Rice Noodles

Cambodia and Vietnam are two different countries in so many ways. Beyond their different border lines, lay two different cultures; the opposite of each other, neither like the other. In Cambodia you saw smiling faces, there was joy on their hearts. They had hope. They had freedom. Vietnam was heavy. Not many smiles, no joy, there was little hope. On the outside they had buildings of beauty, but behind was their ugly past, that wasn't going to be easily erased. You found children abandoned, Christians persecuted; constant fear. Those who labor there every day have a lot of work ahead of them, but God's grace is sufficient. 

                House of Grace Children            

                        (Cambodia) 

The truth about a country as a whole is not fully seen in a couple of days, but first impressions speak volumes. There is still much labor to be done in both countries to bring in the harvest, but there are few workers. 

My time in Asia this time was vastly different from my first trip to China at 19. I was give the privilege to hold an orphans hand and extend love that might not have been there before; I spoke to underground church pastors and ate a lot of rice noodles. It was a wonderful time to meet fellow workers of Grace International and workers for the kingdom. 

I found that I didn't "feel" a particular call to either of these countries to be in full time, but what do I know about what tomorrow may bring?...

Full Hearts & Stomachs

It was probably the best day since we arrived in this humid, beautiful country. When you travel the world for the sake of travel, you soak in everything and see everything you can; when you travel the world for the sake of the gospel seeing those amazing sights, eating great food, having your nose filled with...interesting smells, they become a cherry on top, but they aren't the goal. 

This was Cambodia for me. I've been to many places and seen many things, but when I arrived here, although I enjoyed the dance through traffic and the noodles for breakfast, I wanted to get to the people and see their lives changed. The reason we had come here was to celebrate five years of the orphanage that Grace International had helped build. Which was a great event and a good time, we served by helping to put it together. But my favorite part of this trip was going to a nearby village and sharing the gospel and feeding them lunch. It was a joy to see them leave with full hearts and full stomachs. 

Cambodia is a a beautiful place with beautiful people. I am honored to have been a part of this event. To share in the joy of my brothers and sisters from across the world. 

Coming...back...

Stateside again. We arrived about two weeks ago and have been on transitional roller coaster the whole time. We stayed with family the first two nights, than proceeded to find our own place to live. So many times as missionaries we've tell good stories about sleeping in mud huts on the field and how awesome that is, but when it's in your own country it is different in some ways. In America we have this entitlement mentality, and when I walked into this woman's house that was falling apart, I felt that I was in America so I deserved to live better than this, but God gave me a spiritual slap and challenged me to what I thought made me better than this woman? No matter what direction my life had made, God has ALWAYS provided, he always gave me a place to stay, food to eat and a good place to shower. This was no exception, it wasn't the nicest place to stay, but it was a roof over my head and God had once again provided and for now this is my home, and I will thank The Lord. We stayed with this woman for two nights before we found a different room to rent with more privacy.

When I had agreed to marry Jacob, I knew that meant agreeing to move to Mississippi as my new stateside home. I knew we would be here for at least two years. After every missions trip I've ever done, I've always returned to my parents home even if only a season, but I'm not going there this time. This is home now. It's strange, I don't think it's hit me exactly. Mississippi is not a bad place, it's as hot as people said it would be, but it's not Oregon. The people and culture are different, and I'm not sure I like it yet. But it doesn't matter much what I think about it, God has called me here as much as he has called me to the nations in the rest of the world.

God is faithful. He knows my needs even before I say them, and he will always provide. He will provide a place to live as well as peace and grace for living in a new place. He will provide friends and jobs. He has always been there for me and I don't see him failing me now.

Marriage So Far.... Warning! Mushy!

Marriage is fun. After two months I am hardly an expert, but I do know that since I married my best friend it's been fun. Has it been easy? Even after two months I have to give out a big HECK NO! Do I sometimes make a growling sound because I'm trying to hold in my frustration? HECK YES. Do I get annoyed at the way he eats? Sleeps? Has different ideas than me? Doesn't think like me? Sure I do!!! But are there good times? You Bet! I get to hang out with my best friend ALL the TIME!!! Yes, that can get old after a while, even friends can get old and annoying, but like my dad told me, even one good moment makes you forget all those bad moments ( not exact quote).

Do I miss him when he's not around? Ya, I do. Do I love the way he holds my hand, or kisses me? How he cares about my opinion even when I don't have one? How he washes clothes BY HAND for me, even though he's just has tired as I am? Yes, I do love those things about him. 

Before you get married EVERYONE and THEIR MOTHER feels the need to give advice, and of course you take it with a smile. Some of it you keep, some of you chew around for a while, and some of it you through away immediately. But if I were to give advice, I wouldn't. Yes there are basic principles for marriage, but I can't tell you how your marriage will be, or what you should and shouldn't do, but I can say that marriage is fun. Enjoy it. Is God at the center? Than you're good to go. Singles? Don't be in a rush, I know you've heard it all before, but when it's God's timing it's perfect and work out your junk without someone else to distract you, it's the best thing you can give to your spouse and marriage. 

His-story

There are always many hard stories to hear from a missions field, but sometimes life is a little hard to hear and we need to share their stories. So here is another hard life story, (with a happy ending.) 

We marched behind him like soldiers. We knew we were headed into battle. "Mom" holding one hand and "Dad" had the other. The one who we defended, the one whom we stood for, was only about ten years old. 

Earlier than this moment we had had a service for the children of San Pablo, Guatemala. Not just a time to entertain them but to teach them to hear and respond to the voice of God. One little boy, Douglas, began to cry his heart out; he sobbed without stopping as Jacob held him, praying and encouraging him. We later found out that his dad was a drunk who beat his mom. We knew we could not let this boy go home without going with him to bring the church to his dad who refused to go to church. 

After lots of talking, prayer and persistence, the dad repented before God, received Jesus as his Lord, repented to his family and a rededication    of vows, we were able to leave the family with peace in our hearts and the glory of God resting on their home. 

If you buy TOMS... Read!

Black shoes varying in size were pulled out of boxes. The men and young boys lined up first, the young girls were given what was left that might fit them, and the women walked away with bags of rice for the household. 

It was an interesting experience. We traveled for three hours over mountains, over unfinished roads, you know normal missionary stuff! We arrived at a small village, which was only accessible by a bridge wide enough for a motorcycle. We had a service in the evening, then began to hand out the shoes and rice. 

When we began this journey to Guatemala a week after being married, the plan was to learn Spanish, but our prayer also was that we would be available to be used by God in anyway, and of course He took us up on that. Being on several mission trips usually half the time the westerners are helping the people and the other half of the time, they are being made into celebrities. This was the first time we had been only helpers and walked away without being noticed. This was only one of many opportunities to come to be used by God in Guatemala. 

God gets the glory for that night; just as he should in everything we do. Let no one remember our names, but let them remember the name of Jesus. 

Planes, vans and airports

Three planes, two nights and one lost bag later, we arrived in San Pedro, Guatemala. 

We'd been traveling since Wednesday night. We arrived in Mexico City airport, to find that they had detained my bag for the alcohol smell coming from it, which was actually my perfume. When we arrived in Guatemala, we realized Jacob had left one of his carry ons back in Mexico. When we arrived in Antigua, we discovered that we would have to wait until Friday for a van to take us to San Pedro, to say it had been a long 24 hours was accurate. 

After a good nights rest, we took the three hour van ride to San Pedro on Lake Atitlan. Our host family is a gift from God. A sweet family that loves Jesus, and we have the right amount of privacy a newly married missionary couple could expect. We had the pleasure of being a part a prayer night for our host's nephew, to pray for him to come to know Jesus. It was nice to not be expected as missionaries, but rather invited as brothers and sisters in Christ. 

Spanish classes start Monday... God! help me! 

The Wedding Day

The day is coming. The day when grown men cry. When people travel from distant lands. The day when reality sets in. The day when little girls dreams come true... It's the wedding day. Coming soon to a church near you! 

My wedding is coming up in a week and as I pack my bags and get ready to move to the foreign country of Mississippi, I feel like Esther (of the Bible). She was prepared for almost a year to go to a new place, with a new culture, to live with a man she hardly knew. I definitely know Jacob better than she knew the king, but as every married couple has pointed out "you think you know the person you're marrying, until you marry them". There is excitement to be stepping into this new phase in life, but sadness that I'll never return to my parents home single. I told God I'd go wherever he sent me, I wish I'd known before that it included Mississippi, but since I'll be with my best friend, I know I will grow to enjoy it. 

Everything is prepared as much as it can be, and I know it won't be according to my dreams in every way, but I'll marry the man I love in front of the people I love and that's what will matter. Thank you to all those who helped make this happen, who contributed/ will contribute to our trip to Guatemala and thanks be to God who has walked with me all these years and will never leave me nor forsake me.  

Hashtag

Using today's slang when trying to tell about a traumatic event in your life, just isn't able to convey what you're really trying to say. Using #seriousmoment doesn't really seem to cut it, neither this :( , or this :,( or a sad face photo; sometimes you have to use your words. 

Malaika Lorraine was born January 25.

My fifth niece came into this world after twelve hours of labor and a last minute C-section, but that wasn't the only event that captured that day, it was also the day my sister almost died. During the C-section my sister, Rochelle, lost too much blood and was given a blood transfusion. I sat in the operating room holding my niece praying to the One who could save her, He whispered to me "She will live and not die", peace came over me and I knew I would see my sister laugh again. I tell you this story because as some of you know my sister is a missionary in Africa and she desired so much to come back to the states to have her second baby, if she had not she might not have lived. This is not the first time her life choice to follow God has been threatened, BUT GOD... He has a plan for her life and for her husband and two children, they will live and not die and they will fulfill his plan for them here in the States and in Uganda, Africa. 

You may feel as though something in your life is dying, but God is saying that it will live and not die. God is in control. Let his peace be your strength. Trust him to be faithful to his promises to fulfill the dreams in your heart. 

"I will open up rivers for them on the high plateaus. I will give them fountains of water in the valleys. I will fill the desert with pools of water. Rivers fed by springs will flow across the parched ground. I will plant trees in the barren desert— cedar, acacia, myrtle, olive, cypress, fir, and pine. I am doing this so all who see this miracle will understand what it means— that it is the Lord who has done this, the Holy One of Israel who created it." (Isaiah 41:18-20 NLT)

Coming Alive

I came to Mississippi to visit my fiancé, to get to know his family and see how I would fit here when I eventually would move here, but when I came my first thoughts were that I didn't belong. The south may be in the United States, but they have their own set of rules and language. I thought I knew what the south was like after living in Dallas for three years, but big city Dallas, is nothing compared to small town Mississippi. I was very discouraged that I might not like this place as much as I hoped I would. I met Jacob's friends and family, and although they were all nice people and treated me with Southern hospitality, I couldn't help but feel that I still didn't belong with these people. God has implanted on my heart to be a missionary to other countries, not just my own. I've always been more comfortable being the only white English speaking person. On Sunday afternoon, Jacob took me to a Spanish church. The moment we arrived and the music started, I felt something come alive inside me. This was my home. In a place where people didn't speak my language and didn't look like me. This was where I belonged. Among those of other cultures.

On our way to church we stopped at a very run down trailer, to pick up a hispanic mother with her four children. Her husband had recently been taking by the police and they discovered that he was living here without the proper papers, so he was sent back to Mexico. So we did what we could and where able to connect her with this church and bring them hope. I know more clearly what my calling is and where I belong, and although the Southern culture is not what I hoped it to be, I know that I can adapted with God's help and learn to "become all things to all men that I may by all means save some".(1 Corinthians 9:22)

Falling On Purpose

The common phrase is that we "fall in love", but that has been disproven, and the greatest example we have is that God did not just happen to fall for us, but instead chose us. I didn't happen to fall in love with my best friend, it didn't sneek up on me one day. I chose to love him, and I choose to love him every day. Feelings have a way of working themselves into the mix, so there are still rose colored glasses when I look at him, so in some ways it's easy to chose to love him today, when tomorrow it might be difficult, but love is a choice not a feeling. I think in some ways I knew the moment I met him that God had a plan for us, and so over three years of bible school, we became friends. We shared our hearts and dreams and got to know each other on a friend level. After my trip to Guatemala (Jacob was on the same team with me), he made it clear that he wanted to be more than friends, and now after family approval and five months, I've said yes to marrying this man. I didn't find Mr. Perfect, but what I have found a man whose heart beats for the nations to know God. I found the one who loves me for who I am, who accepts my flaws and see's me as beautiful.

Our plan is to be married end of this spring than head to Guatemala for three months to learn Spanish and minister along side local pastors. God is leading us to live in Mississippi, Jacob's home state, for the first couple of years and minister to the Spanish community there, as well as growing in the Spanish language.

Please pray for us as we make plans for the next couple of months, and as Jacob takes a short term trip to Peru to see the potential of moving there in the future to start a disciple ministry among the locals. May God bless you!