Wednesday, December 3, 2008
In the rearview mirror
The thing that seems to stick out to us as we reflect back on our experience is the faithfulness of God. That He will provide for every need wherever he leads. May not be what we want, but it will be sufficient, for He is sufficient. He protected us through sickness, political instability, a night evacuation, mosquito bites, spiders, cockroaches, homesickness, and more. He paved the way by getting visas to us in time without a signed passport, raised the necessary funds through so many generous people, a strange large metal canister mysteriously being waved through customs, the list goes on and on. Jehovah Jireh.
"Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will act." Psalm 37:4-5
We went to Africa with a number of questions. The first was looking for reassurance that this truly is the career path that God would have us follow. We were interested to see what life would be like overseas for an extended period of time. To see what we would have to give up to live overseas in remote areas. God really gave us a sense of desire to go long term and also great opportunity to see how missionaries live in a number of different places in east Africa. It allowed us to see how life would look there with a family, schooling, shopping, and having different cultures all around. It is not without challenges, but in our mind very doable. We also had a great sense of fulfillment and excitement about the work being done. We can't think of a more rewarding and exhilarating life to live!
"For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost?" Luke 14:28
The other two questions we had were whether or not God would have us join with MAF long term or if Africa is where we should go. While neither of these questions have received definate yes or no, we were able to get to see so much of MAF, including multiple programs as well as have day visits with two different AIM AIR programs. We have learned a lot and have a few more questions to ask other organizations to see how they compare. We will have a couple years before we are ready to apply to a mission, which gives us some time to continue to research and pray for where we should go in the future. We were very impressed with MAF and AIM AIR and are so grateful for their time and wonderful hospitality. As far as Africa goes, we would love to go back, but don't feel a definate "calling" to that area of the world that would cause us to limit other areas God may send us. We greatly enjoyed the people and culture there.
"Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned him, and to which God has called him." 1 Cor. 7:17
We have so many great memories of our time in Africa. Not all are good, but necessary. God grew us individually and also as a couple. We were stretched in many ways, but not broken. God was very gracious in dealing with our attitudes, expectations, and frustrations. There was quite a fear in going of not knowing what to expect and whether or not we would be up to what awaited us on the other side of the world. Having now seen and experienced, much of that fear is gone, and we eagerly await where God will lead us in the future.
"The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup. You hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places, indeed I have a beautiful inheritance." Psalm 16:5-6
If you would like to stay updated on what is going on in our lives, send an email to CalebWinter@gmail.com and ask to get our quarterly newsletter by mail or email if you do not already.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving a world away!
"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thess. 5:18
Things here have been pretty busy over the past week. Emily had the opportunity to go to an African wedding. It was a lot of fun to experience the style of the wedding ceremonies here and the joyful way they celebrate. We were also able to have a couple wonderful evenings with the national neighbors that live behind the house. They came over for an american meal and then we joined them for a great African feast. The food was very good and the company even better. Things at the airport have been busy as well. Three Food tents were transported up to Dungu (in 6 full round trip flights) to start food distribution centers and help feed the people there. Thank you to all who were praying for food for those people. God is answering. Caleb was able to go on a few flights transporting relief agencies, missionaries, sick people, pastors and government workers.
"I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving." Psalm 69:30
Today we had a great Thanksgiving celebration. All the Americans came over to the Stritzels for a wonderful meal. We were even able to get a turkey here in Bunia, although once all the feathers were off, it was only 3 1/2 pounds including the bones, so we had chicken as well to supplement. We even got to watch the butchering right outside the back door. It is hard to believe it is already this time of year since the temperature rarely gets below 70 here. It will be quite the wake up call to get off the plane back home to a cold december! We have been greatly blessed and have so much to be thankful for. Our health, protection, friends and family that have been so faithfully praying, and most of all our great salvation. God is so good.
"Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For...how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?" Hebrews 2:1,3
This will most likely be our last post from Africa. We will probably have one more with final thoughts and reactions once we return to the states. Please pray for travel mercies, luggage connections, etc. We can't wait to see many of you in the coming days and weeks. We will be in Spokane for a little while before heading back to Michigan for Christmas and New Years. We would love to share our experiences in more detail with those who are interested - just let us know!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Another day at the office
"Therefore my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." 1 Cor. 15:58
The next leg was from Entebbe to Goma, DRC. That flight included flying over gorgeous lakes, around active volcanoes, over rebel occupied territory, and into a runway that had been shortened by lava flow a few years ago. We dropped off the two passengers and their baggage and then prepared to load the next group for the return trip to Bunia when we discovered instead of 275 kgs of people and baggage there was 460kgs of people and baggage awaiting us. We could not take all of it, so the people had to sift through their luggage there on the ramp to get down to the max we could take.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Return from Nebobongo
Another challenge was Caleb getting sick, as well as the majority of the Lutz family. Due to something we ate (the mushroom pasta sauce is currently suspect) there was a very fitful night of sickness followed by about 24 hours of almost continual sleep and slow re hydration. Finally early tuesday morning the fever broke and food began to look good again. We got to see first hand some of the challenges of living in such a remote place. There were no Sprites or Saltines to help with an upset stomach. We had to heat water on a kerosene burner for showers, fought off cockroaches, spiders, and tiny biting ants on the bed which found Emily very tasty (Caleb-not a bite).
"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called accorging to his purpose." Romans 8:28
"For we do not have a high priest (Christ) who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses..." Hebrews 4:15
"What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, not the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him." 1 Corinthians 2:9
"In him we have obtianed an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will." Ephesians 1:11
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Out to the bush
A couple days ago we were also able to visit Nyancunde, which is where we thought we would be helping MAF relocate back to from Bunia. Just before we got to Africa though militia came back through Nyancunde looting and causing trouble. MAF has not been located there for about 6 years, but the buildings look as if it has been uninhabited for a quite a few decades. Many of the roofs have been stolen from previous invasions. It looks like it will be a while until MAF moves back in, but we were able to encourage the national workers there that MAF is going to return someday and that they are not forgotten. At one time it was the central hub of MAF Congo with 6-7 planes and a number of pilots, maintenance hanger, woodshop, communications hub, and much more. Now it is very much a ghost town. It can be hard to understand why God would decree such destruction to occur to such a vital ministry. It is a good reminder though to those of us preparing to go that there is still much work to do. We are not continuing the ministry but expanding it. Not filling a spot, but influencing direction. Pushing forward from the status quo, bringing the gospel to places it hasn't been, or at least hasn't been this generation.
Please pray for the people of eastern congo. There are hundreds of thousands that have been displaced because of the termoil. So many with no shelter and no food. There are many people displaced to the north of us near a place called Dungu. There really isn't a way to get food to these people either, the airstrip nearby is too hot to go into, and the humanitarian organizations are trying to figure out how to get help there. There are also a lot of recently displaced people to the south of us out of Goma on the Rwanden boarder as well. It has been in the news a lot lately. The ceasefire was absolved by the people who initiated it. Please pray for peace, it really doens't look like there is an end in sight. This kind of thing has happened a number of times and the people are at the end of what they can take. They need a hope that tomorrow may be better than today. Ultimately there is no real hope apart from Christ. Please pray for Christ to change their heart, that they might find hope in Christ.
"For to this end we toil and strive, becasue we have our hope set on the living God" 1 Tim 4:10
Thank you to all who were praying. Here are some prayer requests, some new, some not answered yet.
Praise - Health. Caleb's cold seems to be gone now, we'll find out tomorrow for sure during the plane ride :-)
Pray - For the people of DRC, for peace to reign in the country, wise leadership, and most of all that they be reconciled to God through Christ.
"and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross." Col 1:20
Pray - For displaced peoples in both Dungu and Goma. For food to eat. (great to pray at dinner time :-) For disease not to spread.
"Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst." John 6:35
Pray - For our visit to Nebobongo, that we would be able to be an encouragement to the missionaries there in a place where it would be easy to get lonely.
Pray - For continued wisdom as we learn more and more about Africa and MAF.
Pray - For God to continue to work in us to make us more like Christ, and through us, not with our strength but His.
"To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Thess. 1:11
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Back in Bunia
Today we were able to go to church for the first time here in Bunia. It was a french service, which made it a little harder to understand, but Sheryl let us know some of the outline and what texts he was using. It was neat to see people worshiping knowing that God understands French and loves to hear his name in it!
"The Lord has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations. He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God." Psalm 98:2-3
Prayer Requests:
-For our time here in Bunia, especially with not being able to communicate as well with the people because of the language barrier.
-Health, Caleb is recovering from a cold that makes flying not so fun.
-Peace and safety in Congo, there are still activities off to the north and recently south in Goma where there is a cease fire (for now) with the UN.
Thanks to all who are praying! God has been showing us great things!
Monday, October 20, 2008
"Normal" life in Uganda
Emily has been helping at the Wunderli house and also helping Sheryl with a sewing project. They have a son Joshua who is 5 and daughter Zara who is 3 and both are full of energy. She has also been able to go to the market and see what shopping here is like. We have been going with the Wunderli's and Stritzels to Calvery Chapel on sunday mornings, it is an english speaking church and seems very much like the US. There is a lot more english speakers here in Uganda and not so many in Congo. It is looking like we will remain in Kampala the rest of this week for the Caravan maintenance and then Congo's 206 is coming in as well, which will take us almost to the end of the month. Lary has come out with the Caravan to help with the maintenance and Dave's wife and kids have gone back into Bunia. There is activity north near Nyankunde, which is eventually where MAF would like to move back to, with looting by the LRA (lords resistance army). Things seem pretty stable in Bunia, and some things have been set in place to get better information on violence and looting activities in the region. A contingency plan has been put in place with levels of security and action based on the activities in the region.
We will be visiting with AIM AIR in Entebbe (about a half hour south of Kampala) on sunday evening and most of monday. They have an operation out of Entebbe airport and we are excited to visit and see a different side of AIM AIR. Please continue to pray for wisdom on MAF and AIM AIR as we visit and whether or not God would have us serve. We have been learning a lot about MAF and how the organziation works, even talking to the regional manager, of the Africa region, who is visiting for the week. Both MAF and AIM AIR are great organizations and we are excited about what God has in store for us in the future.
Thank you to all who have been praying, we have really been enjoying our time here in Kampala and have settled a little bit into a routine. We have loved getting to meet so many great people and brothers and sisters in Christ from so many cultures and backgrounds. It is awesome to think about all the different cultures praising Christ in heaven, each in their own way.