All right it's time to lay it all out there. We have something to share with those of you who actually read my blog. A few of you already know because I've asked you to pray for us while we pray for God's guidance. Most of you know that we were called to missions as teenagers and that has been our goal for our life. It's been a journey trying to figure out what God wanted our professions to be on the field and as you all can imagine for a couple years there we thought that our goal would only become a lost dream.
In April (right before we left for Baltimore) we were contacted by a missions agency Global Outreach Mission. They presented us with an opportunity that we weren't sure we could do because of Robert's Diabetes. We told most people that we were looking at assignments here in the states. Wellll that was a little fib because we didn't really know. They wanted us to go to Sierra Leone. We thought "impossible" for awhile but after praying about it and letting them know what our initial concerns were, Rob and I started to get creative on some ways to get refrigerated medication to Africa. We decided that if God wanted us to go He would find the way. Well we got an email about a week later form the VP Len Lane at GOM and he said he had great news for us it WASN'T impossible. In fact he contacted the GOM Medical Missions Coordinator for Africa who resides in The Congo and he said that he has 2 full time missionaries in one of the most rural parts of Africa that have type 1 diabetes and they are fine and it doesn't hold them back. WOW
So what have we decided to do about it? Well in the last few months God has used this time to once again challenge us, but we have clung to Him the whole time. We have decided with hours of prayer that we have been called to pursue this opportunity and we will be mailing our applications this week. We told Robby awhile ago what we were praying about and how Africa was a possibility but that we would go where ever He wants us to. A couple days later he came to me and said "Mommy we're going to be missionaries to africa" and I said "how do you know?" "Because I prayed for us too and asked God what he wanted us to do and know I feel that that is where we are supposed to go". In the last 4 months we have waited to turn in our applications because we wanted to make sure that we aren't just pursuing it because we can but we wanted to make sure that it was a calling. Always having my conversation with Robby on my mind Rob and I started doing research on where it was and what's it going to be like, climate, how rural was the area?, etc.
So now let me give you a little info. Our assignment would be at a hospital in the village of Mokanji. In the Southern Province of Sierra Leone. The country has been ravaged by a war that ended in 2002. After the end of the war the government gave GOM the hospital because they didn't have the money to do the renovations that it needed. The bombs and shooting had left it an empty cement shell with nothing not even doors or windows. The only stipulation was that GOM had to get it up and running as a hospital again. The government was able to provide a nurse for what they call a clinic in a small part of it but she has very few supplies and people die every couple weeks due to malaria and other ailments that she can't get enough medicine for. The first missionary couple (the Willets) assigned just arrived in January PTL!!! They have already seen God work many miracles. He is a carpenter and she is a pharmasist. They haven't even started work at the hospital yet because he has been focusing on getting their house built and solar panels put up. Most importantly he has been putting in 4 community wells to give the village running water for the first time ever. He says the hospital is too big a job for him to do on his own. They also have been preparing for the next missionaries due to arrive sometime in 2012. One of our concerns was our children and now we know that if we go they won't be alone. Why? Because the Abraham's have 3 little ones that are 5, 3 and 1. One of them is a Nurse Practitioner and one is a Physicians Assistant. What will our jobs be well i think that is kind of obvious a nurse and well.... a jack of all trades who will do what ever is needed to help fix up this hospital and then help maintain it.
What about the people? Well it is primarily a muslim village. God however has softened the hearts of these people and now they come to ask the "Christian Lady" to come and pray for loved ones that are ill. The Tribal chief showed up at the missionaries house the week after they arrived and brought the small gifts of appreciation and thanked them for coming and caring for his village.
What are we doing to prepare? I've decided to keep going in school but this time in a different direction. I have enrolled in Nazarene Bible College and will be working for a BA in Pastoral studies with a minor in Missions. Why? you ask, because there is no church there and I have had this fasination with studying all aspects of ministry so that whatever the need spiritually, Rob and I can work on meeting it no matter where we are. I'll be doing it all online and I start in November. We will both be taking perspectives classes in the coming months and spending a lot of time in the word which has now become habit.
When will we go? Well it's going to take us at least 2 1/2 years to raise support so I think it will be at least 3 to 3 1/2 years. By then I should finish my degree which takes 39 mos. If we could go tomorrow we would. Nursing will be my job. Being an ambassador for Christ will be my life.
What do we need from you? Prayer
Jesus asked Simon in the book of John "do you love me" and then He told him to "feed His sheep" and he did this 3 times. I know that this is my Call not only to take care of physical hunger and needs but to "feed" Christ's sheep spiritually as well. Why because I love Him for what he did for me and the World and He has made this a desire of my heart. Nothing is impossible when God is on your side.
meg
In April (right before we left for Baltimore) we were contacted by a missions agency Global Outreach Mission. They presented us with an opportunity that we weren't sure we could do because of Robert's Diabetes. We told most people that we were looking at assignments here in the states. Wellll that was a little fib because we didn't really know. They wanted us to go to Sierra Leone. We thought "impossible" for awhile but after praying about it and letting them know what our initial concerns were, Rob and I started to get creative on some ways to get refrigerated medication to Africa. We decided that if God wanted us to go He would find the way. Well we got an email about a week later form the VP Len Lane at GOM and he said he had great news for us it WASN'T impossible. In fact he contacted the GOM Medical Missions Coordinator for Africa who resides in The Congo and he said that he has 2 full time missionaries in one of the most rural parts of Africa that have type 1 diabetes and they are fine and it doesn't hold them back. WOW
So what have we decided to do about it? Well in the last few months God has used this time to once again challenge us, but we have clung to Him the whole time. We have decided with hours of prayer that we have been called to pursue this opportunity and we will be mailing our applications this week. We told Robby awhile ago what we were praying about and how Africa was a possibility but that we would go where ever He wants us to. A couple days later he came to me and said "Mommy we're going to be missionaries to africa" and I said "how do you know?" "Because I prayed for us too and asked God what he wanted us to do and know I feel that that is where we are supposed to go". In the last 4 months we have waited to turn in our applications because we wanted to make sure that we aren't just pursuing it because we can but we wanted to make sure that it was a calling. Always having my conversation with Robby on my mind Rob and I started doing research on where it was and what's it going to be like, climate, how rural was the area?, etc.
So now let me give you a little info. Our assignment would be at a hospital in the village of Mokanji. In the Southern Province of Sierra Leone. The country has been ravaged by a war that ended in 2002. After the end of the war the government gave GOM the hospital because they didn't have the money to do the renovations that it needed. The bombs and shooting had left it an empty cement shell with nothing not even doors or windows. The only stipulation was that GOM had to get it up and running as a hospital again. The government was able to provide a nurse for what they call a clinic in a small part of it but she has very few supplies and people die every couple weeks due to malaria and other ailments that she can't get enough medicine for. The first missionary couple (the Willets) assigned just arrived in January PTL!!! They have already seen God work many miracles. He is a carpenter and she is a pharmasist. They haven't even started work at the hospital yet because he has been focusing on getting their house built and solar panels put up. Most importantly he has been putting in 4 community wells to give the village running water for the first time ever. He says the hospital is too big a job for him to do on his own. They also have been preparing for the next missionaries due to arrive sometime in 2012. One of our concerns was our children and now we know that if we go they won't be alone. Why? Because the Abraham's have 3 little ones that are 5, 3 and 1. One of them is a Nurse Practitioner and one is a Physicians Assistant. What will our jobs be well i think that is kind of obvious a nurse and well.... a jack of all trades who will do what ever is needed to help fix up this hospital and then help maintain it.
What about the people? Well it is primarily a muslim village. God however has softened the hearts of these people and now they come to ask the "Christian Lady" to come and pray for loved ones that are ill. The Tribal chief showed up at the missionaries house the week after they arrived and brought the small gifts of appreciation and thanked them for coming and caring for his village.
What are we doing to prepare? I've decided to keep going in school but this time in a different direction. I have enrolled in Nazarene Bible College and will be working for a BA in Pastoral studies with a minor in Missions. Why? you ask, because there is no church there and I have had this fasination with studying all aspects of ministry so that whatever the need spiritually, Rob and I can work on meeting it no matter where we are. I'll be doing it all online and I start in November. We will both be taking perspectives classes in the coming months and spending a lot of time in the word which has now become habit.
When will we go? Well it's going to take us at least 2 1/2 years to raise support so I think it will be at least 3 to 3 1/2 years. By then I should finish my degree which takes 39 mos. If we could go tomorrow we would. Nursing will be my job. Being an ambassador for Christ will be my life.
What do we need from you? Prayer
Jesus asked Simon in the book of John "do you love me" and then He told him to "feed His sheep" and he did this 3 times. I know that this is my Call not only to take care of physical hunger and needs but to "feed" Christ's sheep spiritually as well. Why because I love Him for what he did for me and the World and He has made this a desire of my heart. Nothing is impossible when God is on your side.
meg
Thanks for sharing your heart! I will be praying for the Lord to work in your life. Love, Mrs. Silvers
ReplyDeleteWow,sounds like things are falling into place.I will be praying for you guys.
ReplyDelete