Monday, 17 March 2014

March 17th Update

Renee's update:

We've been here two months already, but it feels much longer than that!! As you may know, moving someplace new with new faces and new places is quite overwhelming and time seems slow.

Just last night all four kids became sick in one way or another! That hasn't happened in a long time and reminded me of having a newborn in the house-up out of bed every 15-30 minutes, but thankfully most everybody was asleep by 1:30 or so.

Still plugging away at homeschooling-we are just about done with our second term! (we have three 12 week terms in a school year). Joshua's math is improving, Rachel and Madelynn are excelling in their reading skills and Hudson is very good at asking questions about random things. (smile) We are learning Spanish! (Most of the staff here speak fluent Spanish and English-so we thought we had better learn too!)

The kids have been getting outside while it is nice out. The three older kids are much better on their bikes this year and Hudson is learning to ride the tricycle!

Renee started going to a 13 week Christian based Grief support group. The first night went really well and I look forward to the next 12 weeks. It is good to be around other people who have experienced loss and grief.

Joel is staying busy with his "to-do" list, leading worship at the base and filling in where needed.

The snow is melting fast! Six to eight feet of snow has dwindled down to a foot here and there with patches of grass.

We put up bird feeders outside our dining room windows and love seeing the chickadees, juncos, cardinals, blue jays, nuthatches and the squirrels come to feast.

Wednesday, 12 March 2014

The Framework of Hope

A mom, whose ten year old was just diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, posted a wonderful blog post. So much of her emotions I (Renee) could relate to. Funny how some people can put things into words that I simply cannot. Here are a few excerpts from her article:

For the past few months, truth in my life has been less about beauty and more about brokenness. Last July I watched helplessly as my ten-year-old daughter faced for the first time the moment when childish innocence is invaded by something dark and cruel, an intruder whose presence is a constant and unwelcome reminder that bad things happen. Unexpectedly diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, she discovered first hand that this story we live in has evil villains and dark forests with monsters who sneak up on us when we least expect it. For every needle that pricked her skin and broke my heart a little more, another question came. It just felt wrong.

The sudden intrusion of deep questions that many people don’t have to face until well into their adult lives. Why did God allow this to happen to me even though I have chosen to follow Him? Why does He not heal me when all it would take is a word? Does He care that I am hurting? Is He even there at all?

I am often asked if Ellie will grow out of her need for insulin and the question is usually followed with the whispered ending “Will she have to do this forever?” I don’t know what medical advancements the future holds but I can answer with absolute certainty that it is not forever. If only the true survives, then all that is not true will one day be consumed by the fire that makes things beautiful, and the only thing remaining of the struggle will be the beauty that was formed within it. The reality is that, as people who were created for eternity, we are defined not by the things that will soon be cast away like an old winter coat with the coming of summer, but by the things that will endure because they are made in the image of God.

You can find the article here: http://www.rabbitroom.com/2014/02/the-framework-for-hope/

Sunday, 9 March 2014

March Newsletter!

"...like walking through the markets in Mexico...there were so many colors and options and beautiful things to see and buy...God is showing you that the world is an option...He is showing you that there are so many open doors...your visions and dreams are wide open..."

Sitting around a table with a handful of staff and students praying together, these were the phrases that God brought to people's minds as they prayed for our family. It's truly a good picture of where we are at in this leg of the journey into missions, at YWAM Minneapolis. We feel a new freedom to really pursue the things that we bring us joy, trusting that these are the things God has placed within us that also bring Him joy. Serving. Discipleship. Music. Worship. Relationships that are centered in Christ. Actively engaging unbelievers with LOVE. Learning Spanish (!?) And pursuing these things with God, hand in hand with our kids.  While having choices before us is exciting, it also pushes us to really wait on the Lord for what He is inviting us into. There are so many exciting things going on here and I (Joel) want to be a part of it all!

Where we're at now:   For this quarter I've been tasked with compiling and managing all the facilities projects that need to completed around the base. I'm getting exposure to not only the buildings, but also every person in this community; using and expanding a skill set I have, to meet a real need, and working to develop a culture of stewardship among our staff. Renee has had the pleasure of serving in the accounting office one morning a week. I've have plenty opportunity to play guitar on worship teams, but have also found opportunity to encourage people through scripture and testimony in the open format. Our kids have jumped right into the worship and intercession times we have in the mornings. And now that Joshua has glasses he can read the screen and sing along! Both Renee and I are in staff small groups that meet for prayer and encouragement. Already God has used these times greatly. We've joined a weekly outreach into Minneapolis that consists of a playgroup for kids from a certain Asian country with a certain mountain range I've always wanted to see. They are a wild bunch of kids who we already love and long to see peace in their hearts. We may also do more with Kid's Against Hunger, an organization of which we are a satellite that packs food to send to hungry kids, mostly in Haiti. Recently I worked a packing event we hosted in a nearby middle school, where 450 kids raised over $5000 and packed 24,404 meals in about six hours. It was crazy and a lot of fun.

The kids:   The kids are doing great. What fun it is to see them interacting with the community here. Joshua and Rachel don't even sit with us anymore when we eat meals at the Dining Hall. They've found many friends among the staff and the ECCO students. ECCO stands for English Cross-Cultural Orientation. We have students from South and Central America. Some are 18 and just starting out in missions, others are pastors, or YWAM base leaders. One of the kid's best friends was a missions pastor in Brazil for the youth in her church of 30,000 people, but she wants to serve long term in Haiti. Another has lived in the slums of Rio for the last decade pioneering new YWAM centers.

The choices before us: Renee has been offering homework help to the ECCO students, and hopes to help out more with next year's school. There are two schools starting next month; a School of Ministry Development, and Biblical School for Discipleship. And in the fall another Discipleship Training School (DTS) will begin. We are praying about what capacity we could be involved in these schools, from being one-on-one mentors for the students to helping plan and lead a worship focus for the DTS. As we watched last year's DTS students return from Mexico and South Africa to graduate, and as we hear the stories from their staff, we long to be a part of this great work. We're also praying about being involved in MA, or Missions Adventures; YWAM facilitated two-week summer mission trips for high-school youth groups with trips to Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Panama and the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. And then there is the list alongside the chalkboard map of the world. It's a list of the staff YWAM Minneapolis has sent out all over the world as career missionaries. And we wonder if and when our names will be added to that list.

YOU:  We share these choices before us, because so many of you have committed to stand with us and we know you'll pray with us. By supporting us, YOU are a part of the exciting things happening here at YWAM Minneapolis. Things that are full of joy because we are participating in God's joy in turning hearts back to Himself. Thank-you, and please enjoy a few pictures: