As September approaches, we are nearing the one year mark for our fundraising and closing in on 80% of our needed funds! Last September we spent a week in Philadelphia, interviewing with Serge and going through assessment and orientation. It was an incredible week of fellowship with veteran, current, and future missionaries. That was the kickoff to this long year of fundraising that has also taken us through the process of selling almost everything we own, quitting our jobs, and humbling ourselves enough to approach nearly everyone we know and ask them to partner with us financially on this mission we are called to. As I was talking with my mom last week about all this process has entailed, she said, "I don't get it. It is just SO much easier to wake up every morning and go to my job at the hospital." In the moment, all I could think of to say was, "Yes. You are right. But if I was doing that, I would be missing something awesome God wants to do with our family."
The next day I was reflecting on what she said and I felt like the Lord reminded me that the path of least resistance is not always the best path. Our command from the Lord as Christian parents is NOT to make sure our kids are comfortable and teach our kids the best ways to avoid risk. But what we do often is just that. We spend a lot of time making sure our kids are entertained and that they have all the things we think we missed out on growing up. But our job as Christian parents is to teach our children to walk as Jesus did and live out the gospel...and that gospel says, GO! It says to go to the nations and declare what the Lord has done and His love for people.
The next day I was reflecting on what she said and I felt like the Lord reminded me that the path of least resistance is not always the best path. Our command from the Lord as Christian parents is NOT to make sure our kids are comfortable and teach our kids the best ways to avoid risk. But what we do often is just that. We spend a lot of time making sure our kids are entertained and that they have all the things we think we missed out on growing up. But our job as Christian parents is to teach our children to walk as Jesus did and live out the gospel...and that gospel says, GO! It says to go to the nations and declare what the Lord has done and His love for people.
God does not mince words when He said we are to care for widows and orphans. He says that this is true religion, and I want my kids to know true religion!
I want this so much more than I want them to be up to date on the latest NFL news, know what the newest iPhone does, or do the right things to fit in at school. Our kids may soon be the kids who don't know these things and don't feel like they fit in with mainstream American teenagers. And we are more than fine with that. So, yes, we are taking our kids way out of their comfort zones. They are going to be a bit uncomfortable, they are going to miss friends, family, and some of their 'stuff'. Could we take our kids out of their comfort zones and have them serving more while staying in the U.S.? Yes, we could. But God asked our family to leave our homeland. Like many God has called before us, we don't really know how long we will be gone. God said, "Go!" and this is His plan more than it's ours. So we will go and ask for His protection and His blessing on this adventure, and that He would bless others through us.
We've also been asked why we feel the need to move to Africa after we've already adopted two orphaned children. To look at the Christian life in this way is really to warp the idea of following Christ into simply making a statement about who we follow. Walking with Christ means to constantly be asking, "OK, God! What do you have for me next?!"
We've also been asked why we feel the need to move to Africa after we've already adopted two orphaned children. To look at the Christian life in this way is really to warp the idea of following Christ into simply making a statement about who we follow. Walking with Christ means to constantly be asking, "OK, God! What do you have for me next?!"
"If you do one good deed, your reward usually is to be set to do another and harder and better one."
-CS Lewis, The Horse and His Boy
Anteneh's life paints such a beautiful picture of the gospel. When we met him, he was 3 years old. He had open wounds on his head and arms and scars on his cheeks. He had blood and pus oozing from his ear, a round belly from intestinal parasites, and a smile on his face. If you know Anteneh now, it won't surprise you that he was the life of the 3 year old party, in an outdoor room that had rusty, ripped, sharp jagged tin walls and kids running everywhere. We took this bony, big bellied little guy back to our guest house and took off the smelly, dirty clothes. He was scared because these strangers were asking him to sit in a washbasin, naked. This must have been something he had never done, we realized, because he preferred to stand in a bucket and splash himself to wash. We had a sweet Ethiopian girl translate for us so he wouldn't be so scared. After his bath, we clipped his nails, cut his hair, lotioned him up, and put him in new clothes. We started him on good vitamins, antibiotics, and healthy food. We immediately were "Emaye and Abat" (Mommy and Daddy in his language of Amharic).
A few short years later, when we fostered a 6 month old little baby girl from Evansville, we watched 6 year old Anteneh carefully bathe that little baby, lotion her up, dress her in new clothes, comfort her, and give her a bottle. What a picture of the Christian life. Our son was lifted up...and in turn learned to lift up another vulnerable child.
A few short years later, when we fostered a 6 month old little baby girl from Evansville, we watched 6 year old Anteneh carefully bathe that little baby, lotion her up, dress her in new clothes, comfort her, and give her a bottle. What a picture of the Christian life. Our son was lifted up...and in turn learned to lift up another vulnerable child.
"I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God...Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you have planned for us." Psalm 40:1-3, 5
This last year has not been easy, but it's been full of joy and extremely humbling. We have 7 weeks until we have to move out of this missionary house, and go from 80-100% funded. If any of you have considered giving, now is the time. We are going. There is no doubt. The question is when will the final funding come in.
Here are our prayers requests:
Thank you for your continued prayer for us. Thank you for giving, praying about giving, or beginning your giving now.
As always, we are so grateful for each of you reading this.
Daryn, Brooke, Grace, Anteneh, JoAn, and Luke West
Here are our prayers requests:
- We need $1,800 of new monthly support to begin before October 20th.
- We need an indoor room to store our 18 packed tubs from October 20-November 22 while we are at missionary training. They require approximately 6 ft x 6 ft x 6 ft of space.
- We need a place to live from November 22-December 7. Before you volunteer, remember there are 6 of us and that's over Thanksgiving week! (Although we will be busy with family)
Thank you for your continued prayer for us. Thank you for giving, praying about giving, or beginning your giving now.
As always, we are so grateful for each of you reading this.
Daryn, Brooke, Grace, Anteneh, JoAn, and Luke West