Dale and Barb McAlister Connecting YOU to Tribal Missions Valleys and Mountains
I know that at times things just go along smoothy but lately it seems like things in my life are either a valley or a mountains and at times I seem to forget that HE is in control!!! Although I definately don’t feel like He is when things seem to be OUT of control!!
A friend of mine recently sent me an e-mail reminding me of our many blessings and how we don’t deserve anything, NOTHING….we don’t deserve even the breath HE give us every day and without HIM we wouldn’t have the fresh air we need everyday. HE does give us breath, a warm place to live and a wonderful family. GOD has certainly been GOOD to me in so many marvelous ways!!
I love the song, God on the Mountain!!
Life is easy when you’re up on the mountain
And you’ve got peace of mind like you’ve never known.
But then things change and you’re down in the valley.
Don’t lose faith for you’re never alone.
For the God on the mountain is still God in the valley.
When things go wrong, He’ll make it right.
And the God of the good times
is still God in the bad times.
The God of the day is still God in the night.
You talk of faith when you’re up on the mountain.
Oh but the talk comes easy when life’s at its best.
But it’s down in the valley of trials and temptation
That’s when faith is really put to the test.
For the God on the mountain is still God in the valley.
When things go wrong, He’ll make it right.
And the God of the good times
is still God in the bad times.
The God of the day is still God in the night.
For the God on the mountain is still God in the valley.
When things go wrong, He’ll make it right.
And the God of the good times
is still God in the bad times.
The God of the day is still God in the night.
The God of the day is still God in the night.
“God On The Mountain” words and music by Tracy G. Dartt
So for now I must remember that God of the day is still God in the night
September- Autumn is here
A few days ago our Katie was over for the afternoon and we found ALL kinds of beautiful leaves that had fallen from our trees…..we found so many different colors and it was fun to put them in a box for her. She was SO excited that fall was coming soon!!
This season of the year always seems busy to us as we have various Mission Conferences we will be attending. It is always exciting to be there and to be asked to share our work with others. How do you share 40 years with NTM??
Yes, it has been 40 years since we left CDA, Idaho and headed out to the first phase of missions training in Wisconsin!! God has been SO very faithful!! We were 24 and 26 at the time…..that does give away our age, doesn’t it?? We didn’t know at all what God had in store for us but we were willing to GO so we left Idaho, our church, home, family, grandparents and took or 4 year old and one year old away from their grandparents and drove out to Wisconsin. We wanted to serve the LORD wherever HE wanted us to go so by faith we went…..and 40 years later we continue to GO!!
So…..at the missions conference I was given 15 minutes in a ladies meeting to share…..whew!!
I told my hubby I could tell about the hard times, sickness, moving into a tribe, learning tribal language, helping with Bible Translation,trials, joyful times, having our children away from us in the dorm, tears and then more tears, packing and unpacking, trusting GOD to provide when it didn’t seem like there was any way to provide!! I then realized that I would need hours and hours to share all that GOD has done in my life so I ended up telling a couple of stories of God’s faithfulness and how he used the tribal people to minister to me during a hard time!!!
At times in our lives we have our seasons of Autumn and then the winter comes and we wonder if it will ever turn into spring….and then the spring comes and we see NEW growth and realize that once again God is in control!! We have had many winters and springs in our lives and it has been a privelege to see how HE has undertaken time and time again!!
Summer – 2009 Where did it go??
This summer was unusual for us as for the last 7 years we have been heading for Brazil for the summer with a group of young people. This year we stayed home…..well kinna….we did go to down to AL to see Lori and her family! Somehow the months slid by as usual!!
Fall is soon approaching and we will be involved in two different mission conferences, one here in NC and the other up in VA. It is always exciting to see people interested in missions and we especially love to challenge young people.
We would appreciate your prayers as we go and challenge others. After serving the Lord in PNG and working among the Kuman tribe for 15 years we count it a priveledge to be able to share our work with others.
God wants us to be a light and a witness wherever we GO!! I love telling others my story and as I tell my story I am able to witness to others.
Prayer for June- December 2009
Praise for a good trip out to Ca, Id,Wa and Oregon visiting our prayer supporters and faithful supporters.
God gave us so many neat opportunities on the way.
Pray for the people of Brazil and also the people of Papua New Guinea.
Pray for us as we challenge others to missions
Sept. we will be at a missions conference here in NC and then on to Liberty University
My Dad
Dad was so much fun and when I was a child he was the greatest!! He loved the Lord, loved my mom and his family!! Time after time he would surprise us by taking us to a restaurant or he would spend his last few dollars on an ice cream cone YUM, …we would get home and my practical mom would smile and say, Donald!! He would take us to the beach, get all excited about the surf, jump,the waves with us and always made me feel very safe!! We would build castles in the sand and then watch them wash away with the surf. I have so many fond memories of our time at the ocean. Thanks, Dad for teaching me to love the ocean.
Our kids still remember the times he took us to the zoo, to Coronado Island, and then walk into the hotel and act like we owned the place…Dad, I LOVED it!! He would tell us that we were children of the KING and that we owned any castle we came too so we could just walk in and enjoy!!
In 1951, my parents decided that God wanted them to go to Brazil as missionaries so off we went…..Dad knew that somehow God would provide for us…and HE did!! He made sure that we were normal kids and made us feel secure by showering us with his love. I am sure he had times of worry but as far as we were concerned we knew that God would provide!! As I look back over the years of growing up I saw God’s faithfulness to us over and over and over again!! We left CA when I was six years old (yes I am the dark haired little one on the right) heading for Brazil and on the way HE provided as we stopped at Winona Lake. I am so thankful for my Dad, he taught me how to love the Lord and also to trust in HIM for all of my needs!! Time and time again we have seem HIM undertake in sickness, health, travel and finances.
I have Dad’s journals and what a priveledge it is to read them, they are full of his favorite verses and wonderful ways the Lord has answered prayers for our family, mom and for Dad’s ministry. Maybe someday I will get them all into the computer and then get them published!!! His dream was to write a book someday!! Heh….I should work on it for him!! Dad was amazing and is still amazing!!
So on this fathers day I am thankful for my dear Dad…..thanks Dad for everything!!
Keeping busy on the road
We have been on the road for the past few months visiting prayer partners, family and special friends!! It has been an awesome time of reconnecting with others.
God has kept us safe in the air, on the highways and has given us the strength we needed for each day!! It has been incredible to see HIS creation as we flew over the mountains in Colorado, then drove down the Columbia Gorge, the farmlands in Oregon and now the Gulf Coast. It is so neat to be reminded that HE takes care of it all and HE takes care of us!!
We have met new friends, pastors and have been able to challenge others for missions. We are thankful for the way HE does undertake.
On one of our flights God put us next to a dear lady who had just lost her 92 year old mother. It was a blessing to talk to her, encourage her and pray with her as we were landing in Atlanta. She thanked us with tears in her eyes as we landed. We love it when God gives us these extra opportunities to encourage others.
This Friday we will be heading to TX and will be with more prayer partners and family. Our daughter Lori and her 4 kids will be traveling with us!! So, on Mothers Day, I will be with her along with Dale’s family. We are thankful for the opportunity of sharing our work as we travel.
God is good!!
Happy New Year
Happy New Year and God bless YOU in 2009!! He will go before us as we look to HIM. Last night we had three of our little grandkids sleeping over. They always LOVE being here at Nana’s house. After getting them tucked into bed the 7 year old decided she was hungry so YOU guessed it…they all got a bowl of cereal!!!
Then Katie, the 7 year old didn’t want to stay in the dark room with the spooky shadows. So she ended up on the floor in the front room and we listened to songs and talked. I told her that when I get frightened I think of something that I love ….like the ocean and ask Jesus to help me calm down. She then said, But Nana there are sharks in the ocean, I saw them at the Atlanta Aquarium…so I reminded her of the dolfins, whales etc. She LOVES the ocean so that helped her a little bit.
We looked up a verse in the Bible about fear and found this totally cool verse..
Isaiah 41:13 “For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.”
We both held up our right hand for God to hold!! She loved that verse but after a little while she said, But Nana what happens if they are left handed?? Her little sister, Lilly who is 2 is left handed!!!
She did finally go to sleep but it was a good reminder to me that GOD is in control of 2009 and we just need to hold his hand and HE will go before us and help us!! It maybe unemployment, sickness, financial struggles and a thousand other things but HE doesn’t want us to fear and wants to HELP us. So keep holding HIS hand!!
Our Family Reunion
Our children were raised in Papua New Guinea in the Kuman tribe. Our kids were 8 to 15 when we first arrived in the Kuman in 1981. God allowed us to be there for 15 years and we were able to learn the language and also work on some translation.
The kids loved being around the Kuman people and now some of the believers were children with our kids. God used them in the lives of the Kuman people and we praise HIM for the handful of people we will see again in heaven someday!!
In October we were able to have all of our kids together. We were together in 2003 and since that time we have added 3 more grandkids so it was fun to see them meet each other again.
We had a talent night and had the grandkids each perform for everyone. It was a fun watching the 13 year old, who is now 6 feet tall burp through the alphabet. The little girls all showed off their ballet and the little boys made up a silly song. The babies just entertained us by smiling for us. At the end it was suggested that our kids dress up like Kuman people.
They were happy to do it and had fun getting into our artifacts and putting on various things. They then came whooping into the front room and did a Kuman dance.
We LOVED watching them and also watching the faces of our grandkids. They also loved it. God has used our kids in the lives of the Kuman people. It has been a privelege to serve HIM and we thank HIM for the way HE has undertaken and provided for us over these years.
September
We are excited for fall to arrive here in North Carolina as in October all of our kids will be coming to our home. We haven’t been together for five years so it will be fun to see our kids and grandkids all together once again.
Our oldest Stephen is here in NC and is living with us right now. He has been a blessing with our remodeling project.
Our second son, Bryan will be coming out from California with his wife Cassie and their Shane who is 6 and Braden 3. He is an engineer in a small town.
Our daughter Lori will be coming from Fairhope, Al with her hubby Tim and their 4 kids. Brenden 13, Brittany 11, Stone 8 and Alyssa Belle 5. Lori home schools the kids and keeps busy with her two blogs on helping others.
Our youngest son, Calvin lives here in Hickory and he will be coming over with his wife Jenny and their four kids. Katie 7, Justin 5, Lilly 2 and Luke 4 months. He has his own business as a personal clothier.
We are BLESSED and thank the LORD for each one!! It will be a fun week and I can already hear the noise and laughter. God is good!!!
GOD’s blessing!!
We had a wonderful time and a great team!! God undertook for us in so many marvelous ways!! Here are a few comments from the team!!
I enjoyed the Brazilian people…they were so accepting. If you were feeling down they would talk to you about it. We will never forget the friendship and relationships we made here. — 15 yearold
God was teaching me a lot about different things and how I could be challenged in the future. – 15 year old
God was showing me I should go even if I didn\’t want to before I got here…..God has been showing me that he wants me to be open to missions in the future — 15 year old
Refreshing time for me to leave the office and go to one of the fields that I serve. I have been able to refocus on what my job is all about with serving fellow missionaries and to put a face and a place to a lot of people to whom we serve. And it was good to see the potential in the 40 students that they have here. I am thankful to God that nationals are doing the work of going out to reach the tribal people in their own country as well as other countries and that has renewed my calling to be a missionary serving missionaries. – Missionary with NTM
The Lord taught me a lot on the trip. One thing that really stood out is how generous they are to me. Their worhip is cool too. 15 year old
Great time to get away from the American culture and see what God wanted to do in my life. I really grew to love the culture of the Brazilians. They work hard, play hard and eat a lot. I loved the way they worship together.
The relationships we made there were incredible and it was neat to see the passion they have for working in the tribes. Neat to see how each student is excited to serve the Lord. 23 year old