What has God been up to lately?

Ruth and Chad

Ruth and I have been haveing some really good conversations about plans for the future. We're both sold out for Jesus, we're both willing to serve Him no matter where He calls us. And, of course, we're married to eachother! This makes for a very exciting combination with a lot of potential.

One thing about Ukarumpa, is that you walk everywhere you go and it's always uphill. I had read that somewhere before coming and thought, yeah whatever. But actually you don't appreciate how everthing is uphill until you live here. I guess if you thought of a town of hills, and then everybody built on a hilltop, that kinda gives you a perpective of what it's like walking around town here in Ukarumpa.

But I digress,... the point I was getting at was that when Ruth and I are going to the store, or visiting a friend, getting the mail, renting a movie from the Russel's (missionaries here who have a big movie collection), we walk to where we need to be and it can sometimes take a half hour or more of just ... walking.

We've been looking forward to running errands because walking together becomes a bit like a date! We are hanging out and chatting along the way. And unlike date night's at home where we would go to a restaurant and pig out, these dates come with the added bonus of excercise! (Actually, I think Ruth and I are already healthier that when we came.)

What typically transpires is that we decompress with sharing of what's happenned to each of us that day, and then we still have some hills to climb, so we turn to relational and spiritual matters. We've been talking a lot about how well our girls are doing with friends and how challenging their schooling is (challenging is a good thing). We've been talking about my job, or about the different things Ruth has been involved in (yes, she is already volunteering for stuff and is becoming quite busy). Talking about all our new friends and neat connections we've made with people here. And usually we'll get around to the question of what should we do after this year is up.

The Honeymoon
I realized the other day that we've been here a little over 4 weeks, which is 1/12th of our time here (7.7%). Time is definately flying by and it feels like we are still just settling in with so many things to learn and discover yet.

I was chatting with a friend at work and was thinking about how we got here. I remember when Ruth and I felt we were being called to this that she and the kids were anxious about it. I'll admit that I was more excited than anxious most of the time. But even up to the last days, we were all a little scared about this whole thing of leaving our comfort zone and coming to a place where we knew no-one, didn't speak the language, and didn't have any good ideas of what to expect. Where we would live, what we would eat, what the people would be like, etc....

But getting back to chatting at work, I realized that my whole family is loving this place! Yeah, there is no TV, no radio, internet that barely works and is expensive to use, but those have all turned out to be not that important. My kids are working hard in school and not complaining that much about it! The each have great friends and hang out with them all the time. Our phone is practically ringning itself off the hook around here and hardly any of the calls are for Ruth and I! We are recognizing more and more that relationships are what matter. Relationships are the only "thing" that we take with us when our time here on this earth is over. Everthing else will be meaningless at that point.

In 11 months, I'm starting to wonder if we are going to have the opposite struggle when our time here is up and we move back to the US. The kids won't want to leave and Ruth and I may be struggling with that as well.

But my friend at work reminded me that we are still in the "honeymoon" phase. Life here can wear on you and we'll be sure to have some trials and storms in the coming months that will help us to get a better perspective of what living here long term is like. It's not all blue skies and sunshine.

Sunday at Church
I was asked, and honored, to lead a time of prayer during last Sunday morning's English services. Thinking about it later, I "should" have been nervous about doing such a thing. I mean, this room is filled with people who translate the Bible for pete's sake! How could I be worthy to lead a time of pray at church? But you know what, when I was in the presence of all my brothers and sisters in Christ, I didn't feel nervous. It wasn't about me anyway. We were there together to offer worship to our Lord. And it gives me joy to point back at the Father and give Him the glory for using me, a pitiful and weak vessel, as His servant yet again. The entire service that morning was blessed and the Lord was in it.

God's at Work (on something)
So what is God up to lately? Obviousely, I can't say I know for sure. I can't even really say I know what He is doing in the life of the Michael family. But I know He's up to something, and I trust Him with whatever it ends up being. Between my personal devotionals, men's breakfast and small group on Tuesday's, I've been learning how imporant trusting in God is. He is a perfect and just God and I can trust Him to do the right thing even when I don't see it, or understand it. He knows.

Prayer
We would appreciate your prayer support right now. Pray that we would learn what God has for us. Pray for our children's safety and praise Him for their friends and teachers here in Ukarumpa. Pray for Ruth and I to have discernment in decision making. Pray for me that I might lead this family with confidence on the path God has laid before us. And pray that God would reveal Himself and His will to our family so that we might not miss the divine opportunities He has planned ahead. And pray that in all these things, as we continue to mess up and blow it, that it would be turned back around and used to bring glory back to God. 1 Thes 4:1.