Bible Verses

College years

I was just working on a "well known" Bible verse, Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is a good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things" and it brought back quite a few memories.  Through my college years someone had posted this verse on a bathroom stall and I thought I would memorize it.  Well even though I reviewed it daily I couldn't seem to recall which word came first.  I do have to say that repeating it daily it did become a bit more a part of my thought process. 

The "Hide 'Em in Your Heart" Kids

When our children grew old enough to start learning verses we got a copy of Steve Greens' Hide 'Em in Your Heart.  Putting the song to music and working along side my kids, I learned the verse in the NIV version.  We whistled our way through this verse during our Awana sessions on Wednesday evenings.  That was a great time for me to learn verses because as I taught my kids verses I found myself reviewing old verses and that I had learned as a child and meditating on them and knowing them

A CD "Not just for kids"

better than ever before. They became real to me, they became wise words of wisdom to be practiced in every day life.  Raising children seems to have a way of waking us up to reality no matter how much wisdom we had or thought we had before.
Now that my children are grown enough to work on memory verses on their own, I now have started my own memory program. I have started using a computer program, memverse.com. http://www.memverse.com.  It began at the New Year 2013 when I made a commitment to memorize the book of James in a year.

Great Study, if you are looking for one.

  I was starting the James Study from the Lifeway Bible Study done by Beth Moore.  She actually challenged us to learn it in five months but I extended it to a year.  This computer program actually challenges us to learn all the references too.  So to help I added a few verses I already knew rather well in order to help my boggled mind remember references.  When every verse starts with James things get confusing. Philippians 4:8 was one of those familiar verses but then the challenge came when I decided to use my good old faithful translation, New American Standard Bible Instead of New International Version that I used with my children.  Now that I have told all you this, I will have to stick to it.  I am working on Chapter five but have yet to claim chapter 4 is completely memorized.
 http://www.stevegreenministries.org/music/hidem_in_your_heart_vol1.php
 http://www.lifeway.com/n/Product-Family/James:-Mercy-Triumphs?intcmp=BethMoore-MTX-Text-James-20130627

THANKFULNESS!

Post Card Photo

Kenya Thank you

Rod and I work for Mission Aviation Fellowship here in Congo.  Part of the job is finding supporters in the states to partner with us in ministry.  When we left to go overseas over 22 years ago, we were a young married couple expecting our second child.  We visited many churches and homes sharing about the ministries we planned to do in Zaire, Africa.  We were often surprised at those who stepped forward to support our ministry.  I learned quickly not to "expect" support from anyone.  Often the one who we thought we were sharing our ministry with and who was actually catching the vision were two different people.  Like I said, "That was over 22 years ago!"  Many of those people are still supporting us to this day!

Supporters bought us this truck to get through the roads here.

I have a goal of thanking those ministry partners with a personal note every six months.  There were years when our children were small and I was homeschooling them that I didn't make that goal.  After a while I was convicted of a need for me to show thankfulness and got back at it.
 I am in that process right now.  There are several observations I  have been making.  First, once again you never can predict who will remain faithful for 22+ years as part of the support team.  I wonder if these wonderful partners knew when they made that commitment that it would be for such a long time.  We have actually had people stop us and ask when we think we have done enough.  Then again we started out telling people that this was our lifetime career.  
Second, almost every one of these partners are special and bring back memories that make me want to write a story about them or give them a badge of honor.  There were two that I didn't know  who in the world they were but I had a great time googling them.  Lydia and picked out our favorite of a particular name on Facebook.  We liked the one who was playing with his kids. :)  That's okay if it wasn't him.
I had one time I didn't know who that ministry partner was and I "thought" she was a lady we had met in a church in Ohio but her address was California.  I put off making personal contact with her for so

Christmas Card Thank you note

long it was embarrassing.  When I finally did contact her I found out that we had never met her, she had picked us from a list of names and loved our ministry.  I learned to stop procrastinating after that.  Too bad the lesson didn't stick permanently.

Christmas Card Thank you note!

A third lesson is humility.  I am an American whose roots go back to the hills of Tennessee right after the American Revolution as well as various other lines including the ones who greeted those relatives coming over the hills.  We don't depend on other people, we pull ourselves up by our own boot straps. When we became missionaries we had to learn to reach out and ask for support from others.  There are times I am so humbled by those people who sacrifice regularly so we can serve the Lord here in Congo. 
Fourth lesson, most of these people that support us financially also support us through prayers.  Actually, many that I have no written record of pray for us.  I wish I could send each of them a thank you note every six months too.  Maybe one of these days I will do that with the whole mailing list just to make sure they all get thanked.  Prayer can be work but it is the way many barriers are overcome and the way we remain here in Africa for so long.  Thank you if you are praying for a missionary whether it be Rod and I or someone else.

A "Normal" Day in the Life of a Missionary Wife

“Small things may be where He [chooses] to leave us because we’d crumble under the weight of something bigger. But small things are just as important to God as the big things.” (http://stephanieshott.com/2013/05/do-you-despise-small-things/)

This blog was written last week, so the actual day I am talking about is Wednesday, May 16. Yesterday was one of those full days. I woke at 5:30 a.m. since I didn’t hear Rod’s alarm at 5 a.m.

  We have been able to find sales on cereal lately bringing a box down to less than $6 so we have enjoyed that luxury for a while.   I made lunches and Rod got the bowls out for breakfast.
  Once Rod was out the door by 6:30 a.m. I wanted to have some quiet time.  I set the timer to force myself to focus.  By 7 a.m. I  hadn’t checked e-mail or Facebook and there would be no connections for the day while I was at work so I took my fifteen minutes to indulge.  Lydia was chomping at the bit and wanted to get to school quickly to talk to a teacher about making up a test and to turn in a science project.  I wanted to return camping equipment to the mission guest house on the way.  Well Lydia won the argument and we got her to school early. 

Arman working on a Square Tile Puzzle!

After I dropped her off I took the first period of school to exercise.  Since the classes are shorter on Wednesday I cut my walk and exercise time to 40 minutes.

I got to class on time and my student wasn’t there but the French teacher next door had just had him in class, so he must have had to go to his locker. He arrived thinking he should be grumpy for the day.  Victory was mine because by the end of the first block we were laughing and enjoying each others company and learning about bar graphs. 

His tutor who also teaches him English and math hadn’t show up by the normal time so I checked to see if he had texted (is that really a verb now?) me.  I discovered that my phone was missing.  I decided to blame that on being rushed out the door even though I tend to forget my phone around 20% of the time anyway. . I guess that isn’t a very godly attitude, is it?   Rod says I forget it more often than that. Christian, the tutor, did show up about 10 minutes late but my student and I were going strong so we continued on.Christian's son was sick and they had to take him to the hospital.

We had a break in class to do a photo session

For lunch I chose to stay in my classroom since we decided I would teach the rest of the day to make up for a day I missed when I was at the retreat three weeks ago.  Lunch went fairly quickly but I was able to get word forms set up, square tile puzzles and the math meeting strip ready as well as eat a tuna sandwich and play a game on the computer to rest my brain for a moment. Arman returned with a great attitude and we had a great afternoon.

Lydia ended up taking her test after school so J. D. and I hung out.  I talked with another teacher for a while so by the time I got back to my truck and realized the camping equipment was still in it, it was five minutes until it was time for us to go.  I quickly drove to the MPH guest house  and dropped off the camping equipment. I left the equipment by the manager’s apartment door inside the building.  I met up with J.D. and Lydia just in time.  On the way home I remembered I needed hamburger for supper.  So after dropping J.D. off I ran to the grocery store and picked up enough meat so I would not run out again soon. 

Ammielle and Acharchelle: The Bloggers

We drove into the driveway to find my twin students and their sister sitting on the front porch.  I had confused them on our meeting time and they had arrived 1/2 and hour earlier than I expected.  I unloaded all the “stuff” included groceries quickly, and we began our  learning therapy session for the day.  Acharchelle did a blog and Ammielle did regular therapy.  You can read their blogs here: http://brooklyntwinsincongo.blogspot.com/.  During the session Rod arrived and stepped in to say hi and began his exercise routine for the day. When the twins and I were finished I went to the kitchen and began making Enchiladas. 

 Pete and Cindy Ekstrand were coming from Gemena and would stay the night with us before going on to the US for a year of furlough.  We also invited our neighbor to join us since her husband was away.  Lydia helped me out by mixing up some brownies for dessert and I was very happy to have plenty of vegetables for the salad.  We discovered that the bell peppers were not bell peppers when Lydia snatched one on the way by.  Her lips and tongue started burning immediately.  So I need to make myself an omelet sometime with some hot peppers in it. 

It is always fun to have friends from up country or out in the bush of Congo over for supper.  We get reports on how the other missionaries are doing and how the church is doing.  We also hear about “new” mission strategies and what is being done to encourage the church or help that is being given to try to boost the economic situation.  The Ekstrands were excited about a recent trip to Kenya to encourage several African Churches that are all connected in some way to the efforts of the Swedish Covenant Church.  The long history of outreach and church planting was interesting and exciting.  The purpose of the conference was to help people in the church to see Biblical Truth vs Cultural Traditions. 

After our visit my eyes were ready to close, so we all caught up a little on correspondence via computer.  Then we were all very happy to go to bed. 

Running for the Prize

My dad and his prize after a marathon.

We just had a 5K at TASOK, The American School of Kinshasa and I am excited about exercising.  So here is an attempt at a blog:
I grew up with a dad who got into running when he was about 40 years old.  He didn't just get into running, he ran marathons!  As a result of his running I began challenging myself to be able to run 1 mile.  This progressed to a point of running farther.  With a high school friend I began a tradition of running 5 miles every Thanksgiving.  Then in college, after gaining the Freshman 5 I started running 5 miles every Saturday.  Of course these exercise routines went up and down over the years.  But running has been a part of my life off and on since High School.  Never a team sport person, I find running to be a great exercise for me because I can challenge myself.

My friend Marilyn and I after we ran a 10K down Boulivard 30 Juin

As a result of this recreational running I also have found scripture parallels.  The Apostle Paul liked to relate the Christian Life to running.  1 Corinthians 9:24-27 shares "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize?  Run in such a way that you may win.  Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.  Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified." (NASB)  Paul was extremely diligent in his training.  Whether he was actually doing the physical exercise is a question but the fact that he took his spiritual exercise seriously is very clear.  I want to be like that!  Paul never gave up.  Even in a last letter that he wrote he once again referred to life's race.  In his last recorded letter to Timothy he writes: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing." II Timothy 4:7-8 (NASB)

Austin and I ran "Run for Congo Women" the last of his senior year

About 2008 I joined a Boot Camp exercise group in Kinshasa.  I had thought I was just going to start losing shape as I got older, but I started working out with this group and discovered I could get in better shape than ever.  As a result I was able to make a new tradition with a friend and for about three years we ran a 10K just before School Summer Break down Boulevard 30 Juin in Kinshasa.
The last couple of years I have been dealing with some re-occurring pain.  So I am having to slow down my running and I am learning what fast pace walking is.  I am a little jealous of those people who get out there and run hard and I wish I could join them.  But I have decided that for now my pace is walking until these joint problems get better.  So even though I am told half way through the run that people have already come in to the finish line, I am going to rejoice that I have not given up.  Yes, I "run" for the prize but not the prize that is given today.  I run for the prize for my life.

The last three years running at TASOK

Reading Paul's words there is a much more important prize I need to aim for.  That is the prize that God has for us.  James 1:12 "Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him."  There are trials that come and go and I am under a couple today.  God has challenged me to persevere.  I would rather crawl into my room but that isn't what God calls us too.  So I write to you and encourage you to "throw off every encumbrance" and "set our eyes on the prize before us".   
When the Bible speaks of the prize and the crown of life I envision the Greek Olympic winners with their Laurel Wreaths crowning their heads.  God has that kind of prize for us in heaven.  Are we persevering under trial?  Are we seeking to pray continuously through those trials?  Are we seeking to be Jesus to those who don't know Him around us?

Retreat, Retreat

Our second night of worship with Glen!

Sunday Morning worship with a very innovative drum set.

I just spent the last two weekends with the Youth in our church here in Congo, The International Protestant Church of Kinshasa (IPCK).  I feel privileged that I get to be involved in their lives and enjoy these times with them.  The High School had a desire to go beyond just having a retreat and actually doing more of a mission outreach.  One of the High School students took this on as her project saying that she felt a little jealous of the students in America who get to go on short term mission trips.  So she asked Mission Aviation Fellowship if there was a way that we could charter the plane for a weekend and take a trip to a mission station in the interior of Congo and mingle with the people that live there.  What was amazing was how this was the students' vision and they did most of the planning.  There were many complications and delays but we were finally able to make this mission trip as I shared in my last blog.
Glen Chapman, the missionary at Kikongo was our speaker and he shared with us the theme, "Light to the Nations".  The first speaking opportunity was to take us at night down a dark path that led to a hut by the river.  He shared the contrast of cultures.  The obvious clash in cultures is between Western thought and African thought. But there is also the clash between Christian thought and the World's thought.  We are a light in the darkness to those who do not know Jesus.

Meeting the Delegation from the Village on the other side.

I loved the way he shared how we can reach out to others and our ministries become a safe haven to others.  Kikongo was built out of the African jungle but is becoming a settlement where people can go for safety.  He gave us a LOT of food for thought during those very quick three days. 

We also had opportunities to reach out to the community around us in Kikongo although I felt often that they were reaching out to us.  There is a pastoral school  and a hospital and the people there know how to serve God in a very difficult time and place.
 It wasn't all work though, we had time to go swimming in the river and hiking on the other side of the river to a falls where we met the chief and others from the village on that side of the river.

The Streets near my own home in Kinshasa.

The second retreat I was involved in was with the Middle School Retreat which had the theme of "Outreach".  Jean Senga was our speaker and he spoke on reaching out to others in love.  One thing that really stuck with us is that if we do any kind of ministry or great sacrifice but do not have love we are like a clanging cymbal or noisy gong. I Corinthians 13
After a night of heavy rains in our tents we got up to make sandwiches for the traffic police at one station here in our neighborhood.  Traffic police are not well loved here in Kinshasa so we were all reaching beyond our comfort zone.  Jean had emphasized that loving usually costs us something.  We were going beyond those that we found easy to love and reaching out to those beyond.

Jean's son, Micah leading and teaching Sunday School

On Sunday Morning we visited Jean Senga's church, Source de Vie (Source of Life).  One of our students, Sam, dressed in a Lion Costume and he and a couple other boys rode in a truck around the neighborhood to invite children to Sunday School.  Our students also were able to share through singing during the service.

Our Middle School Team with Leo the Lion of Judah (Sam)

That morning I was doing my normal Bible Study but the passage became very real to me.  It spoke of the people gathering for the feast of booths and living in tents for one week out of the year.  I felt very much like I was living that study.  Then it also spoke of them opening the scriptures and translating it into different languages so they could all understand.  During the church service Jean spoke in French and had a Lingala translator and then Deborah, Jean's wife stood up and translated that into English.  I don't know why but God wanted me to live the Feast of Booths over this time.  I love it when God orchestrates living lessons for me.

Bucket Lists

Every since I watched the movie "Bucket List" I have thought I should make one.  Then as I was studying my Bible one day I felt convicted about the goals I was making in my life.  When we make bucket lists, suddenly the goal becomes to save money or all resources to fulfill that bucket list.  Do we ask, "Is this what God has for me?"  I see mountain climbers and sky divers who work jobs until they have money to conquer the next mountain or the next dive and then they are off again to add another feat to their list.  Is this the way God wants us to use our talents?  Possibly it is for some believers out there.  For me I have been convicted that God wants me to follow Psalm 37: 4 "Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart."
This past weekend I was asked to join our High School Youth on a retreat/mission trip to Kikongo village.  There we experienced the village life to a certain extent (I shelled peanuts and pounded pondu), petted a duiker and held bunnies, worshiped with the Congolese people, hiked the trails both night and day, swam in the river, and listened to great teaching from Glen Chapman.  If I had a bucket list, I would put that on it.  But I don't and God gave me the desire of my heart. I love visiting Kikongo and Rita's menagerie and seeing the Congolese people from the Bible school who have a heart for God.  I love floating down the river on my back and realizing what beautiful scenery is passing me by or I am passing by or grabbing branches of overhanging trees so I can stop and look around for a moment longer.  When I set goals for this year, was this on my list?  No, but God put the desire in my heart to work with youth and God put the desire in their hearts to do a mission trip to Kikongo.  I got the blessings from all three desires.
This is not the only time I have been blessed so much.  I watched the movie "Up" and feel guilty because I married the right man, went on an adventure with him, had children and continue to have adventures. That poor couple didn't get any of those things except the house.
I want to praise God for His great blessing in my life and the great adventures He has given me!

The Third 1/3 of A Day with Rod

Yes, that is the Youth Pastor making that face so I guess that excuses him.

This is going to be mostly pictures because when you fly in a Cessna 206 you really can't hear much but you see a lot!

I love the windsocks next to the airstrip.  It was a calm day.

While loading into the plane, Rita offered me some of her fresh lemons from her tree which sounded delicious.  She ran to her nearby tree and picked four for me to add to my purse.  I had also purchased some onions from one of the tables in the market with a 1,000 franc Congolese.

Don Hamsher got to fly beside the pilot this time.  Nicole and I were in the back again.  Rod had given us ear plugs to help with the noise from engine.  

Good-bye Wamba River

The plane is so loud you rarely ask the pilot where you are.

As we come over the plateau toward Kinshasa there is a lot of swamp land.

The famous Cite de Fleuve where the rich get richer

Landing at Ndolo Airport

When you sit in the back of the 206 you can always look back and see where you came from.

Trying to stay in the shade of the plane.

As soon as we landed the mechanics got to work on a scheduled inspection.

The best way to end a day spent with your husband: Barbequed chicken done by somebody else.

If you would like to see the rest of this day you can click on the two links below for the first 2/3 of the day:

Rod Sharing His Job for the Day: The First 1/3 

A Day with Rod: The Second 1/3 

A Day with Rod! (second third)

This is a continuation from the last post.  Rita and Glen Chapman had welcomed us in their home in Kikongo and then Rita began showing us around the mission/village.  From the Pastoral School we went to visit the local church.  This mission is ran by the American Baptists and Rita's grandfather had built the church.  It is over 50 years old and still standing strong.  Inside the church we were impressed that this man, who was not an architect or contractor had designed and built such a practical and worshipful building.The foundation was built on a slope so that everyone in the church can see the pastor. The glassless windows give light throughout the church and the high ceilings help circulate air in the tropical heat.  Rita and her mom had made the Easter wall hanging that hung behind the pulpit.  A visiting pastor had donated cloth to cover the walls in the front of the church and Rita had added some applique to give a sunbeam look.
 I had visited Kikongo a couple of years ago and enjoyed visiting a ladies meeting in this same church. 
From the church we moved on down the path which was quite "innocent of pavement" to the hospital.

This hospital was a part of a plan that Dr. Dan Fountain came up with.  The hospital is the center of many outlying clinics with nurses who could refer patience to the hospital if their needs are greater than the clinic can handle.  Glen met up with us here.  They shared that the hospital should have been crawling with patience but there are doctors from Kinshasa who have been going out to the villages and giving illegal operations to people in very unsterilized environments. They can make extra money this way and the patience don't have to leave home.  Unfortunately there is no one to give post operation care nor to make sure infections don't set in.  I thought of writing a blog titled "Operations for Sale: Real Cheap" but decided to just give the story here instead.
One huge blessing that the hospital has is running water.  A pump was donated to the hospital so that water comes to these outside faucets.  

The Nursing School

The Kigongo Hospital is also a training hospital.  Several years ago a western government donated money to build a new hospital.  Before everything was completed the money was cut off.  So the nursing students meet in the old hospital.  I would say these are some VERY determined students to continue to meet in these conditions.

The Hospital Kitchen

At the back of the hospital is a cooking area.  Food is not provided by the hospital so a family member comes along and does all the cooking.  Sometimes the whole family comes along.  Some patience stay in the hospital for months at a time.  This means that gardens don't get planted at home and all reserves if there are any are used up. One 17 year old boy has been in the hospital for months.  He had typhoid and was down to 17 kilograms or about 38 pounds.  He is now up to 30 kilograms and gaining. Rita has been getting eggs sent in from Kinshasa to help his nutritional level. 
A great blessing happened on the day we toured, the wife of one of the Bible School Students gave birth to twins.  Both were over 2 kilograms or close to 5 pounds.  It was very exciting news to all.

After the hospital we walked to the market.  The first store we stopped at we had to sit and look for awhile there were so many things on the shelves.  Don Hamsher looked for something from America.  We didn't find any American made products but we did find some superglue. Rita says she comes to the market very rarely but has friends who might stop and buy things for her as they come to and from work.

Just a cute baby monkey outside the store.

 There was also an open market to buy fruits and vegetables.  We could purchase things like salt, onions, dried fish, oranges, manioch greens, peanuts etc. 

 The people were a little embarrassed that we would take pictures of their straw roof because they felt like they were in such bad shape.  But on top of the roof we found that they were drying mushrooms which seemed to be in season.  There were also dried caterpillars.  I almost bought some to try but I thought our guests might go into too extreme a culture shock on their first day.

Behind Glen and Rita's house is a little hangar where Glen keeps his Powered Parachute (PPC).  He uses this to fly to other villages and show the Jesus Film.  Each village has built a soccer field so he simply looks for the soccer field and lands his PPC on it and then shows the Jesus Film.  Since we were there in the middle of the day and winds are rather unpredictable except in the morning or evening we just enjoyed sitting in it.  I believe Glen was planning to go out and show the film that evening.













 On Glen and Rita's front porch we found triplets waiting for us.  Dorcus, Esther and Ruth are very fond of Rod, the pilot.  Several years ago, Dorcus has a severe case of malaria and was going to die.  Rod was flying through the area and Glen contacted him and asked if he could find room for her on the flight to Vanga where there is a larger hospital with more
doctors.  God orchestrated the situation and Rod got to be a part of rescuing this young girl.  Very often triplets do not make it in Congo because of poor medical facilities and low nutrition.  These triplets are a miracle. 
                                                                            As we loaded on the plane, I looked back and laughed at the sign posted outside of Glen and Rita's house. The sign says, "Koboma yango te," which means, "Don't kill it."  There is a picture of an otter on this sign. Glen and Rita's main message to the people is the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They live among the people and seek to be Jesus among them and show them how to live where they are which includes taking care of the unique plants and creatures around them.    

For the other 2/3 of this day you can click on the links below

Rod Sharing His Job for a Day: The First 1/3
The Third 1/3 of Rod's Day