In Our Own Backyard

His right eye was swollen, almost closed. His small bag was thrown over one shoulder and his voice was quiet as he walked up to us outside the just-closed neighborhood Walgreen's. It was late. We were caught up with plans about our future, plans about getting back to Malawi. And when he asked for help and started to tell us his story, we shook our heads, said we had nothing to give, cut him off and started walking away. It took us half a block to realize what we had done. Here we were, trying to devote ourselves to extending hope and healing to hurting people on the other side of the world, and we weren't even able to be a light in our own neighborhood. We didn’t stop to learn the name, listen to the story, or acknowledge the humanity of this beloved-by-God individual. But that night, convicted by the Spirit and perhaps a recent reading of Mother Teresa, we repented and turned around. We found him on the other side of the darkened street and jogged over to him. We apologized for interrupting him earlier, introduced ourselves, and listened to all that he had been through that day, from losing his car to getting that swollen eye. We found we did have money to give and walked back on either side of him on the way to share some food as well. It was a good reminder about what this walk is all about, about living out our mission wherever we are, about seeing the eternal glory in everyone and the divine appointments in interruptions.

This month, we are thrilled to report that our partners have pledged and given enough to keep us in Malawi for our first 14 months back, as well as 46% of what we need month to month after that. This enabled us to book tickets to return to Malawi in mid-August, just in time for Greg to start teaching at NTCCA. We are also excited to share that we have been recommended as volunteer missionaries with the Nazarene church, which will open some doors and opportunities for us in the future.

Please join us in praying for: -The country of Malawi as it processes the end of its election period - Safe travels as we attend conferences, weddings, and visit with friends over the next 10 weeks - Logistics of our return to ministry in Malawi – (housing, work permits, funding) Thank you for your prayers, support, and communication,

Finally here is a picture of the Goshen Children Development Center enjoying some backpacks sent from friends in the US.

Resting in the Grass

“We live in a society whose whole policy is to excite every nerve in the human body and keep it at the highest pitch of artificial tension, to strain every human desire to the limit and to create as many new desires and synthetic passions as possible” – Thomas Merton

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. – Psalm 19:14

I watched a TV show last week which encouraged an over-worked doctor to take time to lay on the grass and look at the sky. Since then, I’ve made that a goal of mine. I’m like that, reading about something I should do or seeing something I like in another, then I pick it up and try to put it on myself, like a hermit crab decorating my shell with everything I find. It usually works – getting me into medical school, making me a great doctor who can balance all sorts of guidelines and accommodating a bunch of personality types. But it can be overwhelming, disorienting. Turns out the goal to run a marathon wasn’t right for me, not for now at least. But laying on the grass – how bad can that be? Turns out I am allergic to lots of grass, I get terrible hives as soon as I plunk down. And my skin is not the type that I can be in the sun for long. So I can lay on the grass while completely covered with clothing, I think that defeats the purpose of laying in the grass. But isn’t it funny that I try anyway? I hope in the future, I can do things more in a way consistent with how I was made, what makes me tick. Like reading while listening to a water fountain on the porch. Like sitting on a bench beside that grass.

Church Family

Greg and I attended Pasadena Nazarene Church (Paz Naz) when we were dating. We attended church every Sunday, or Saturday, depending on which day I was working in the hospital. I would drive up to an hour from west LA to attend church with Greg, and we loved the preaching so much that we even listened to the preacher after he left for another church, after we left to serve in Africa. But we never really felt plugged in at that church, never joined the community there, I think it was because I lived so far away and we were a bit busy and we knew we would be moving in a year or two. So it was quite shocking for us when we started attending Paz Naz again during our 6 months back in the US before we returned to Africa. We expected to float into and out of services like we had as students, never really getting to know anyone. Instead, the pastor reached out and introduced herself and asked about our stories on the first Sunday we attended. She invited us for tea and introduced us to the missions committee. We even met a wonderful woman who sat in the seats behind us with her husband and she made time to take me to tea and offer mentor ship. She sent me recipes and invited me to the Women's bible study and now when we walk into church, we have a place to sit. The NMI president invited us to her house on Thursday nights, and also to Sunday school Sunday mornings. We've been to dinners and lunches and have been referred to people to encourage and mentor us. People we didn't even know 3 months ago hav come alongside us, partnered with us, feel like old friends. I feel so wrapped up and surrounded by community here. It’s so different from what I expected. So different from our experience eight years ago. Maybe Greg and I could have had our first ministry here, maybe I would have had people I could talk to about Josh’s death. But whatever the reason that we didn't connect earlier, how much more meaningful it is now that we are so connected. These saints and strivers are encouraging us to be better people, reminding us that we are in this together, and becoming models we will carry with us for lives. Last Sunday I sang praises next to two women, raising our voices together praising God. A lot of churches would never have people sitting directly side by side, but this was wonderful, beautiful, felt like home. Praise God for an intentionally communal church.