Our Week

August 18

Hi everyone!  I am thankful to report I have been feeling good (no sickness) for two weeks now!  Praise God!  It is a blessing.  Life is so much better when you feel well enough to live it each day.  Last Sunday I made it to the half way point – 20wks.  I said to Josh just think of where we will be 20 weeks from now.  He said we would be in the hospital watching college football.  I added and holding our new born baby!  Luka has some names picked out for our little one.  It started out as syrup, then moved to pancake, and now it is waffle.  I think he likes to make us laugh. 

The girls started 2^nd and 4^th grade last week.  They were very excited and it has gone well expect for some complaining sneaking in already by the end of the week.  We hope to get a good month or so in before we go to MI and they join in school there.  

Our church in Obulle had a marriage conference this week.  Josh spoke so I decided to find a sitter and go with him.  The first day Josh was suppose to speak at 11am.  We arrived about 10:30 and only our church leaders were there.  Some were cooking and others were finishing the new latrine.  African time is so frustrating.  By 11am the truck with people from Pingere came, then there was breakfast, worship and finally by 12:30 Josh began to speak.  After he taught he sat down and said, “I am glad that is done.”  He had prepared a lot for his teaching but it just didn’t seem to go well and the people were not in to it.  By now it was 2pm and lunch wasn’t ready so Josh and I ate in town and picked up our kids.  The next day started almost as slow even though all the people slept at the church that night.  Josh’s teaching went a lot better and even his translator and friend commented on it.  Josh asked was my teaching that bad yesterday.  He said no the teaching was good but the people were boring.  Today they were involved.  The people all seemed to be ever pleased with the conference and I was glad I could also attend some, but I don’t think I will ever understand the way they do things here.

Saturday Josh had a very delayed, long, and frustrating meeting at our church.  Then after the meeting we went to our friends in Obulle for lunch – which ended up being served at 5pm.  We love our friends here but waiting 4 hours while they cook for us really tries our patients some day.  I do love the peacefulness of the village though.  Our kids are funny.  Luka loves chasing the animals but Lydia usually is a bit worried about everything.  However by the end she, Grace, and their friend Lucy were in the cow dung with sticks throwing it at the tree.  I just had to laugh.  We prayed with our friends before we left and they shared how they are trusting in God’s protection.  His step sister has been angry with them for years and has put curses on them even going as far as hiring someone with a gun to kill him.  I was amazed to hear their stories and protection God has given them.  I was also very encouraged to see our friend help his wife cook and clean up.  It may sound normal to us but in this culture it is unheard of!  I praise God that they have taken the truth of God taught to them and put it into practice.

My sister Angie and family returned this week.  Our kids were so happy to be with their cousins again.  Lydia said she was so excited she was going to jump out of her clothes.  I was also glad to see them and especially their new baby Eliana.  It is so fun to hold a little baby!  Makes me excited.   Eliana let out a cry with a cute little face and I said isn’t that sweet.  Josh bluntly said not really.  I guess that means the new born stage is all mine. J 

Josh and I finally watched the movie Courageous.  I put it off because I knew I would cry and of course I was balling.  But it was so good.  If any of you have not watched it please take the time and watch it!  I am so thankful for the way they address the issues in our culture and bring us back to the truth in God’s Word.  It is awesome.  It is my hearts prayer that the men in our churches will rise up, study God’s truth, put it into action, take the responsibility God has given them seriously, and  bring change into our homes, marriages, churches and communities.  It is a big task God has ordained for our men so we must be in prayer for them.  It is God’s desire for men to lead.  May they seek God and obey that we may follow their leadership.

Please be in prayer for Josh and the people of Obulle as they meet Thursday and Friday for Freedom and Christ.  They will be doing the 7 steps to freedom which is an exciting teaching and can be live changing event in some ones life.  Also it looks like we will be having baptisms next Sunday at our church!