Kindness & Catch-Up

Coats & Gloves

In the week since Storly left for Haiti, it's gone from 'do I need a jacket' to 'I need winter coat, hat, scarf and gloves' weather. Not kidding. I've been making good use of the old-fashioned hot water bottle that my mum bought me some time ago. Each night as I boil the kettle to fill the hot water bottle, it brings back memories of staying at my Nanny & Grandad's house in the winter in Birmingham (England, not Alabama). With no heating in their house other than a small electric fire downstairs, going up to bed at night was always a race to get into pyjamas and into bed to warm your feet up on the hot water bottle before you froze.

Back to Columbus. Our small group just helped organize a Winter Coat Drive for the local Salvation Army - and there were plenty of coats donated by the good people of Community Church of Columbus. Forty coats given out already to people right here in the community who need some help. Don't we all have so many opportunities -  especially with easy donating of money and stuff on the internet, and ways of getting things to people, whether on the other side of town or of the world, but are we really sharing our stuff? Is it getting rid of what I don't need or want, or is it sharing out of love with someone who needs it more than I do? It's not ours, after all.

Pastor Chuck is teaching a series on Stewardship this month, and has a great definition of what biblical stewardship really is: utilizing God-given abilities to manage God-given resources to accomplish God-ordained results. It's more than putting a few coins or notes in a collection box.It's using brain, creativity, planning, skills, talents to make the most of all God has put at my disposal (time, energy, stuff, and the big one: money) to bring about what God wants with those things. Hope Esther's old hat, a new pair of kids gloves and a (decent) red padded coat from the second-hand store given for the Coat Drive will somehow make someone's day.

'While he's away' goals

So I'm cold, and Storly's in Haiti. Why did we let him go to Haiti without us?? (School and money are just the only reasons I can think of). Often when he's there and we're here, I have some great self-imposed goal to achieve while he's gone. One of the biggest ones was switching the girls bedroom with our home office, while the guys from our small group built Storly a recording studio in the basement (so he didn't have to use a closet). Big project - painting walls, moving furniture, trying not to spoil the surprise when talking to him on the phone while there were five guys in and out of the house sawing wood, banging nails and generally making some noise.

A few times my goal has been to pray him through some particularly tough times, prompted to pray specifically for wisdom and for grace. And God answered those prayers. Specifically. [If you'd like to pray for him right now, wisdom and grace are still appropriate things to pray for; and for effective, productive times with staff and others at the station tomorrow].

Other times, my goal is getting through our regular routine (without getting sick). Wake up. Bible study. Breakfast. Get girls ready and on the bus. Try to be super effective at work (all on my lonesome) until time to pick girls up from the bus. Cook. Feed kids. Wash up. Clean. Get them (and me) to bed. And get through the night - and day - without my other half.

This week, my goal's been to tidy up, file and generally organize (my side of) our office. Storly's the tidy, detailed, structured one in our marriage; I'm not.

So, my in-tray's gone from this:

To this - result!

I cannot, however, show you the rest of my desk. That's still a work-in-progress...

But I can catch you up on a few things.

Thanks for praying for our trip to the Shaferlys in northern Ohio. Was shorter than planned (Esther had double ear infection after our trip to Pennsylvania and was off school for four days - just sick enough with fever to not be in school, but with plenty of energy to want to play, and generally demand my attention all the time). Was lovely, as always, to be together with Dave and Marilyn (they're family to us. Longtime, now retired, OMS missionaries to Haiti, Marilyn was Storly's boss at 4VEH), and with their son Michael, his wife Sarah and kids Samuel and Hannah (also OMS missionaries to Haiti with Homes for Haiti project).

Fellowship and enjoying hospitality is sweet! 

Corn makes good confetti, apparently. 

Apart from the blessing of time with the Shaferlys, it was great to meet with the Missions committee at Michael and Sarah's church, and present the Resounding Hope project to them. They'd already decided that this will be the focus of their church's Christmas offering this year, but to hear words like "this is exciting!" from among the committee (and not Michael or Sarah) was really encouraging. So, we'll be going back there towards the end of November to present Resounding Hope to the congregation, and hope they'll be excited about being part of the radios project too. [Storly also got to teach during an adult Sunday school class when the teacher was delayed. Some of the class members asked "Can we get that new guy back next week?"]

Then we had a short-and-sweet visit from my Mum, with the ultimate Fall treat for those living in Central Indiana - a trip to Appleworks to pick pumpkins.

Good times!

Mum also kindly watched the girls so that Storly and I could have a couple of nights away in a log cabin in the woods (my 40th birthday gift from my parents). It was the first time we've had that kind of time away since our honeymoon nearly ten years ago. And we loved it!

Update on Our Missionary Stuff

We're filling in forms and doing some of that administrative stuff at the moment. Regular stuff for international ministry, you know, passport details, emergency contacts and 'where do you want to be buried in the extreme event that it's necessary?'

I find that last one strangely reassuring. Why? Because they've asked. Being aware of the risks is part of good preparation. And something I valued a lot in my time with World Vision, especially going into risky, hostile, insecure situations like areas held by rebels or after flooding where people are fighting for food. Knowing the risks. Making preparations. And counting the cost.

So, I appreciate being asked where I want to be buried. And just for the record, wherever I drop is fine by me.

The money stuff is also proving interesting, as we thought it might be. At some point in the near future, we'll take a salary, and cover all our ministry-related travel and other costs (to Haiti and back etc), from funds donated to our support account by people who'd like to support us in doing what we do. But we need to raise those funds first. We were touched to hear that our church in Stony Stratford (where we got married) recently invited people to give to us (and another missionary family) in memory of Lesley Gair, who passed away recently. We remember Lesley, part of the Missions committee, as the generous one who kindly offered up her apartment for Mum, my sister Ruthie and me to stay in just before my wedding. Kindness is such a God thing, isn't it.

Just a Few More Sleeps

Storly will be back from Haiti on Monday, thankfully, or should I say, hopefully, si Dye vle, God willing. (Appreciate prayers for him, and us, while he's away). Then he'll need to get stuck back in to translating and recording programs, working with me on some special projects, like the Petite Anse AM Tower replacement project, and preparing for some meetings at headquarters, as well as our radio interview for the new One Mission Stories radio program. More about that later. For now, it's late, and Hannah's restless. So, good night. Hope you take a few moments to read the post I wrote earlier (25 years with My Great Reward) and listen to Great Reward by Tim Timmons.

25 Years with My Great Reward

Tomorrow marks twenty five years since I made a decision to believe what I'd heard about Jesus. To say yes as he was calling me to follow him. To believe and to trust him. To love him.

Not for one minute have I regretted that decision. I just can't even imagine a life without God, without my Saviour, without Jesus. I'd be a mess. I am a mess, but a mess that has been redeemed, bought back by one who loves me (and you) more than I will ever know.

I tend to have a song of the moment, the song I'm singing to myself through the day. The song I turn up the volume for if I hear it on the radio. The lyrics I'm searching for, knowing that just the few lines I've grasped are the tip of a deeply truthful iceberg of worship and life and honesty and love for the Lord.

As I've been singing this particular song to myself tonight, checking out the music video and lyrics on YouTube and thinking about 25 years walking with the Lord, it's becoming my prayer for today and the days to come, whatever they may bring. For however many years I have left serving Him in this life, before joining with those from every tribe, language, people and nation to spend forever in the presence of my Great Reward.

He is Enough.

I trust in You for every heartbeat
As long as I'm alive
Your love endures when I wake
And when I close my eyes

Help me to know You are God, I am not
Remind my soul You're in control

Praise to the Father
With every breath I take
In joy and sorrow
All for Your kingdom's sake
Be Thou my vision
Be Thou my hope restored
Now and forever
You are my great reward

I won't demand to know the reasons
For my suffering
These open hands will trust Your wisdom
Beyond what I see

I know this is dangerous
Daring just to pray this
I will trust You Lord
The rock throughout the ages
You make me courageous
I will trust You Lord
I will trust You Lord

Praise to the Father
With every breath I take
In joy and sorrow
All for Your kingdom's sake
Be Thou my vision
Be Thou my hope restored
Now and forever
You are my great reward
Oh, my great reward

-- Tim Timmons, My Great Reward

A Disabled Child, An Orphanage, Radios & Cheering

A couple of days ago, a friend (who Storly got to meet this summer in Haiti, but I haven't got to meet in person yet) posted some pictures on Facebook that made my heart puff-up-to-bursting...and I started cheering too.

It started a year or two ago, when I got a super-excited, and exciting email from Autumn, a paediatric occupational therapist working in the north west of Haiti (St. Louis du Nord and Port-de-Paix region) through North West Haiti Christian Mission. She'd heard about our new solar radios and wanted to know if she could raise funds to get some radios to use in her own ministry with children (with severe physical disabilities) and their families.

Her email said:

I LOVE LOVE LOVE what your mission is doing through the radios and what a POWERFUL way to spread the word and love of God. I have been wanting to get Bibles to my families but realized that most can't read and so wouldn't do much good. These radios are and will continue to change lives and thus Haiti for the kingdom.

As you probably very well know, the view of disabilities in Haiti is that a child with disabilities is worthless, cursed, possessed. And a parent with a child is seen to have caused the problem and often becomes an outcast as well. Our outreach program is working to break this mindset and help the parents see these children are special and have potential, and training them to learn to take care and love their child for who they are. God is moving and these negative mindsets are slowly being broken. We are at the point now that we want to place them with resources that make them visible in their communities as well. I think it would be AWESOME to get each of my outreach families one of your solar power radios and make their homes become a central place in their communities to hear the gospel preached and break the barrier in the community as well.

Fast-forward to July this year. While the girls and I stayed in Cap-Haitien to await the arrival of the last team we were hosting (a Dynamic Women in Missions team, gorgeous ladies!), Storly traveled to St. Louis du Nord with Medson, Pastor Hérode and 4VEH team with a box of radios for Autumn, tuned to our network partner 4VET (based on the island of La Tortue) on FM, to 4VEH on AM, and with the audio New Testament (read by Storly). And at very short notice, Autumn and two of her local co-workers attended the evangelism training that Medson and Hérode led for pastors in that city.

Storly, Autumn, 4VEH staff Lynn-Audrey, Medson and Pastor Hérode

The official 'handover' photo! 

And back to a couple of days ago. Autumn posted these pictures. (Thanks so much for sharing these, Autumn! Read more about Autumn's ministry at: www.autumnsreflections.blogspot.com.)

She went to visit a young girl named Nerlan as part of her outreach and follow-up with children and their families. Autumn said:

We were able to bless her family with a solar power Christian radio from Radio 4VEH. They were beyond excited & started cheering!

Seeing the photo and reading that, I was beyond excited and starting cheering too!

And then this one. Notice the girl at the front, Prisca, and the older girl at the back in pink holding a radio. Autumn said:

A bittersweet moment visiting Prisca today. Found out she is now living in an orphanage as her mother abandoned her. But the sweet part, watching her light up, seeing the other kids interact with her, seeing this amazing small orphanage run completely by Haitians. I loved the fact we were able to bless this orphanage with a solar-powered Christian 4VEH radio with New Testament in Creole. 

These two reports are not the end point. But the point where our work in raising funds for the radios and for the station, where our prayers and planning projects and budgets, and writing letters and emails and Facebook posts, and standing in front of a bunch of strangers in another strange place, where hours and hours and hours (and hours...) in the studio for Storly to read and record, to edit out the hiccups, the breaths and slip-ups, where all those things (combined with the efforts of so many others, like the volunteers at Galcom who build and test and re-test every single radio, and all those who go to tell the good news and put these radios into people's hands as a gift), where all those things are done. At least for this one radio. And the next phase begins.

The seeds are planted. The radio is in the hands of people - in the case of the orphanage here - of many children and those caring for them. Now the daily efforts of everyone at 4VEH and partners mean there'll be water for the seeds in the form of lessons about God, life, family, community, health, farming. There'll be inspiration spoken, sung or prayed. There'll be a friendly voice saying, "You can do it. Trust God. He is with you."

Seeds planted. Watered daily. And the rest is up to the Lord.

Would you pray with us for the whole big Resounding Hope project? It's huge. Our goal is 160,000 radios delivered to families and homes across the five northern states in Haiti. At $60 per radio. Lots of needs to pray for. Financial needs. People to get involved. Help for our partners at Galcom in their task of making the radios. Logistics and shipping of radios to Haiti. Then distributing to local churches to go out and deliver the Gospel - and the radios - to people waiting to hear good news.

Want to help? Visit resoundinghope.org to find out more.

And pray with us for the impact of these two radios, in the lives of Nerlan and her family, and of Prisca and all the other children and staff in the orphanage. And for the 1325+ radios that have been delivered to households so far this year.

Thank you for getting involved in this stuff with us. Would you share with others who may be interested? Thanks so much!

To Pennsylvania and Back

Time to catch you up on some stuff. Thanks for thinking of us these last few weeks, and remembering us in prayer, especially as we've been travelling.

Our time with Otterbein United Brethen Church in Greencastle, Pennsylvania a few weekends ago was lovely! 

But the drive there was not.

Before that though, Storly's mom was here for a few days from New York, and spoiled us all by cooking bouillon (soup) with donmbwey (not sure that spelling's right, but that's all I can find, it's pronounced dumboy, dumplings - and is Hannah and Esther's favourite - and mais moulen (cornmeal mush, my favourite, though Haitians are not usually too happy to serve it as it's considered poor man's food) with sos pwa (black bean sauce). 

Then it was time to take Tazoue back to the airport - via OMS headquarters for me to present an update at chapel on Radio 4VEH and Resounding Hope radios project - and then focus on getting our presentations for speaking engagements at Otterbein church finished, bags packed and ready. 

Scary Storm

The 9-hour drive on Friday after the girls came home from school was long. At times, it was also scary as we drove through a heavy rain storm, with crazy nutters driving in front of us with no lights on when we could barely see the road. Seriously??? ....hmmmph. 

I generally don't get scared easily. I've had an AK-47 pointed at me by an angry, slightly drugged-up member of the local militia in Sierra Leone (should I tell you that whole story? Not now, though the reason I was in that place was to cover a great story of forgiveness and reconciliation, a Prodigal Son story). 

I've jumped out of a plane in England (and landed, not intentionally I might add, in the side of a barn....don't think I'll jump again). 

And I've survived a nasty car accident in Port-au-Prince, where the driver veered over to the other side of the road, hit a woman on the roadside, flipped the car and he then pulled me out of an upside-down smashed up mess of a Toyota.  

But on that highway around Cincinnati, I...was...scared.

The God of angel armies is always by my side

A powerful song was playing on the radio, on K-Love ('positive, encouraging K-Love' playing contemporary Christian music). It didn't magically stop me worrying or from being scared. But I starting singing along, it's a familiar song. And it helped get my mind away from the fear and back toward the Lord. I love this about good Christian music, especially when you hear it on the radio - it almost unexpectedly gets us singing great truths.  

I know Who goes before me

I know Who stands behind

The God of angel armies

Is always by my side

The One who reigns forever

He is a Friend of mine

The God of angel armies

Is always by my side

Chris Tomlin - Whom Shall I Fear (God Of Angel Armies) 

Glad to Arrive

We arrived at our destination in the early hours of the morning, and were very grateful that there were no activities planned until 5pm Saturday, so we rested and recovered a little bit from the journey, and enjoyed watching Home Alone together (the girls love it).

Saturday evening at Otterbein was a great time of fellowship (with potluck dinner, lots of yummy comfort foods) for us to share about our ministry and about ourselves. We enjoyed sharing music from the Wa Wo CD by Haitian youth choir Flamme Spirituelle; talked about the history, impact, and specifics about Radio 4VEH and Resounding Hope solar radios, and answered the questions people love to ask us: where are you from? how on earth did you two meet? and what in the world are you doing in Indiana?

A surprise visitor that evening was Aldean Saufley, who served at Radio 4VEH in Haiti with his wife Ellen for more than 40 years - Storly learned a lot from Aldean (who incidentally can play a mean tune on a handsaw)! And the folks at Otterbein were supporters of the Saufleys, and already had a connection to Radio 4VEH. They were excited to know that Storly was one of the 'Haitian nationals' at Radio 4VEH who had learned from Aldean, through their faithful support. Great to learn about these connections, and meet the people of Otterbein who had been indirectly part of Storly's early years of ministry at 4VEH.

From Aldean & Ellen Saufley's OMS missionary profile:

Aldean filled the roles of English program director, announcer, newscaster, musician, program producer, recording technician and control room operator at Radio 4VEH. He also helped train Haitian nationals so Radio 4VEH was able to provide the Christian community with Bible studies, evangelism programs and other tools for the building and nurturing of the Haitian Church, as well as music, news, cultural and educational programs to reach those who had no relationship with Jesus Christ. Aldean also had the responsibility each week of playing his accordion (and later a keyboard) for Sunday morning services in various churches. http://www.onemissionsociety.org/give/thesaufleys

With Barry & Charlotte, who'd organized the missions gathering.
We enjoyed a good sandwich & ice-cream, and chat with them after church
before starting the drive back to Indiana. 

While we were setting up a display table for the Saturday evening gathering,
the girls were getting rid of some extra energy. 

After speaking Saturday night, we had a 10 minute slot with Pastor David during the two morning services, where he interviewed us about Resounding Hope solar radios. And then we led the combined adult Sunday school class in between. Pastor David challenged the congregation to sponsor 25 radios and their Missions fund will match that with another 25 radios. God willing, that'll mean 50 radios, for 50 households in Haiti, reaching about 300 people on a daily basis through the radios. That's about the size of their congregation. Great stuff!

So, grateful for: 

• having the opportunity to connect with the people at Otterbein who are passionate about getting involved in God's work around the world. And then learning they've been connected to the ministry of Radio 4VEH for a long time!
• the huge encouragement they were to us personally, to our family. And so grateful for the commitment they've made to partner with us longer-term - an unexpected blessing!
• safe travel, and for time with nothing planned
• the challenge the Missions committee set for their congregation, to provide solar radios to ultimately reach the same number of people in Haiti every day as the number of people in their own congregation. Lord, bless them in this effort! 

Thanks for praying for us as we go to different places to share with people and challenge them to join us in this great adventure of serving God and the people of Haiti. 

Storly is in Florida right now, will fly into Cap-Haitien on Monday for a week's work at the radio station. We'd appreciate your prayers for him, and for me and the girls :) Thank you! 

2-Hour Delays & Unfathomable Choices

As predicted, we've bumped through September, it's October 1st, and definitely Fall is here. I'm waiting for the girls to go to school, we're on the first school delay of the season, not for snow, yet, just fog. But good to get those text messages at 5.30 am letting us know there's a 2-Hour Delay (seriously, it is good to be informed).

We're also thinking of kids in Haiti where school starts today (after being delayed a month, partly because high school final exams were delayed after Tropical Storm Chantal caused flooding and disruption back in June). La Rentrée (back to school) is such a challenging time for parents in Haiti, to get together the money so their kids can start school (as opposed to here in the States, where Back to School becomes the theme for every product being advertised, from cars to clothes, to insurance and who knows what else).

Have you ever considered having to choose which of your children you can afford to send to school? Or choose between taking a sick family member to the doctor or paying school fees? Or knowing that if you pay the school fees, buy the uniforms, there won't be anything left to buy food? For a small percentage of the world's population, we (yes, that's us, if you have enough food, decent enough clothes, live in a house or apartment, have a reasonably reliable means of transportation, you are among the top 15% of the world's wealthy), we can hardly fathom it, those choices are just unimaginable. For the majority, it's part of the daily challenge of survival.

So, we're thinking of kids excited to go to school in Haiti today. Kids left behind while siblings get to go. Parents watching proudly, yet counting the cost. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Bless all who seek to learn. Bless all who seek to provide for their loved ones.  

Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer

I'm not usually one for very formal prayers, but without a doubt, they can be very powerful. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. And may we be ready to be used by you to answer these prayers. 

Almighty God, your Son our Savior Jesus Christ was lifted high upon the cross that he might draw the whole world to himself: Mercifully grant that we, who glory in the mystery of our redemption, may have the grace to take up our cross and follow him in pursuit of your work of reconciliation in the world. God of love, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

Let us pray for the poor, hungry, and neglected all over the world, that their cries for daily bread may inspire works of compassion and mercy among those to whom much has been given.

Silence

Almighty and most merciful God, you command us to offer food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted; Grant that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart; that, following in the steps of your blessed Son, we may give of ourselves in the service of others until poverty and hunger cease in all the world, and all things are reconciled in the reign of Christ. God of love, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

Let us pray for schools and centers of learning throughout the world, for those who lack access to basic education, and for the light of knowledge to blossom and shine in the lives of all God’s people.

Silence

Eternal God, the author and source of all knowledge and Truth: bless all who seek to learn and those who teach them, and inspire us to break down barriers that withhold education from your children; that, enlightened with the bright beams of Wisdom, all may be equipped to seek the blessings of liberty, justice, and peace. God of love, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

Let us pray for an end to the divisions and inequalities that scar God’s creation, particularly the barriers to freedom faced by God's children throughout the world because of gender; that all who have been formed in God’s image might have equality in pursuit of the blessings of creation.

A bidding prayer taken from https://www.episcopalrelief.org/church-in-action/worship-resources/prayers-and-liturgies