A Neglected Blog

The staff from our language school with Dano on his birthday.  I surprised Dano
with a lunch out with the staff from our language school.  We took them to
lunch to say "THANK  YOU for all you have helped us learn during our
time here!"  Also, that is how they celebrate birthdays here... on YOUR
birthday... you treat!  Counting me, there were 8 total for lunch.  Our total
bill was equivalent to about $30 US Dollars, and we ate well!  

Over the last 8 months this blog has been desperately neglected!  Of course, I’ve been keeping busy writing a little at our other blog, writing posts on facebook, and in my spare time… learning a new language, learning how to live in a completely different culture, homeschooling & caring for 5 kids, helping my husband, attempting to stay in touch with family and our partners, etc.  Being busy is not the only reason I have neglected this blog… but also the confusion of what to write where (this blog, our other blog, facebook, e-mail)… the confusion of knowing what I could safely share in any of these public places… and just plain exhaustion from living life and thinking about these things! 

During this time, God has been at work in my heart.  He’s given me much to write about, but I haven’t taken the time to write it down.  This is unfortunate for me… not so much for you… because writing often helps me process the things God has laid on my heart.  I am hoping at some point, I will be able to write down the many things God has spoken to me… the many things God has shown me through the beauty of His creation on this side of the world.  I hope to post them here… not because I think that my stories are worth publishing… but just in hopes that maybe if God has shared something with me that maybe it is something that someone else needs to hear.   Or it may be something to just spur you on to thinking about or reading God’s Word or spending more time in prayer for the unreached people in this world or spending more time thinking about something other than the troubles in your current life. 

This time has been full of troubles in our current life… nothing major compared to many… but challenges and trials that keep us returning to the feet of our Father.  Troubles that keep us dependent upon Him and upon the body of Christ!  We are so thankful for those who have come along side us to send us and to encourage us and to keep us here!  Even on tough days when we think how much easier it would be to be living in America, we are thankful to be here, and we aren’t ready to leave just yet! 

I hope to start writing here a little more… but don’t expect a post a day!  As a matter of fact… I can’t imagine that I will be writing a lot over the next month.  Not only will we be celebrating Christmas and the New Year like the rest of you, but also in less than a month, we’ll be moving to another island in this country so we’ll be busy, ONCE AGAIN, sorting, purging, selling, & packing!  In addition to all that… we’ll be making lots of PLANS & taking care of BUSINESS… confirming shipment of our belongings, airplane reservations, hotel reservations, doctor appointments, visa paperwork, closing out business here, and SAYING GOODBYE WELL to the many friends we’ve made here… nationals and expats.  This will be a challenging month.  These might be the hardest goodbyes we’ve ever said.  Usually when we say goodbye… we know we’ll see our family & friends again… if not on this side of eternity then on the next!  Many of our friends here are Christians so we’ll definitely see them again… but it may be on the other side of eternity.  We are thrilled that we’ll see them again… but it will be sad knowing that it might be eternity before we sit and visit again.  (Thankfully, we have the internet to stay in touch!)  The hardest goodbyes will be with the nationals that we know we will not see again unless God intervenes in a major way.  These are people like our neighbors whom we have grown to love.  People like our helpers who have been a major part of our lives.  Please join us in praying for them, for their children… they have the power to change this country with the help of the Holy Spirit.  A mighty revival could take place in this land, but it would only be possible with the help of the Holy Spirit.  Your prayers could definitely impact eternity.

Our Thanksgiving Guests
Normally we are always trying to learn the culture here, but on this day, we
wanted to share a little of our culture with our neighbors (and one expat friend
and his driver).  With the exception of our family, the expat gentlemen, and his
driver, no one in this picture is a believer. They are dear friends.  My heart is
heavy as saying goodbye approaches.  

So as I close this post, I don’t know when I will write again, but I do “plan” to post some prayer requests over the next month… so hopefully, you’ll be hearing from me again soon.  Please feel free to leave a comment here on the blog, but do not comment about the country we live in. Thank you!  

Blessings, Melinda  =0)