Life with 3 Teens

June 16, 2013

Hi everyone! Josh took the teen,

Lydia

, Grace, and Luka on safari today. They will meet up with the group from Calvin Christian High School tonight and return tomorrow with them. So, Malai and I are home alone. She isn’t the happiest being away from home and with all the time in the car I decided it would be more fun for everyone if we stayed back. I am looking forward to a quiet time catching up on things – if Malai cooperates. It has been busy around here and yesterday I was worn out so the break in action comes at a good time.

We are really enjoying our time with Jimmy, Autumn and Zephie. They fit into our family nicely and this morning the left saying, “bye Mom” with our other kids. They are fun. God has answered a lot of prayers. We would not take in just any teens but when we met these three we knew God wanted them to come live with us. I am so thankful we listened to Him. I am really enjoying getting to know each one. Asking them questions to hear their stories, how they are feeling, and encouraging them. I think the best part is seeing God in their lives. They are living testimonies of God’s grace. I love that! Hearing what God rescued them from and seeing them now amazes me. It causes me to give God glory. He is so real when you see Him in someone’s life. His love, His power, His truth, His mercy, His forgiveness, His healing, His Spirit, His Word… transforms people! I love walking along side these people and being apart of the discipleship. What joy! I hope I take every opportunity and moment to be with these teens, listen, and invest into them. I can so easily get side tracked with other need and keeping up with feeding everyone. But their time here is short and soon they will be gone. Pray that I am able to stop and be all God wants me to be to these three teens.

The teen shared their testimonies with us when we visited in Lake City this fall but I had forgotten a lot I guess. Jimmy has only been a Christian for about 2 years. He was in 15 school by the time he was in 5^th grade! What?! I asked him how he turned out so normal and he simply said, “God”. Everyone at Lake City CRC warned me but now I know for myself, Jimmy is a great kid that everyone love. He is fun, helpful, polite, and is really seeking the Lord. The other day he said he thinks he may go into missions after the marines. I asked if he was feeling called and he said he thinks so and that he is really enjoying it so far. Praise God!

Autumn and Zephie have only been Christians for a little more than a year, but you wouldn’t know it. They love the Lord. I love how they are just learning the stories of the Bible and get excited about all God’s Word is teaching them. They find out truth in God’s Word and share it with other at school without being ashamed. Last night Autumn shared with tears how hard school has been since she wasn’t taught in her young years and never caught up. She is enjoying teaching and learning with Grace – how cool! Her and Zephie have been amazed at how smart our girls are. I think it is only God to take two girls who weren’t put in school until Junior High, who were labeled stupid, and now has them as teachers! They are doing great and I think it was very brave of them to come and teach.

All three of them talk about their school a lot. In a nutshell I am amazed at what takes place there. I love that these teen are willing to stand out and be true followers of Jesus. They are such witnesses! It makes me wonder, where are the other Christians, where is the church? I am not saying there are no churches and there are no Christian doing anything. But from what I have heard and asked there isn’t enough. There are churches all around so it seems Christians are keeping to themselves. We go to church, to Christian school, have Christian friends, Bible studies…these are all good and we need them, but the world also needs us. We need to be in the schools, befriending lost people, helping those who are broken and hurt. We can’t do that unless we go. There is a mission field in your backyard, down the street, at work, in school… With 9 or something CRC churches in the area there shouldn’t be a school not prayed for and reached. There are kids so hurt, lost, broken, into every sin…that deep down just need a friend to love and help them. You can do that. It takes time, investment, and probably pain but you can bring them to Jesus. If you know Him you must share Him! It’s good news! How I pray that Jimmy, Autumn, and Zephie’s stories encourage each one of us to desire to do more, to reach out, and to love others to Jesus.

This week Jimmy and Autumn went to Obulle with Josh and farmed with our church. Poor Zephie was home sick for a few days – no fun. We are so thankful she is better. They also went with Josh and Charles to a woman named Kristine in Obulle. After talking with Kristine she accepted Jesus into her heart! Awesome! They went with me to visit a girl who was in the clinic sick with Malaria. They were pretty surprised by the condition of the clinic. It is sad. On Thursday they went with Josh as he taught in Pingere. Saturdays we help at church with the kids and youth. It has been fun to play games together and teach about the fruits of the Spirit. There are plenty of dull moments here, but I think the teens are getting a pretty good taste of mission life.

Emalai almost crawling

Our kids are also enjoying their teenage siblings. They often play with them and have lots of fun together.

Lydia

is really growing up and changing I think. In some ways she is such a fun, innocent kid who loves to just play and in other ways she is so mature. She still tells people she is called to

Mongolia

and talks about it often. The other day she said in her dream when God called her she didn’t see Him but saw a lot of light. How cool! She asked Josh the other day to help her to know how to witness to someone. She said she doesn’t know what to say when people ask her or if someone is lost. Wow, I am so thankful she has a heart to share Jesus with people. The other night Josh read something in the Bible about God’s judgment and started to cry and cry. She was so worried about everyone who doesn’t know Jesus yet and her uncle Steve who hasn’t turned back to Jesus yet. Although it is hard to see her wrestle with such big feeling, I am thankful for her urgency for the lost to be saved.

Luka, is just Luka. Everyone thinks he is so cute and fun. He really is. He talks with expression and uses his big eyes. He is loving and still all boy. Emalai is a mover. She is 5 months and on all fours. She even stands on her feet with her hands still on the floor. She kinda sits too leaning on one hand. She lights up when someone talks to her but can get very scared if it is someone new or too loud. She just began eating baby cereal this week. Her hair is long enough for little ponytails but she doesn’t have much hair on the sides (Josh calls it her comb over). I am trying to enjoy her baby stage since it is our last but sometimes, especially when she wakes up at night, I am glad we wont go through all this work again J.

Josh and

Lydia

both had a jigger in their feet. We realize we are getting them from Obulle, which makes me a little worried about living there. It doesn’t hurt to get them out (an sack with eggs in or something like that) but the more you get we hear it can. Oh the joys…

Another “joy” is snakes – really we hate them! The other night I was feeding Malai in our room and heard a big bang. Later Josh came in and said he killed a small snake in the kitchen. Yuck! Instantly I wanted to fear, worry and be done with living here. But I know fear is not from the Lord. So I prayed. I took the authority we have in Jesus name to protect us and our home. That was weeks ago now and no more snakes. God is my peace.

Please pray for the group of 12 students and 3 teachers coming from Calvin Christian High School this week. Every year they spend about four days with us seeing the ministries and learning. We always look forward to it because God has used it to touch so many teens. Pray for health, strength, safety, and for all the details to come into place. It will be a busy week! Most of all pray for God to speak into the hearts and minds of these young people. That He will draw them unto Him and use them to build His kingdom. Thanks!