More Malawi

We recently heard from the Burns' family in Malawi and we are happy to report their vehicles are working again! They had two vehicles that had broken down and no way to fix them. A couple of men from Western Washington heard about the problem and headed over with the sole purpose of getting the cars back on the road. And they did! This is a great example of how God can use all of us for His good. All skills are needed and much appreciated! I hate to think what would have happened if those men would not have made the trip.


Along with the praise of working vehicles comes a prayer request - also having to do with transportation. Malawi is having a gasoline crisis. The government buys and sells the gas but because Malawi is so far in debt countries are no longer selling gas to it. This is causing great distress. The Burns are close enough to the border that they are able to cross over into Mozambique and buy gas in gallon containers on the side of the road. But hold on to your seats - the gas is selling for the equivalent of over $11 per gallon!! Yikes - that four dollars per gallon is not looking so astronomical anymore. The huge costs are not only felt 'at the pump' - but the gas crisis is raising prices of everything. Many Malawians are suffering. Please join us and say a prayer for the Burns' family and their Malawian friends... and don't forget to thank God for His provision of working vehicles.

Happy Thanksgiving!

No matter what is going on in our lives, may we remember we all have so much to be thankful for! "...let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe," Hebrews 12:28b

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Beki Rohan Update

Beki Rohan has been in Niger for about nine months now and I have been trying to periodically keep you updated on her ministry. She has a praise to share - the recent purchase of a new moto! She has pictures of it on her website and - what a ride! I can't even imagine riding one of those - let alone having one break down constantly while I was out and about. She gives God glory for His timing and provision - let's join her!

Beki has also admittedly recognized that change is a real part of her life. A change on the horizon is leaving Niger to attend an intensive language school in France. She plans to go for a few months in 2012 - hopefully February - June. Although Beki does speak French, this school will be extremely beneficial to her continued work in Niger.

For more information and to see photos - check out her website: http://web.me.com/bekilynn

I Won!

Wow! Sometimes it is crazy the way things happen. I mean, in the midst of a difficult few weeks something amazing happened - I won a sewing machine! Can you believe it? Putting my name in drawings stopped a long time ago because I never won. Sometimes I even wondered if anyone actually won those drawings. But a few weeks ago we were out and Rob dropped my name in and.... I won! I was thrilled! We had just been talking about being in desperate need of some encouragement, of something good. And low and behold God gave me a sewing machine! Some might believe in chance or luck but I know it was the hand of God giving me a glimpse of sunshine in the midst of a storm. And I am ever so thankful!!

One With Them

As I sit here in church my heart is sinking and tears are falling - yes, that's right, I am writing this (on paper) during church. My mind is swirling - I hear the sermon but God has my heart and I am crumbling. Today is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church - a day, one day, set aside for believers in Christ to come together to support and pray for those being persecuted for their faith - for our brothers and sisters in Christ, for our family - and the church I attend has chosen, deliberately chosen, not to partner with the persecuted church. I am shocked, angry, sad and utterly broken. Now, I understand that there are a lot of 'causes' that we each hold as dear and important - but the cause of Christ is not negotiable.
Part of the pain I am feeling is because a lot of other things are happening here today, announcements, events, video clips - and yet, the leadership was approached a month ago, resources were loaned and volunteers were made available to do whatever was needed in order to help the church unite with our family around the globe - to join believers around the world in praying for the same thing on the same day at the same time. (Just imagine the power ...)
There were several follow-ups but nothing was said, and now church is going on as normal.
My tears are still flowing. Did you know that nearly 70% of the world's population live in countries without religious freedom - with severe consequences to following Christ - suffering - alone? A couple of ministries we are involved with are Open Doors and Voice of the Martyrs. Each has a website and I encourage you to check them out. My family and I are currently wearing 'barbed wire' bracelets that say One With Them - put out by Open Doors. And we will continue to be ONE WITH THEM.

*on a side note - I was just told that next week someone will publicly pray for the persecuted church during the service. And to be honest, that leaves me with mixed emotions. It is wonderful that an acknowledgement of the suffering of our brothers and sisters will be made. It is also very disheartening that nothing was done today, on the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. I mean, it might be just me but today was the day. If my husband did not acknowledge my birthday on my birthday I would be terribly upset. (Good thing I have a wonderful husband who always makes me feel special on my birthday - even when he is away!) So, for me it isn't exactly 'too little too late' because any prayer for those suffering is great - but I am still deeply saddened because the church I attend chose not to join with others but to try to do their own thing at their own time seemingly for convenience sake. And if we learn anything from the persecuted church it is that following Christ is not convenient - nor should it be. May we not hold on to our own agendas but may we put Christ and His people first. ONE WITH THEM

Persecuted Church

November 13, 2011, is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.
The banner in the photo above was hanging in our home until last week when we loaned it to the church we attend. (Hopefully, they will hang it on Sunday.) The banner has been a tangible, daily reminder helping our family keep the persecuted church in our thoughts and prayers. Too easily we seem to forget that our brothers and sisters in Christ are being whipped, beaten, tortured, imprisoned, shunned, killed, persecuted - today. Right now. As we read our Bibles, go to church, drive kids to AWANA, listen to our hymn cd and such, we forget how blessed we are to be able to do those things without fear - and yet, maybe it comes too easy or us. What if there was the threat of real persecution? What if we had to choose life or Christ? I am so humbled by the steadfastness of those around the world who are a part of the persecuted church. On Sunday, November 13, 2011, please join me in partnering with them and participating in the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Please pray for those being persecuted as well as those missionaries serving in restricted and hostile nations.
Here are just a few noteworthy items.
*In Laos eleven orphans are being pressured by the director of the orphanage they live in to stop attending church. If they don't they will need to leave the orphanage - they will be alone on the streets.
*The government in Iran took children away from Christian parents and will only return them if the parents file complaints against and give information about other believers.
*Attacks on Christians in Nigeria continue - over 100 followers of Christ were killed in September alone.
*The decapitated body of a kidnapped Christian was found in Somalia.
*In Myanmar, Christian youth are being forced to choose between faith and family.
*The government in Eritrea arrested 90 Christians in a recent crackdown.
*Whole villages are being burned to the ground in northern Africa.
*And the list goes on and on and on and....
We must remember there are many places around the world where inviting a friend to church could get you arrested and beaten and where following Christ could, literally, cost you your life.
"Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering." Hebrews 13:3
November 13, 2011 - International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church

Birds and Worms

While walking through downtown Mt. Vernon last weekend, we saw a sign for sale in a shop window. Painted on the sign were the words - the early bird gets the worm. There were other home decor items for sale in the window but as we kept walking that phrase rattled around in my head. Even after browsing through three antique shops and a fabric store the bird and the worm hadn't left my mind. The phrase itself wasn't new - I had heard it a thousand times - so why the bird and worm took up residence in my head was beyond me. But then I knew. Perspective.

If one is a bird it is best to get up early - but from a different perspective it is best to sleep late. Just think about the worm. It is that friendly, little, wiggly worm that is still burrowing in the recesses of my mind.

You see, pain comes in many different forms and this past week was painful, very painful, for me personally, as well as for several people who are dear to my heart. And when it came to perspective, I failed. I am still failing. As I look forward to the week ahead I still see pain, lots of pain. And to be honest, I don't like it. At all. But maybe, like the worm, I need to look at things from a different perspective.

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

As we walk the path of pain, may we remember the worm and keep perspective.

Ntcheu

The district of Ntcheu is located between the two main cities in Malawi - Lilongwe in the north and Blantyre in the south. It is located near the border of Mozambique and is the area where we would like to go. We read of a pastor living in this district who visits 60 churches a month on an old worn out bicycle in order to bring encouragement, prayer and teaching to other followers of Christ. And he does this joyfully and willingly while trying to support his family on less than one dollar a day. You can do the math - gone a lot, no support, little training. How incredible would it be for this man to have a new bicycle? financial support for his family? Biblical training? a partner in ministry? a time of refreshment?

The primary language spoken in Ntcheu is Chichewa. So as the desire to take a trip there deepens we thought we should learn at least a bit of the language - and since you are walking this journey with us, we would like to share a few of the phrases we are working on.

Si ndi kumva. -- I don't hear (understand). (This is a good one to start with, don't you think?)
Mu nenenso pang'ono pang'ono. -- say it again slowly
Moni. -- hello (o as in go and i as in hit)
Muli bwanji? -- how are you?
Ndi ma ku-konda-ni. -- I love you
and we already know - zikomo -- thank you
One down and only a bajillion to go!