Christmas in May/June

We have undergone many adjustments in our family over the past 12 months:

• Arrival of our 4th child
• The first year homeschooling in our family
• Move across the country
• Leave all family and friends we've ever known
• Experience language barriers
• Moved to a new church family
• Moved to Madagascar
• Joined another church family
• Adjusting to living abroad (list of details, I won't include here :)
• Adjusting to living in a compound (or gated community of 5 homes)
• Adjusting to having staff in my home most days
• Adjusting to seeing the sun nearly every day! (A huge change compared to the lower mainland of BC where we originate from)
• Cooler season in May/June/July
• Hotter season in November/December/January

Now the poinsettia flowers are in bloom all over our yard, so I couldn't resist, I had to cut some and bring them inside to enjoy as well. We are also enjoying the ambiance of a fire in the evening time, so it is feeling a little bit like Christmas. Kind of strange, as we are aware of the improvement of weather at home (in BC) knowing they have just come through a very long gray winter. 

It is also another reminder that there will be an absence of normal seasonal cues that help get us in the "mood" for the Christmas season. It will be different come December, that's for sure! Rather than bundling up and enjoying soups and hot cocoa, we will be turning on fans, stripping down, and craving iced coffees or smoothies.

I am thankful in the midst of all this change. I am learning how having an attitude of gratitude really makes all of the difference in the world. (Maybe more on that later.)

Field Trip

Last week I took the kids to the MAF Hangar to check out the changes happening there. They were thrilled to each have turns on the excavator daddy was driving. Brought back some memories from our own backyard too! :)

Here they are clearing a spot for another shipping container to rest and be used as additional storage. Soon another aircraft will be delivered and added to the MAF program in Madagascar.

Annoying Roller Coaster / Lesson on Willingness

• One Day:  MAF says, "We would like you to go to ..."
• Same day we think/say: "We're not going there! Too scary, we didn't want to go there at all. What are we doing? Lord, are we really supposed to go?"
• Couple of days later: "Okay, God, we'll go there."
• A little later: "Wow, we would actually be excited to go there!"
• And still a little later on: MAF says, "At this time, the need isn't there after all."

Back to square one...

I think God is trying to teach Rob and I to be willing. The Lord has His own ways to prepare hearts for His service. He also has the wisdom, of course, to use baby steps and ways that we can handle! Praise the Lord for that!

The waiting game continues. Where are we going?

Almost A New Chapter

Finally, after nearly a month of absence, I have sat myself down to update this blog. During my "non-blogging" days, we traveled to and from the MAF Canada headquarters in Guelph, Ontario. It was the first time we have taken any of our children on an airplane, and I think they did pretty well. I didn't have much time to consider how uncomfortable or bored I was, because I had somebody in my arms nearly the whole time. It was amazing though, because the two longer flights, from Calgary to Kitchener had empty seats on them. So we had a couple of extra spots for Wesley and Joyanne for a little while.

We had a wonderful time meeting the staff at Headquarters, and the facility where they held the training was lovely as well. It was sunny nearly the entire two weeks, and the best part... I didn't have to cook for two weeks! Rob's mom came along to look after the kids, of which we are so very thankful. Especially since Faith, Wes and "Oma" ended up sick with a stomach bug for a few days each. We met a few other very nice couples, who we will hopefully see again during this deputation time.

Our days were full! Breakfast was at 7:45 and we were in class by 8:30. Usually we ended our day by 3:30, and on some of the days we had homework to prepare for the next day. We were briefed on MAFs history, and the deputation process, and the logistical things of serving with Mission Aviation Fellowship. We also spent a fair bit of time preparing public speaking presentations, of which we were able to practice in front of each other. That was a stretching experience for all of us! It was comforting to know we were all equally shy.

So this starts a new chapter in our lives... almost. There is so much to do here at home before we start our deputation full time. But we have begun, part time. We arrived back, and were greeted by our massive reno project. The amount of work left overwhelmed both of us. Until next time...

Lists

We are in the process of compiling a list of people to put on our contact list for Mission Aviation Fellowship. These folks will receive our prayer card and newsletter from MAF.

If you would like to be a part of this mailing list contact us with your mailing address and phone number! We would be delighted to have you partner with us in prayer for the ministry.



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It's Just..... it's because....

Blogging has taken a bit of a backseat over the past couple of weeks because of things coming up with MAF and, well, life in general.


These last few days, perhaps weeks, the Lord has been showing me how, more often than not, I blame my bad attitude on outside circumstances. I am quick to justify the harsh way I speak to my children or my husband. It's just because we have so much on the go. It's the house! If the house were finished I'd have less on my mind! What about all that reading we have to do? The never-ending piles of mess in my house, are cluttering my mind too! It's just that I am anticipating huge changes in the future!


Enough excuses Karina! I am believing the lie, that if my circumstances were different, I'd be different! There will always be a difficult circumstance in my life. It's about time I actually take responsibility for my bad attitude and shortness with everybody who lives with me.

Out of Africa

The link to the blog below is one that my sister-in-law has set up to share their story about adopting from Zambia. They are headed to Africa to foster a set of twin baby girls this Spring and also help with a building project at Seeds of Hope Children's Orphanage.

thejourneytoourkids.blogspot.com

Check it out!





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Onward

We have received our formal invitation to candidacy training in Guelph, Ontario at the end of April. Upon completion of the two-week training period in Guelph, we will start working full-time with Mission Aviation Fellowship.
As exciting as this step is for us, we are definitely nervous and anxious to see God's hand work out the details. I am sure I can't even begin to imagine the list of details and events that He will orchestrate. This is only the beginning of learning to trust Him more and more each day. Thinking about all of the unknowns ahead is overwhelming! We can rest though, knowing that He goes before us preparing the way.

Big Busy Birthday

This past weekend I turned good old 27! Busyness around our house continues, and because it has been such gorgeous weather for February, the BIG renovations definitely continue! Rob is working on the other section of the addition, which will be the garage/workshop and master bedroom and bathroom above it. I am able to picture it a bit better now! Trying to envision a new building or renovation is almost impossible for me, but now things are coming together in my mind. It will be so nice when it is all done.

My son woke up feeling lousy on my birthday, which we didn't realize until after giving him milk to drink... fortunately, he gives a lot of warning so I we made it to the toilet just in time! So, we spent the day on the deck enjoying the sun, and lounging around the living room together, watching the Winter Olympic games on tv. Besides the illness, Faith spent the entire day outside, away from her brother, in the sunshine playing in the gravel. She loves it out there.

As well, this weekend Mission Aviation Fellowship sent us our official invitation to candidacy training in April. We are very excited about this step, but I have to admit a little numb to what this all means. It's difficult to picture the changes that will take place over the next months and year. I suppose that's why I'm being reminded to Trust. It's all I can do! Trust in Him who supplies all the strength I need and usually not a minute too soon. I want so much to know what things will look like in a month or year from now. But what purpose would that serve me? I do not need to know.



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Last Bit of Paperwork is Now In

  We are happy to have now submitted the final bit if paperwork to MAF Canada for our application. Karina is now three months post-cesarean and was able to complete her physical exam and have the needed tests done.

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Haiti

Since the disaster in Haiti on Tuesday, it has been difficult to bury fears about going overseas! Of course, we are no less susceptible to natural disasters right here, but somehow the thought of being in a foreign country, a very poor country, and away from family makes it a little scarier sounding.

We have been following a blog by an MAF family from Chilliwack assigned in Haiti for a while now. It was through blog, early Wednesday morning, that I first heard about what was happening there.

http://mafkrul.blogspot.com
http://picasaweb.google.ca/jwkrul/LifeInHaiti2010

A Meeting Is Ahead!

We are excited to be able to meet people from the Canadian Mission Aviation Fellowship Headquarters this weekend. Their headquarters are located in Guelph, Ontario, so we have been communicating with them via email and phone for the past 11 months. Has it really been 11 months since we initially sent in our application? Wow. This meeting is exciting for us because we hope to find answers to some of our pressing questions in these early stages of this adventure. Many of them are logistical and would not change our minds about continuing with MAF, but we are still curious to know certain things. It would definitely help us to plan a few details over the next couple of months here at home, and help us to anticipate the next steps with MAF. Up until now, the application process has been fairly straight forward; filling out paperwork, having interviews and assessments. I have a feeling the next steps will require more faith. :)

Goodbye

Today we are saying good bye to our dog. We found him another home due to our possible future plans with Mission Aviation Fellowship and the fact that we will likely be too busy to properly care for him as we travel to support raise, receive additional training, and finish renovating our house to sell.

Pencil Plans

Our application with MAF has been put on pause for now because the only thing they are waiting for is my medical clearance. We will wait until the baby has been born and I've had my six week discharge appointment with the midwife before I undergo all of the medical tests. Once these tests have been completed, our application will be officially finished. A feat the Lord has allowed us to finish in 9 or 10 months.

I call this post "Pencil Plans" because we have made certain plans and keep in the backs of our minds that all can change or at least slightly change as the Lord leads. One must find balance between making plans for the future and at the same time completely surrending them to God. I'm reminded of the verses in Psalms and Proverbs:

"Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun."

Psalm 37:5-6

"Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed."

Proverbs 16:3

As the Lord is seemingly leading us toward ministry with MAF, Rob and I have appreciated some words from a close friend. This is not super profound or amazingly deep insight, but practical and no-nonsense! In talking about finding out God's will for our lives and how can we know what path He's leading us down our friend simply said, (and I paraphrase), all you can do is start down a path that you feel He's leading you toward. He'll close the door if He needs to.

There is so much freedom when keeping this in mind. As we are in the Word, praying, and talking with our close friends and family things are confirmed to us. We can make plans, and know that God is ultimately orchestrating every detail. He is ultimately in charge of where we end up. We just have to be obedient! (just) :)

So our "pencil" plans for the next few months are something like this:

October 30: Rob's last day at his current place of employment - Paternity benefits to start when baby arrives.

November: Finish Perspectives on the World Christian Movement course

November - May: Work like crazy to finish the majority (or all) of the projects around our house to make it saleable.

January: Meet MAF representatives at Missions Fest 2010

April: (Pending acceptance with MAF) Candidacy Training with MAF

If you feel led, please pray that we continually commit these plans to the Lord, and that He would clearly lead us and give us the strength to be obedient to the mission He has called us to, whether it continue to be here, or someplace else.

Back Home & Back to Normal

Our drive home from Idaho was a lot better than I had anticipated. Even though the kids were very tired, and I was equally anxious to get home, they did so well on the drive back. We stopped overnight at the halfway point in a state campground.

Our church camp-out was the very next day, so instead of spending any time at home, we decided to go straight to the camp-out; afterall, we were already packed! It wasn't until we were there, that I realized how exhausted I actually was. We had a nice visit with friends and family, but it feels great to be back at home now.

I am so thankful we were able to go to the MAF Headquarters as a family. It gave me the wonderful opportunity to meet and talk to some people already involved with MAF: some farther along in the application, and even some back on a furlough. This really helped me think about some things I hadn't considered yet, or perhaps hadn't allowed myself to think about as we possibly take this step onto the overseas mission field. I am also so thankful that I had a chance to see how their ministry works at the base level. Their people are so thoughtful and organized and really have a heart for God's work. I could also tell that they have set up the pre-field training in such a way to make the transition from here to there as seamless as possible.

After Rob's technical evaluation and our psychological evaluation, we had a chance to meet informally with the recruitment/candidacy committee. It seems we have been unofficially invited back as candidates. They were very positive about what they were able to discover about our family and excited to see how God has been working in our lives so far.

So that's that. Now back to normal life as it is. I eagerly anticipate the birth of our third baby in early November. I can't wait to meet him or her!

Rob has taken extra weeks off work this month to finish some major projects around the house.

And more and more, we are both sensing detachment from this place. Some may call it nesting on my part, but I have been going through my house in a fury getting rid of clutter that I had previously been somewhat attached to, unwilling to part with things. I have decided that the more things I have, the more time I have to invest in cleaning them. So, since returning from Idaho and camping, we have been simplifying around here. And it feels wonderful. It's so freeing!

I have still been working on the 30 Day Biblical Womanhood Challenge. But it is taking some extra days with all of these holidays. What a blessing this teaching has been in my life this summer.

What has God been teaching you this summer?

Having Too Much Fun!

Day Number 8 at MAF continues similar to how the weekend was. As much fun as it has been for Faith to have little friends to play with at the apartments, it has its own challenges that are in full force now!

There are two other families with younger children here and both of their parents are in full time training right now with homework to do in the evenings. This means that their children have been looked after by childcare provided by MAF onsite for the past few weeks. I think they're going on week number five here with full time childcare, and we can all tell it's beginning to take its toll. I'm really not looking forward to this stage if we get there. It was hard enough for me to leave my two for the whole day last Wednesday. I can't imagine a few weeks! Faith is tiring of this routine, and it seems that sharing toys is becoming more and more difficult for everyone.

I'm wondering if being completely exhausted will make the 11 hour drive home easier or horrible. Time will tell....

Summer Travels

We have been at the MAF base in Nampa, Idaho now for an entire week working on the Technical Evaluation and Psychological Evaluation. We have been so blessed and challenged throughout this past week. Only two more days left here and we will start our treck home back to our families and friends.

I am not going to write about all we've thought and felt and talked about over this past week. But I will mention that Rob and I are experiencing God's peace in this experience and anxiously wait to find out what He has in mind for our family next, whether it be with this ministry or somewhere else.

The Journey Continues

So our application journey with Mission Aviation Fellowship continues. Our references were extremely efficient and helpful in returning their answers to MAF quickly! We are so thankful and appreciative of godly, close, and caring friendships. We are unnofficially officially onto the next step in the process which includes three different types of evaluations: technical, psychological, and medical. Once those have been completed, everything is reviewed again, I believe, and then we move onto candidacy if the Lord directs.

We are planning to complete the technical and psychological evaluations during the first two weeks of August. So our family will be taking a little road trip and spending some time at the MAF base in the US. Even though Rob is really the only one who needs to go down for the technical evaluation, I am excited to take the family and experience this part together. It turns out they were able to arrange to have both of our psychological tests done during the trip down for the technical evaluation.

I really sense God preparing our hearts as we continue to move forward in this direction. Despite always feeling as though we would raise our family here, where we are, I now am feeling more and more detached. In fact, at times I have felt I am not even living in "my" house with "my" things. I don't know if this makes any sense. But it is starting to become more and more difficult envisioning the future right here in the town we live in now. It is so strange, because I have always been such a stationary person. I have never had the desire to move around, or even leave familiarity. When I moved away from the town I grew up in, many people were surprised; however, I think I surprised myself most of all. What was I doing? I had always said I would never move away! Not too long after that, I met my future husband, we were married, and now our third child is on the way and we are thinking we are perfectly willing to move anywhere in the world God sends us. How did I go from being such a home-body to some sort of adventurer?

I can only give credit where it's due, and that's to Christ. Nothing in and of myself has the ability to make such adjustments in thinking and attitude. I am thrilled (sometimes terrified) to see how God is going to continue to mold and shape Rob and me wherever we end up, and that includes remaining right where we are if that is His will for our family.

Step 4

God continues to lead Rob and I toward serving with Mission Aviation Fellowship. We are beginning Step 4 in the application process now: a longer written application with 6 personal references each.

This written application is basically a repeat of the formal interview. As we go through this process of answering questions and evaluating things, I appreciate the timeframe that MAF sets for it. Even though I feel as though we have answered many of these questions already, I am glad we have opportunities to go over them again and again and recognize how God is working in our lives and thought processes in regard to the mission field.

Moving Along

We had our first formal interview with MAF this morning over SKYPE. The Canadian base is located in Ontario and they usually like to do the interviews in person or else by webcam. Because neither they nor we were not here nor there we opted for the webcam interview and it went very well. I can see how it would have been nicer and more personable to be in person, but I think the webcam was definitely superior to a phone call. The interview was 2 and 1/2 hours long! Which surprised me at first when I read the email and it said what they usually estimated for time. It went by surprisingly quickly, and because of all the things we talked about, and only briefly, it didn't take long to fill 2 and 1/2 hours. The interview went very well. Both Rob and I feel like this is actually moving along now. Even though we are still in early stages of this process, we were given the feeling that unless something comes in our lives to stop this from happening MAF saw no reason at this point to not continue with the process and with this direction. The application process ends with a 2 week training period in Ontario at the MAF headquarters and they do 2 of these training sessions per year: the first being in May, next week actually, and the second in October. Because I am due with our third child in early November we probably will not consider going this Fall. This gives us more time to finish up renovations on our house, take a couple of Bible courses, and also continue thinking and praying about this. This means if we continue on and end up attending the training, it wouldn't be until May of 2010, after such time Rob would quit his job and we would start raising support full time. Lord willing, we may be on the field as early as February or May of 2011.

Having the interview, and discussing different aspects of our backgrounds and how God has led us together as a couple and where He seems to be leading us now, has really brought a sense of reality to this idea. If this makes any sense, before it kind of felt like we were just talking about the idea and perhaps trying to get a sense of what other people we trusted thought about it. Now it feels more real, as though it's something God is really leading us in. Now we are being faced with the question, if God keeps opening doors are we going to be obedient and walk through them?