the other side of the world

As I write this, Mark is getting ready to wake up and begin his day in Nairobi, Kenya.

He's been in Africa almost two weeks now

at a translation conference. 

In his Skype message to me this morning, he wrote: 

What a great group of guys. It's such a privilege to be doing this work, 

and to be serving with men like this.

I've loved some of the photos he's shared with us, and thought you might enjoy them, too...

Of course, Mark is exploring this new surroundings on his morning runs, 

and he came across this sign one morning.

It's a little different than the signs in our neighborhood.

 Mark's enjoyed how friendly the children are, and how surprised to see him running by their homes!

 Yes, he's really on the other side of the world...

 ...and the personalized Coke bottles look a little different than the ones at Kroger.

 Mark wondered if the chickens were part of the payment,

or part of the cure?

 

 Thanks for your prayers for Mark, and for the others he's working with during this conference.

We'll share more in the near future about the trip!

"Reading the scripture in another language is like eating a banana with the skin on. 

Now the scripture in my language is satisfying . . . 

like a sweet banana. I can't get enough of it!"

-recipient of a newly-translated NT...

all quiet on the home front

Life in the U.S. is just not as exciting to blog about.

We see many of you on a regular basis, and you know what we're up to and how we're doing!

But for those of you who are going through withdrawal from more details,

the following is for you.

:)

**************

Elise and Amy have completed their first semester at college.  

They've worked hard, made friends,

and assimilated into a student body of 20,000 pretty smoothly

for a couple of MKs*.

(*MKs - missionary kids)

Amy and Elise pose in front of their dorm building with Mark's mom who honored us with a visit

They are pretty happy to be on break, but are already buying books for next sem.

Michael's finished his first semester of high school,

and has been using his extra time to play some disc golf,

learn archery, 

and cut into new foam board

to create small r/c planes perfect for the front yard.

Mark and Michael do a Saturday airplane build together

Michael flies his Mini Scout in the front yard

December in Georgia means that it's cotton-pickin' time.

I had never seen fields and bales of cotton before coming to Georgia!

  It also means that it's time to put up some Christmas lights,

Michael does the high parts for Mark who doesn't like heights...

 ...and to bake Christmas treats.

Time for family ping-pong tournaments...

  (with thanks to Sunju for the perfect-sized dining room table, 

and to A&J for the removable ping pong net!)

Though it's been a busy season for Mark in his work,

it's been a delight to hear the voices of all our kids laughing together again,

and to see Amy and Elise have the time to read

and practice driving, and exercise creativity.

And now it's almost time for Christmas...

for a remembrance of the coming of our Savior,

and a reminder to come and adore Him,

for He alone is worthy!

photo thanks to Kay Heritage ♥

We wish you all a season of joy!

Good news from heaven the angels bring,
Glad tidings to the earth they sing:
To us this day a child is given,
To crown us with the joy of heaven.
~ Martin Luther

 

but not Isaiah

I opened my computer one morning and started up a translation program I use to produce Scripture resource materials for the *Na people, a minority language group in a South East Asian country.  I chose a familiar memory verse to go with the story of Christ’s birth from Isaiah’s 9^th chapter:

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon his shoulder...

I typed in the reference, ready to copy the verse from the Na version into my document.   
Instead, four chilling words punctured an otherwise blank screen.   

Book does not exist.

I sat stunned as it sank in that the book of Isaiah does not exist in the Na language.   


In 2011 our family lived for a week in a Na village.  

 The Na people  shared their homes with us, cooked for us, worshiped together with us in their local church, produced their very first VBS with us, and laughed with us at our feeble attempts to speak their unfamiliar language.   

They have the entire New Testament,  the translation of Genesis is complete,

 and Exodus and Daniel are now being printed.   

But not Isaiah.   

And there’s still no Micah or Deuteronomy.  

 No Nehemiah or Kings.  

 Most of the Old Testament is still a closed book to them.  

The Na people do not know, they have not heard, that the Creator of the ends of the earth does not grow weary, or that to those who have no might He increases strength.  (Is 40:28-29) 

They’ve never heard the majestic Messianic prophecies from Isaiah 53, of the man of sorrows, acquainted with grief, the one on whom was laid the iniquity of us all.   

Though their righteous deeds are like filthy rags (Is 64:6) they don’t know to ‘come now and reason together’ to be washed whiter than snow (Is 1:18).  

I’ve begun reading Isaiah again with deeper gratitude than ever before.   I’m also all the more thankful for the faithful partnership so many of you have shared with us as we, in our new roles in missions, support translators who work to erase those terrible words,  

Book does not exist.  

Together let’s make God’s Word known in every language so that every tribe, every tongue may know the One who came as ‘a light for the nations,’ that His salvation ‘may reach to the end of the earth!’  (Isaiah 49:6)

“The grass withers, the flower fades, 

but the word of our God will stand forever.” 

Isaiah 40:8

*Na is a pseudonym for security reasons.

**Note: Traditionally Bible translators have focused on translating the New Testament first, but there’s a growing appreciation for the importance of Old Testament Scripture in understanding the Gospel.

is it worth it? part 2

"Is it worth it?  

I mean, moving your family overseas, giving up your good job?  

Do you think that what you do is worthwhile?  Like you make a difference?  

Is it worth it?"

In the last post we took a look at the second part of the question, so today let's look at the first part:

"Is it worth it?  I mean, moving your family overseas, giving up your good job?"

This move we took, to leave regular employment, to live by faith, and to transport our family to a foreign country, was a bit of a step of faith.  We really had no idea what we were getting into!  But we were convinced that God was leading us, and so what else could we do?  And the move resulted in amazing blessing for our family.  Together we left what was 'safe' to venture into the unknown, and together we watched God be faithful over and over again.  That bonds a family pretty tight.

So many missionaries, intent on doing something, 

forget that His main work 

is to make something of them.

-Jim Elliot

 

Worth it for our family

We had unique opportunities (read the past 4 years of our blog!) together that we'll always fondly recall. The community we lived in was close, and that gave us even more closeness as a family.  We struggled together with minor inconveniences, laughed together once they were over, and spent more time around the table than in vehicles on our way to events.  It was a rich environment offering unusual chances to learn, serve, work and play.  Our kids mused at one point how good it would have been to have arrived in Davao earlier in their lives!  It was worth it.

 Worth it in our marriage 

The move was healthy for our marriage, too.  Yes, every season of transition puts pressure on a marriage.  But once we had settled, we found that for the first time in our lives, we were truly working toward the same cause.  We worked with the same people, and I could visit Mark in his office at any time of the day without special permission and a visitor's pass (like at his former job!)  We found that we only grew in common goals, and that our marriage was strengthened through the change.

 Individual benefits

Not only was the move into missions good for our family as a whole, and for our marriage, but it was worthwhile for each of us individually. For Mark, this move into missions was not a flight of fancy, nor the whim of the moment.  I believe that it was a long-term calling which I, perhaps unwittingly, actually held him back from pursuing earlier in our marriage by my love of security.  He has never been so vested, so excited about any work he has ever done.  Though he still loves aeronautics, he never ever found such fulfillment in that industry.  He has been challenged, and his background and personal strengths have equipped him well to do exactly what he does.

For me, this move was a step of faith which God used to challenge me spiritually, and to reveal more of my need for Him.  Could I ask for anything better?  He's given me rich friendships with Filipinos who love Him and me, and with missionaries who love me for who I am, and for the fact that we are working together in service for Him.  He's faithfully provided all I need, and given me opportunities to share with others who have so very much less than I. How rich is that?  He's opened doors for me to do work I've never done before, and I can see even more opportunities in the future that look incredibly interesting to me.  Yes!  It's been worth it.

For Amy, it confirmed her early frugal bent, and provided her with a plethora of ways to find inventive ways to be creative, which she never would have needed to employ in this land stocked with every craft supply you could dream of.  It opened the door for her to play competitive sports at the high school level, to make friends in a multicultural community, and to play her flute and ply her pen and learn contentment in a world away from the materialism of America.

For Elise, it fulfilled an early calling that she felt to become a missionary - long before she knew that we were considering missions.  As someone who had strong sentimental attachments, it gave her the grounds to grow in holding the things of this earth less tightly.  Elise had opportunities to use her artistic skills in ministry, doing both graphic design work and photography in ways that blessed other missionaries around us.  Like Amy, she had opportunities to play high school music and sports, and to grow beautiful multicultural friendships.

For Michael, it shaped his world view. He was overseas during some of the most formative years of his life. He's not entirely at home in the US where you have to use cross walks and seat belts, and there's no rice at McDonald's.  He had a community where he was free to come and go on his own.  He was friends with everyone, from the local grave diggers to the local guards, from poor kids in rags sporting smiles just as bright as his, to wealthy kids so rich they had their own chauffeurs.  He has learned early that material stuff can be unnecessary baggage, and that friendships make you rich.  I think it's been worth it.

Millions have never heard of Jesus. We ought not to ask, 

"Can I prove that I ought to go?' but, 

"Can I prove that I ought not to go?";

-Charles Spurgeon

 

So, what do you think?  

Could this sort of decision be just as worth it for you?