Missions Conference

We just got back yesterday from attending a missions conference at my Mom's sending church over in Tulsa. I'd forgotten that my family has such celebrity status over there in that church, we were treated like royalty! We were only going to attend, but they included us as featured missionaries which was rather unexpected. It was good to reconnect with people that know my family and hear from the various other missionaries that attended, including my Mom.  Todd Ahrend from The Traveling Team was the main speaker on Sunday for both services, what an incredible speaker! 


The kids weren't too sure about the conference at first, but they were hooked the first night when some folks from the Voice of the Martyrs spoke and then the kids had the opportunity to try to smuggle Bibles through an elaborate darkened tunnel. The church even provided an EMT to stand by in case any of the kids got too stressed out because apparently it was quite intense! My kids loved it though and then couldn't wait to go back...they weren't disappointed with the other events like learning about other cultures, trying some exotic foods and worshipping God under an Angolan hut.

Miguel and I were asked to teach the 1st and 2nd grade Sunday school class...they weren't sure if they could get a missionary to speak in their class, so they were thrilled to have us there. We requisitioned some of Mom's tribal stuff and Miguel put some pictures together, so we had a decent presentation and wowed them with monkey teeth and Yanomamo arrows (10 feet long) and the blowgun and darts (Miguel shot a picture of a tapir we projected onto the wall). I did the talking and we pretended like Miguel didn't speak English so they had the chance to experience a language barrier. I think it went well and we heard from several parents later how much it had impressed their children.

I had a bit of a cold when we went, but all that talking I did brought about the usual laryngitis I get when I talk too much. I mean, I usually DO talk to much anyway, but I always get laryngitis when I go on translation trips or have to talk constantly like at a conference, etc. Speaking to the kids for 45 minutes on Sunday morning was the final straw and I could barely speak the rest of the day and I had a lot more talking to do!

We stayed with a wonderful couple while we were there, an older couple who spent a few years on the mission field after their retirement.  They loved our kids and have a gift for hospitality.  They have a full basement that we stayed in and we were very comfortable there at their house, which made our time there so much easier.  They even introduced us to their neighbor who is a pastor from Venezuela!  Small world...

Overshadowing this event, however, was the fact that Papa John (my stepdad) had to be admitted to the hospital overnight because he had been having all the symptoms of a heart attack and therefore missed part of the conference.  It turned out not to be a heart attack, although it might be some sort of blockage, but it was a bit alarming and we were faced with Mom and John's mortality once again.  Not something that's all that fun to face, but necessary at their age (Mom turned 65 on Friday).  Papa John has an appointment with his regular doctor today, so we're waiting to see what results that might have. 

So a rather eventful week for us and we're enjoying a day of rest today...I was planning to do school, but that's kind of hard to do without a voice!   The kids aren't too disappointed, though...

My Mom

My Mom is an amazing person! She would tell you otherwise, but it's true...she's amazing! I'm thinking about her a lot this week because she and my stepdad, John, just went back to the mission field to continue her work there. And although my Mom has spent 30-some years on the mission field already, this will be a first for John! Here's a picture of them taken a few weeks ago...



I was born while my parents were in missionary training and my family moved overseas when I was 16 months old or so. They worked in various ministries until they finally joined a tribal work in 1980, where my Mom stills ministers. My family has had some amazing experiences, some of which I hope to post here (I did write one post about the snake in the window). My dad passed away in 1999, ironically back in the U.S. (not to make light of it, but I think quite a few people were sure that one or the other of us would die on the mission field!). About a year later, my Mom went back overseas to continue the work. She persevered in that work for several years, traveling back and forth from the field to the States to take help take care of my grandparents in their last years of life.

During that time, she reconnected with John, a friend of both my parents from high school. John has been a pastor in a small church for more than 20 years and had recently lost his wife. A rather whirlwind romance ensued and they were married in a small ceremony a few months later. John has been so good for Mom, and I daresay that she's good for him, too! It's been neat to see how their relationship has grown and it's nice for my sisters and me to know that Mom is being taken care of...John was a little nervous about inheriting 5 new daughters (and sons-in-law) and 20 grandkids, but so far, so good! :)

Both Mom and John felt like God has been leading them to return to the mission field, so earlier this year John retired from the pastorate and they began preparations to go back. They flew out yesterday and are now getting settled into Mom's apartment in the city. I am so proud of both of them and I'm excited to see how God uses them in their ministry. It would be nice if we could manage to serve in the same country (hey, at least we're in the same hemisphere!), but oh well...in the meantime, we both have Vonage phones...thank goodness for technology!