The kids in the Family Workshop

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It’s been a busy couple weeks since I last wrote. We had the Family Workshop at our church. All the kids were able to participate in this. It was SO much fun for them. The kids were each put into different classes. Each of the boys planted a little plant – that I’m now trying to keep alive. They decorated journals and painted t-shirts with their names and their class logos. They’ve been wearing those t-shirts proudly everywhere we will let them, only taking them off for washing now and then when I make them.

The teachers did such a good job. The kids were learning about the 4 soils from Luke and Ethan’s teacher reviewed them with the kids so much that Ethan started blurting them out in the large group times – times when all the kids met together. Part of the draw was that every time a child answered they were given a Starburst candy. So Ethan wanted those candies. He would shoot his little hand into the air and then not wait to be called on but would blurt out the answers. He could list of all the types of soils and what they meant. We were so proud of him! They all learned all the songs and new the verses with a LOT of help. James and John did their activity papers almost completely – with help from their teachers. But the teachers kept telling me how well they could write for only being just barely 5. Guess our school work is paying off!

Another thing they did was to have 4 of the teen guys dress up like Mexican boys and come in and talk with grossly fake latin accents and just be very silly. Our kids got such a kick out of them. Once when they came running in, Ethan laughed and laughed out loud, leaning over and slapping his knee. Another time Elizabeth got so tickled that she just sat there and laughed hysterically the whole time they were in the room. They almost had to take her out! James and John would just giggle and giggle at everything they said.

It’s been neat to see our kids start to participate more in our family Bible reading. They have been giving real answers to questions James asks them about the Bible passages we just read, not just Sunday School answers. It is so fun to watch our little Christians grow!

Well, I’ll try to be a bit better about posting things here from now on!  I guess time just got away from me!

MISSION: Uganda Blog Update 06-19-2006

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Hello! It's been awhile since our last email update. I guess I just haven't been super motivated to type one up of late. Anyway, just to bring you all up to speed:

Our meeting in Hannibal, MO went well (Pastor James Barmore, Victory Baptist Church). We had a great service with the folks there. It's a young church plant, in a town that's normally torn between Southern Baptist and Catholic. They're the only Independent Baptist gig around. They had some folks leave lately, and need to grow. Please pray that God will help them to bear fruit, and would add to the church as He would.

Our church finished up it's annual Family Workshop, with Ben Burk of Reformer's Unanimous as the main speaker. God moved, and we all experienced His refreshing. RU is primarily an Independent Baptist ministry to addicts (one of the fastest growing in America), which, unlike the 12-step programs, actually makes a permanent difference. Our kids got to be in the Children's Workshop, which they greatly enjoyed.

It's been super hot lately, so we're mighty glad we were able to get the air-conditioning in our van fixed (again). It's made the money this month a bit tight, so pray God will provide.

If you haven't heard by now, Nate and Sara Wright, missionaries in Soroti, Uganda, have a three year old son named Andrew who has contracted cerebral malaria. They air flighted him to Kampala over the weekend. Part of the treatment called for a blood transfusion, which his body reacted to, causing severe convulsions. They sedated him to control the convulsions, and flew him by air ambulance to Johannesburg, South Africa. As of this morning, he has regained consciousness, is responsive, and his major bodily functions appear to be operating normally. This was a big answer to prayer. Pray that he will continue to recover well, that there will be no brain damage, and that he will not contract AIDS from the blood transfusions he's had to receive.

The next two weeks, I'll be filling the pulpit for our Pastor while he and his family are on vacation. Pray for me as I prepare sermons, preach, and lead in the prayer meetings on Wednesdays. Pray for Pastor Spilger and family as they travel, that all will go well, and that they'll be able to get some rest.

Our next meeting is on July 9, with Pastor John Morris in Lighthouse Baptist Church in Sioux City, IA. Pray that God will bless.

That's all for now.

Where did this kid come from?

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Gaelin is so much different than the other kids! When I started all of them on solids they LOVED them. He hated them for the first week so I stopped and waited a few more weeks and then tried them again. They eat pounds and pounds of bananas a week (good thing we’re going to a place where they grow so easily, huh?!). He hates them. Every time I feed him a mashed banana he looks insulted and spits it out. He loves this little jumperoo toy that we got him. He jumps and jumps and then stops and claps for himself. It’s so sweet to watch him. He is my lovey dovey and gives the most slobbery kisses. The others kissed me when I kissed them but he initiates it. He has recently started making the funniest faces. He’ll screw his little face up and then laugh at himself. He has also started getting into things – like his brothers toys or the shampoo in the bathroom. Thankfully he hasn’t yet found the toilet! God knew we needed this little guy in our family!

Of Cabbages and Kings

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The other day when the girl was working on my nails I got the perfect opportunity to witness to her. She is this really sweet Vietnamese girl. We sat and chatted about many thing. She wanted to know what we were going to do in Uganda. So I had the perfect chance to share the message of salvation with her! I shared that we are planning to start churches there but that first people must believe on Jesus as their Savior. Then I explained what that meant. She listened politely (she was a captive audience!) but changed the subject as soon as she got the chance. Last year when the pastor’s wife took the missionaries ladies here and tried to witness to this girl she got up and left the room. It reminds me of the verse that says that some sow, some water, others reap but it is God that gives the increase. God has promised that His Word won’t return void. Now we just need to pray that Beth will get saved!

Friday we went to Bays Mountain State Park. It was beautiful! We ate lunch there, then walked around and saw the “sights”. They have wolves in captivity there and one of the park rangers called them and got them to howl for us! Another park ranger gave a talk about snakes. Our boys were fascinated! At the end he offered to let any one who wanted to do so come and touch the snake he was holding. Our three older boys touched the snake but James had to make John do it! I had the chance to touch it, too. I just figured, if I can touch a sting ray, I can touch a snake, too. It was soft, like satin, not rough like you would expect.

Saturday we took the kids to this historical house where they got to see a huge train exhibit. The boys were just fascinated by that too. It was amazing to see the intricacy of all the set up: lights for the feed lot, complete with cow sound effects, tunnels, and many other things. Then we took them to another house where they were able to spin some wool. Later we “explored” a cave. It had rained hard the night before and the cave was wet and slippery but the kids really enjoyed it. Then we went back to the main building and they made paper. What marvelous opportunities for our little kids! It was so easy to make the paper that I’ll probably do it with them again at some point in the future to use in making cards and things for people.

Jiggety Jig

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We survived the trip home. Basically, you sit in a hot wind tunnel all day, and reach the end feeling wind blasted and sun baked. Both Anna and I were both pretty numb, and a little brain dead when we were done. The kids were real champs. They didn't complain, and played well all the way home. They make me real proud! It is very good to be home. I'm intending to do little or nothing today, other than the requisite errands that have to be run when you come back from a trip. We'll be getting the evaporator in the van replaced tomorrow, and that should do the trick. Then we'll be back in the land of mobile climate control once again. We're all tired, and are looking forward to the light schedule this month. It will be nice to be around our home church for a while. We'll get to attend the Family Workshop, and the kids will be able to go to the Children's Workshop. I'll be preaching for our pastor while he and his family take a much needed vacation. Other than that, we've got the one meeting in Hannibal, MO next Sunday, and that's it. So, I intend to just rest, and enjoy St. Louis in the summer. We're going to do things as a family for this month, and Anna and I will be going on dates as a couple to make up for all the dates we've not had while on the road. Plus, we get to celebrate our anniversary properly for once (the last two years prior it fell right in the middle of Candidate School at BIMI). It's going to be a great month, and we're all looking forward to it!