The Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport has seen much of me in the last few months, and it isn’t done seeing me. In September I took a vision trip to Myanmar. In October, November, and December it was to Colorado. In January, I flew to Mexico. This February it will be Liberia with a trip to Singapore in March. In April, I’ll put the passport away for a while.

Getting on an airplane doesn’t make you a missionary. As a WorldVenture Missionary Appointee there is plenty to keep me busy even without absolute certainty as to where I am going.

Purpose: With the “where” of my vision ambiguous, I have focused on defining the “what” of my purpose statement. My vision is to disciple and mentor young people so that they can share Christ with the next generation.

Plan: God’s Moral Will is clear in Scripture. We are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and love our neighbor as ourselves. His Individual Will for our lives is sometimes harder to understand. James 4:15 says, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” So, I proceed to make plans to minister in a certain place in the world. The whole time I recognize that my plans are secondary to what He wills for me to do. So far, my plan is to travel to Liberia for two weeks to encourage the Nationals who are now fully running the ministry. I will travel to Singapore and Thailand to explore what options are available for me to plant my ministry.

Partners: Over the next year and a half or so, I will not only be “Fundraising.” Getting the finances in place so that I can minister overseas is part of it, but the bigger picture is to develop partners. The focus here is on the relationships. I am looking forward to meeting with you one-on-one to build this relationship.

Presentations: I have enjoyed preparing and giving the first of many presentations. Not do I present my vision for the purpose of inviting you to be a financial partner, I present on what it means to follow God’s missionary call. If you would like me to come to your Sunday School Class, school, or office group to present on either of these topics, let me know.

Praise: Life can get pretty overwhelming sometimes. I praise God that he allowed me to spend quality time with my brother's family in Cancun, Mexico two weeks ago. Not only did I escape one of Minnesota's coldest weeks, I had a chance to slow down, recharge, and refresh my perspective that my times are indeed in God's hands!

Prayer: I love that we often can't see what's around the corner. I feel this makes us depend on God more. However. These next few steps that I'm about to take are big ones. I'd like to know where I'm going. As I journey to Southeast Asia, pray that God makes it clear where he would like to plant me. Pray that I would leave with a clear picture of what my ministry in Southeast Asia will look like.

Financial Gifts: Will you make a financial contribution to my upcoming vision trip to Southeast Asia? Make checks payable to WorldVenture including my account number, 071 on the memo line. Mail it to the address at the bottom of this email.

Stay connected: I update my blog weekly, Come check it out at www.cedarandstone.blogspot.com.

From Southeast Asia to the Mountains of Colorado I find myself less attached to the ground I stand on, and more secure in the solid Rock of Jesus Christ than ever before. Have you felt like time is out of your control? Take a peak at what God is doing, pray with me about how you and I fit into his master plan, and be encouraged and refreshed by His word as it has worked out through the life of His servant.

Myanmar Report

Interested to see if Myanmar was my new venue, WorldVenture flew me there for two weeks in September. I met up with a national named Paul. Paul serves as the vice president of a Bible School, seeking to disciple young men and women to carry on the ministry of the four children’s homes he started in the area. Paul has a strategic vision for reaching his world for Christ.

Although I was impressed with God’s hand among these people and was able to joyfully serve with them teaching English, leading them in worship, and even preaching on a Sunday morning, I had the impression that God is preparing a different field for me. My good intentions and long-term presence may only hinder the sustainability of their ministry. The Holy Spirit is active among these people; it was a joy for me to experience this short term.

World Venture Appointment

On Monday, October 27 at 10:00 AM Mountain Time, I will enter into a two-hour interview that will culminate the months of preparation I have undergone this summer. A rigorous schedule will follow as I will become familiar with the ins and outs of WorldVenture, build relationships with the staff that will walk with me, and train to stand on God’s Word wherever he sends me.

From time to time I know I will look up into the mountains with desire. There are still two unsummited peaks in the Front Range that I want to hike. But that desire will drive me to reminded Psalm 121:1-3. “I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—He who watches over you will not slumber.” No matter where I go, He will go with me and help me.

The Will of God

I met with my mentors, Jeff Anderson, Sam Raia, and Scott Whitehurst yesterday. As they prayed with me, they reminded me that if I walk with God, He will direct me where I should go. Proverbs 3:5-8 was a good reminder of this. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.” This is a promise I can hold on to.

As I have sought commit myself fully to the Lord, I was also reminded to not underestimate the desires of my heart. Psalm 37:4-5 says, “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:” So as I pray about where God will send me, these are the desires I have identified and begun to pray over:

• I desire to be bring glory to God in everything I do
• I desire to be in a place where I can have strategic impact to unreached peoples (i.e. the 10/40 Window)
• I desire to be in a place where a WorldVenture team already exists
• I desire to be in a place where I can minister to children in an academic environment

These are exciting times to be alive! There are so many things I don’t know, more that I can’t hold on to, and I feel perfectly secure. My theme verse continues to be Psalm 31:15a, “My times are in His hands.” The Lord determines my days: when I was born, when I will die, and every day in between. The Apostle Paul reminds me to not be anxious for anything. How can I when I believe that it’s the Lord who holds my times in His hands? Are His hands big enough? Is He a trustworthy God? His Word tells me He is. And I have no reason to believe otherwise.

Reminders:
Send me your mailing address if you want my fundraising letter. If your address has changed please let me know.

World Trivia

What is the 10/40 Window?

1. A strategic window between 2010 and 2040 when we will either see world revival or world depravity. This is why it is so important for the church to unite and pray.
2. The strategic age between 10-years-old and 40-years-old when people around the world tend to be most sensitive to the gospel.
3. The area of the world between the 10th parallel and the 40th parallel from West Africa to East Asia where there are the highest concentrations of unreached peoples.
4. The physical dimensions (10 feet by 40 feet) of the window at the WorldVenture headquarters that frames one of the most stunning views of the Rocky Mountains.

The answer will be on the next newsletter

Last issues newsletter: On Monday, August 13, 2008, nine armed robbers were captured. How were they punished?

A. Burned alive by a Liberian mob
B. Gunned down by UN troops
C. Fine of US$20,000 given by Liberian National Police
D. Prison sentences issued by Liberian Center for National Justice

Believe it or not, the answer is A. Burned alive by a Liberian mob. Is that justice?

It’s summer. Do you hear the buzz? The bees are busy making honey. Do you hear the buzz? You thought this was a summer break, but with school two weeks away, you feel like you haven’t had a moment to yourself. Do you here the buzz? It’s been months since you heard from me and my last newsletter wasn’t that informative. Well, let me fill you in on the buzz. Ready to hear it?

The Buzz

Liberia: With reports of armed robberies near our house in Mount Barclay, the locals have advised us to not return long-term. Whitney accepted the 4th grade teaching position at Calvin Christian School, and I am working with a new organization. Sarah Desombre is taking two weeks off of work to return and help the nationals get the new school year rolling. I’ll return for a week or so in November, and Whitney will return over Christmas. They will see all of our faces before the year is out. Our hope was for this to be Liberian run, now they are taking charge and making it happen. Praise the Lord!

OrphanAge Foundation: Jon and Julie Wright are faithfully holding up the King’s Arms Academy while they are in this transition. The US-side King’s Arms Academy Board, Chaired by Julie Verdoorn, is meeting regularly to continue supporting the school without enabling them. Fundraisers and opportunities to support the ministry in Liberia are still in full swing.

WorldVenture: In February I made initial contact with the organization formerly known as CBInternational. In May I was sent the application packet and scheduled for my official appointment at the end of October in Denver. WorldVenture has been around since 1942 and know how to take care of long-term missionaries. I have been impressed with the staff and ministry of WorldVenture and am excited to be considered one of their full-time missionaries. Once I am appointed, I will begin securing pledges for support. Check them out on the web (web link on right).

Myanmar: I still don’t know where in the world I will be serving with WorldVenture, so they are sending me on some vision trips. In two weeks, I head back to Myanmar to explore ministry options in education. I’ll head back to Liberia too later in November, but WorldVenture wants to get a feel as to where they could send me.

FUNdraising

I’m at it again. Fundraising. Some dread it, but I find it exciting, even fun. To me, I see how we are all dependent on each other in the body of Christ. I see how God uses all of our sacrifices to create a beautiful mosaic that glorifies Him! You get to touch the nations with the gospel without even setting foot on an airplane.

Here are three paths on which you can walk with me:

 Send in a one-time gift for my vision trips to Myanmar and Liberia. This has to come pretty fast, so I’m sending snail mail copies of this support letter to you if I have your address. Mail your check written and sent to WorldVenture (address at the bottom of this email), with my account number, 6158-875, in the memo line.

 Pray about being one of my full-time financial partners. Upon my return from Colorado in November, I will begin accepting pledges for long-term ministry with WorldVenture.

 Pray! Pray for my financial support, my safety, and my discipline to hear God’s voice through His Word and in prayer.

You are my team and my family. I echo Paul’s prayer in Philippians, “I thank my God every time I remember you.” Thanks again, in advance, for how much you are a part of making a difference around the world.

A Nomadic Summer

This summer has been filled with blessings. I prayed for my house to be rented and a missionary couple home from North Africa moved in June 15. As a result, I have had the unique opportunity to minister within families when I am not house or pet sitting. My Manny jobs have been enjoyable while providing that needed gas money. I have had quality time with people and hours praising God as I drive with my top down in my Jeep Wrangler. Thanks to the best car sales man I’ve ever met, Jeff “The Mini-Van Man” Stone.

With no regular home, I am forced to depend on God. I am reminded that there is nothing in this world that I can hold on to. God is trustworthy and faithful to provide ALL that I need. I know there are dozens of people that would put me up at night if I needed. So, I can’t say that I’m homeless. I am blessed!

Reminders:

Send me your mailing address if you want my fundraising letter. If your address has changed please let me know.

Prayer Points

Pray for Sarah Desombre while she coaches the administration and teachers at the King’s Arms Academy to have an effective, Christ-centered, Liberian-run K-9 school for this next school year and beyond.

Pray for Whitney as she transitions to teaching back at Calvin Christian while her heart is still in Liberia.

Pray for the KAA School Board as it continues to meet and provide hands-on support opportunities.

Pray for appointment to WorldVenture in October and God’s direction as to where He will have me serve full time.

Pray for my upcoming trip to Myanmar, not only that the finances will be in place for that vision trip, but that my WorldVenture team of 3 will remain safe while making divine connections for future ministry.

    “It’s about time you were informed!” I’m saying that to you, but I’m wishing that was God’s word to me. No, you haven’t heard from me because of my lack of Internet, no you haven’t heard from me because of my lack of current. You haven’t heard from me because newsletters are supposed to be informative. The problem is, I haven’t had much to inform.
Every day I wake up begging God to revel how this is all going to work out. Nope, He’s simply replying with, “Trust me. Wait. This is in My hands not yours. Don’t worry about it, I see a slightly bigger picture than you.”
So here’s the update without the news. Maybe God is using my journey to be a blessing to you.

Mountain Climbing, A Faith Lesson

I love mountain climbing! I have made it my goal to summit all six of Colorado’s Front Range 14ers. For those of you not familiar with the terms, a 14er is a mountain over 14,000 feet above sea level. Currently I have hiked four of the six peaks, Pikes (14,110), Longs (14,255), Torreys (14,267), and Grays (14,270).
There are certain preparations I have to take before beginning these hikes. If I do them, I am more likely to succeed in reaching the summit. A few rules that I hike by are these:
1.) Don’t wear cotton. When you perspire at 9,000 feet, wet cotton doesn’t feel so good at 13,000 feet.
2.) Bring plenty of water. Altitude sickness is miserable. Water will help you avoid it. Having granola bars, dried fruit, and nuts is also a good idea.
3.) Start early. You want to be off the summit and begin your decent before 10 am if possible. Storms frequently move in as the afternoon approaches. And storms above the timberline can be fatal.
Having planed your trip well, you stand a good chance of success. It would be ridiculous to consider hiking to the top a 14er without preparing. In the same way, it would be unwise to head back to Liberia without properly preparing for the journey.
As I discover how to be better prepared for Liberia, I am discovering in God’s word how to face these mountains:
It’s a difficult journey, but Hebrews 12:11 says, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, yet painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
According to Psalm 90:2, God has been around before the mountains ever were and Zechariah 4:6-7 and Isaiah 54:10 say that He’ll be around long after too. So no matter what mountain I’m facing. God is more worthy of my trust.
Matthew 17:20 tells us that mustard-seed-sized faith can move mountains. Nothing will be impossible for me. I believe that God will allow me to move along the path he has laid out.
1 Corinthians 13:2 faith to move mountains is pretty impressive, but love is more important. As I journey, I will be tempted to focus on my journey rather than following Christ’s example of sacrificing His comforts to put others first.
The bottom line of this lesson: Each day that I wake up, I have to reaffirm my faith that God will work everything out for what is best, today. This reaffirmation is not necessary because of God’s lack of attention span; it is necessary because I am very human. While I labor on this side of heaven, I have this corrupted sin nature that is wasting away. As 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 reveals, that day by day renewal is helping to reveal the eternal weight of glory of Jesus Christ. I need to train my eyes to look at the things that will last longer than the mountains. Even when the mountains have crumbled away, Christ will continue to reign forever.

My Turn to Give Back to You

I am beginning on an application process with a new sending organization that may or may not get me back to Liberia in the way that I expect. While I wait on the Lord as each new day comes, I am faced with the reality that I need summer employment. Quite possibly I can serve you with your needs at the same time.
Call me if you need me for any of the following:

• You have a son or daughter who would benefit from one-on-one summer school. I will tutor your son or daughter in any of the core subject areas.
• You are going away for a week or more. I will stay in your house to ensuring your plants stay watered and your pets stay fed.
• You have a garden that has gotten out of hands and you don’t have the time to putts with it. I will weed it, mulch it, and help to make it beautiful.

My phone number is 612-270-6286. Or if you prefer email, just hit reply.

Reminders:

Send me your mailing address if you want my fundraising letter. If your address has changed please let me know.

Prayer Points

Whitney Walstra arrives in Minneapolis Tuesday night, June 3 on a United Airlines flight from Chicago. Pray for her safe and uneventful transition home. Come to the Baggage Claim of the Minneapolis/St. Paul Lindbergh Terminal Airport at 6:26 PM to welcome her home. (She likes unmelted M& M’s and Caribou gift cards.)

Pray for the KAA School Board as it meets to create solutions so that the ministry in Liberia can continue.

Pray for the KAA School Board as they travel out of state to meet with potential partner organizations.

Pray for my personal sending agency application process, which could take four to five months to complete.

Pray for a renter for my house. The whole house can be rented out and I would move in with family in town. Or, the finished studio basement could be rented separately to a single, male if need be.

As soon as I could escape the crawl of passengers deplaning, I literally ran to the baggage claim in the Minneapolis, St. Paul Airport. There, I was able to meet for the very first time, Margaret, my new niece born December 19, 2007. The warm reception I received helped to compensate for the frigid winter air that chilled any memory I ever had about being overheated in Liberia’s humid dry season. I was home.

One Missionary Needing Prayer

Living in the United States is quite comfortable, even when the weather is one degree. Turn up the thermostat, take a hot shower, and cuddle up with a cup of hot cocoa and Facebook your friends. I like coming home; my friends and family are close, even if they live across town.

Whitney’s still in Liberia. She is safe. My roommate, John Nyan, and kids from the mission are staying at the house with her. The security guards promised to be extra vigilant when I left. But she alone is the missionary on call for every disaster at the King’s Arms Academy. She has the hard job of the hands-on ministry while I enjoy the comforts of the Western World. Do not cease praying for her! She has this final stretch to run for the next three months and I know from experience that the job is not easy.

Two Months in Summary

The hectic days resumed after Whitney’s parents left at the beginning of January. We worked through some of the growing pains of ministry as we communicated with the home base. We had multiple meetings with numerous people looking ahead to next year and beyond. The day-to-day grind at the school left us exhausted at the end of each day, but somehow the Lord always prompted the kids to give us extra hugs. I love how God will often use simple reminders of His love and faithfulness. The challenge is making sure our flesh doesn’t get in the way of seeing them.

My aunt, Terry Lynn, and her prayer partner, Lynn had a timely arrival on the second of February. They lived the chaos with us, teaching us to face the rudeness of the culture with a smile. One thing that my aunt said was, “When you just look at your problems they can seem fairly large, but when you compare them to our God they seem pretty small.” It wasn’t long before our feelings of frustration and discouragement were lifted. They brought perspective, encouragement, and love from home. On more than one occasion we found ourselves laughing at what may cause some to cry.

Three Legs on our Dog

It began as any other typical morning. I scooped the farina and dog food casserole into the three dog dishes as the morning light just began to make things visible. I plopped a dish in front of Ernie, then Konah, and then in front of… where was Howie? Howie was always punctual for breakfast, always.
When devotions began that morning of January 30, Howie still was a no show. Suddenly, Elliot, our security guard came running down the school hallway. “Howie’s been caught in a trap. I can’t get him out. Come.” Sure enough, after walking across our neighbor’s property, we found Howie, alive, but all tangled up in a thin wire. His eyes were bulging and his right front paw was wedged beneath his bloody chin. It took three of us over ten minutes to gently cut and untwist the wire from the branches to release him. He had been in the trap for the past sixteen hours.

Over the next week, Howie recovered from his stiff muscles and cut up mouth, but his front right paw did not fare so well. Day by day he began to gnaw away the arm that was attracting flies and maggots. We thought it was only a matter of time before the gangrene would claim the life of our pet.

On February 7, we finally were blessed to have Passaway, a Liberian veterinarian from a nearby farm come to Howie’s aid. We thought a man with that kind of a name was a bad sign. However, after Howie’s leg was amputated, he recovered marvelously well! He occasionally suffered from phantom pain, but his appetite never wavered, even with the new nick names, Gimp and Tripod. Some of the smaller children would ask, “Will a new leg grow back.”

“No,” Whitney would reply, “but the old leg will grow a new dog.” Howie has kept us laughing on those days when we thought we’ve all but lost a limb.

Four Logistical Matters needing Replies.

“When are you going back?” I am asked.

“September first,” I say. At least that’s what I’m praying for. It seems impossible with everything that has to be done. I can’t return until I have a sending organization in place, a management structure for the Academy, and a secured financial situation. But I do know that we serve a big God and we can trust Him for big things. If September 1, 2008 comes and goes then I know that God’s plan is different than I expect. All I want is this: when this is all said and done, I want people to say that only God could have done it.

In this time of transition for me, here are four logistical details you need to know:

•    Please hold donations until I have a sending agency in place that will receive your gifts. Reply to this email if you have questions concerning financial matters.
•    I need a reliable car to use for the spring and summer months. Do you have one that you aren’t using? Reply to this email if you do.
•    I will move out of my house tomorrow if someone wants to rent it. The mortgage of my St. Louis Park home is a strong pull to keep me off the mission field. Reply to this email if you want the house specifics.
•    I would love to include you in my support letter mailing. If you have never received a paper letter from me and would like one when I send them out this spring, please reply to this email with your address.

I love Paul’s words in Philippians; “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you I always pray with joy.” I thank my God for all of you. I couldn’t serve those kids and teachers in Liberia without you.

Liberian Trivia

Who did I see in Kenya on my way home from Liberia?

A.    Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania
B.    Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
C.    Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, President of the Republic of Liberia
D.    Bill Clinton, Former President of the United States of America

The answer will be on the next newsletter

Last issues newsletter: One morning I woke up and looked at the thermometer. It was 64 degrees Fahrenheit! When you’re used to the sweltering 80-90 degrees smoldering you throughout the night, it comes as a welcome relief. The morning sun is a golden orb in a hazy sky these days. And Chap Stick and hand-lotion are necessities. Every year, around this time, prevailing winds change Liberia’s climate for a few short weeks in the middle of the dry season. What is the name given to this wind?

A.    Haboob
B.    Hamsin
C.    Harmattan
D.    Leste

The answer is C. The Harmattan winds are dry and dusty West African trade winds. They blow south from the Sahara across Liberia from December through February. See Wikipedia for more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmattan | Check out other wind names at: http://ggweather.com/winds.html

 

 

Hebrews 12:1 "Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders, and the sin that so easily entangles us, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."

Greetings from Liberia. Some people may say that the pace is slower in Africa. That’s what I thought as I stepped up to the starting line at the beginning of the school year. At the starting shot, I was flung into a roll of administration; I was stretched and challenged beyond anything I had yet experienced. A countdown to my departure in December began to tick in my ears. Whitney and I ran along side our second grade teacher for a while. As I opened the Word, a new vision began to grow that enabled me to persevere.

One Year Ends

At the beginning of November, Whitney recovered from her 48-hour sickness. We enjoyed a visit from Julie Wright, Julie Verdoorn, Brian DeVries, and others in mid-November. They brought energy and encouragement that we enjoyed just as much as the kids. With the refreshing perspective they brought, I decided to postpone my departure until the end of February. While they were here, I was seen for my mild case of river blindness and was treated appropriately. As a result, my itchy skin after bathing lessened. With this hindrance cast aside, I thought the rest of the race might be easier.

On Tuesday, November 27, Franklin Yekeku, our first grade teacher and a caretaker at the mission almost died. He has relapsed into a mysterious heart condition that plagued him in 1997. Now, at age 29, he described the night the pain overtook him once again, "I saw a gate open before me and Jesus was standing there. I recognized him because I saw the nail marks in his hands. He said, ‘Come in. You are suffering; come in.’ But I told him, ‘no,’ because I turned and saw my wife and son standing behind me. ‘I can’t come in yet.’ And the gate closed."

The doctors at ELWA Hospital were inconclusive as to what was wrong, but we believed that spiritual warfare was involved. Like Hezekiah, the Lord extended Franklin’s days. We brought him to a heart specialist at JFK. Although we were still were perplexed as to what caused his symptoms, we were grateful that his condition seemed to be no longer life threatening. He spent the next few weeks slowly recovering in the quietness of our home. He moved back to the mission in time for us to begin preparations for Whitney’s parents and brother and was seen playing soccer in the last week of December. Our eyes saw a glimpse of the grandeur of what God was doing here. The enemy and his legions of darkness did not like it. We believed the Lord allowed these sufferings in our lives if only so we depended on Him all the more. We could not do this by ourselves. This school and this estate were well named. We were truly in the King’s Arms. So, we kept on running.

On Christmas Eve, Whitney’s parents arrived. We took the back way to the airport through the Firestone Rubber Plantation since we figured traffic would be a mess on the main roads. A day before we couldn’t even pass through Red Light on our way to church. After a half-hour of sitting in one spot we turned around and went home. Whitney’s parents and brother arrived early and were some of the first out. Christmas morning, after opening a few humble gifts, we assembled gifts for all of the children at the Mission.

With school out, the extra time was filled to overflowing tie-dying shirts for the kids, working around the house and school, and enjoying time with the family. We welcomed in the New Year to cups of sparkling grape juice. This was a year filled with the blessings of God. His hand has orchestrated everything. We eagerly anticipate what he will do in this next year and beyond.

Another Year Begins

As I gear up for my remaining months here in Liberia, We are looking at this vision the Lord has placed on our hearts. Our vision is to see an effective, Christ-centered, Liberian run school that will impact generations of children. As we help to implement this vision we desire to see teachers become equipped to train others and set an example to other schools of how this model could work in other areas of Liberia. It is our hope that the students that come through the King’s Arms Academy will not only be on the cutting edge of this society in implementing positive change, but also carry out the gospel of Jesus Christ to the unreached people in the villages next-door.

Right now we are working with the OrphanAge Foundation on how this vision can work here. We are excited to explore working with another organization to partner with OrphanAge in making this happen.

 

The Finish Line in Sight

In a few months I will once again fundraise for another year in Liberia, though with a different organization. Will you pray about being a regular supporter when that time comes? I will need 100% of my financial support before I can serve overseas again, and I hope to be back on the ground here by September.

Pray that in these remaining weeks here in Liberia, I can be fully devoted to Christ and His Word, acting not from emotions, but from the deep conviction of the Holy Spirit. The race is marked out for me. Pray that I keep on running it with perseverance.

Serving Christ alone,

Jonathan

Liberian Trivia

One morning I woke up and looked at the thermometer. It was 64 degrees Fahrenheit! When you’re used to the sweltering 80-90 degrees smoldering you throughout the night, it comes as a welcome relief. The morning sun is a golden orb in a hazy sky these days. And Chap Stick and hand-lotion are necessities. Every year, around this time, prevailing winds change Liberia’s climate for a few short weeks in the middle of the dry season. What is the name given to this wind?

1. Haboob
2. Hamsin
3. Harmattan
4. Leste

The answer will be on the next newsletter

Last issues newsletter: What major gasoline company is now building service stations all over the Monrovia area?

1. Shell
2. Super America
3. Holiday
4. Total

The answer is D. Currently there are two Total stations up and running in the greater Monrovia area and more are on the way. We enjoy the quality gasoline, the clean environment, and the friendly employees that raise the business standards for this country.

Karo 12: November 3, 2007

I wish you could have seen and heard the kids as they overwhelmed us when we drove up on Wednesday afternoon. Dozens of hands were thrust through the open windows of our car as utter elation spilled from the orphans of the Children’s Rescue Center. One of the caretakers shoved her baby through the window into Whitney’s arms. Even as the car began moving again, the children barely noticed the tires roll millimeters from their toes.

Surprises awaited us at our house too. Banana’s hung from the trees I had planted last year, a gutter and rain collection system had been installed, and the trim on the house was painted a wild orange that seemed to glow with the excitement of our return. Konah, our guard dog proudly introduced us to her new puppies and some rats had prepared a nose-pinching adventure for us in my mold-infested closet. I had some kids shake out the mildew in my bed sheets and found no trouble sleeping after our three-day journey.

It’s good to be back. The sticky heat makes the cold bucket baths rather enjoyable, and the smiles on the children’s faces make up for challenges I know await me.

"Finally" in Liberia

Proverbs 16:9 says, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." I made plans to work with OrphanAge Foundation for 1-3 years. Now, the Lord is determining what steps I take.
In the last week in was in the United States, there were moments I thought that I would never make it back to Liberia. With no passport and visa, my flesh began to panic. Red flags began to fly and a check in my spirit drove me to God’s word, to godly counsel, and to my knees. Now that I am "finally" here, I am able to continue laboring with the teachers and students at the King’s Arms Academy. But the Lord has also left me with a peace in my heart about being here for the "final" stretch. As I finish strong and make the most of the time I have left with the people here, I will be wrapping up my time with the OrphanAge Foundation in just a few short months.

The OrphanAge Foundation is a small organization but God has used it greatly! Through this foundation, countless lives have been transformed in Myanmar and Liberia. It has provided a channel for funds improve the lives of orphans, teams to reach the hearts of children, and the gospel to be proclaimed across cultures. Over the past year and a half it has been a joy to partner with them on their longest short-term missions endeavor.

As we served here in Liberia, the Lord laid it on our hearts to instill the vision of establishing a Christ-centered school that would be Liberian run and perpetuate future generations of children to receive a quality education. As we began implementing this vision this last year we were hopeful that we would be able to walk with them for the few years it took them to pick up the baton and run. But as I prepared to return at the beginning of this month, the Lord impressed upon my heart to pass off that baton sooner than I expected.

For now, I will proceed with an open mind and heart as I give leadership to implementing this vision of effective, Christ-centered education.

As I return home around Christmas, I plan to pursue career missions. This will probably mean that I will plant myself back in the United States for a few years, even going back into teaching, so that I can research sending agencies, take classes, go through training, fundraise, and prepare for the next mission field God has in store for me.

Serving Christ alone,

Jonathan

Liberian Trivia

What major gasoline company is now building service stations all over the Monrovia area?

1. Shell
2. Super America
3. Holiday
4. Total

The answer will be on the next newsletter

Last issues newsletter: Who will be our third teammate as we serve at the King’s Arms Academy?

1. A young expatriate missionary that we happen to run into on a street in Monrovia
2. A King’s Arms Academy teacher who has no other place to live but the OrphanAge Guesthouse
3. An American College Student taking a semester off to experience the mission field
4. You

   The answer is B, John Nyan is the third grade teacher that I trained in last year. He is humble, compassionate, and willing to put up with two Americans.

 One thing that I love about my laptop is that I can take it anywhere, turn it on and work. I don’t have to worry about the tangle of cords; the little thing is equipped to be fully functional when no current is available. But if two hours pass by, a little orange light begins to flash and a message pops up that tells me save your work and plug in, because my battery only has about five minutes left in it. For nine months in Liberia, I was able to function on the mission field without cords, fully equipped to function away from my family, my friends, and my church. But towards the end, you read my E-Newsletters then, my orange light began to flash. This summer, I have felt reconnected to my main power source. I have had a chance to recharge my battery and prepare for another year disconnected with the comforts of my homeland.

Thank you for helping me recharge this summer. I have been so encouraged by your support for me while I am home. You have given me financial gifts, offered me vehicles, places to stay, words of encouragement, time hanging out together, and reminders of your faithful prayers. No longer do I have an orange light blinking.

Preparing

As I prepare to leave for another year I want to include you again in what God is doing in Liberia. Take a look at the opportunities below and reply to me promptly with your response. I hope to hear back from you by Sunday, August 19, 2007.

Support Options

(Please see "Support" on this website) 

Prayer Points

Myanmar: As we prepared to return to Myanmar for three weeks to teach English once again this year, the Lord laid it on our hearts to trust Him for a different time to return. Marlene Wilson will be carrying on in our absence at the end of August. Pray for her as she teaches adults and children in a culture that is growing less tolerant of our western presence. Pray for the spiritual safety of the staff and children of the orphanage center that OrphanAge Foundation partners with.

Safety: On August 22, we will be transporting some items to Tennessee where they will be loaded on a container to be shipped to Liberia. Pray for safety as we drive. On August 30^th will be the day that we depart for Liberia via Chicago and Brussels. Pray these flights as we travel.

OrphanAge Logistics: As we meet together to debrief this first year and plan for a second, frustrations must be viewed as challenges to increase our faith and mistakes must be viewed as opportunities to improve our methods. We need grace and understanding; we need to be like-minded and Spirit led. We need sharp insight as we creatively prepare to implement huge, godly visions in small, realistic ways.

Renters for my house: with a monthly mortgage payment and no income, being on the mission field is a huge step of faith. As I am confident that the Lord is with me in Liberia, I know that He will provide renters for my home in Minnesota. Pray for this simply to discover God’s faithfulness.

Relationships: Pray that Whitney and I set an example of godliness to those we are serving. Pray that we are united in spirit and effective in our ministry. Pray that God raises up a young godly college student to join us on the mission field for a semester. Pray that the fellowship with the Nationals will be like-hearted and full of joy and grace. Pray that communication will not be hindered due to cultural differences.

Liberian Trivia

Who will be our third teammate as we serve at the King’s Arms Academy?

1. A young expatriate missionary that we happen to run into on a street in Monrovia
2. A King’s Arms Academy teacher who has no other place to live but the OrphanAge Guesthouse
3. An American College Student taking a semester off to experience the mission field
4. You

   We are trusting the Lord that the answer will be on the next newsletter.

   Last issue’s newsletter: Due to the generous donations of wonderful literature from donors in the United States, the students of the King’s Arms Academy have been exposed to countless classics and five-star novels. Students are not only learning about Liberia’s flora and fauna, they also love talking about yellow-spotted lizards, mice that chew the ropes of a captive king, and a mouse that reads fairy tales. From the following four novels, which one was left on the shelf this year, yet is one of my favorite books to read aloud?

   1. The Tale of Despereaux , by C.S. Lewis
   2. The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe , by Louis Sachar
   3. Holes , by Christopher Paul Curtis
   4. The Watson’s Go to Birmingham, 1963
   , by Kate DiCamilo

   The answer is D, The Watson’s Go to Birmingham, 1963, by Christopher Paul Curtis

 

August 6, 2007

 Recharging

 

 

 

It is with mixed emotions that I close out this first year on the mission field. This year has been far from easy. However, the abundance of challenges have come hand in hand with rich blessings far greater than I could have ever thought or imagined.

 

As I am blasted with reverse culture shock, you can bet that my thoughts will often wander back to Liberia, the good and the bad. You may like to know what things I will miss and which ones I was overjoyed to leave behind.

I will miss:

I loved the morning walks to school when more than a dozen children rushed to greet me. They smothered me with hugs and greetings.

I will miss my friends of the missionary community and my home-away-from-home church, Monrovia Christian Fellowship.

I loved teaching those lessons where you could see that the students understood: when the lights on their faces glowed bright and their smiles showed all of their teeth.

There’s not much that can compare with the sunsets through the palm trees, the tranquil ocean swims, and laughter of Liberian children.

I will NOT miss:

I won’t miss grocery shopping in Liberia since you can’t get in and out of the store without being smothered by one-legged ex-combatants asking for money.

It was a challenge facing the abrasive manner of the culture: the loud voices as they complain and argue, the untrustworthiness, and white-man stereotypes.

I loathed driving on Liberian roads. If it’s not a policeman I have to entertain, it’s a pothole I have to avoid. I don’t like driving though Red Light, an area of town where there are so many people surrounding your car as you drive it is a miracle if you don’t hit someone.

I won’t miss the intense, constant, humid heat. I couldn’t leave the house without a handkerchief (in Liberia we called them Sweat Rags).

One thing that living in Liberia has done to me is that it has allowed me to appreciate the simple blessings. Now that I am returning to America, I may find myself exceedingly grateful for things I never noticed before. I will never see running water the same way again. I have gotten used to taking cold bucket baths so the extravagance of a hot shower will be a blessing I will always appreciate!

I have come to love other simple things like a cold glass of clean drinking water, a tin roof that keeps me dry in torrential downpours, and the fragrance of hand-washed laundry hanging on the line.

 

First Corinthians 5:17 says that if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come. I would like to introduce you to some new creations. On Monday nights, I led a Bible study for teenage boys called LIB Excellent. Two of these boys were Elijah Nyanplue, and Mark Weah.

Elijah Nyanplue

Elijah, age 17, has lived at the Children’s Rescue Center Mission for more than five years now. He and His two younger brothers, Emmanuel and Ishmael, were blessed to have a godly mother who would frequently come to see them. She worked hard so that her income could provide for gifts for her three boys when she came to visit. Each time before she left she would pray over her sons. Four years ago the third civil war began. The children at the mission moved and waited out the war. When peace was restored, they returned to their home in Mount Barclay. Since that time, Elijah has never seen his mother. He told me one night that he often cries because of how much he misses her. The other kids tease him for showing emotions. He feels responsible for his younger brothers and doesn’t know what to say when they ask him, "Where is mom?"

Elijah had never told this to an adult before. "When you told us about how much you missed your family in America," he said to me one night, "I knew you would understand." I cried with him, knowing there was nothing I could do to find his mother. At least Jesus Christ can understand that intense pain in Elijah’s heart. Elijah is determined to cling to his Lord and Savior and trust in Christ, even when he doesn’t know what to do.

Mark Weah

Mark is a seventeen-year-old orphan that would often come to the house after school. He was one of our most faithful workers and he seemed to be an ideal example of what it means to grow in Christ. That’s what we thought until we found over $150 missing from our home. Mark’s poor choices and lies led three other children into sin. It was after a Monday night Bible study; Mark stayed behind as they other boys left.

Mark got down on his knees. "Mr. Stone," He began. "I’m sorry for what I did. I will never do it again. Will you forgive me?"

I embraced him and assured him that although the consequences from his actions still existed, I would forgive him. His leadership in taking the first step towards repentance brought the others to do the same. In the month of May, Mark came to the house to work off his debt and each day he gave me more evidence that I could trust him. His countenance changed. He smiled, laughed, and gave me heartfelt eye contact.

On our last night of LIB Excellent, I had just concluded praying over each member. We invited Whitney and Sarah in and were about to begin playing some games. Mark remained kneeled before his chair. I asked if he was okay. "Do you want to come outside and talk?" I whispered to him. He nodded his head and hid his face from his peers as he bolted for the door.

Outside, I just listened to his sobs, waiting for him to speak. "If feel so guilty," he finally sputtered out. My heart began to sink. What if there was more to the story that Mark never admitted? What if he lied in the very act of confessing? I chided myself for doubting his sincerity.

"I feel so guilty," he muttered again. "I caused you so much grief by stealing from you. All you have done is love me and I destroyed what we had. How could you forgive me for what I did?" More sobs spilled out.

"Mark," I began. "I forgave you. What has happened in the past is behind us. You made a poor choice, confessed your sins, then changed how you lived. This whole month I have been watching you to see how you earn that trust back. You have proved yourself faithful. Mark, when Jesus forgave us, he commanded us that we needed to forgive others. Though I was deeply hurt when you broke my trust and my sprit was crushed to see you pull others into sin, I was determined to obey God’s word. I forgave you with my whole heart, longing to restore that trust. Mark, I love you in a way I can’t explain. Christ has provided me with a love that doesn’t make sense. Honestly after watching you this past month, I would say that you have earned more trust than you had before. Now I know what is in your heart. You have undergone genuine transformation. And I can say that I trust you more now than I did before."

Mark lifted his head and his wet black eyes connected with mine. I smile so real spread across his face and forgiveness made itself complete.

 

As I have been seeking the Lord as to what direction He is moving me, this is what I am trusting Him for. In the first weeks that I am home, I will be giving numerous presentations about this year both at Calvin Christian School and at Grace Church. In July, the OrphanAge Foundation will conduct numerous meetings that will iron out some of the wrinkles of its first official year in Liberia. During these summer months I will be fundraising for one more year of ministry with the OrphanAge Foundation. In Mid-August I will once again depart across the Pacific Ocean towards Myanmar. Whitney Walstra, Marlene Wilson and I will continue our ongoing English Classes for three weeks. In the second week of September, I will return to Liberia to complete my second and final year of ministry there.

 

Prayer Points

In July the OrphanAge Foundation will conduct numerous meetings to iron out some of the glitches of this first year.Pray for sharp insight as we plan and prepare for a second year.

Cultural: I want to communicate Christ, not my culture.

Educational: In order to run an effective school, there are counter cultural models the King’s Arms Academy must embrace. Teachers who have only a high-school diploma insist that their way of teaching is best. Some of these teachers believe that implementing universal researched-based methods will destroy their Liberian way of doing things.

Spiritual: My wisdom must come from heaven. (1 Corinthians 2:4)

Liberian Trivia

Due to the generous donations of wonderful literature from donors in the United States, the students of the King’s Arms Academy have been exposed to countless classics and five-star novels. Students are not only learning about Liberia’s flora and fauna, they also love talking about yellow-spotted lizards, mice that chew the ropes of a captive king, and a mouse that reads fairy tales. From the following four novels, which one was left on the shelf this year, yet is one of my favorite books to read aloud?

1. The Tale of Despereaux, by Kate DiCamilo
2. The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis
3. Holes, by Louis Sachar
4. The Watson’s Go to Birmingham, 1963, by Christopher Paul Curtis

The answer will be on the next newsletter.

Last issue’s newsletter: Match the Liberian saying in the numbered list with the correct meaning in the lettered list:

1. "Give me a sof’ drink."
2. "Where’s my weekend?"
3. "My Christmas is on you."
4. "I want to be your friend."

 

1. "You look like someone I want to get to know."
2. "Give me some money."
3. "This week has sure flown by."
4. "Happy Holidays."

The answers are as follows: 1=B, 2=B, 3=B, 4=B. Pretty much, they have multiple ways to ask you for money. The sad part is, there are more.

What’s Next?

New Creations

Reflections

February 20, 2007

It is with great joy that I have the opportunity to write to you again and bring you up to speed of God’s work in Mount Barclay, Liberia. It has been over three months since most of you have last heard from me. Check that your printer has at least six sheets of paper and choose the printable option of this newsletter. When your day’s work is completed, find a comfortable chair with some friends or family and read aloud to enjoy God’s blessings and His sense of humor. Then pray with me for this nation to bring glory to His Name.

Home, Sweet Home

A faint light begins to fill the house. Exotic whooping birds and song-filled creatures welcome in the morning. I ignite our gas stove to start breakfast. I settle down with a cup of coffee and my Bible and read until the kitchen is warm with sunlight and it is just seven o’clock. I step out onto the front porch and smell the clean clothes hanging in the gentle breeze. As I listen to a bee buzz by, I see a cool mist rolling through the palm trees, cassava farms, and wild bush around us. The dew nestled among my newly planted banana and coconut trees is quickly evaporating, as by nine o’clock, the temperature will already be 85°F.

On this particular Tuesday morning, Whitney is on the side porch in her hammock and I am preparing to take a trip into town. We just said good bye to three young boys from the mission who spent the night on the futon in our house. This week is the first week of our semester break. Sarah has traveled back to the States for a few weeks and Whitney and I will try and get some house projects done while spending some well structured time ministering to the children.

The last time we had a break from school was over the Christmas holiday and my parents were here. They were a huge blessing to us. Not only did they encourage us in words and with gifts from our supporters, they served along side us with the children, while cooking and cleaning around our house. Their time went much too quickly and now, it is back to cooking for ourselves and passing on messages from the kids to Mama and Papa Stone by phone or email.

One of the greatest blessings of being out here in Mount Barclay, forty-five minutes from downtown Monrovia, is the quaint seclusion from the noise and activity of the city. At the same time this blessing can also make us frustrated with our lack of ability to communicate. Having no Internet connection and very little electricity to run our computers, we are unable to stay in touch with our supporters as much as we like.

However, frustrations are to be expected and it is the unexpected that makes for great stories to tell. I could tell you all about how convenient our new well is; we only have to walk 30 feet to carry water into the house for flushing, cooking, cleaning, drinking, and bathing. We feel like royalty! Or, I could tell you about our new generator shed that is situated in our backyard. Rows of vegetables have been planted on the side of a winding path leading from the house. I could tell you all about the convenience of having our own vehicle too. These are tools to our ministry and we are so thankful for answered prayer as a way to see God’s faithfulness! These are reasons to praise.

Though, I like telling you more than just the perks of ministry. Sometimes things happen that causes us to be humbled a little bit. God removes certain conveniences so that we realize we are never in control of what He is doing. I believe God has a sense of humor that allows some pretty “frustrating” things to happen so that with a smile on our face, He can put us in our rightful place so that we can see Him for who He is. Plus, these stories are pretty fun to hear and tell.

Take for instance, our trip to bring Sarah to the airport: when the moon roof of you new car malfunctions and you can’t get it closed during a Liberian rainstorm, what do you do? We chose to laugh as we all got soaked. We praised God for rain in the dry season. Our God always provides for us, even when chaos erupts.

Perils of the Road

On weekends prior to our vehicle purchase, we often worked it out so that we have use of the OrphanAge truck. This vehicle is used primarily by our in country director, Frank, for construction work and his transportation to the OrphanAge Office and Internet Café in one of Monrovia’s surrounding communities. Occasionally Sarah or Whitney will choose to remain at the house in Mount Barclay while two of us head to town on errands. I never had the option of staying home since I was the only one, at the time, that could drive a manual transmission. The second and third weekends of December were weekends I wish I could have stayed home.

The first time I was pulled over was at the first check point out of Mount Barclay. The Liberian police usually are just looking for a bribe of some sort. Seeing that Whitney and I were just orphanage teachers without unlimited financial resources, they quit pestering us and just asked us if we could give one of their police officers a ride to Red Light. Officer Nelson was a kind man who just finished a long shift. After some delightful conversation, Nelson blended into the crowd in Red Light and we continued our journey to ELWA, then into downtown Monrovia with smiles on our faces knowing that this was going to be a great day!

In a country that has just been mutilated from war, you can’t expect that all street signs will remain intact. From the way that people drive here, you would never even think that street signs were something that existed. Who would know that you shouldn’t make a U-turn? I had great visibility and no other cars were coming, so I smoothly curved into the opposite direction. A van came into view behind me. As I straightened the wheel into the center lane, the van passed me on the right. The driver leaned out his window, glared at me, and yelled something unintelligible. He then proceeded to hail a police officer up ahead around the bend in the road and relayed my error to him. Sure enough, I met the eye contact of the officer and he flagged me off to the side of the road. Having not seen the offense himself, he realized that I might be the source of a small bribe for him, and decided to pester us a bit.

He asked for my license and I gave him my Liberian driving permit and my Minnesota Driver’s License. Being instructed to carry my permit with me wherever I went, I had it with me even during the rainy season. Since Liberian driving permits are not laminated, the text had bled away. Not happy with either document, now clearly the issue, not the U-turn, he insisted on arresting me and parking my car at the police station.

Remembering a trick one of our expatriate friends had said, Whitney asked for his contact information. (Since, of course, we would have to report it to the OrphanAge Foundation.) Not willing to leave his name on the notebook we handed him, he sharply reprimanded me for not having my paperwork in order and then told us we could leave, under one condition. We had to transport him to Freeport, which happened to be on our way. So, the second police officer of the day joined us for a small drive, though conversation was not as cheery as the first.

After we unloaded police officer number two, we stopped by our carpenter on Somalia Drive to pick up two dressers we had had made. Not five minutes down the road, police officer number three obstructed our path and waved us onto the shoulder. What was our traffic violation this time?

“I am arresting you because you have tinted windows.”

Feeling like this was just a redundant game, I gave him my Minnesota Driver’s license only and replayed the “I need to write down your information” trick. It worked.

Further down Somalia Drive, we pulled off the road to purchase some lumber. A ten-minute stop turned into an hour as I watched each of the three two-inch planks being planed and smoothed to one-inch thickness. The boards were securely fastened onto the truck and we pulled onto Somalia Drive once again, this time following truck laden lumber. On top of the 10-foot stack sat two Liberians precariously holding onto the few threads that held the bundle together.

Traffic was slow as we approached Red Light. Men with rusty wheelbarrows zigzagged around the cars and in front of us. Women with folded multi-colored cloth stacked upon their head touched our hood as they avoided the children selling mineral water to the oncoming car next to us. A police officer caught my attention to my right. Having stepped out from beside the lumber truck, he waved me to the side of the road.

“I am arresting you for driving with those planks on your car. And your rearview mirror is obstructed.” Out came my Minnesota driver’s license and the notebook and pen once again. It was two o’clock, the sun was at its hottest, and I was ready to be through Red Light and on my way home.

Much to our surprise, the officer handed us back the notebook with his full name and title and the reasons of our arrest. We had just encountered the only Liberian police officer that wasn’t ashamed of a little accountability. Coming to no agreement in our argument, We got out of the car, locked it and walked away. It just so happened that we had pulled in front of a shop that sold plywood and saws, two things that were still on our list of things to purchase. We went into the store, made our purchases, and stood outside, in sight of the truck while we made a few phone calls.

“Hey, Frank, we’re on the side of the road because we have been arrested by a police officer, what should we do?”

“Hey, Dr. John, what do when a police officer really wants to be paid off and he won’t let you go?”

“Hey Sarah, we have just been stopped by our fourth police officer and are having some trouble. Would mind saying a quick prayer for us?”

Just then, a well-dressed Liberian that had worked with GEEF (God’s Explosive Evangelistic Force) walked up. Excited to see us again, he asked what we were up to. Upon hearing our situation he walked up to the police officer that was still standing by our truck and had a few words with him.

“He’ll let you go if he can have that notebook page,” he told us when he returned. After watching the officer tear up the paper, we proceeded to load the plywood on our truck and we pulled away. It was a smooth trip through Red Light considering the chaos it attracts, and we were home without another incident. Unfortunately, the next weekend another trip to town was due. This time, it was Sarah who accompanied me. She got her share of an adventure too.

Our trip into town had been a success. No police officers had stopped us, and we had accomplished nearly everything on our to-do list, which, for Liberia, is near to impossible. We had collected a double bed from Living Water for my parents to use while they were here, checked our email at the Royal Hotel Restaurant, stocked up on groceries to last us a week, and picked up needed medicine from a local pharmacy. Traffic was smooth as we drove through Congo Town. Just before the COMIUM Internet provider and Musus Ice Cream Parlor, the car in front of me put on his left blinker to turn. I slowed and came to a stop. As the car made his turn, there was a crash and then our car began moving again. The side of the road came closer and I did my best to correct the car and I guided the motion of the truck to the side of the road.

“Whiplash,” Sarah said as I noticed that pens, papers and our radio were scattered about at my feet. My left arm was sore. “We were hit.”

“Are you okay?” I asked Sarah.

“My neck is sore.”

Traffic was already slowing and moving past us at a gawkers pace. I turned off the car and looked behind me. Angled into oncoming traffic, the hood of a new, blue BMW was buckled and steaming. Carefully, we got out of the car. A man met us on our side of the street and identified himself as James, the driver of the BMW. “Are you okay?” He asked.

No one in his car had been seriously injured. James was a Liberian banker who had just picked up his family from the airport the day before. They had been living in the United States. He was driving his son to see the ocean for the first time.

Over the next hour we stood around and waited as very little happened. I put in a call to my sister, Emily, since it was her 30th birthday. “Wow, it’s so good to hear your voice! What are you doing right now?” she inquired.

“Well, I am standing on the side of the road waiting for a police officer to come and write a report about the accident we were just in.”

“You were just in an accident?”

I relayed the story to my sister, thankful that I was only sore and able to laugh at the situation. After hearing about my sister’s day, I spoke with my brother-in-law and my one-year-old nephew who didn’t say much but squirmed with delight when he heard my voice. We said farewell when the police officer arrived on the scene.

As the “first responder” and not a “traffic officer,” he wanted to take both James and me to the station for questioning. James, in traditional Liberian volume and forwardness proceeded to yell at the police officer that no one was going to the police station. “I am the one who rear-ended this man and I am 100% responsible. All I need from you is an official report of the accident to give to my insurance company so that all of this man’s damages will not be paid for from his own pocket.” He then turned to me and said, “Don’t leave Liberia because of this!”

The first responder finally listened to James, who I think is the nicest person that could have ever hit us, and Sarah and I got the okay to go. We arrived in Mount Barclay safe, but sore. Surprisingly, the back tire of the truck waited to deflate until the next morning. Frank’s right-hand-man, Larmouth arrived that
Sunday morning to take the truck and repair the damages. For a fraction of what they would have cost in the States, the truck was repaired and returned to us that evening in time to drive to the airport to pick up my parents. In the face of chaotic perils of the road, we couldn’t help but praise God for His protection, His provision, and His goodness to us.

Cultural Humors

A top 10 list to keep you laughing.

Things that you can do in Africa that you can never do in the States: (Keep in mind, these are things that we have actually done!)

10. Ignore FDA standards for cleanliness as you prepare food for your friends.
9. Throw trash out of the window while driving.
8. Eat bread with mold on it.
7. Arrive at a meeting an hour late and still arrive before everyone else.
6. Pay someone to hotwire your car for you.
5. Tell students, “the bathroom is closed; use the bush.”
4. Pick your nose in public.
3. Announce in front of a crowd of teenagers that anyone who needs to go “pee-pee” should do it now.
2. Hand a box of matches to two first graders and tell them to burn the brush pile down the road.
1. Hand kindergartner’s machetes and tell them to chop the weeds in the back of the school.

Liberian Trivia

Match the Liberian saying in the numbered list with the correct meaning in the lettered list:

1. “Give me a sof’ drink.”
2. “Where’s my weekend?”
3. “My Christmas is on you.”
4. “I want to be your friend.”

A. “You look like someone I want to get to know.”
B. “Give me some money.”
C. “This week has sure flown by.”
D. “Happy Holidays.”

The answer will be on the next newsletter.

Last issue’s newsletter: What of the following items have I not yet eaten since I arrived in Liberia?
a. A fish head
b. A kola nut
c. Locust
d. Sugar cane

Though repulsed by the thought of eating them in Ghana, I ate a fried fish head with milky white eyeballs. It was delicious. Though the Kola Nut is extremely bitter, it has enough caffeine to give you a little buzz. But frankly I liked the fish head better. And although it is fun and satisfying to suck the juicy nectar from sugar cane, its woody pulp must be spit out. Don’t eat it unless you have the means to wipe off your sticky fingers afterwards. So, that leaves answer c, the Locust, though I have eaten them, I have yet to taste them in Liberia.

I managed to find some large grasshoppers the Liberians call, “Jacks.” I fried them in butter with a little seasoning salt and ate them. They weren’t bad, but not as good as the locust I had in the Congo in 1987. I offered one to Whitney and she managed to eat one even though her face was so scrunched up. Ojuku, one of my students was around at the time, and I encouraged him to try them too. He thought I was a little strange, but picked one up and proceeded to squeeze the insides out before popping it into his mouth.

“Hey, what are you doing?” I asked. “That’s the good stuff!”

Ojuku then proceeded to tell me, “Teacha, that stuff is the pooh!” Whitney and I exchanged glances realizing we had eaten “the pooh.”

The Liberians are fanatics about the “Bug-A-Bugs.” These flying termites come in droves to any source of light on various evenings throughout the dry season. You pluck off their wings, the Liberians refer them as feathers, and fry them in butter and salt. Now, these insects taste much better than the grasshoppers! Imagine the texture and flavor of popcorn. You might even get a kernel shell stuck in your teeth (part of the bug’s exoskeleton).

November 6, 2006

Routine has set in. Each morning I wake up enjoying the beauty of a new day, eager to greet my students. I am comfortably living in a guesthouse overlooking the crashing waves against a postcard perfect beach. I am healthy. Trustworthy Liberian friends and two fantastic teammates surround me. My times in the word have been rich, my prayers have been fervent, and my local church fellowship has been regular. Pretty good right?

Yet, I have a nudge in my Spirit that something is changing. On the surface, we are scheduled to transition to our unfinished house in Mount Barclay on Wednesday, November 8. But in my heart I am searching some identity and purpose thoughts that will in turn have an effect on my ministry here. I am a part of something bigger than my purpose as a teacher or a missionary. God is doing a mighty work in this nation. God is doing a mighty work in me.

God’s Pencils

It began as a typical day in our third grade classroom. At 7:50 AM all of the students were in height-order rows participating in the morning devotions. After a song and a devotional, some Bible verses and announcements, and a prayer, each class filed into their respective classrooms. In third grade we stood to pledge allegiance to the flag, quoted Psalm 1, and 13-year-old Sorwor read our verse of the day.

Matthew 16:24 says, “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’”

“Following Jesus means that we must die to ourselves. Sometimes we have to sacrifice the selfish desires of our flesh so that we can praise God. He has blessed us with much, let’s remember that all of this is worth nothing if it doesn’t honor Jesus. Our attitudes and all that we have must surrender to Jesus. God has given us our lives and the blessings around us as tools to praise and glorify His name. Let’s practice doing that today.”

On many mornings we begin with a song. Sometimes it is a song that they teach me, other times I teach them one. This particular morning, we sang, “Rejoice in the Lord, Always,” based from Philippians 4:4. After our prayer time we began Spelling and Phonics. It amazes me how quickly the meaning and application of a verse or a song can leave us.

“Sorwor,” I asked. “Why aren’t you playing our phonics game today?”

With his arms folded and a frown on his face he mumbled, “because I don’t have a pencil.” That seemed like a silly comment since there was a nice, long, freshly sharpened pencil resting inches from the little toe of his right foot.

“Use this pencil.” I suggested as I picked it up and placed it in Sorwor’s hand.

“This is Doris’ pencil,” Sorwor responded. But I noticed that Doris was equipped with a pencil and busily creating her WORDO board for our game. Not wanting to take any more class time to worry about pencils, I put “Doris’” pencil next to her and reached into my small stash of sharpened pencils and gave Sorwor a new one. In our class when pencils break or need to be sharpened it is easier just to trade them a new pencil for their dull one rather than take the time to sharpen it. Noticing that every student had a functioning pencil and eager to continue with our lesson, I missed the teachable moment. Fortunately, I got it back.

The students worked hard during their math test. We took a recess, and dove into Language Arts. For our last class of the day, on Wednesdays it’s Art, we began our unit on illustrating the letters of the alphabet. Everyone paid careful attention to the instructions and we were ready to begin. The students marveled over their clean white paper and began creating.

Everyone except Princess. “Princess, why aren’t you drawing your picture?”

“Ojuku has my pencil,” she pouted. Ojuku was quietly working on his picture, but I noticed a second pencil next to him.

“Ojuku,” I asked, “is this Princess’ pencil?”

“No,” he replied. “It’s mine.” Really? I thought. Just five minutes before, everyone had one, and only one, pencil. Now, Princess had none and Ojuku had two.

I am not under the philosophy that pencils spontaneously generate in places while others vaporized into thin air. Obviously, there was a confusion of ownership and it was beginning to interfere with the learning environment. “Well, Ojuku, since you are not using this one, could you please lend it to Princess?” Ojuku scrunched his face, but complied.

“That one isn’t mine,” Princess complained and refused to accept the pencil. Her defiance left me with two options. I could supply Princess with a new pencil and drop the matter, or I could use this opportunity for a teachable moment. Not wanting to miss the later, I immediately took the pencils from every one of my eleven students. It happened too quickly for some students who continued “drawing” their pictures until they realized that there were no marks forming on their papers. I was met with stunned eyes and questioning expressions. I had their undivided attention as I held eleven pencils in my hand. Funny, the one student who wasn’t phased by my action continued working with his “second” pencil. Sorwor, not Doris had an extra pencil. Interesting.

So, with twelve pencils in my hand, I had all of their eyes on me. “Whose pencils are these?” No response. “Who do these pencils belong to?”

Some students seemed a little put out that I had interrupted their drawing. “Their ours,” they insisted.

“Wrong answer.” I am not one to usually say those two words together, but I wanted them to learn a lesson that was far more important than drawing. “Whose pencils are these?” No response. “Think about it?”

When the students realized that they weren’t going to get their pencils back until they started to talk with me, they began answering my questions. “Princess, did you plant the seed that grew the tree to make the wood for the casing of this pencil?”

“No.”

“Doris, did you mine the minerals to make the graphite to fill this pencil?”

“No.”

“Sorwor, did you plant the rubber tree that produced the rubber to make the eraser for this pencil?”

“No.”

“Ojuku, did you get a job to make the money to buy this pencil?”

“No.”

“Then who do these pencils belong to?”

“They’re your pencils,” one student replied. “They’re King’s Arms’ pencils,” another student reasoned. “They’re the CRC’s pencils.” “They’re the OrphanAge Foundation’s pencils.” “They belong to the Americans who bought them for us to use.”

“No. Wrong again. Psalm 24:1 says, ‘The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.’ According to that verse, who owns these pencils?”

“What was that Sorwor? Say it loud so everyone can hear.”

“They are God’s pencils,” he repeated.

“Thank you. So, does that change how we treat these pencils? Are they ours to do with as we please? Should we get mad if we don’t have them? God has given us these pencils to use. What should be our response?”

Not one student shifted their glance from me.

“The Apostle Paul said in Philippians that He knew what it was to be in need, and He knew what it was to have plenty. But he learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. Are you content with the things that you have and don’t have? You should be. Your flesh wants to own something. It wants to control. It wants to win the battle with the spirit that is waging inside of you. We are not naturally content with what we have. But we can use these pencils to help us to learn that lesson. If you get a pencil to use, what should be your response? Yes, J. Lee?”

“We should thank God for them.”

“Thank you, J. Lee. I am going to return a pencil to you in a moment. It won’t be the same pencil you had earlier. I will hand you one of “God’s” pencils. When you receive it, you will say, ‘Thank you, God, for this pencil.’ Today you have pencils to use. At the end of the day, you will return them to me and I will take them home and sharpen them for you. Each day for the next few weeks I will give you freshly sharpened pencils to use when you need them. Each afternoon, you will return them to me. When I begin to see that you are good stewards of God’s pencils, then I will let you take care of them. So, are you ready to continue on your drawings? What will you say when I hand you a pencil?”

“Thank you, God, for this pencil.”

Ten students received a pencil that afternoon with, “Thank you, God, for this pencil.” One student chose to let the time pass while her blank paper stared up at her. Minutes before the day closed, as I collected their pencils once again, I reminded the students of 1 Peter 2:11. “Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.” We are in a battle between our flesh and the Spirit of God in our lives. When battles occur, there are deaths. I was answered with nodding heads when I asked if they had felt their flesh dying today. When we truly take up Jesus’ cross and follow Him it hurts sometimes. “But,” I told them, “I believe that most of you became more Christ like today. When there’s a battle in our soul and the flesh dies with its sinful desires of pride, selfishness, and greed, the Spirit has won. And that’s one step closer to knowing Jesus better.”

With a warm hug or handshake, each student left the classroom that day. When the dust from the moving desks and freshly cleaned chalkboard seemed to settle, I took a handful of twelve pencils and put them in my box to take home and sharpen. As I held them, I realized that was holding more than just twelve pencils. How many blessings has God given me? Am I thankful for each one? Am I using it for His glory? When tomorrow comes and it’s gone, will I complain? “Thank you, God, for this…”

In Visible Hope

The red soil of this country has the power to change everything to its dull hue. A bag of cold mineral water can be purchased for the US equivalent of nine cents. When finished, the clear sachet with blue writing is discarded on the side of the road. By the end of the day it is the same color as the surrounding dust. It may have been buried beneath torrential rain or passing feet, but it lies forgotten, invisible, except to the intense equatorial sun.

You can try and imagine the streets without garbage. You can try and picture the black mold ruins of deserted homes with roofs, fresh paint, and manicured lawns. The treetops have fared well reaching out of the chaos below them, but even their roots feel the eroding dust and breathe in the colorful emissions from passing vehicles. I’ve tried to imagine the Red Light market with actual parking, waking, and driving lanes. But that is not to happen for some time. Too many other changes have to happen first.

The war has damaged more than the landscape. Their way of life here has become comfortable with sin. People don’t seem to have a problem with robbing from someone that has entrusted them with responsibility, but they wouldn’t call it burglary. Kids don’t see what’s wrong with taking something from someone else, but they wouldn’t call it stealing. High-rank employees of organizations and even churches have no trouble using money meant for the organization for personal needs, but they wouldn’t call it embezzlement. Dishonesty has become the norm. Cheating someone else has become the way to survive.

One day in the life an American Missionary to Liberia might seem like a discouragement. You can’t see the hope here. It’s invisible. The mindset of the people is on the present survival, not in maintaining the integrity of the next generation. Most of them can barely read, let alone, understand the Bible. Few have been educated. Most of the ones that have gone to school have only graduated the eighth grade. Without a standard written system, their language is decaying. Books will tell you Liberian’s speak English, but what you hear is a different language. What they say is so different from British and American English, people say that in the next generation it will be so unintelligible to English speakers, they won’t even be able to call it English.

This culture is an echo of the bright colors that used to be here. At one point it was probably a hopeful country, refreshing, like a sachet of cold mineral water. But now it has been spent. It has been discarded on the side of the road and has turned the color of the dull red dust. Hope? I can’t see it. It’s invisible.

But God has me here. For what? He is the God of eternal hope for our souls. Are Liberia’s problems too big for God? I can’t believe that. I am here for a purpose. Jesus Christ is my hope and the Word of God is the most real thing to me in the world. It is more important than pencils, water sachets, or my comfortable guesthouse near the beach. Jesus Christ is my Visible Hope. So, even if I can’t see beyond a day, I can see the love Jesus has for me and for these people. I can live abundantly in visible hope!


Questions and Answers

You had malaria at your last report. How are you feeling now?

I have been feeling great! The malaria is long gone. I have finished my three-month supply of Malarone and I am now taking a new drug called Doxycyline. It is much cheaper, easily obtainable, and very effective for this part of the world. The best part is that it does not have the side effect of depression and hallucinations like the Larium that I tried back in June.

Have you moved into your house yet?

Partially. Everything has taken longer than we have expected. The work ethic here is lacking so things are done, then have to be redone and redone again. It’s been frustrating to see money and resources wasted on untrustworthy people. Welcome to Liberia. These are the people that need the gospel most, but it hasn’t come without frustrations. However, we are eager to proceed with gained wisdom and patience. The Lord has supplied us with abundant grace and a great temporary living space near the beach with regular electricity, air conditioning, and Internet, not to mention the multitude of seasoned Liberian missionaries surrounding us that offer us perspective and encouragement. Currently all of our things have been moved over and we will sleep in the secure, but unfinished house for the first time on Wednesday of this week. This year, all we want for Christmas is running water.

Have you found a local church home yet?

Yes. Monrovia Christian Fellowship was founded by some American Missionaries but has a dynamic, Liberian pastor. After weeks of church hopping, we felt like home the moment we walked in. The service offers a mix of Liberian and Western worship songs, so we can worship without being distracted by a continuous flow of songs we have never heard before. The pastor seems to know and love his congregation while preaching firmly out of the fullness of God’s word. Many other missionaries attend, so we even have a small group of other American young adults to worship with. Last Friday we even had a game night at one of their homes. We felt we had not laughed like we did in a long time.

What has been the most rewarding thing since your last report?

I love finally being in the routine of teaching. I love my students so much and I go to bed each night exhausted and thankful and wake up each morning enthusiastic and refreshed. But I must say that working together with my teammates has also been very rewarding. Sarah, Whitney, and I did not have an easy time our first month. The enemy knew that if he could rip us apart as a team, we would cease to be effective. One night about a month ago we renounced the devil and confessed our sins, forgave each other, and started over. Now, for the most part, we function with patience and grace, forgiveness and love. We are able to encourage each other without having to look real hard for things to say. I can only praise God for what he has done in our midst.

What is your biggest challenge?

As you know, I’m here for the kids. They are my top priority for ministry. But a week before classes began I found out I would have a shadow. This shadow, Mr. Carter, had been teaching in the mud brick building they called Appleton Memorial School. So he had some experience in a classroom, but no education on how to effectively teach. I was excited about the fact of mentoring a Liberian to do what I do, but he saw it differently. A week before school started he was under the impression that he would have his own class and that things would be run very much like they were at Appleton Memorial School. You can imagine what went through his mind when he was told that he had to work with the American. Frankly, I’m frustrated too. I know that he has never had a genuine education that teaches you how to effectively teach, but I am torn when I see him humiliating the students in front of their peers. He is disappointed that corporal punishment is not used and he does not seem to be very teachable. In order for me to truly minister to these kids, I have to work well with Mr. Carter. I praise God for the improvement I have seen in him, even though it is miniscule. Please pray for Mr. Carter and me in this area as we work together to educate and train these students in godliness.

What can I do?

Be a King’s Kid Prayer Sponsor! Email me if you would like to commit to pray daily for one of my students. I will email you a picture and pass on any emails you write to him or her.

Stay plugged into God’s Word, Fellowship, and Prayer! I cannot be effective for the gospel if I don’t habitually meditate on the Bible, pray, and play my part in the body of Christ. Neither can you.

Make a donation towards a vehicle!

Buy the OrphanAge Calendars to give as gifts! (More information on this COMING SOON)

Who are your students?

Meet my twelve students (from youngest to oldest):

Emmanuel Enoch: “Enoch,” as his friends at the CRC (Children’s Rescue Center) refer to him, is my youngest third grader who is about 10-years-old. He has no idea when his birthday is. Always smiling, he is a hard-working, sweet-hearted student.

Princess Bayos: Eleven-year-old Princess was welcomed into my classroom in the second week of school. Doris was extremely happy to now have another girl in the class. Her birthday is April 20. She lives in a neighboring village. Though she is reading at a first-grade level now, I believe that she will catch on quickly.

Emmanuel Nyamplue: My second Emmanuel is also 11-years-old, born on the 10th of March. He has lived at the CRC and is always attentive to my lessons. He asks great questions and I love listening to him pray.

Ojuku Johnny: Ojuku was born on February 18, 1995. He is a high-energy CRC kid that loves time with his friends.

Doris Joe: We celebrated her 12th birthday on the first day of school (Her birthday was October 8). Raised at the CRC, she has a delightful smile. The thing she is looking forward to most about this year is Reading.

J. Lee Dayklee: Children’s Rescue Center student, J. Lee has these big piercing eyes are filled with compassion, respect, and focus. At 12-years-old, he is very mature socially and spiritually. At the end of the day, he never leaves quickly, and when he does leave, it’s with a warm hug.

Nanetoe Johnny: Nanetoe is a CRC student who will turn thirteen on November 20th. He is small in stature, but full of life and energy. Eager to learn, he participates and is willing to help others.

Sorwor Ballayan: Sorwor is from the CRC and just celebrated his birthday on November 4th. He loves to serve even if he is not noticed. In his eyes you can tell he has seen more life than a 13-year-old should see, but, his tender spirit is held firmly in the hands of God.

Matthew Matadi: Matthew just had his 14th birthday on the 19th of October. He’s my tallest CRC student and loves having his picture taken.

Jallah Mulbah: His birthday is August 19 and he is 14. He’s the tallest and the biggest third grader I have ever seen, but he still gives me hugs at the end of each day. He walks every day from a small village a mile away.

Lafayette Carter: Lafayette will turn 16 on January 18. If Lafayette is lucky, our driver will stop and pick him and his two little sisters up on our way into Mount Barclay. If not, he walks the two miles. Since he is the ward of Mr. Carter, the Liberian third grade teacher, his mistakes from home are sometimes announced to the class. But Lafayette has a strong spirit that continues to smile and rejoice in all circumstances.

Mulbah Kollie: Mulbah is an older CRC student who began attending my class after the first marking period. He has a delightful smile and works hard to make up for the time he missed.