remember and think often about our friends in Haiti and pray for them regularly. God is gracious and abounds in love and mercy. He hears each one of our pleas and answers.
My heart melted for her and I couldn't help but wonder what a normal day in her life is like. It was suggested by a translater that maybe she hadn't experienced being full before and just didn't recognize the feeling. She had become accustomed to eating whatever was put in front of her. Over the next three days I was able to see Lovescar's personality come out, most notably when we had to leave the camp to resume our trip. The children would be staying for the rest of the week. As we said our farewells, emotions poured out through our tears. Both adults and children alike couldn't suppress our desire to stay together just a little longer. We hugged and cried, being careful not to miss any of our friends. My wife nudged me in the side with a smile and said "Somebody isn't happy." Lovescar stood close by our side with arms folded across her chest. Her face had once again been set hard with determination. How dare we leave her after all the fun we had together. We gave her hugs anyway, knowing that she would soon give up her disappointment and find joy in playing with the other children.
As I finished building paper airplanes for some of the kids to fly, I noticed the pastors from our partnership walking toward the area I was at. They had told us they would come to camp to check on us at some point. Pastor Lomondre strolled up next to me and we sat down on a ledge while we watched the children play. We soon struck up a conversation with Pastor Lemondre working hard to use his best English. Our conversation was a delight! We talked about church in America, the children in our partnership, my life, and his life. He motioned to a little girl with beads at the end of her braids and said "She's mine." I said "Oh, your granddaughter?" To which he replied "No. My daughter. She's the last one." Surprised, I came back with "You hope!" Our conversation revealed that he has eight children and his daughter is ten years younger than the next youngest. She really was a surprise! His wife gave birth at age 46.
There are all kinds of mission trips and ways to support those in need, but one thing I have learned through experience is that relationships go a long way in making a lasting difference. I thank World Orphans for encouraging support through relationship because it works. Though our church sends regular financial support, I believe the greater impact is happening when people such as myself take matters to God in prayer. We have been alongside our friends when they struggled to learn how to float in the ocean, and we laughed as a silly skit about David and Goliath was played out, and we were filled with joy when we worshipped the same God who loves each one of us. It's because we were there and each of those experiences have been etched into our memories that we remember and think often about our friends in Haiti and pray for them regularly. God is gracious and abounds in love and mercy. He hears each one of our pleas and answers.
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
The Waiting Game
Hi! We just want to give everyone an update of where we are in the planning process of our journey. Since being accepted to the Harvest School, we have had many exciting moments and triggers released to get the ball rolling. A few major accomplishments that we have seen are; getting the whole family passports, amazing prayer support, generous financial support, and an introduction to a number of future Harvest School members through Facebook. It really has been amazing to see God working to put the pieces together in this giant puzzle.
The accomplished list seems rather small compared to what lies ahead. At the moment, we are in the waiting game. There are some administrative hang-ups with Iris that are out of our control that need to be worked out. As soon as things resume, we will need to purchase airline tickets and apply for visas. These are the two major tasks at hand that must be completed before the remainder of our list.
So a great thing to pray for us is for the administrative side of things to move quickly and for us to have patience while waiting. There are still a few things we can do at present time to get ready, but it would really be a relief to get back on schedule. The tasks we are working on currently are; researching trip insurance, reading the required reading list (books), getting our legal and financial paperwork in order (wills and insurance, etc.), securing Malaria medication, getting all necessary vaccinations, and finding a place to live for the month of September. Our lease ends August 31 and we do not have a new place to stay yet.
Also, something that should have its own blog post is the Haiti trip Carolynn and I are going on from Aug. 16-22 with World Orphans. Our church partners with a church in Haiti to care for 20 orphans and vulnerable children. We supply financial support to the church which is already caring for several orphans. Our support helps them expand their program to include more children and be more effective. In the past, Moran Park(our church) has sent two different teams to build our relationship with both the children and the members of the church. We have each been to Port-au-Prince on one of those trips, but never together. We are so excited to have the opportunity to do this together. This year, we will be participating in the summer camp that approximately 200 children will be at for the week. It will be a great time of laughter and excitement.
We would appreciate your continued prayers for all the things listed, but more importantly that we would have unshakable faith in the face of adversity. The darkness tries to shake up our lives with trials, and sickness, and just plain annoying things. I have been humored a few times by the silly attempts to distract us and turn our attention off what God has for us. (Like when our car finally died) The battle is real nonetheless! Thanks be to God that we can look upon the trials with thanks, and that the testing of our faith makes it mature and complete. (James 1:2-4)
Thank you to those who have supported us in prayer and financially up to this point. We have received several donations! A special thank you to our friends with the extra vehicle they were willing to lend out for a while. It was a HUGE blessing to us! It is truly humbling to have loved ones step forward in such a way! Thank you so much!
We love hearing the array of conversations this journey has sprung up! If you have specific questions or are just interested in knowing more, please contact us!
The accomplished list seems rather small compared to what lies ahead. At the moment, we are in the waiting game. There are some administrative hang-ups with Iris that are out of our control that need to be worked out. As soon as things resume, we will need to purchase airline tickets and apply for visas. These are the two major tasks at hand that must be completed before the remainder of our list.
So a great thing to pray for us is for the administrative side of things to move quickly and for us to have patience while waiting. There are still a few things we can do at present time to get ready, but it would really be a relief to get back on schedule. The tasks we are working on currently are; researching trip insurance, reading the required reading list (books), getting our legal and financial paperwork in order (wills and insurance, etc.), securing Malaria medication, getting all necessary vaccinations, and finding a place to live for the month of September. Our lease ends August 31 and we do not have a new place to stay yet.
Also, something that should have its own blog post is the Haiti trip Carolynn and I are going on from Aug. 16-22 with World Orphans. Our church partners with a church in Haiti to care for 20 orphans and vulnerable children. We supply financial support to the church which is already caring for several orphans. Our support helps them expand their program to include more children and be more effective. In the past, Moran Park(our church) has sent two different teams to build our relationship with both the children and the members of the church. We have each been to Port-au-Prince on one of those trips, but never together. We are so excited to have the opportunity to do this together. This year, we will be participating in the summer camp that approximately 200 children will be at for the week. It will be a great time of laughter and excitement.
We would appreciate your continued prayers for all the things listed, but more importantly that we would have unshakable faith in the face of adversity. The darkness tries to shake up our lives with trials, and sickness, and just plain annoying things. I have been humored a few times by the silly attempts to distract us and turn our attention off what God has for us. (Like when our car finally died) The battle is real nonetheless! Thanks be to God that we can look upon the trials with thanks, and that the testing of our faith makes it mature and complete. (James 1:2-4)
Thank you to those who have supported us in prayer and financially up to this point. We have received several donations! A special thank you to our friends with the extra vehicle they were willing to lend out for a while. It was a HUGE blessing to us! It is truly humbling to have loved ones step forward in such a way! Thank you so much!
We love hearing the array of conversations this journey has sprung up! If you have specific questions or are just interested in knowing more, please contact us!
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Support Information
We will be sending this letter out soon, but wanted to share it here as well, since we've had lots of people ask and we don't have everyone's home addresses.
Dear Family and
Friends,
Over
the last year, with God’s guidance, our family has taken steps toward becoming
missionaries. We have recently been accepted to the Iris Global Harvest School
of Missions in Pemba, Mozambique, where we will receive both the spiritual and
practical training necessary to be successful in the mission field. School days consist of worship, prayer,
bible study, and lectures led by Heidi and Rolland Baker (the founders of Iris
Global) as well as many other established missionaries. Evenings and weekends are a time for
serving alongside Iris staff as they care for more than 300 children, travel
into the African bush to share the gospel, pray for the sick, feed the hungry,
and visit the garbage dumps, hospitals, and prisons to bring the light and love
of Jesus Christ. The training
begins October 1st, 2014 and lasts three months.
As
we prayed about how to share this with all of you, the Lord kept saying to me
(Carolynn) “Just show them my heart.”
At the center of God’s heart are His children and His sacrificial,
never-ending LOVE for them (Romans 5:8, 8:38-39). And His greatest desire is that a personal, intimate, loving
relationship with Him would be their heart’s greatest desire. There are millions of people in the
world who have never heard the name of Jesus and there are millions of people
in the world who have heard His name but don’t believe Him to be their
Savior. How will these people ever
have the chance to truly know Him if no one tells them? And who can tell them unless someone is
sent to them? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring
good news!” (Romans 10:14-15). Mike and I have felt the Lord calling our family
to partner with Him in spreading the good news of the gospel and the love of
Jesus Christ that will draw others to Him.
The
purpose of this letter is to ask if you would prayerfully consider partnering
with God and our family to make this opportunity possible. There are several costs associated with
this trip and, on our own, we are unable to meet the financial deadlines. Tuition for the school in Mozambique
and extended outreach in South Africa will total approximately $11,000 (due by
August 25th). Plane
tickets for our family of five (from the USA to Mozambique to South Africa and
back home) will cost around $10,000 (due ASAP). Travel costs, which include
visas, luggage, medication, insurance, drinking water, sanitary supplies, etc.
will total approx. $10,000.
I
would be lying if I said that I didn’t lay awake some nights freaking out over
this seemingly impossible amount.
But each time, the Lord reminds me to look up at Him instead of down at
the problem because with Him, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26). He also reminded of this verse from 1
Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the
work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in
vain.” With my eyes, once again,
fixed on Jesus I can be confident that He will provide the right resources at
the right time through the right people.
Might you be one of those people?
I hope so!
There are a few
ways you can donate money:
1. Our church has graciously agreed to collect money on our
behalf. If you would like to make
a tax-deductable donation to our trip, write your check payable to Moran Park
Church and put “Trip 112” on the memo line.
The address to
send the check to is:
Moran Park Church
Attn: Missions
97 W 22nd St.
Holland, MI 49423
2. If you don’t want a tax-deduction you can mail a check
directly to us. Our address (until
August 15th) is:
628 Highpointe Dr. Apt. 11
Allegan, MI 49010
3. You can give online at http://www.irisglobal.org/giving-center/harvest.
They will accept money on our behalf only for tuition and extended outreach
costs. They do not accept money
for flight costs or other expenses.
If you choose to donate this way, you will also have to send an
additional email to tuitions@irisglobal.org
notifying them of your payment.
Make sure to give the full name(s) of who the money is for, whether it
is for school tuition or the extended outreach (code HS21C-02) along with your
full name, address, email and any details of how payment was made including any
transaction numbers or name of sending bank.
If you would like
more information about Iris Global and the Harvest School go to http://www.irisglobal.org
Click on
“Missions” then “Harvest & Global Schools” then “Pemba”
If you would like
to learn more about our journey to this point you can check out our blog at http://www.becausewesaidyes.blogspot.com
You can also
contact us through our email sidlauskasfamily@gmail.com
Thank you so
much! We pray that each person who
reads this letter is able to feel God’s presence in their lives and see His hand
at work in unmistakable ways. We
pray that you would feel His unsurpassed love for you and that you would turn
to Him for guidance in all things.
Above all, we pray that you would have faith in Christ alone as your
personal Lord and Savior.
Love,
Mike, Carolynn,
Lucas, Amelia, and James Sidlauskas
Monday, July 7, 2014
Exciting News!
We are so excited to say that last week we received our acceptance to the Iris Harvest School of Missions in Pemba, Mozambique! Our whole family will soon be flying to Africa! We will attend the school for 2 months and after graduation we have an additional opportunity to participate in an extended outreach in another part of Africa. We will use the things we learned to serve alongside established missionaries and help minister to the people in their care.
During the school, there will be classroom/lecture time 4 days a week. Speakers from other Iris bases as well as Heidi and Rolland will be among those in the lineup. There will also be opportunities to do local outreach in the town of Pemba, as well as spending time with local Mozambican pastors in training. It has been emphasized that we will have very little down time during the school. To be honest, when I first read through the schedule I had some anticipation of a freedom reminiscent of our college days in mind. Then as I was able to get deeper into our information, I realized that we needed to be ready to be challenged in some really big ways. I guess some things truly are a once in a lifetime thing! We are extremely excited about the opportunity to grow spiritually while learning how to become missionaries, not to mention making new friends from around the world.
We have a long list of things to get accomplished in preparing our family for departure. We ask that you pray for us to be diligent and wise in what, when, and how we walk through this exciting experience, continually seeking God for His guidance. It is awesome to see God working throughout this process answering prayers and leading the way. We still maintain our prayers for doors to be opened and for God's will to be done. Simply stated, we want what God wants!
Right now, we are overwhelmed with the time frame we have in front of us. We must arrive in Pemba by September 30. The list of things we are currently working on are; getting visas, working with a travel agent to obtain plane tickets, securing suitable luggage, and getting proper medicine and vaccinations. Other things in the back of our minds are securing items we will need in Mozambique, such as water filtration pumps and other equipment needed for outreach opportunities in the bush. We are sure to learn about more details that will reveal other needs along the way, but for now our plates are quite full.
The tuition and outreach payments need to be paid in full by August 25th. Plane tickets will need to be purchased within the next few weeks.
We appreciate beyond what words can express the support we have been given throughout this journey. It has been a joy praying for different families and individuals each day. We thank each one of you for continuing the journey with us.
Click the link below if you'd like to learn more about what we will be experiencing in Pemba!
Iris Global Harvest School of Missions
During the school, there will be classroom/lecture time 4 days a week. Speakers from other Iris bases as well as Heidi and Rolland will be among those in the lineup. There will also be opportunities to do local outreach in the town of Pemba, as well as spending time with local Mozambican pastors in training. It has been emphasized that we will have very little down time during the school. To be honest, when I first read through the schedule I had some anticipation of a freedom reminiscent of our college days in mind. Then as I was able to get deeper into our information, I realized that we needed to be ready to be challenged in some really big ways. I guess some things truly are a once in a lifetime thing! We are extremely excited about the opportunity to grow spiritually while learning how to become missionaries, not to mention making new friends from around the world.
We have a long list of things to get accomplished in preparing our family for departure. We ask that you pray for us to be diligent and wise in what, when, and how we walk through this exciting experience, continually seeking God for His guidance. It is awesome to see God working throughout this process answering prayers and leading the way. We still maintain our prayers for doors to be opened and for God's will to be done. Simply stated, we want what God wants!
Right now, we are overwhelmed with the time frame we have in front of us. We must arrive in Pemba by September 30. The list of things we are currently working on are; getting visas, working with a travel agent to obtain plane tickets, securing suitable luggage, and getting proper medicine and vaccinations. Other things in the back of our minds are securing items we will need in Mozambique, such as water filtration pumps and other equipment needed for outreach opportunities in the bush. We are sure to learn about more details that will reveal other needs along the way, but for now our plates are quite full.
The tuition and outreach payments need to be paid in full by August 25th. Plane tickets will need to be purchased within the next few weeks.
We appreciate beyond what words can express the support we have been given throughout this journey. It has been a joy praying for different families and individuals each day. We thank each one of you for continuing the journey with us.
Click the link below if you'd like to learn more about what we will be experiencing in Pemba!
Iris Global Harvest School of Missions
Thursday, June 19, 2014
I Really Just Want to be a Farmer
(Mike) As promised, I wanted to tell my story of how I came to the realization that serving as a missionary was the call upon my life. The process was not ideal, but since when does God work the way we think He should?
I really feel like my whole life has pieces that fit into the broad picture of the puzzle, but for the sake of telling my story, I have to begin rather recently. When I was working away from home for Ahern in the winter of 2012, I had a tough schedule that had me gone for 3 weeks and home for one week each month. I was making a lot of money compared to what I had previously made and things looked really good from a worldly standpoint. We were getting out of debt, and Carolynn was able to stay home with the kids. It soon became difficult to have a relationship with my family though. I felt like it was getting easier and easier to be away working, where I only had one person to think about and concentrate on. When I was home, I tried to make up for all the time I was away and I never succeeded. I felt like an ineffective dad, husband, friend, and person.
Different thoughts plagued my mind each evening after the routine of work had been finished. I was battling between trying to stick it out and trying to figure out a way out. Nothing seemed to make the circumstances any better. I searched my faith, my fleshly desires, and also felt like just giving up. Answers were far and few in between. One thing was certain, the world was not satisfying my thirst.
I believe God let me wrestle with this for a while to make sure I was certain when the answer finally came. It was just a whisper at first. Just the beginnings of a thought... I wondered if my life really had been designed with a purpose in mind, if so, what could it be? I had always been really interested in gardening, farming, sustainability lifestyles, building and fixing things. I felt like I knew a little about a lot. I loved learning how to do new things. I also knew that I wanted, needed to be closer to God. I wanted to know Him more.
I started filling my evenings with podcasts from different speakers, and searching the Bible more on my own. Slowly, I thought I began to hear from Him. A picture of serving God as a missionary shaped itself into my mind and heart. I didn't know if there was even a need for the missionary that I had in mind to be. Through serving this way, I thought I could help desperate people with the most basic and essential aspects of life. I would also get to be witness to God doing amazing and miraculous works of renewal and transformation of hearts through the Gospel. The picture brought together past experiences, current skills and interests, my God-given talents. I also envisioned Carolynn using her love for children and teaching gifts to serve. A compassion for the most needy people developed in my heart. Hope was renewed. I didn't really mention this revelation to Carolynn right away though because I hadn't really thought I/we could do it. I had all sorts of excuses in my mind that said so.
Before too long, Carolynn and I talked about this new hope I had and to my delight, she had been going through her own journey and had ended up in the same camp as me! The fact that both of us were on the same page without collusion spoke clearly to me. We talked about what it looked like and how we could possibly become missionaries. We had heard that God equips the called, so we believed that would happen. It began with Faith. We prayed about when I should come home. The answer was "very soon". I didn't have a job to come home to, but we trusted that God would take care of us and we were willing to give up everything in order to follow God in this new journey. I told my boss I had to go home and would not return on the next plane. It was done. Now what? The very next day, I received a phone call from an employer back home who had some work for me if I wanted it! As the weeks and months unfolded, we saw many, many examples of God answering prayers that confirmed His agreement with the path we saw.
Carolynn and I will post more stories of confirmation periodically. Thank you all for continuing your support of us!
I really feel like my whole life has pieces that fit into the broad picture of the puzzle, but for the sake of telling my story, I have to begin rather recently. When I was working away from home for Ahern in the winter of 2012, I had a tough schedule that had me gone for 3 weeks and home for one week each month. I was making a lot of money compared to what I had previously made and things looked really good from a worldly standpoint. We were getting out of debt, and Carolynn was able to stay home with the kids. It soon became difficult to have a relationship with my family though. I felt like it was getting easier and easier to be away working, where I only had one person to think about and concentrate on. When I was home, I tried to make up for all the time I was away and I never succeeded. I felt like an ineffective dad, husband, friend, and person.
Different thoughts plagued my mind each evening after the routine of work had been finished. I was battling between trying to stick it out and trying to figure out a way out. Nothing seemed to make the circumstances any better. I searched my faith, my fleshly desires, and also felt like just giving up. Answers were far and few in between. One thing was certain, the world was not satisfying my thirst.
I believe God let me wrestle with this for a while to make sure I was certain when the answer finally came. It was just a whisper at first. Just the beginnings of a thought... I wondered if my life really had been designed with a purpose in mind, if so, what could it be? I had always been really interested in gardening, farming, sustainability lifestyles, building and fixing things. I felt like I knew a little about a lot. I loved learning how to do new things. I also knew that I wanted, needed to be closer to God. I wanted to know Him more.
I started filling my evenings with podcasts from different speakers, and searching the Bible more on my own. Slowly, I thought I began to hear from Him. A picture of serving God as a missionary shaped itself into my mind and heart. I didn't know if there was even a need for the missionary that I had in mind to be. Through serving this way, I thought I could help desperate people with the most basic and essential aspects of life. I would also get to be witness to God doing amazing and miraculous works of renewal and transformation of hearts through the Gospel. The picture brought together past experiences, current skills and interests, my God-given talents. I also envisioned Carolynn using her love for children and teaching gifts to serve. A compassion for the most needy people developed in my heart. Hope was renewed. I didn't really mention this revelation to Carolynn right away though because I hadn't really thought I/we could do it. I had all sorts of excuses in my mind that said so.
Before too long, Carolynn and I talked about this new hope I had and to my delight, she had been going through her own journey and had ended up in the same camp as me! The fact that both of us were on the same page without collusion spoke clearly to me. We talked about what it looked like and how we could possibly become missionaries. We had heard that God equips the called, so we believed that would happen. It began with Faith. We prayed about when I should come home. The answer was "very soon". I didn't have a job to come home to, but we trusted that God would take care of us and we were willing to give up everything in order to follow God in this new journey. I told my boss I had to go home and would not return on the next plane. It was done. Now what? The very next day, I received a phone call from an employer back home who had some work for me if I wanted it! As the weeks and months unfolded, we saw many, many examples of God answering prayers that confirmed His agreement with the path we saw.
Carolynn and I will post more stories of confirmation periodically. Thank you all for continuing your support of us!
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Will You Pray For Us?
Carolynn here!
Another mile marker has been reached! Yesterday afternoon we finished and sent in our application to the Iris Global 'Harvest School of Missions'! We hope to be notified about our acceptance in 2-3 weeks.
While we wait, we are beginning to raise prayer support. In the book Serving As Senders, author Neal Pirolo says "The effectiveness of those who 'go' is contingent on those who serve as senders" A friend told us an analogy that has been helpful in understanding this. "The relationship between missionary and senders is similar to the relationship between bees and flowers when you think about it. Bees are always on the go and the flowers never move. The bee can't do it's job without all the flowers and the flowers need the bees to take their pollen and spread it. The success of each one is dependent on the other."
We need, and want, all the people we can get who are willing to commit to praying for our family one day a month, every month. In return, our family will also pray for you on the same day. If this is something that the Lord lays on your heart to do, we will send you a calendar magnet with our family picture on it so you can circle the day you are praying and place it on your fridge.
Some of you have already made that commitment and we are SO grateful! Our hope is that we can fill a monthly calendar with at least one person/family who will pray for us on the same day each month. You can let us know of your interest in supporting us through prayer by leaving your name and email in the comment section or by contacting us personally (if you already know us). If you have already told us you would pray but don't see your initials on the calendar below, please remind us! And if you have already received a magnet but have forgotten to let us know of your commitment, please tell us!
For our specific prayer requests, we will try to update the blog at the beginning of each month with the needs for that month. That being said, here are the requests for the month of June:
Another mile marker has been reached! Yesterday afternoon we finished and sent in our application to the Iris Global 'Harvest School of Missions'! We hope to be notified about our acceptance in 2-3 weeks.
While we wait, we are beginning to raise prayer support. In the book Serving As Senders, author Neal Pirolo says "The effectiveness of those who 'go' is contingent on those who serve as senders" A friend told us an analogy that has been helpful in understanding this. "The relationship between missionary and senders is similar to the relationship between bees and flowers when you think about it. Bees are always on the go and the flowers never move. The bee can't do it's job without all the flowers and the flowers need the bees to take their pollen and spread it. The success of each one is dependent on the other."
We need, and want, all the people we can get who are willing to commit to praying for our family one day a month, every month. In return, our family will also pray for you on the same day. If this is something that the Lord lays on your heart to do, we will send you a calendar magnet with our family picture on it so you can circle the day you are praying and place it on your fridge.
Some of you have already made that commitment and we are SO grateful! Our hope is that we can fill a monthly calendar with at least one person/family who will pray for us on the same day each month. You can let us know of your interest in supporting us through prayer by leaving your name and email in the comment section or by contacting us personally (if you already know us). If you have already told us you would pray but don't see your initials on the calendar below, please remind us! And if you have already received a magnet but have forgotten to let us know of your commitment, please tell us!
- That the Lord would give us the right words to speak to friends and family members who don't understand what we are doing and why.
- We have 3 children who will need prayer for adjustment to a new country. Lucas is seven, Amelia is almost three, and James is ten months. We can always use prayer about parenting in a way that glorifies God.
- That the Lord would provide us with exactly what we need, when we need it, financially. That we would trust Him completely in this area.
- That we would wait well. We want to make the most out of our "limbo" time. God has been using it to provide opportunities for us to grow in various ministry related way which is awesome. So we just want to continue having eyes that recognize and say "yes" to these opportunities even (or especially) if they are uncomfortable.
- Pray against fear, doubt, and insecurity. It is easy for me (Carolynn) to feel highly inadequate and unprepared for this journey as well as fearful about all the unknowns.
- That we wouldn't try to run ahead of God. We know that His timing is perfect in all things but we can often be impatient.
- That we would take the time to be still and listen for His guidance in all areas of our life. We want the Lord's voice to be the loudest and clearest, and we want the enemy to be silenced.
- And finally, that the Lord would open the doors that no man can close, and close the the doors no man can open so that we may walk with confidence the path He has laid out for us.
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
The Begining (Part 1)
Carolynn here! I think for me, the journey began about two years ago. In the fall of 2011 I read the book Forgotten God by Francis Chan with a group of women from my church. While reading and discussing the truths laid out about the Holy Spirit and His role in the life of a Christian, I realized that I had never really allowed the Holy Spirit to work in my life. He was a part of me, but not active. I had not been walking with the Lord for several years in my teens and early twenties and had very effectively drowned out the sound of the Lord's voice. When I realized that my sin and disregard for His authority was grieving the Holy Spirit I knew that I had to repent if I wanted to experience the fullness of all God had for my life. I can remember getting on my knees before the Lord and crying, asking the Lord to forgive me for quenching the Holy Spirit and for not allowing Him to have full access to my heart. I had to come to the understanding that if everything I had was taken away from me and God was all I had left, He would still be enough. I then spent some time giving God authority over every area of my life. I told Him, "Wherever You want me to go, I will. Whatever You want me to do, I will do."
From that prayer, the Lord began to change the way I thought about what it means to live for Christ. He began to open my eyes to the needs of people around me and showed me how He had equipped Mike and I to help meet some of those needs. Jesus also began to break my heart for people who lived far, far away from where I lived.
In the fall of 2013 I read another book called Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis. After graduating high school Katie left a very comfortable life in the United States to become a Kindergarten teacher in a small village in Uganda. In her own words she says, "I had loved and admired and worshiped Jesus without doing what He said...so I quit my life...I no longer have all the things the world says are important...but I have everything I know is important...Jesus called his followers to be a lot of things, but I have yet to find where He warned us to be comfortable." Katie's words challenged me to think about who I had been living for. Was it myself? Or was it Jesus? Does my life, as a Christian, look any different from the lives of my unbelieving neighbors? What do my behaviors and habits say about what I think is important? As I examined my life I began to feel uncomfortable with all the comfort I had, if that makes any sense. I was learning about people who had to walk for miles or days to find clean water. People who earned less than $1 per day and were unable to feed their families. People whose lives were shattered by disease, natural disasters, unemployment, persecution, and corruption. And then I would look around my house and see my comfortable furniture, my fridge and cupboards overflowing with food, my closet crammed with 'not a thing to wear', and the bathroom faucet dripping water for who-knows-how-long before I noticed and turned it off. And I just couldn't do it anymore. I called a friend of mine from church who was planning missions trips and I said, "I have to DO something! I can't be comfortable anymore!" and she asked me if I wanted to go to Haiti. "YES!" With knowledge comes responsibility and I knew that the Lord was beginning a work in me that would change the way I lived.
In January of 2014 I saw firsthand all the things I had been reading about. A short trip to Haiti broke my heart again for God's children outside of the United States. Still recovering from the devastating earthquake in 2010, the Haitian people were working to rebuild their lives. Many had lost spouses, children, and other relatives in the earthquake. Hundreds of thousands were still living in tent cities. But amidst all the tragedy they had experienced, there was the unmistakable feeling of hope and joy. The people I had the pleasure of talking to and praying with had a security and a peace that had nothing to do with their circumstances and everything to do with the God they served. Their prayers were never for a change in their physical situations but always for a closer relationship with Jesus and for the ability to help others. I was blown away by their hospitality and friendship. I didn't want to leave Haiti. In a very short amount of time, the people there had wiggled their way into my heart and I loved them. I thought I was going on a trip to help minister to them but instead they ministered to me. Once again I realized how much I had to learn and how much I wanted to be different.
Looking back I can see how the Lord was planting the seeds that would grow into the desire to become missionaries but I'm not sure I quite knew it at that time. A few months later Mike began to express some of his changing thoughts and desires. But I'll let him tell his part :)
From that prayer, the Lord began to change the way I thought about what it means to live for Christ. He began to open my eyes to the needs of people around me and showed me how He had equipped Mike and I to help meet some of those needs. Jesus also began to break my heart for people who lived far, far away from where I lived.
In the fall of 2013 I read another book called Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis. After graduating high school Katie left a very comfortable life in the United States to become a Kindergarten teacher in a small village in Uganda. In her own words she says, "I had loved and admired and worshiped Jesus without doing what He said...so I quit my life...I no longer have all the things the world says are important...but I have everything I know is important...Jesus called his followers to be a lot of things, but I have yet to find where He warned us to be comfortable." Katie's words challenged me to think about who I had been living for. Was it myself? Or was it Jesus? Does my life, as a Christian, look any different from the lives of my unbelieving neighbors? What do my behaviors and habits say about what I think is important? As I examined my life I began to feel uncomfortable with all the comfort I had, if that makes any sense. I was learning about people who had to walk for miles or days to find clean water. People who earned less than $1 per day and were unable to feed their families. People whose lives were shattered by disease, natural disasters, unemployment, persecution, and corruption. And then I would look around my house and see my comfortable furniture, my fridge and cupboards overflowing with food, my closet crammed with 'not a thing to wear', and the bathroom faucet dripping water for who-knows-how-long before I noticed and turned it off. And I just couldn't do it anymore. I called a friend of mine from church who was planning missions trips and I said, "I have to DO something! I can't be comfortable anymore!" and she asked me if I wanted to go to Haiti. "YES!" With knowledge comes responsibility and I knew that the Lord was beginning a work in me that would change the way I lived.
In January of 2014 I saw firsthand all the things I had been reading about. A short trip to Haiti broke my heart again for God's children outside of the United States. Still recovering from the devastating earthquake in 2010, the Haitian people were working to rebuild their lives. Many had lost spouses, children, and other relatives in the earthquake. Hundreds of thousands were still living in tent cities. But amidst all the tragedy they had experienced, there was the unmistakable feeling of hope and joy. The people I had the pleasure of talking to and praying with had a security and a peace that had nothing to do with their circumstances and everything to do with the God they served. Their prayers were never for a change in their physical situations but always for a closer relationship with Jesus and for the ability to help others. I was blown away by their hospitality and friendship. I didn't want to leave Haiti. In a very short amount of time, the people there had wiggled their way into my heart and I loved them. I thought I was going on a trip to help minister to them but instead they ministered to me. Once again I realized how much I had to learn and how much I wanted to be different.
Looking back I can see how the Lord was planting the seeds that would grow into the desire to become missionaries but I'm not sure I quite knew it at that time. A few months later Mike began to express some of his changing thoughts and desires. But I'll let him tell his part :)
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Mozambique?
-Mike- Since last Fall, we have had it on our hearts to go to Mozambique, Africa to attend missionary training offered by Iris Ministries. Going to Haiti in November complicated those desires a little because I now have a place in my heart for the people I met there! None-the less, we have pressed forward pursuing the Iris training, while planning the next trip to Haiti with our church. I will be in Haiti August 16-22! My heart is being pulled in both directions. We are relying on God to close doors that only He can close and open doors only He can open.
The training is called the Harvest School and is 3 months from October through December. I have found out from the Iris website that this training is very popular. Approximately 300 people attend each session. This year 2 are being offered. There is an application process each student must complete that Iris does not accept until June 1st. There is also a fee to attend the Harvest School, and along with airfare, the trip is quite expensive. I have estimated the cost to be about $20,000. Our whole family will be going, Lord willing.
Carolynn and I both feel strongly that we want to serve as long-term missionaries, but admittedly, we have no idea what we are doing. This is one of the first things that drew us to the Iris training. It made sense to us to receive focused training in a pertinent environment. We also wanted our whole family to be able to attend, which is something not all organizations are able to offer.
Heidi and Roland Baker are the founders of Iris. Before we began searching for anything missionary related, I had no idea who they were, but I have since read several books authored by them and I am drawn by their love for Jesus. If we could glean some of what they know about experiencing who God is and pouring that out into others, we would be so much better for it. It is quite easy for me to get caught up in the details of this whole process that sometimes I have to draw back a little and look up. I need to re-focus on why we are doing what we are doing and the need that is out there. I am in the minority compared to the world when I say that this world can change for the better, and Jesus is the answer.
To sum things up, we have a few immediate needs, but the main thing is prayer. We have one month until we are able to send in our application! There are really a lot of options we have for pursuing mission work. We want to be sure that we are on a path that is honoring to God and will be the best for our family. Pray if you will, for direction, and for the Lord's will to be done. When it comes down to it, we want what God wants. We also would like prayer for Haiti and the trip that is planned for August. We will be attending a summer camp with children that our church sponsors through World Orphans. I am excited about the relationships we are building through the partnership.
For more information about the Harvest School go to: www.irisglobal.org/missions/harvest/
The training is called the Harvest School and is 3 months from October through December. I have found out from the Iris website that this training is very popular. Approximately 300 people attend each session. This year 2 are being offered. There is an application process each student must complete that Iris does not accept until June 1st. There is also a fee to attend the Harvest School, and along with airfare, the trip is quite expensive. I have estimated the cost to be about $20,000. Our whole family will be going, Lord willing.
Carolynn and I both feel strongly that we want to serve as long-term missionaries, but admittedly, we have no idea what we are doing. This is one of the first things that drew us to the Iris training. It made sense to us to receive focused training in a pertinent environment. We also wanted our whole family to be able to attend, which is something not all organizations are able to offer.
Heidi and Roland Baker are the founders of Iris. Before we began searching for anything missionary related, I had no idea who they were, but I have since read several books authored by them and I am drawn by their love for Jesus. If we could glean some of what they know about experiencing who God is and pouring that out into others, we would be so much better for it. It is quite easy for me to get caught up in the details of this whole process that sometimes I have to draw back a little and look up. I need to re-focus on why we are doing what we are doing and the need that is out there. I am in the minority compared to the world when I say that this world can change for the better, and Jesus is the answer.
To sum things up, we have a few immediate needs, but the main thing is prayer. We have one month until we are able to send in our application! There are really a lot of options we have for pursuing mission work. We want to be sure that we are on a path that is honoring to God and will be the best for our family. Pray if you will, for direction, and for the Lord's will to be done. When it comes down to it, we want what God wants. We also would like prayer for Haiti and the trip that is planned for August. We will be attending a summer camp with children that our church sponsors through World Orphans. I am excited about the relationships we are building through the partnership.
For more information about the Harvest School go to: www.irisglobal.org/missions/harvest/
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Welcome
If you made it here, it's likely that you have heard about our journey to become missionaries, spreading the Good News and love of Jesus Christ wherever it needs to be heard and felt. We wanted to create an easy way to communicate the status and testimony of our journey to the mission field and a "blog" was just the ticket. We really have no idea what we are doing… However, we are certain this will serve its purpose well.
From time to time we will give updates when circumstances allow and require them. Also, many of you have questions that we would love to answer, so until you start asking, we will try our best to be interesting. Stay tuned!
-mike-
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