This lily is back home

I never thought I would be glad to see an overcast Michigan sky, but I guess home is the sweetest place on earth, even when it’s not beautiful. In the last few days I have been blessed with the rolling hills and rugged mountains of California, but I’m so ready to be back in the forests and fields of my own state. I arrived early this morning, simultaneously encouraged by other people’s reactions to the Lord’s work and discouraged about my own.

As I mentioned in my last post, I was visiting Crossroads Community Church in Yuba City, California. On Saturday, I had a wonderful time meeting a few people from a Spanish-speaking church and sharing how God is raising up missionaries from Latin America. I then spoke at three services at Crossroads, sharing what God is doing through Bible translation. It is always a blessing to talk about the power of God’s word and tell people how they can get involved in providing it for every person in the world! And I was further encouraged with an opportunity to talk with the junior high and high school group at Crossroads. I shared about the importance of prayer and asked that they would pray for me, and then was surprised when the youth pastor took up a collection for me. The young people contributed as they were able, giving $9 in change alone. Although that may not sound like a lot, I have heard that dinner at a restaurant in Cameroon may cost as little as $1 U.S., so these young people gave enough to feed me for a week!

Despite seeing God’s provision, I have found myself struggling with worry. Not so much worry about prayer support; so many people have said that they will pray for me. And I have been incredibly grateful for the contributions that have already been given. But my hoped-for departure date of August 19th is rapidly approaching, and I cannot leave until the remaining 35% of my support arrives. I know that God has a plan for everything, and that it will all happen in his time. So, my friends, please pray for me. Pray that I will remember that God feeds the ravens and dresses the lilies, and that he cares more for me than for them. As I seek his kingdom, I know he will supply my needs in his time.

Luke 12: 22-34
22Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[b]? 26Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

27"Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

32"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The road feels right

This morning I'm writing from my aunt and uncle's beautiful backyard in sunny California. I arrived in Sacramento last night with just a laptop bag and a small suitcase, one that I knew would fit in the carry-on compartment of my plane.

As I packed for this trip, I did my best to accommodate the ever-tightening airline regulations. For this particular flight, I would have been charged to check any luggage, so I traveled light. That meant leaving certain luxuries at home. A book I had been reading didn't fit in my laptop bag. A blow dryer was out of the question because of its size, and all of my shampoo, hair gel, and other liquids had to fit into a small zip-lock bag.

Why am I sharing this? Certainly not because I am suffering hardship! One suitcase is plenty for a week. But packing for my short journey made me reflect on Hebrews 11, where the Bible describes a multitude of faithful people that God commended. God describes Noah, who had to fit his whole family, animals, and food on an ark for several months. Abram "when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents . . . " By faith, Moses left Egypt, the land where he was born and educated. By faith David spent years fleeing from Saul. On two occasions, he could have ended his sojourn by killing Saul, but he respected the Lord's anointing on Saul and spared his life.

These stories give me hope and courage. As I travel, I am in very good company! I know my circumstances are not as difficult as these heroes of the faith, as I have the luxury of airplanes and e-mail. I also have another advantage over the ancients. Hebrews 11:13 says that "All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance." Later, the writer states

"And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised. . . whose weakness was turned to strength; . . . They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated . . . They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect."

So, what was it that God had planned for them and for us? Hebrews 12: 2 states "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." 1 Peter 2:24a-25 says "[Christ] himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness . . . For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls."

So the ultimate example of a hard journey was the one that Jesus took to the cross. He died for the joy of seeing us live in righteousness. Through the grace of God, I can join the ancient believers in saying that together, God has made us his flock. We travel, but we do not travel aimlessly. The good Shepherd guides our every step.

And so, I leave you with a song that has been running through my head a lot lately:

"What it feels like" by FFH

So this is what if feels like to walk the wilderness.
This is what if feels like to come undone.
This is what if feels like to lose my confidence
unsure of anything or anyone.
So this is what if feels like to walk the desert sand.
This is what if feels like to hear my name.
To be scared to death 'cause I'm all alone
but feel love and peace just the same.
And this may not be the road I would choose for me
but it still feels right somehow.
'Cause I have never felt you as close to me as I do right now.
So this is what if feels like to be led .

Fun facts about Cameroon

Cameroon is in the "armpit" of Africa, near Nigeria and Chad, and is slightly larger than California.

The official languages are French and English.

There are 278 living languages in Cameroon, with Bible translation projects in at least 106 of them.

Forty percent of the population is Christian, forty percent has indigenous beliefs, and twenty percent is Muslim.

Seventy percent of the population works in agriculture. Products include coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root starches, livestock, and timber.

Its neighbor Equatorial Guinea is the only Spanish-speaking country in Africa.

How a Spanish teacher heard the call to Cameroon

I think the initial echoes of my call to Africa came from the urban U.S. After my freshman year of college, I spent a month on an inner-city mission project in Bakersfield, CA. One of my favorite activities was working with kids there. One group of them came from rough backgrounds--sometimes their parents argued late at night, others only had one parent, and many struggled to trust people because they had been let down so many times. Still, on my birthday, they ganged up to give me a hug so enthusiastic that it knocked me out of my chair! Seeing how the love of Christ had given them joy made me consider how I could spread that love around the world.

The fall after I returned from California I decided that I wanted to serve worldwide through teaching and began learning more Spanish. During spring semester, my college church offered a shortened version of Perspectives, a class about missions. As I studied the materials and heard stories from other missionaries, God's love and plan for all people became even clearer. One group that stood out was the Wycliffe Bible Translators, started by Cameron Townsend. When Townsend was a young man, he sold Spanish Bibles in Guatemala for a while. He noticed that many people there didn't speak Spanish, and Cakchiquel people repeatedly asked him "If your God is so smart, why doesn't he speak our language?" Townsend answered their question by learning their language and translating the Bible into Cakchiquel so that they could know that God spoke their language and loved them. As I heard about Wycliffe, I wanted to be part of sharing God's word with people in the language of their heart, so I got in touch with recruiters to discuss possibilities. I still had three years of school, but my heart was already being pulled abroad.

God kept confirming my call throughout the rest of my time at Michigan State. During my senior year, he kept pressing Revelation 5:9 on my heart. It says:
And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation."

Finally, during my student teaching, I was able to investigate possible ministry positions with Wycliffe. Originally I wanted to step right into translation or literacy work, but God showed me the importance of children's education. I began looking at ways to use teaching, just as I originally planned. God laid two conditions on my heart for the position that I would take.

1. Excellence: Colossians 3:23 says "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." God told me that I would be able to provide quality instruction in the field he had prepared for me.
2. Unreached peoples: God impressed upon me that the position would support the work of sharing the Gospel with people who couldn't hear otherwise. While there is still plenty of work to do in reached countries like Poland and Sweden, my passion is for sharing in new places, where the good news of Jesus' love is being shared for the first time.

As I looked through Wycliffe's job postings, I found a position in Cameroon that fits both of these conditions. Rain Forest International School in Cameroon had a need for a Spanish and math instructor. RFIS is an international Christian school that educates the children of language and support workers from Wycliffe and other mission groups, as well as Cameroonians. My strongest area of certification is in Spanish, and I have a fair amount of experience in math instruction. I trust that with God's help, I will be an excellent teacher there. In terms of unreached people groups, there are 278 languages in Cameroon, and Wycliffe has 106 language projects there. I can support translation work there by ensuring that the children of missionaries and other support workers get an excellent education from compassionate teachers.

During my time in Cameroon, I pray that I will be an excellent teacher and model for my students. I also pray that God will reveal the next step in his plan for my life. I love languages and hope to work among Bibleless peoples until all have heard. As I mentioned earlier, I am interested in translation or literacy work. I pray that God will use my experiences to explore missions and find out if he perhaps he wants me to serve in some other role.

If you also have a passion for reaching the uttermost ends of the earth with the glory of God, I invite you to partner with me. You can pray for me and for the groups that have yet to hear. You can also help by encouraging me or by giving financially. If you'd like to sign up as a regular prayer or financial partner, please visit http://www.wycliffe.org/Partnership.aspx?mid=29E36F. I am excited about what God is going to do, and even more excited to share it with you!

Encouragement

This week, I've been back home, mulling over the cultural and educational training that I participated in for the past couple weeks. While we had plenty of time listening to lectures about the structure of Wycliffe and the importance of children's education to the task of Bible translation, we also played plenty of games.

A typical Wycliffe game goes something like this: break people into groups. Give each set of people a game with simple rules. Let them get comfortable with those rules. Then mix the groups, and ¡SURPRISE--nobody has the same rules! Now what? What results is usually a complex mental and emotional process of trying to determine the new rules, figure out how to win, who is "right," and how to avoid offending too many people while playing. Other variations of Wycliffe games include using simplified languages and peeling mangoes without knives. While we played, I noticed that I enjoyed figuring out the new rules, but by the end I was tired and ready to stop. Except in the case of the mango--I thoroughly enjoyed eating it, even if my hands were covered in juice before I finished!

Some of you can already see what these games illustrate. We all grow up in a culture and learn its rules. We learn languages and ways of doing things (like peeling mangoes with knives--which was surprisingly ineffective compared to peeling it with my hands!) Many of us play the whole game in our own culture, using the comfortable rules that we've known all along. In cases of cross cultural ministry, the worker leaves his or her first group and has to learn the new rules. Sometimes, these new rules are more Biblical than our own. Sometimes, they violate the Bible's principles, and other times, they are simply different. But in almost every case, the accumulation of little differences can be very stressful--food, shopping, greeting, language, climate, and underlying conceptions of the world may all change after a short plane trip across the ocean.

As I reflected on my impending transition to the culture of Cameroon and the specific culture of a new school, I confess that I started focusing too much on the stress and not enough on the blessings. I almost stopped looking forward to going there. I started praying "God, please make me want to go to Cameroon. Make me happy to be going."

A woman from Bethany Baptist Church called me tonight to tell me how excited she was for me and how much she had enjoyed her six months in Niger, working at a missionary clinic. She spoke of the beautiful, friendly people there, the way that the clinic improved their lives, and how God had prepared her ahead of time for what she did. She reminded me that God is preparing the people that I will work with and those I will minister to, and that I will be meeting a need at the school. As I spoke with her, I felt my spirits lifting. I know that the transition will be tiring, and I may end up with juice all over my hands, but it will also be a sweet, delicious journey.

If everything Jesus did were written down. . .

For a long time now, I've been tossing around the idea of writing a book, but I could never decide what to write about. I knew that I wanted it to be a new story and somehow relate to the story of God's love for humanity, but that's a very broad field. Encountering John 21:25 didn't help me narrow my focus:

"Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written."

That quote brings me both despair and hope. I despair of ever finishing a book, because I know that Jesus is still doing many things today. If I tried to create a plot out of them, there would always be another story to add in a tangled web of characters, "coincidences," miracles, loss, and joy. I would never finish writing! But in that I find hope, because it means that the story is not over yet. His story, our story, is still being told, and we have many opportunities to see it, through the forgiveness of old wrongs, healing of broken families, justice in a cruel world, and joy in the midst of suffering.

And so, my goal through this blog is for all of us to share the stories about what Jesus is still doing. For right now, that may often consist of what God is doing in my life as I prepare to teach Spanish and mathematics in Yaoundé, Cameroon. I am currently in the process of finding ministry partners that will join the work of Bible translation through prayer, finances, and encouragement as I serve.

Later on, I am excited to share the flavors, sights, and sounds of an African city with you, but even more, I look forward to describing how God is moving among the people there, both in the city and the countryside. There are 278 living languages in Cameroon, and 106 Bible translation and literacy projects, so I hope to have many, many tales to tell.

My request of anyone who happens to be reading this is that you also share with me. Please share your stories, your life, your passions. I want to hear from you.