How Do You Like Your Butter?

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

I have to backtrack to last Wednesday. My Swiss colleague and friend Tabea taught me a little trick: if you put the little cold butter packet in your pocket while you get the rest of your food, it will get soft and be ready to spread when you’re back at the table. I like that plan because I like soft butter. Unfortunately, my brain was already in a million directions, and let’s just say I never buttered my bread that morning.

It was later that afternoon as I was greeting friends who were arriving when I remembered the butter! Yep, and I had had my lunch outside in the very hot temperatures! Yuck!

So the next day, I had just showered and was going to put on the same black pants. For my American friends, please don’t think me disgusting. It’s how we do it here in Europe.  Yet, I started to smell something bad and really hoped it wasn’t me.  Not feeling very hopeful, I brought my pants to my nose to confirm that they were indeed the culprit...specifically the left pocket where the butter had been the previous day. 

Thankfully Helmut had found a professional laundry closeby where you can have your clothes washed and pressed for only 300 Lek per kilo ($3/kg).  That’s good news because I packed for 2 1/2 weeks in only a very small carry-on and would need some washing.

No idea what all those words mean, but I understand Laundry.  Communicating was a bit pathetic,
but I managed to drop off my clothes and pick them up at the appropriate time and pay the correct amount. ☺️ 

I was happy to be able to wear my black pants again this morning, but would you know that there’s still a slight smell!  😳 I know that they’re clean, but I’ll be glad when I can put them through an American washer again. I’ve also learned a lesson: from now on, if I want my butter to be soft, I’ll hold it in my hand. No more pants pockets!

Note: I have good news: the American washer did the trick!  Smell is gone! 😅

So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Adieu

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Can't see the yellow star, but this is Egypt's flag.  Sadly our 5 delegates
did not make it because of their Visa being denied. :(

We had 4 delegates from Finland!

The bottom is actually yellow: Germany! Andreas (ELT)
attended with his wife.

I end this long day full of emotions.  The stress of arranging 250+ departures two days from now has been replaced with more personal sentiments.  Our European team finally met together tonight.  Helmut announced his resignation along with the entire ELT.  He has decided to step down to take care of his father who has cancer, and the ELT agreed to end together.  

It stirred up questions and discussion as well as thank you’s and appreciation.  Goodbyes are not easy, but I’m so grateful to have been able to express my own thanks to this group of men (and one wife who was present).  I sincerely thanked them for their acceptance.  That even though I’m a female, an American, and had very little experience with EE, from the very beginning, I’ve always felt very welcome and like a part of the team.  I’m touched by their heartfelt thanks and as one man who I only met for the first time here put, “a lot of agape from all of the men.”

We had a new board member join us for Great Britain this year.

Middle is yellow: Team Romania had 4 delegates!

Team Switzerland had 2 delegates, plus the 3 ELT members who are Swiss.

The tears are welling, and I’m choking up as I face the facts that this is the end.  How grateful I am for the past three + years serving these nations with the ELT.   It’s been full of challenges at times, but worth any stress or pain along the way.  It's also been full of joy and purpose.  As the EuroMENA nations were announced at last night’s opening ceremony, I felt like a proud mom, grinning as I stood to take a picture of each flag representing each nation.

Yay, Austria!  Walter represented this nation.

Our newest Multiplying Nation: Czech Republic
brought two delegates!

I wish you could meet these leaders whose hearts burn with passion for Jesus and who long to multiply disciples in Europe.  Each one endures much opposition through their dedication and trust in the Lord.  Let’s give thanks and pray for each one.

Middle is yellow: Hungary.

Bottom is yellow.  Ukraine brought two delegates.

One Week Down, One Week To Go!

Note: The next few posts are backlogged.  I somehow found time to write, but was unable to post till today, finally back in Charleston!

August 24, 2018

Did you know that Tirana Airport is named after
Mother Theresa who was Albanian?

So many times the past few days, I wanted to blog. I could’ve written so many stories, but time and brainpower are in low supply.  I have been given the role of transportation coordinator, which has proven to be quite involved and extremely stressful. Let’s just say that I will think twice before filling out any transportation logistics for future conferences.  

I went to the airport the first day to scout things out and was able to rely on two of
our Swiss members to greet for the rest of the Congress.

One little typo has huge implications.  We had a very busy staff person go to the airport at 2:40 AM for a no-show because someone had written the wrong date!  Not to mention the work of ordering and canceling taxis every time someone’s flight changes or decides to leave earlier or later which involves a lot of arithmetic and communicating with multiple people.  This is my life right now: nonstop and never-ending.  

Still, it’s a blessing and honor to get to serve such amazing people for an organization that does such important gospel work. I’m also privileged to have wonderful colleagues who are a tremendous support. Tabea and Michel stepped up and covered all airport shifts between the two of them which freed me to do all of the coordinating with taxi service, hotel, payments, etc.  Helmut even went to the airport one night to pick up the 2:40 group so that our leader didn’t have to go back again and miss another night of sleep.  The team from Asheville are great and are working relentlessly.

The Amazing Michel (left) and Tabea (right) with
one of the hotel shuttle drivers.

It’s hard to imagine continuing at this pace, but we’re all taking one day at a time. I keep returning to the prayer that came to me as I wrestled with feelings of incapability the first night.  It was actually John the Baptist ‘s prayer: more of Him, less of me.  Somehow, the letting go has allowed me to embrace His strength in my weakness.  As I often feel, I truly believe the prayers of others are helping to sustain us.  Thank you!

Congress Around the Corner

In a little over two days, I'll be on my way to Albania for the third time in the past year and a half.  I'm thankful that it's become a familiar, even comfortable place to me as I brace myself for the two weeks of intensity.  At least four of the international staff members arrived at the beginning of the week to start on-site preparations.  Today, one man has re-applied for Visas for our 5 Egyptian delegates who are some of many who are still waiting on theirs!  (They aren't scheduled to arrive till a week after me, so there's time, but not much!).  I'm glad that there's still hope as I heard from a dear Fijian friend that she will not be able to come as her Visa was denied.  That is so sad to me and a reality of international travel, whose Visa requirements are heightened in Europe because of the refugee crisis the past few years.

In the meantime, you've probably heard about the protests at the Hong Kong airport, which caused flight cancellations for two days this past week.  Thankfully, it seems like that's settled down.  Then there's British Airways who planned to strike in August, but we're hoping and praying they won't.  I am flying through London, though not on BA.  😅These are one of many issues that are outside of our control, but directly affect our 200-300 people flying as well as the airport pick-ups, hotel check-ins, etc.  

It's good at times like these to keep our hearts and minds free of worry and connected to the love and power of a good Heavenly Father.  He's the One with ultimate control over every circumstance and the One that we can pray to for our needs, fears, and things outside of ourselves.  I'll have to remind myself of this in the next few weeks, ha!

I am unsure if I'll be able to post while there, but please do pray that this would be a joyous, fruitful time as nearly 80 nations will join together.  Please also pray for safety and health for all of us and our loved ones as we travel.  Lastly, (it seems surreal to write, but) please pray that I will finish well.  Thank you!

What Next?

As I've written in previous blogs and my newsletter update, I'm in my final days with EE, which is bittersweet.  The sad part is leaving a group of people who I love and am attached to.  I've had great joy serving my European brothers and sisters. Thanks to their incredibly warm welcome, I have always felt like a part of the team from Day One.  It's a loss to leave this team.  The happy part is being in step with the Lord and preparing myself for what He has next so that His purposes and plans can be fulfilled through my life.  

As I mentioned in my latest newsletter, I believe that the Lord is calling me to serve in Southeast Asia.  That's about as much detail as I can give for now, but I'll give some backdrop in case you're interested in how it's all come about.

This past February, as I learned about needs on the mission field for language and culture coaches, I felt hope, excitement, and passion all pump into my heart at once.  I didn't want to get too excited even though I'd been praying for over a year about the long-term.  I decided to take one step at a time, the first being to inquire about more information.

As I learned and dialogued more, I offered three locations that interest me: Europe, New Caledonia, and Southeast Asia...in that order.  No needs in Europe for this position.  Impressed that I knew of New Caledonia, but no current needs.  Many needs in Southeast Asia.  As I continued to knock on doors with weekly conversations, I thought back to my prayer map on the wall at the condo years ago and how three SE Asian countries were among five countries I used to pray for regularly.  Looking back, it was a bit strange.  I think I hoped to possibly visit these places one day, though I feel fairly sure that I never intended to move to any of them!  

I admit that it's a stretch for me--very different cultures than I've ever lived in before and will require me to learn a new language (and culture)!  I'm so thankful for my trip to this part of the world in April 2018 so that I at least have an idea of what I'm praying about, though the placement trip in the fall will do a better job.  Not only will I visit locations I (mostly) haven't yet, but I'll have the lens and filter of living here long-term.

What's also significant to me is how God uses His Word to guide and speak.  I mentioned New Caledonia as a place I was interested in.  You may know that this is a place of particular interest to me and one that I believe God had placed on my heart some time ago.  Not to mention, it just makes sense being a French-speaking island, and islands=warm weather, my preferred climate. :)

Right around the time as I was inquiring and exploring options, the Bible Study I attended was studying the life of David, specifically his desire to build a temple for the Lord.  I don't think I'm only speaking for myself when I say that this story is not new to me.  Still, the Lord has a way of speaking to our spirits with His Word, which is alive.  One of my fellow group members reminded us that sometimes God puts desires on our hearts which are actually not for us to fulfill, but perhaps our children or the next generation.  As she spoke, it was as though the Lord Himself were speaking to my own heart's desire to go to New Caledonia.  I'm not saying I will never go there, but at that moment, I was released from needing to make it happen and freed to go to the location where the doors are opening and how I'm being led: Southeast Asia.

I've been dialoguing with several in that part of the world and have planned a trip there mid-October for two and a half weeks.  Until then, I'll be busy with Congress and New Wineskins; so it's nice to see how things are coming together.  I so appreciate your prayers in this transition time.  Will keep you posted along the way!

Please Pray For MENA's needs

Things are and continue to be intense as we approach Congress.  My leave date is less than three weeks away, and I'm feeling it!  So much going on as we prep and also as I have been working on an application and preparing for my next (placement) trip this fall.  I also had the opportunity to visit a home fellowship who supports me last week.

That is always so special to have people locally who know who I am and affirm their partnership with me by having me visit.  As I shared hi lights and challenges of this past year as well as the upcoming transition, I was blessed at everyone's questions and insights, especially the children's!  During the prayer time at the end that consisted of everyone's prayer needs, I shared one I'd just learned of the day before: that our 5 delegates from MENA (M. East, N. Africa) still hadn't received their Visas after months of failed attempts and rejections both in-person and online!

How special to pray for this together and start seeing evidence of answered prayer the very next day when we discovered that they needed another letter.  I'm not sure if this has been the hold-up or not, but it certainly seems promising that there was something else we could offer to assist them in this process.  I'd ask you to please join us in praying for this very practical need.  Will keep you posted!

Transition Time

Things have been busy!  To catch you up, when I left France, I had lots of questions whirling around in my mind.  Would I return to France?  Would I continue with the French translation work?  How long would I stay with EE?

To answer the last question first, this is something I have been praying about for a while.  I sensed that this is not what the Lord has for me long-term a year and a half ago.  I believe He started revealing the next steps to me back in February of this year, though I was still unsure of the "when" or the details.  I had purposed to remain with EE until the Congress next month, but was open to staying longer.  

Even when I left, I was thinking I may stay through December, especially if I could get the French translation complete.  My last week in France, I learned two significant pieces of information.  First, I was nearly out of support.  Second, as I mentioned in my last newsletter, 1/2 of the pages were missing from the Canadian materials and had never even been translated!  On top of that, the revised translation needs more revision and just wasn't acceptable to French youth.  It was like going back to Square One.

Being a "glass is half full" kind of a gal with a God who thrives on impossibility, I wasn't too fazed.  These were real issues, but I did not jump to any conclusions based on either.  I was thankful to have a two-week period I was house/dog-sitting early to mid-June to hopefully process and pray through everything.  

As things turned out, these two weeks ended up being incredibly stressful with multiple emergencies within the ministry, the home, and the dog.  Let's just say it was highly unconducive to gathering one's thoughts or decision-making.  At least, I should say, on a natural level, because the Lord managed to bring me to a place of clarity, direction, and complete peace within those two exasperating weeks.  In fact, He spoke to each of my questions in a way that helped me arrive at my answer.  

The house where I stayed has hundreds of books, not to mention I was already in the middle of a novel I was enjoying.  "Something" (the Holy Spirit) guided me to pick up a book by Elisabeth Elliott called These Strange Ashes.  This is not a book I normally would've been drawn to for multiple reasons, but now I know it was the Lord's doing.  Spoiler alert: I even knew about Elisabeth Elliott's experience, but reading the story of her first year as a missionary was a more vivid context to learn that after her arduous work--much more than anything I gave--all of her completed translation work was stolen and to this day has never been recovered!  Not only could I identify with her feelings, but the Lord used it to help me get to a place of acceptance that the time, energy, and work invested in the French translation was lost; and I am free to move on even though it's sad and disappointing.

Going back to the financial situation, I wasn't afraid or nervous; to me, this was confirmation that my time at EE is ending, and sooner than later.  Conversations with SAMS and EE helped bring me to a place of acceptance and realization that now (at the end of Congress) is the time to finish rather than staying longer.  And don't worry, true to His character, the Lord is providing for my needs, even through some of you, without even knowing my situation.

I won't share every little detail, but I'm still amazed and grateful at how the Lord was able to speak and get through to me at such a seemingly inopportune time using a variety of circumstances and testimonies.  I'm impressed how He can take natural circumstances or stories and infuse them with the Holy Spirit's touch to translate into specific, pertinent messages for our individual personal lives.  

I'm only now starting to share with others about the news and will, of course, share in my next newsletter.  It's still too early to give more information about location or assignment,  but I do plan to stay long-term with SAMS who is discerning this with me.  Thank you so much for sticking with me through the thick and the thin.  

Please continue to pray for Congress prep and Congress itself.  Please also pray for the interviews, decisions, and planning about the future.  Finally I give thanks for the Lord's financial provision and encouragement and pray for the finances needed for where He's leading me next.  I'll keep you posted!