Bobby, Lily, Barry, and Del

What are you building into the life of your kids?  When your kids are old and reflect back on your influence on their life, what will have marked them?  Are you building into their lives in such a way that it could change the trajectory of their lives, in a good way?  Why you do what you do?  Is what you do biblical?  Will your kids grow up saying; wow my parents really loved Jesus?  Do you walk the talk? Will your children appreciate their childhood and thank you once they fly the coop?  Are your kids going to say my dad was a man of

Ezra and Silas

God or might they say he was just a religious man?  Is what you are building into their lives surface level or is it giving them an eternal perspective too?  What are you building into the life of your kids?

These are all questions that flood my mind on this Father’s Day as I reflect back on how I was raised, how my parents built into my life, and how I want to build into the lives of Ezra and Silas.  I’ll never forget my first year at college, thousands of miles away from home and found myself extremely grateful for how I had been

Silas

raised.  It was not till I was “alone” that I realized how much they had done.  I called my parents (I think) and thanked them for all the hard work they had put in parenting me in such a way as to prepare me for life.  Years passed, I got married, and then our first child came, and another shout out to my parents was in order.  Thanks for all your work, this parenting stuff is hard.  Kids are a tremendous joy, a lot of work, and take thoughtful reflection on what it means and looks like to love God and love people. God blessed me with parents who

My (Del) parents: Robert and Lois

built into my life and walked the talk modeling the Christian life in a tangible way.  Now, years later their four little kids are older, married, and are having kids of their own.  My parents allowed God to use them in our lives and now can watch God’s grace being worked out in each of our lives and with joyful hearts witness the story of our lives unroll before their eyes and across the seas.  And with that I’ll leave you with the question of my reflection for Father’s day, what are you building into the lives of your kids?

Ezra and Silas having fun eating some chips given to them by a shop owner.

“Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:4-7

Hungry?

Suzanne is taking off a few months of work to take tests for school. Pray God gives us strength for our new schedule (without her help for kids and housework) and increased French studies.

Our "new" (new to us) little freezer!

“You’re family don’t worry about it.  You are always nice, greet us, spend time with us, and now you are a part of our big family.”  This is what our neighbor said to me (Del) after he helped us install a mini fan on our little freezer. I had asked him if we could pay him for his time, as this is his line of work.  And that is when he said, “You’re family.”  We are thankful for the connections that are being made and praying that God gives us wisdom on how to be lights in this context.

The fan helps keep the engine cool during the hot season. It is attached to the pallet.

Silas loves his daddy's running shoes and his new summer outfit. (At least in our apartment)

The boys helped me catch a semi-dangerous lizard in our apartment the other day. They loved the chase and all the action.

Discovered this guy while moving furniture to make room for the freezer. Found out it was dangerous after showing it to the neighbors.

Took our national holiday on Monday to go play at the beach. The kids loved it and so did we.

There were all kinds of shells for the boys to play with.

Local fishermen coming with a big catch.

Today was Mother's Day in Senegal. All the mothers danced up to the front and then sang a song.

At our church Arielle is part of a choreography group.

Ezra on Silas's back (this picture is several months old, but you get the picture

Ezra climbs on Silas and they start wrestling.  Silas pushes back and the fun begins.  Our boys are growing up.  I’m sure it is like this for most parents, but it seems as though it was just yesterday Silas was born and now he is starting to run, wrestle, and do everything his big brother is doing.  It is fun to watch them grow and we are thankful God has given us the privilege of being their parents.

Del with his earphones in

We continue pressing on in French studies and usually have earphones in our ears listening to the recordings from our sessions.

Silas, Del, Ezra, and Chris. The kids loved having a visitor too!

Wednesday I received an unexpected phone call from Chris who works with West African Vocational Schools (WAVS) in Guinea Bissau (For more information click on the link).

He is from our home town, but we actually met in Senegal for the first time about three months ago.  We enjoyed talking and catching up over dinner.  It is encouraging to hear what God is doing in different parts of West Africa.

WAVS provides Africans with occupational skills they can use to acquire employment while at the same time take opportunities to share the good news.  Keep up the good work Chris and thanks for stopping by; you spiced up our week.

“Wooooow!” Says Silas, as he sees a palm tree swaying in the wind while we walk to church. His vocabulary is starting to blossom.

It is fun to see our boys using new words, phrases, and putting together thoughts .

They have an unstoppable desire to explore and try new things even if they get hurt. It is such a good reminder to live life with the same vigor.

The joy of taking pleasure in the little gifts is refreshing to watch.

Over the past month I've been discouraged with French. However, over the last week, two of my previous language helpers mentioned how much I've improved. I'm thanking God for this little victory and little encouragement.

Arielle is learning the victory over that “crouching tiger” of worry around every corner. She is learning to trust God and live a life of thankfulness with both the good and bad of life.

Walking to church

Over the weekend we had the privilege of visiting our friends Joel, Andi, and their two boys in a neighboring city.  It was so quiet there!  Almost shockingly quiet to our ears considering we live next to a very large and busy street in a very large and busy city.  (No cars, car horns, whistles, foosball being played, kids yelling, babies crying, cats screeching, vendors, horse cart noises, etc.)  It gave our senses a time to relax and it was a great change of pace: to visit, play a few games, and allow our kids to play together (mostly with cars since they are 4 boys)—constantly!  We also took two new forms of public transportation since arriving—the train on the way there and a larger kind of taxi on the way back.

Upon arriving back in our city we were tired and Silas had a fever but we didn’t want to go home quite yet!

Ezra loved playing with is friend Tyler

We were looking forward to FELLOWSHIP! Normally we fellowship with our brothers and sisters from our Senegalese church weekly, even daily and see our co-workers from our mission far less often.  So, meeting with many of our co-workers was a special treat and super encouraging!  One village team was in for a break and we had the PRIVALEDGE of hearing what God has been doing on their behalf to open doors for the message they have to bring despite the challenges!  Not only was it encouraging to hear from this team, it was a very special moment to look around the room and see all of the people that God has brought together as his hands and feet in this little corner of the world.  God has gifted those people in the room with me with different gifts and different roles here in Africa: language learning/teaching, discipleship in villages, translation, supply buying for missionaries in remote areas, office work, leadership, and much more. And we

Ezra's first train ride!

are all working for the same God and the same purpose.  So cool!  These people have become dear to us and we are so grateful to work alongside them. AND, we are so grateful to work alongside you too! You may not be in the same room as us, but you are very much a part of our team, and dear to us.

This week we are back to everyday life, French, and activities at church.

Played on their trampoline

Tyler and Ezra loved eating right next to each other

New toys were also fun.

Eating

Silas enjoyed the train ride too!

Robert, Lois (Del's parents), Silas, Ezra, Arielle, and Del

April 2^nd marked our one year anniversary here in Africa!  Yeah! Statistics show that the majority of missionaries, who return home, do so in the first year.  After the first year, the statistics drastically drops.  In light of this fact, we praise God for sustaining us through the first year.  It is only by his grace that we are here.  Now that calls for a little celebration and what made this time even better was that Del’s parents were visiting for a week and a half.

Over the past year, adjusting to life in Africa has been filled with joy, adversity, laughter, tears, satisfaction, frustration,

Arielle and Del

peace, home sickness, and many other emotions.  There have been plenty of new smells, new sounds, different people, different transportation, new way of life, new way of cooking, new language, new grocery stores, and a whole new way of living.  God has done more molding and shaping in our lives than anything else.  It has been a hard but good process of dying to ourselves in order to become like those around us, in order to reach out and connect on their level.

As we continue to press on, we covet your

Our one year family picture

prayers.  We are trusting God with each new day and our future.  There remains, give or take, a year till we transition into an official ministry role.  French study and activities at church consume our days as we press on in French study and adapting to our new culture.  Pray God gives us direction and wisdom as we search out different options for our future ministry of planting churches in West Africa.  If God tarries we look forward to see what He will do, how He will work, and the lives that He will change in the future.

Ezra loved the beach

Ezra turned three years old and had a little birthday party

Our newest family picture!

Pray for direction in what part of West Africa God would have us serve.  We are excited to have started the process of figuring out where we will go.  We covet your prayers that God would be our guide and that He would have His way in our lives.  At this point nothing has been decided except for the fact that the process has started and could take several months till we know any more information.  We will keep you informed along this journey God is leading us on.  Thanks for praying!

Dinner with friends

Kids eating dinner

The couple on their wedding day

Weddings are such a joyous occasion of joining two as one in the intimate union of marriage; it is no wonder the church is referred to as the bride and Jesus as the groom.  Ephesians 5:31-32 says, “”For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’  This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.”  And then in Revelation 19:7, “Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory!  For the wedding of the Lamb has come and his bride has made

The bride walking in

herself ready.”  Finally in Revelation 22:17, “The spirit and the bride say, “Come!”  And let him who hears say. “Come!”  Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of water of life.”  We attended an African wedding this past weekend.  This imagery of the bride and the groom is such a powerful illustration and right now the church is being prepared to meet Jesus, the groom.  It is a good reminder to be about the business preparing for the big day.

The bride and groom sits up front in special chairs.

Our family friends from church, Robert, Nanette, and their girls.