Sorry this took so long to post, it was written a few weeks ago but got over looked in the moves and internet complications...
Transition looks like many different things to many different people but to TCK’s (Third Culture Kids: those that are born into one culture and raised in another) transitions become a huge part of their lives. Right now we are in the thick of transition, so our house is torn apart with boxes everywhere, some that have been packed and re-packed only to be broken into one more time because you realize that you really need something out of it in order to get through.
There are some really good things that happen at these times of transitions, like the way things are re-evaluated. There are a lot of things that you realize you don’t need and can live without or that someone can make better use of than you have been. This is especially true when you are putting things into storage for an extended period of time and have seen the damage that mice and termites are capable of. There are so many reminders of how blessed we are. The fact that we have so many boxes to pack and so much furniture to lend to others while we are away are huge testimonies to that. It is really nice to be able to pass some of that blessing on to others. Transitions also provide the opportunity to re-evaluate relationships, to give thanks for those who have become so important to you, to encourage those who will be carrying on without you, as well as to ask forgiveness or to seek healing in those relationships that have not gone the way that you intended. So, thanks to all of you that have been remembering us over our time here in Niger.
One thing that is for sure, transitions are never easy. Anyone who has ever had to say good bye can attest to that. No matter how much you are looking forward to what lies ahead or how challenging what you are leaving, good byes are never pleasant. Please keep us in your prayers (especially the boys) as we enter into this time of extended transition.
We are in our third house since I wrote this (a few weeks ago) and still have two more to go before we can settle for awhile. Our sincerest apologies to those that have sent us e-mails for church bookings we hope to be able to respond to them soon. Thanks for your patience with us we are looking forward to seeing you soon.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Friday, May 20, 2011
Answers to Prayer
I have had a few answers to prayer over the past little while. So, I think that I will list them in hopes that I don’t forget something:
• We get to stay in our own house when we return to Canada
• The boys and I survived two weeks single parenting while Dave was away taking a course
• The weird things that were happening with our electricity were more wide spread that just our house and thus not our problem to resolve
• Our car here waited until Dave returned before it broke down on the road! And the problem was only a battery issue and not the alternator or something worse
• We now have a car to use when we return to Canada
• We think that Ben may have been accepted into a French immersion program for the coming year (we aren’t sure because the acceptance e-mail said that he was accepted into the seventh grade and he will be going into fifth!). If that is the case, it means the boys will be able to be in the same school.
• Rain! We had a slight taste of rain this past Saturday, but unfortunately it didn’t amount to much where we are living and so the heat continues
• Preparations are starting to come together for our move at the end of this month (we will spend our last couple of weeks here in a guest house before going to Germany for studies)
• If you are reading this it means that I even had enough power and internet (at the same time!) to post this
At this time of year it is really difficult to keep our focus on the Giver of Joy and not get caught up in our circumstances, but we are grateful that we really do have a lot to be thankful for. Please pray that we would be able to have contentment regardless of our circumstance—it is such a difficult lesson to learn! Praying that you will know His joy and contentment too.
PS. This is dave. The car is starting to die again. I think it's the alternator killing the batteries but I don't know. My mechanic is closed until Monday. Don't know how we'll get to church on Sunday but God will provide. Internet is really intermittent.
• We get to stay in our own house when we return to Canada
• The boys and I survived two weeks single parenting while Dave was away taking a course
• The weird things that were happening with our electricity were more wide spread that just our house and thus not our problem to resolve
• Our car here waited until Dave returned before it broke down on the road! And the problem was only a battery issue and not the alternator or something worse
• We now have a car to use when we return to Canada
• We think that Ben may have been accepted into a French immersion program for the coming year (we aren’t sure because the acceptance e-mail said that he was accepted into the seventh grade and he will be going into fifth!). If that is the case, it means the boys will be able to be in the same school.
• Rain! We had a slight taste of rain this past Saturday, but unfortunately it didn’t amount to much where we are living and so the heat continues
• Preparations are starting to come together for our move at the end of this month (we will spend our last couple of weeks here in a guest house before going to Germany for studies)
• If you are reading this it means that I even had enough power and internet (at the same time!) to post this
At this time of year it is really difficult to keep our focus on the Giver of Joy and not get caught up in our circumstances, but we are grateful that we really do have a lot to be thankful for. Please pray that we would be able to have contentment regardless of our circumstance—it is such a difficult lesson to learn! Praying that you will know His joy and contentment too.
PS. This is dave. The car is starting to die again. I think it's the alternator killing the batteries but I don't know. My mechanic is closed until Monday. Don't know how we'll get to church on Sunday but God will provide. Internet is really intermittent.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Sunday School Explosion
A few weeks ago a pastor in our church preached on evangelism and how it was everyone’s responsibility to share what God was doing in their lives and to invite others to know Him and become involved in a church. On Easter Sunday, one of the little boys in my Sunday school class had taken that message to heart and had invited four of his friends to join him. Because we were celebrating the resurrection of Christ, I had special treat bags made up for each of the kids as they left Sunday school and went to join the morning service. I had expected extra kids because it was a special week so I was prepared. What I wasn’t prepared for was this last week, when my Sunday school class went from the regular 12 kids to 28! I don’t know if word had gotten out in the neighbourhood that they could get candy in church or whether my little evangelist had had a taste of success and expanded his horizons. I had a little boy of about 11 years old offer to translate for me into Zarma for the kids that didn’t have enough French (which was really helpful. But, what was really interesting about that is that my translator who had come for the first time that morning) kept getting ahead of me and telling the story for me and I only had to correct him once! I hope that my little evangelist hadn’t taken the kids from the other nearby churches to join us.
I suspect that there might be a slightly smaller response this week (because the kids didn’t go away with a bag of candy), but please pray that God will be at work in the lives of these kids. Pray that we as a church will know how to respond to them as well (there were more kids than adults in the service on Sunday morning, but that is a closer reflection of the population of Niger). Pray that my Zarma will be able to keep up with the need, so that I can communicate with the kids that come and can follow to know when someone is translating correctly or not.
In addition to the regular problems with electricity, I am also having computer problems with the power cord. Please pray that it would continue to cooperate until I can get a replacement.
I suspect that there might be a slightly smaller response this week (because the kids didn’t go away with a bag of candy), but please pray that God will be at work in the lives of these kids. Pray that we as a church will know how to respond to them as well (there were more kids than adults in the service on Sunday morning, but that is a closer reflection of the population of Niger). Pray that my Zarma will be able to keep up with the need, so that I can communicate with the kids that come and can follow to know when someone is translating correctly or not.
In addition to the regular problems with electricity, I am also having computer problems with the power cord. Please pray that it would continue to cooperate until I can get a replacement.
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