This past June, we were blessed with the opportunity to return to Malawi before returning to the States. The point of the trip was to sort through our personal belongings and to say good-bye to Malawi and the work there. The trip turned out to be a tremendous blessing.
Two days after arriving, Bill and I got busy sorting through the many boxes that had been packed up to go to Mozambique. It was a HUGE job and took us nearly four days to go through everything. Thankfully Nora was able to help us and watched the girls so Bill and I could focus on the work that needed to be done.
After going through boxes we decided to have some fun and went to a few game parks. We visited Liwonde park, Lengwe park, and Nyala park. We saw all the big animals including elephant, giraffe, wart hog, buffalo and much more. The girls had a blast looking for animals and they got pretty good at it as well.
We also spent a day travling around through the villages, driving past Mount Mulanji and visiting Pastor Lusio. We stopped in to see Pastor Liwonde and had a nice nsima meal. Bill was thrilled to have nsima again. We went to the Zomba market which I enjoyed tremendously and took lots of pictures. We also want to church at Our Saviour and saw many of our old friends from church. It was nice to worship with them again.
We had the opportunity to see our old house and visit with our friends. Our good friends Tamsin and Steve threw us a party and many people come out to say farewell. The girls were able to ride horses and see some of their old friends. What a great way to connect again and say good-bye.
Our house had had some remodeling done on it and was looking very nice. The wooden shelves had been torn out and replaced with concrete shelves that had been painted white. The ugly tile had also been replaced with beautiful stone tiles and were polished to a shine. The kitchen had been remodeled and the porch wood had been painted white. It was the same house, yet different, making it easier to say good-bye.
We even found some time to visit George and Davison, our old gardeners. We were very excited to see them and their families. They took us to their home in the village and spent the afternoon with us. We need to keep them in our prayers since neither of them have found work since we left two years ago. They both now have children starting high school and need to come up with money to pay for school fees. It really puts everything in perspective when they tell us they only need $60 a year to send their children to school and can't come up with the money. How blessed we are in America.
The mission had a farewell party for us and a nice service on Sunday. We are truly going to miss the fellowship and friendship we had with the missionaries in Malawi. They were more than co-workers and friends, they were our family. What a blessing to have been part of the team of dedicated workers spreading the wonderful news of Christ to the lost.
We loved Malawi so much that Bill even considered finding a job there, but in the end it didn't work out. Part of our hearts will always be there and we will miss it dearly. It was most difficult saying good-bye to Nora. She was more than our house lady, she was our "Auntie" and family member. We will always remember her and what a dedicated woman she was to our family. May the Lord always bless her and keep her close to Him.
We thank the Lord that we had the opportunity to return to Malawi, the place our family first had a home. We thank the Lord that we were able to say good-bye and have closure. Malawi will always have a special place in our hearts.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
The next step
It seems like a lifetime ago that we were overseas, but we have been in WI for just under two months. There is no doubt that our lives have made a big change in direction and I believe we are ready for the next step. Bill had been tirelessly hunting for a job since the beginning of July, and this past Tuesday he accepted a position with Hahn Finantial. He will be working with WELS called workers on the 403(b) plan (401(k) for non-profit organizations) and selling insurance. It is a relief to know the next step is in our lives and where we will be living. We are currently living with my parents in Watertown, WI, and we will be her until we can afford to live on our own. It is nice to be near family and see so much of them, but I wonder how long we will be here.
The summer has been busy, but not nearly as hectic as furlough years are. We have been able to see much of our family and friends, but we have also relaxed alot down at the farm and in Green Lake. There are still many people we would like to see and we will pace ourselves so we don't wear ourselves out.
Besides seeing family and friend, and Bill looking for work, we have focused much of our summer getting Elise and Audrey ready for school in fall. Since they had been in Portuguese school for over an entire school year, we knew they would be behind in reading English. Audrey was not so far behind since she is starting kindergarden, but Elise is about a year behind her peers. We had them in summer school for four weeks and a reading teacher assessed Elise's reading. She has been working with my Aunt Sue for about four weeks to get caught up. She has made huge improvement and we believe she will be ready for school on September first.
When our mission position was cut in May and we were devestated, we knew that we could trust on the Lord to take care of us, and that will continue to be our focus. We do not know how successful Bill will be at his new job or how long it will be before we are living in our own home, but we do know that the Lord will take care of us and provide for us. What a blessing to be able to trust in the Lord rather than rely on our earthly abilities to see us through.
We pray you all had a blessed summer and hope to see you all sometime in the near future.
The summer has been busy, but not nearly as hectic as furlough years are. We have been able to see much of our family and friends, but we have also relaxed alot down at the farm and in Green Lake. There are still many people we would like to see and we will pace ourselves so we don't wear ourselves out.
Besides seeing family and friend, and Bill looking for work, we have focused much of our summer getting Elise and Audrey ready for school in fall. Since they had been in Portuguese school for over an entire school year, we knew they would be behind in reading English. Audrey was not so far behind since she is starting kindergarden, but Elise is about a year behind her peers. We had them in summer school for four weeks and a reading teacher assessed Elise's reading. She has been working with my Aunt Sue for about four weeks to get caught up. She has made huge improvement and we believe she will be ready for school on September first.
When our mission position was cut in May and we were devestated, we knew that we could trust on the Lord to take care of us, and that will continue to be our focus. We do not know how successful Bill will be at his new job or how long it will be before we are living in our own home, but we do know that the Lord will take care of us and provide for us. What a blessing to be able to trust in the Lord rather than rely on our earthly abilities to see us through.
We pray you all had a blessed summer and hope to see you all sometime in the near future.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Ukraine
We just spend twelve days in Ukraine and had a wonderful time. We went to visit our friends, Nick and Kerry Laper, who we met in Malawi. They managed the medical mission in Malawi for eight years and now they manage the medical missiong in Ukraine. It was wonderful to see them again and catch up. They were terrific hosts and our visit would not have been as enjoyable without their help and the help of the staff of the medical mission.
We flew into Kiev at about three in the morning and we were picked up by a counselor and driver who work at the Medical mission. We then drove to the Christian Life Center (pregnancy counseling center) and slept there for the night. The next morning we took off for Ternopil six hours away. Thankfully we all slept in the car and caught up on some sleep.
The next two days we relaxed, went for walks in the park, hung out with the Lapers, played with their dog Ivan, and saw a bit of the town. It was very interesting to see the market and I realized how much I miss going to the market. It was interesting to see what was available and see the different kinds of food that are popular in Ukraine.
A few days later we started doing our sight seeing. We first went to Pochaiyv, a Russion Orthodox Monastery. It was absolutely beautiful and the pantings were gorgeous. The Monastary could seen from miles away and the gold gilding glittered in the sun. After visiting the Monastery we visited Saint Ana's spring. It is a natural spring that stays at 6 Celsius year round and people believe that if you swim in it you will be healed of any illnesses you may have. Even infant babies are taken in the water. It was very entertaining to see people run into the pool, dip their heads under water and cross them selves three times, and run up out of the water, shivering. On our drive that day we passed many rape seed fields and had our picture taken by them. What a beautiful contrast.
Maria had her birthday while in Ukraine and it was a nice day. We ordered a cake from the grocery store and had them write, "Happy 3rd Birthday Maria" in Ukrainian. She loved the gifts she received and kept telling everyone she was three. It seems she had been waiting for her birthday for months and had been telling everyone that she was already three.
We also spent a day in Lviv and saw the sights. The best part was visiting the Opera house which is considered one of the most beautiful in Western Europe. We enjoyed the sightseeing train ride and the beauty of the town. Lviv is one of the few cited that was not damaged during world war II and has been part of Austria and Poland over the last few centuries. There was a mix of Ukrainian heritage along with Austrian and Polish in the architecture of the buildings.
The next day we spend traveling to see the mobil clinics that provide medical and dental service for children. The clinics are two large RV buses that have been converted into clinics. It was very interesting to see how well equipped these two buses are for the work that needs to be done. Later in the day we drove to see a possible sight for the clinic to work at. It was very interesting to see all the details that need to be sorted in order to make the clinics work efficiently.
At the end of our trip we returned to Kiev on a night sleeper train. It was very interesting to sleep on a train and the girls did very well. We arrived early in the morning and for the first time stayed in a hotel. We all crashed and took naps and at noon hit the town for some more sight seeing. We covered alot of ground in a few hours and saw the Opera house, Saint Sophia, Saint Michael, and the Golden gate (old city gate). We returned to the hotel to get ready for the ballet and grab a bit to eat. A highlight of the trip was going to the "Sleeping Beauty" ballet. It was gorgeous and very well done. The girls loved it and hopefully they will remember it.
The next day we slept in again and then did just a little sight seeing. It was Saturday and the main road in the downtown was closed off for pedestrians to walk on it. There was music, food, dancing, and a jumping castle for the girls. We saw Independence square where the Orange Revolution took place a few years ago. We also strolled through a huge park and enjoyed the sights and sounds of Kiev.
The next morning we caught a 5:30am flight and by noon we were back in Portugal. It was a great trip and we are very thankful we had the chance to go. We are thankful to the Lapers and all the people who helped us. It is a trip we will never forget.
We flew into Kiev at about three in the morning and we were picked up by a counselor and driver who work at the Medical mission. We then drove to the Christian Life Center (pregnancy counseling center) and slept there for the night. The next morning we took off for Ternopil six hours away. Thankfully we all slept in the car and caught up on some sleep.
The next two days we relaxed, went for walks in the park, hung out with the Lapers, played with their dog Ivan, and saw a bit of the town. It was very interesting to see the market and I realized how much I miss going to the market. It was interesting to see what was available and see the different kinds of food that are popular in Ukraine.
A few days later we started doing our sight seeing. We first went to Pochaiyv, a Russion Orthodox Monastery. It was absolutely beautiful and the pantings were gorgeous. The Monastary could seen from miles away and the gold gilding glittered in the sun. After visiting the Monastery we visited Saint Ana's spring. It is a natural spring that stays at 6 Celsius year round and people believe that if you swim in it you will be healed of any illnesses you may have. Even infant babies are taken in the water. It was very entertaining to see people run into the pool, dip their heads under water and cross them selves three times, and run up out of the water, shivering. On our drive that day we passed many rape seed fields and had our picture taken by them. What a beautiful contrast.
Maria had her birthday while in Ukraine and it was a nice day. We ordered a cake from the grocery store and had them write, "Happy 3rd Birthday Maria" in Ukrainian. She loved the gifts she received and kept telling everyone she was three. It seems she had been waiting for her birthday for months and had been telling everyone that she was already three.
We also spent a day in Lviv and saw the sights. The best part was visiting the Opera house which is considered one of the most beautiful in Western Europe. We enjoyed the sightseeing train ride and the beauty of the town. Lviv is one of the few cited that was not damaged during world war II and has been part of Austria and Poland over the last few centuries. There was a mix of Ukrainian heritage along with Austrian and Polish in the architecture of the buildings.
The next day we spend traveling to see the mobil clinics that provide medical and dental service for children. The clinics are two large RV buses that have been converted into clinics. It was very interesting to see how well equipped these two buses are for the work that needs to be done. Later in the day we drove to see a possible sight for the clinic to work at. It was very interesting to see all the details that need to be sorted in order to make the clinics work efficiently.
At the end of our trip we returned to Kiev on a night sleeper train. It was very interesting to sleep on a train and the girls did very well. We arrived early in the morning and for the first time stayed in a hotel. We all crashed and took naps and at noon hit the town for some more sight seeing. We covered alot of ground in a few hours and saw the Opera house, Saint Sophia, Saint Michael, and the Golden gate (old city gate). We returned to the hotel to get ready for the ballet and grab a bit to eat. A highlight of the trip was going to the "Sleeping Beauty" ballet. It was gorgeous and very well done. The girls loved it and hopefully they will remember it.
The next day we slept in again and then did just a little sight seeing. It was Saturday and the main road in the downtown was closed off for pedestrians to walk on it. There was music, food, dancing, and a jumping castle for the girls. We saw Independence square where the Orange Revolution took place a few years ago. We also strolled through a huge park and enjoyed the sights and sounds of Kiev.
The next morning we caught a 5:30am flight and by noon we were back in Portugal. It was a great trip and we are very thankful we had the chance to go. We are thankful to the Lapers and all the people who helped us. It is a trip we will never forget.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Change of Plans
Our lives have suddenly taken on a completley different direction. We will no longer be going to Mozambique as missionaries, instead we will be returning to WI to find "normal" jobs. We receieved the news last Saturday that WELS (our church) no longer has the money to support the mission work that was planned for Mozambique. Due to the economic crisis in the world, WELS is also facing severe money problems, and unfortunately these money problems have trickled down the ladder. Many home and world missionaries have lost and will loose their calls (jobs).
As we plan the next step in our lives, we find ourselves dealing with many different emotions, and the most common emtion is a feeling of great sadness and loss. Bill has worked for nearly three years to get to Mozambique and we have been in transition to get there for two. It has been a long and difficult two years and it is hard to believe our hard work will not accomplish our goal, to proclaim Christ's love to the lost souls in Mozambique!!! We are so willing and ready to do this work and yet......we will not be going. How does one come to accept this and move on?
The only way we can come to accept it is to focus on Christ. We do not understand God's plan for our lives at this time. We do not understand why the Lord is not using our gifts in Mozambique, but we do trust Him. He knows what is best for us and will use our gifts somewhere else. He will give us the peace we need to move on and accept the new path our lives are going to take.
As we deal with our emotions and try to accept the direction our lives are taking, I find myself thinking of the many other people affected by these budget cuts. There are many other missionaries who have lost their calls and are dealing with many of the same emotions we have. There are many national church's in many countries that will be left without missionaries. Are these national churches mature enough to take care of themselves and do the work? Are the national pastors equipped to shephard the sheep that have been left behind? And what about the souls that have not year heard about their Savior (Mozambique)? Who is going to tell them? Who is willing to leave their family and homes to go live in a foreign land and tell them? So many lives are affected by the budget cuts, and yet the Lord is still in control Our earthly minds can not understand these problems, but the Lord understands and will take care of all who are effected. What a GREAT GOD we have!
I once again ask for your prayers. Please pray that we come to accept this decision and find peace. Please pray for the many other missionaries and pastors who have also lost their jobs. Please pray for the souls in Mozambique and around the world that Christ's love will still be proclaimed to them, despite us not being the ones to tell them. Thank you for your prayers!!!
As we plan the next step in our lives, we find ourselves dealing with many different emotions, and the most common emtion is a feeling of great sadness and loss. Bill has worked for nearly three years to get to Mozambique and we have been in transition to get there for two. It has been a long and difficult two years and it is hard to believe our hard work will not accomplish our goal, to proclaim Christ's love to the lost souls in Mozambique!!! We are so willing and ready to do this work and yet......we will not be going. How does one come to accept this and move on?
The only way we can come to accept it is to focus on Christ. We do not understand God's plan for our lives at this time. We do not understand why the Lord is not using our gifts in Mozambique, but we do trust Him. He knows what is best for us and will use our gifts somewhere else. He will give us the peace we need to move on and accept the new path our lives are going to take.
As we deal with our emotions and try to accept the direction our lives are taking, I find myself thinking of the many other people affected by these budget cuts. There are many other missionaries who have lost their calls and are dealing with many of the same emotions we have. There are many national church's in many countries that will be left without missionaries. Are these national churches mature enough to take care of themselves and do the work? Are the national pastors equipped to shephard the sheep that have been left behind? And what about the souls that have not year heard about their Savior (Mozambique)? Who is going to tell them? Who is willing to leave their family and homes to go live in a foreign land and tell them? So many lives are affected by the budget cuts, and yet the Lord is still in control Our earthly minds can not understand these problems, but the Lord understands and will take care of all who are effected. What a GREAT GOD we have!
I once again ask for your prayers. Please pray that we come to accept this decision and find peace. Please pray for the many other missionaries and pastors who have also lost their jobs. Please pray for the souls in Mozambique and around the world that Christ's love will still be proclaimed to them, despite us not being the ones to tell them. Thank you for your prayers!!!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Visitors, Registration and Visa's
The last few months have been busy for us. In January my sister, two of my brothers, and a girlfriend decided to visit us and four weeks later they were at our house. We had a great time with them visiting Lisbon, going out to dinner, going to the beach, going to the Carnival parties, visiting some Roman ruins, hanging out with the girls and catching up. It was a great three weeks and the time went by so fast. We are so thankful they were able to make the trip here and encourage us in our ministry.
There is not much new to report about getting the mission registered in Mozambique. Since Bill and Jeff's trip to Mozambique last October did not result in the mission being registered with the government, they have decided to try and get the registration done from Portugal. They have been working tirelessly to prepare letters and getting the letters notorized to send to Mozambique. Bill has talked to the Director of the Department of Religious Affairs in Mozambique a few times and he has assured Bill that once the papers are prepared properly (not an easy task) the registration will go quickly. Once the mission is registered, then we can apply for our VISA's. There is no way to know how quickly our VISA application will be processed.
In the mean time our VISA for Portugal has expired (March 29th). Two weeks before it expired Bill went to immigration to apply for an extention and was told that the type of VISA we have does not have the option for extention and we would have to leave the country! Bill spent about half an hour kindly persisting and explaining to the immigration officer that it was not possible for us to leave since we did not yet have approval to enter Mozambique and we want our children to finish the school year here. Finally the lady agreed to give him the paper work to apply for an extention but explained that it was not policy. We had an appointment this past Saturday at immigration and things went very well. We were given a sixty day grace period which allows us to stay until the end of May. We will meet with the Director of Immigration in the next month or two to discuss any other extentions beyond the end of May. We pray we are able to stay in Portugal unilt the end of June when the girls finish school and hopefully our mission will be registered by then and we have been approved for our VISA for Mozambique.
Spring is in the air here and we are spending more and more time outdoors. Elise and Audrey were given hand-me-down bikes which have turned out to be a wonderful blessing. We own bikes in Malawi and in the States, but we did not have bikes here. So, when we were given these bikes the girls started riding them and they haven't stopped. It has been a nice change of routine to have new toys to play with outside.
The months of February and March were unusually warm in Portugal this year and we spent many days at the beach. We have spent many days at a nice park about a mile from our house that is HUGE, has a nice playgroup for the kids and wonderful walking paths. I also go there when I run because it has some very challenging hills.
As I close, I ask you to pray for the registration of the mission in Mozambique. Please pray that Bill and Jeff are able to collect all the paper work necessary to register and that it is all done correctly. Please pray that once the paper work reaches Mozambique it will be processed quickly and approved. Then we can move forward and apply for working VISA's. Please pray that our transition to Mozambique goes smoothly and we get settled quickly.
Thank you for your prayers and support. Until next time...God bless you and keep you close to Him.
There is not much new to report about getting the mission registered in Mozambique. Since Bill and Jeff's trip to Mozambique last October did not result in the mission being registered with the government, they have decided to try and get the registration done from Portugal. They have been working tirelessly to prepare letters and getting the letters notorized to send to Mozambique. Bill has talked to the Director of the Department of Religious Affairs in Mozambique a few times and he has assured Bill that once the papers are prepared properly (not an easy task) the registration will go quickly. Once the mission is registered, then we can apply for our VISA's. There is no way to know how quickly our VISA application will be processed.
In the mean time our VISA for Portugal has expired (March 29th). Two weeks before it expired Bill went to immigration to apply for an extention and was told that the type of VISA we have does not have the option for extention and we would have to leave the country! Bill spent about half an hour kindly persisting and explaining to the immigration officer that it was not possible for us to leave since we did not yet have approval to enter Mozambique and we want our children to finish the school year here. Finally the lady agreed to give him the paper work to apply for an extention but explained that it was not policy. We had an appointment this past Saturday at immigration and things went very well. We were given a sixty day grace period which allows us to stay until the end of May. We will meet with the Director of Immigration in the next month or two to discuss any other extentions beyond the end of May. We pray we are able to stay in Portugal unilt the end of June when the girls finish school and hopefully our mission will be registered by then and we have been approved for our VISA for Mozambique.
Spring is in the air here and we are spending more and more time outdoors. Elise and Audrey were given hand-me-down bikes which have turned out to be a wonderful blessing. We own bikes in Malawi and in the States, but we did not have bikes here. So, when we were given these bikes the girls started riding them and they haven't stopped. It has been a nice change of routine to have new toys to play with outside.
The months of February and March were unusually warm in Portugal this year and we spent many days at the beach. We have spent many days at a nice park about a mile from our house that is HUGE, has a nice playgroup for the kids and wonderful walking paths. I also go there when I run because it has some very challenging hills.
As I close, I ask you to pray for the registration of the mission in Mozambique. Please pray that Bill and Jeff are able to collect all the paper work necessary to register and that it is all done correctly. Please pray that once the paper work reaches Mozambique it will be processed quickly and approved. Then we can move forward and apply for working VISA's. Please pray that our transition to Mozambique goes smoothly and we get settled quickly.
Thank you for your prayers and support. Until next time...God bless you and keep you close to Him.
Monday, February 9, 2009
The Perks of Portugal
It is now February and we are starting to make plans to go to Mozambique soon. As we prepare for the next step in our lives and the mission, I find myself reflecting on the time we have lived here in Portugal. We were called to Mozambique, Africa, which comes with very unique challenges. Yet we find ourselves still in Portugal, enjoying many “niceties” that come with living in the developed world. Here is a list of some of the things I have come to appreciate and will miss about living in Portugal. I call them the “Perks of Portugal”.
1-The members of the Igreja Luterana de Portugal. It has been a huge blessing to get to know the people who make up the church of believers in Portugal. Many of these believers will be friends for life.
2-Fast internet service, which keeps us in touch with so many friends and family. There is no doubt that the internet will not be as efficient in Mozambique as it is in Portugal. I will dearly miss the daily contact I know have with so many people.
3-Free calling to the States. I have been able to call anyone and everyone I want to, not for much needed conversations, but just to talk. What a blessing to be able to call my mom and friends and just chat!
4-The girls and I have enjoyed nearly two years without exposure to malaria or a case of malaria. Malaria will soon become an important issue in our lives.
5-We have had the opportunity to see many different parts of Europe and visit friends in Europe. This would not have been possible had we not come to Portugal.
6-Our apartment is safe and we can live with a sense of security, rather than be on guard in our own home.
7-The electricity supply has been reliable and only gone out a few times (because I was running my washing machine, dryer, dishwasher, and oven all at the same time). It is a blessing to have reliable electricity, gas, water, etc...
8- I have only seen one spider in our apartment in an entire year. What a change from when we lived in Malawi, where I “let” the spiders in my house live because I knew they ate mosquitoes.
9-My children are learning Portuguese. What a blessing for them to have attended a Portuguese school and made Portuguese friends.
10-I have enjoyed going to the gym which is right next door to our apartment and go as often as possible. I have made some good friends and had the opportunity to practice my Portuguese.
11- We have not gone more than two months without visitors since our arrival in Portugal a year ago. What a blessings to have hosted so many people from our families and so many friends in our home.
I ask for your prayers as we prepare to move to Mozambique. Please pray that our mission is registered with the Mozambican government soon. This has been an on going process that is taking much longer than anticipated. Please pray that once the mission is registered, we will then have our VISA application approved. Please pray that we find decent and secure homes to live in once we arrive in Mozambique. Please pray for our health as we return to Africa. Please pray that we have safe travels as we go to Mozambique and once we live there. And most importantly, pray that we are effective in our ministry to the lost souls in Mozambique. Pray that the Lord gives our missionaries wisdom as they reach out to the people in Mozambique with the gospel.
1-The members of the Igreja Luterana de Portugal. It has been a huge blessing to get to know the people who make up the church of believers in Portugal. Many of these believers will be friends for life.
2-Fast internet service, which keeps us in touch with so many friends and family. There is no doubt that the internet will not be as efficient in Mozambique as it is in Portugal. I will dearly miss the daily contact I know have with so many people.
3-Free calling to the States. I have been able to call anyone and everyone I want to, not for much needed conversations, but just to talk. What a blessing to be able to call my mom and friends and just chat!
4-The girls and I have enjoyed nearly two years without exposure to malaria or a case of malaria. Malaria will soon become an important issue in our lives.
5-We have had the opportunity to see many different parts of Europe and visit friends in Europe. This would not have been possible had we not come to Portugal.
6-Our apartment is safe and we can live with a sense of security, rather than be on guard in our own home.
7-The electricity supply has been reliable and only gone out a few times (because I was running my washing machine, dryer, dishwasher, and oven all at the same time). It is a blessing to have reliable electricity, gas, water, etc...
8- I have only seen one spider in our apartment in an entire year. What a change from when we lived in Malawi, where I “let” the spiders in my house live because I knew they ate mosquitoes.
9-My children are learning Portuguese. What a blessing for them to have attended a Portuguese school and made Portuguese friends.
10-I have enjoyed going to the gym which is right next door to our apartment and go as often as possible. I have made some good friends and had the opportunity to practice my Portuguese.
11- We have not gone more than two months without visitors since our arrival in Portugal a year ago. What a blessings to have hosted so many people from our families and so many friends in our home.
I ask for your prayers as we prepare to move to Mozambique. Please pray that our mission is registered with the Mozambican government soon. This has been an on going process that is taking much longer than anticipated. Please pray that once the mission is registered, we will then have our VISA application approved. Please pray that we find decent and secure homes to live in once we arrive in Mozambique. Please pray for our health as we return to Africa. Please pray that we have safe travels as we go to Mozambique and once we live there. And most importantly, pray that we are effective in our ministry to the lost souls in Mozambique. Pray that the Lord gives our missionaries wisdom as they reach out to the people in Mozambique with the gospel.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Christmas 2008
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Meier’s in Portugal. The year 2008 can be summed up in two words, transition and travel. Since leaving Malawi in June 2007, we have been on the move…literally. We were blessed with eight months in Wisconsin with our families and friends while we waited for a residence Visa for Portugal. It took much longer than anticipated for the VISA to be approved, but we finally made it to Portugal the last week of February, 2008. Since arriving we have had to make a lot of transitions and changes. Elise and Audrey started at a new school without knowing a word of Portuguese. Thankfully they were put in the same class together for the first three months and they had each other for support. Maria is now attending day care twice a week, which has been a big adjustment for her. Bill and I found ourselves having to adjust to not having a large network of family, friends, and missionaries around us, which we were used to in Malawi and America. After ten months of being here, we have made friends and have come to feel comfortable in our home. It was a more challenging transition than we anticipated.
There have been some real blessings while living in Portugal. We have had many friends and family visit us in the last ten months, and we will have more visitors in the next few months. What a blessing it has been to spend time with all of them! We have also done some traveling. We visited southern Spain in July for a week. We also made a short trip over to Gibraltar for a day which was very interesting. We were also blessed with the opportunity to attend our church’s European Chaplaincy Reformation Retreat in Germany in October. It was a huge boost for us spiritually and it was wonderful to worship with fellow believers in English. Before and after the retreat, we visited German friends we had made in Malawi and reconnected with them. In May we will be traveling to Ukraine to visit some friends and will stay for about twelve days. It should be interesting to see Eastern Europe. Besides traveling, here is what has been going on in each of our lives……
Bill is studying Portuguese full time. He has language classes four days a week, meets with a tutor four or five times a week, and meets with Pastor Villares (Pastor here in Portugal) to study liturgy and Portuguese religious terms. Bill is leading his first full worship service in Portuguese this Sunday. He is also taking online classes through MLC, working towards synod certification. Portuguese coffee and tarte de maça (apple tart) are Bill’s favorite Portuguese discoveries. Not having a car to drive has been a real benefit for Bill as driving here would be challenging, while at the same time the public transport is great. He also feels blessed because he is able to spend more time with the girls now, than he has in the past.
Cathy keeps herself busy by taking language classes twice a week, going to the gym (right next door) as often as possible, studying to be a fitness instructor, doing a bit of home schooling, and being a mom. Apart from not having a car, Portugal has finally grown on her. The weather here is very pleasant and never too hot or too cold, which makes walking everywhere pleasant. She has found some good friends here who she can relate to and who also have young children. She has really gotten into cooking Indian food and trying new recipes. She loves being a host when we have visitors.
Elise is now in first grade and is doing really well communicating in Portuguese. She has started correcting her father’s accent. She enjoys doing her homework because it almost always involves coloring. She continues to impress us with her art ability and projects. She turned seven last month and has lost a lot of teeth. She has started to choose her own clothes, worry about how she looks, and do her own hair. Elise is still a TV junkie and will spend hours in front of the TV (if allowed).
Audrey is now in kindergarten and LOVES going to school. She understands Portuguese, but rarely speaks it. She has started individual lessons twice a week to try and give her a boost in the language. She loves when mom does some home schooling with her and never wants to quit. Her favorite thing to do is play with her makeup and get dressed up. She can spend hours in front of the mirror grooming herself (she isn’t even a teenager yet!). Audrey will be five in March and can’t wait for her birthday!
Maria is the baby in the family at 2 1/2, but is by no means the quietest in the family! She has really taken charge of her two older sisters and makes sure she is not left behind. She is trying to learn the difference between an outside voice and inside voice J. She loves playing with babies and being a “Mommy”. She would be happy if she ate peanut butter and jelly everyday and nothing else.
It seems the transitioning and traveling will not end this year either. We are planning to move to Mozambique around the first of July. We are still waiting for the mission to be registered with the Mozambican government and pray that it will be completed by July. If it is not completed, we may still go to Mozambique with a visitor’s VISA and try to get a permanent VISA from there. The girls will then attend another school, this time with an American curriculum, and we will be living in a guest house until we can find a permanent home. There is no way to know when we will have a permanent home and when our things from Malawi, America, and Portugal can be shipped so we can “set up” house. Please pray that 2009 is full of smooth transitions and travels for us. God’s blessings in 2009 and may we always remember the promises of our Lord.
There have been some real blessings while living in Portugal. We have had many friends and family visit us in the last ten months, and we will have more visitors in the next few months. What a blessing it has been to spend time with all of them! We have also done some traveling. We visited southern Spain in July for a week. We also made a short trip over to Gibraltar for a day which was very interesting. We were also blessed with the opportunity to attend our church’s European Chaplaincy Reformation Retreat in Germany in October. It was a huge boost for us spiritually and it was wonderful to worship with fellow believers in English. Before and after the retreat, we visited German friends we had made in Malawi and reconnected with them. In May we will be traveling to Ukraine to visit some friends and will stay for about twelve days. It should be interesting to see Eastern Europe. Besides traveling, here is what has been going on in each of our lives……
Bill is studying Portuguese full time. He has language classes four days a week, meets with a tutor four or five times a week, and meets with Pastor Villares (Pastor here in Portugal) to study liturgy and Portuguese religious terms. Bill is leading his first full worship service in Portuguese this Sunday. He is also taking online classes through MLC, working towards synod certification. Portuguese coffee and tarte de maça (apple tart) are Bill’s favorite Portuguese discoveries. Not having a car to drive has been a real benefit for Bill as driving here would be challenging, while at the same time the public transport is great. He also feels blessed because he is able to spend more time with the girls now, than he has in the past.
Cathy keeps herself busy by taking language classes twice a week, going to the gym (right next door) as often as possible, studying to be a fitness instructor, doing a bit of home schooling, and being a mom. Apart from not having a car, Portugal has finally grown on her. The weather here is very pleasant and never too hot or too cold, which makes walking everywhere pleasant. She has found some good friends here who she can relate to and who also have young children. She has really gotten into cooking Indian food and trying new recipes. She loves being a host when we have visitors.
Elise is now in first grade and is doing really well communicating in Portuguese. She has started correcting her father’s accent. She enjoys doing her homework because it almost always involves coloring. She continues to impress us with her art ability and projects. She turned seven last month and has lost a lot of teeth. She has started to choose her own clothes, worry about how she looks, and do her own hair. Elise is still a TV junkie and will spend hours in front of the TV (if allowed).
Audrey is now in kindergarten and LOVES going to school. She understands Portuguese, but rarely speaks it. She has started individual lessons twice a week to try and give her a boost in the language. She loves when mom does some home schooling with her and never wants to quit. Her favorite thing to do is play with her makeup and get dressed up. She can spend hours in front of the mirror grooming herself (she isn’t even a teenager yet!). Audrey will be five in March and can’t wait for her birthday!
Maria is the baby in the family at 2 1/2, but is by no means the quietest in the family! She has really taken charge of her two older sisters and makes sure she is not left behind. She is trying to learn the difference between an outside voice and inside voice J. She loves playing with babies and being a “Mommy”. She would be happy if she ate peanut butter and jelly everyday and nothing else.
It seems the transitioning and traveling will not end this year either. We are planning to move to Mozambique around the first of July. We are still waiting for the mission to be registered with the Mozambican government and pray that it will be completed by July. If it is not completed, we may still go to Mozambique with a visitor’s VISA and try to get a permanent VISA from there. The girls will then attend another school, this time with an American curriculum, and we will be living in a guest house until we can find a permanent home. There is no way to know when we will have a permanent home and when our things from Malawi, America, and Portugal can be shipped so we can “set up” house. Please pray that 2009 is full of smooth transitions and travels for us. God’s blessings in 2009 and may we always remember the promises of our Lord.
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