I know it's been a while since I last Blogged. This time I'd like to go into a little more detail about how God is changing our hearts and minds about our Calling. Where are we and what is Children's Bible Ministry?
What is Children's Bible ministry and why do we love it so much? The time it got started was when prayer was taken out of schools. A man in Florida was burdened and started getting school districts to allow "Release Time" which is where they take kids out of school for an hour once a week to hear a bible lesson and learn about Jesus. From Florida "Release time" moved up the east coast. In the 70s CBM opened the first Summer camp in Florida. This gave the kids from "Release Time" opportunities to leave a secular home and praise the Lord for a whole week.
Since the 70s CBM has opened 7 camps here on the east coast.
Here is where we come in. There are 2 camps that are fairly new one in Virginia about a 2 hour drive and one in southwest Pennsylvania about 4 hours.
Rob has been developing a gift for repairing and building things. The SW Pennsylvania camp has only been running Since 2010 and still needs Full Time missionary staff and one need being facility upkeep. Virginia is also in need of Full- time staff but what the needs are? We are not sure yet.
Why have we fallen in love with them? Because of their mission and the new lives they give these kids. They are going after this generation as young as 5 and someone has to because a lot of these kids are raising themselves. Having 11 children come to know the Lord in just 4 months with our club in our home, has given us a taste of a ministry that we want to be a part of for the rest of our lives.
What happened to Sierra Leone?
Well it's still there duh! Just kidding we love africa, always will and we would love to go back. God however has revealed to us a couple things that kind of have shown us that He had a different plan all along. However short term trips are not out of the equation. A major one is that we have discovered that Ahna has a gluten sensitivity. If we were to go over seas full time it would be very difficult to get food over there that she can eat and her nutrition would be a difficult obstacle to over come.
The other one is that I studied nursing in a California and it will take me a lot of money to get my license here. I could already have it but if I had gotten it I would have had to change my license again in a year or so when and where ever we may serve. I guess you can say God is saving us about 400 dollars.
What's the process like?
There is the application and resume.
Then after the state board approves it there is an interview with them. Then our file is sent to the national office in Tennessee where they approve us for Candidate School. Which is a week in Tennessee getting us ready for service and support raising. Candidate school is going to be held in October this year and we're praying that everything will be approved so we can be there.
So somethings you can pray about:
1)Ahna's gluten free adjustment.
2) that Rob's job he was offered a month ago starts soon.
3) that God guides us through this application process.
4) be praying that the Lord lays on your heart churches that may want to be partners in sending us. (they will be contacted only after we have the approval to start building our support.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Sunday, April 1, 2012
" This little light of mine"
It's time to cure the blogging itch and let everyone know what has happened to my family. God has blessed us so much and what I am going to write will seem contradicting to that statement! When Rob had surgery in October we fell behind in rent a couple months. A few weeks ago Rob was told he no longer had a job due to his boss wanting to keep the work in the family. And due to this and our past due rent we were evicted. Ok there was the blow now let me back up a few weeks and start in on the blessings.
A few weeks earlier I announced to my Sunday school class that 11 children had made decisions for christ. They have supported us in this endeavor in prayer since the beginning. That next week we got a call from Children's Bible Ministry (kids club people) saying they want to talk to us about serving with them full time as missionaries. If we take a position it will be at a kids camp. Rob would be head of facility care. Rob and I had both become equally animated about the opportunity which was the first time. He always had hesitations with the other opportunities. There was no hesitation with this one. We have prayed and we had my Sunday school class start praying. All the while a thought a pastor put in my heart years ago came to mind "Be ready to go, but be willing to stay". So we started considering this and we still believe that God has put Africa on hearts for a reason. Although it maybe farther in the future. Sierra Leonne is a desire of my heart but I will be content with serving short term for now. Also I am happy with the feeling that this time it's both of us feeling the Call to the same place equally.
The Blow hit us 2 weeks or so after this. When I told my Sunday school class to pray I was told Satan doesn't want us going anywhere for the Lord and he'll do anything to prevent us from going. My teacher looked at me and said "this is just a speed bump on the road to the field don't let this be more than what it is because Satan wants to derail you from your Journey."
That day saying came to me from a missionary speaker "the bigger the trial the more Glorious the Victory!". My class then surrounded me in prayer and after studying more about Paul they stood in line to embrace me. My class had lifted my burden that day. I felt home even though technically I was almost homeless. The next week I started working and wasn't able to attend church and they had taken a love offering for my family. 20 women gave us 450$ dollars. I never felt that kind of love before. That's the church folks!!!!! I have amazing sisters and when they commission us out when that day comes its going to be the biggest party Halethorpe has ever seen.
Where are we now?
Physically we are staying at Roberts mothers house. I am working with 2 families now doing nanny work. They are broken families that I am happy To go in with my light shining. Rob has been offered a job but we aren't sure when it will start. Hopefully in the next few weeks. God knew this was going to happen way before we did. And He puts us where he wants us. We have remained faithful and are excited about where He is going to lead us to start a new kids club. Continue to pray for us God is just getting started with our blessings. Satan is playing us hard and we know he will as long we are doing what God wants us to. We are letting Him lead and in doing so he reveals himself to us in little ways through out the day to tell us He's there.
How can you pray?
Pray for our decision making with (CBM)
Pray robs job will start soon so we can be in a new house before the heat of summer hits.
Pray for the children I watch they are my mission field right now.
Pray for me and seperation anxiety from Jason, oh he's fine he could care less that I'm working, but me I need to adjust to being away from him. Thank you all for your support and prayers but know that we are allowing ourselves to be led and we are listening not just praying. Love you all and miss most of you!
meg
A few weeks earlier I announced to my Sunday school class that 11 children had made decisions for christ. They have supported us in this endeavor in prayer since the beginning. That next week we got a call from Children's Bible Ministry (kids club people) saying they want to talk to us about serving with them full time as missionaries. If we take a position it will be at a kids camp. Rob would be head of facility care. Rob and I had both become equally animated about the opportunity which was the first time. He always had hesitations with the other opportunities. There was no hesitation with this one. We have prayed and we had my Sunday school class start praying. All the while a thought a pastor put in my heart years ago came to mind "Be ready to go, but be willing to stay". So we started considering this and we still believe that God has put Africa on hearts for a reason. Although it maybe farther in the future. Sierra Leonne is a desire of my heart but I will be content with serving short term for now. Also I am happy with the feeling that this time it's both of us feeling the Call to the same place equally.
The Blow hit us 2 weeks or so after this. When I told my Sunday school class to pray I was told Satan doesn't want us going anywhere for the Lord and he'll do anything to prevent us from going. My teacher looked at me and said "this is just a speed bump on the road to the field don't let this be more than what it is because Satan wants to derail you from your Journey."
That day saying came to me from a missionary speaker "the bigger the trial the more Glorious the Victory!". My class then surrounded me in prayer and after studying more about Paul they stood in line to embrace me. My class had lifted my burden that day. I felt home even though technically I was almost homeless. The next week I started working and wasn't able to attend church and they had taken a love offering for my family. 20 women gave us 450$ dollars. I never felt that kind of love before. That's the church folks!!!!! I have amazing sisters and when they commission us out when that day comes its going to be the biggest party Halethorpe has ever seen.
Where are we now?
Physically we are staying at Roberts mothers house. I am working with 2 families now doing nanny work. They are broken families that I am happy To go in with my light shining. Rob has been offered a job but we aren't sure when it will start. Hopefully in the next few weeks. God knew this was going to happen way before we did. And He puts us where he wants us. We have remained faithful and are excited about where He is going to lead us to start a new kids club. Continue to pray for us God is just getting started with our blessings. Satan is playing us hard and we know he will as long we are doing what God wants us to. We are letting Him lead and in doing so he reveals himself to us in little ways through out the day to tell us He's there.
How can you pray?
Pray for our decision making with (CBM)
Pray robs job will start soon so we can be in a new house before the heat of summer hits.
Pray for the children I watch they are my mission field right now.
Pray for me and seperation anxiety from Jason, oh he's fine he could care less that I'm working, but me I need to adjust to being away from him. Thank you all for your support and prayers but know that we are allowing ourselves to be led and we are listening not just praying. Love you all and miss most of you!
meg
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