Team Five Morris

John Pipes is our direct link to Uganda.  He heads up the "Uganda Project" which we are a part of.  While he was here teaching us two weeks ago he made the call to get the ball rolling on a house for Team5Morris in Uganda.  Last week we got an exciting email saying a suitable house had been found but we had to act quickly.  So sight unseen we approved the house but literally knew nothing about it.  For a few days I cautiously prodded my husband's memory since he was the one who had talked to John about it, hoping that he might be able to tell me something about the house.  Finally two days ago Daniel came upstairs and with doom in his voice said," Honey, I found out something about the house.  Prepare yourself.  It doesn't have any plumbing and is three rooms total.  Not three bedrooms but just three rooms make up the house."  Rewind for a minute to about a month ago.

Our friends the Roberts who are going to Romania with their three teenage kids found out their only option for housing might be a house with no plumbing.  As their teenage daughters bemoaned this fact I arrogantly told them to suck it up.  A lack of plumbing wouldn't be the worst thing that could happen to them.  It would be character building.  Hmm...funny how that doesn't seem so quaint when it applies to your living situation.

Fast forward again to two days ago.  My husband was looking sympathetically at me as my wretched, spoiled flesh struggled to win.  "What?  No plumbing?"  I ask with a strange whiney tone to my voice.  He replies, "No, but there is a water source less than a mile away that we can haul water from."  To this I say, "Why do we have to have this house?  Can't he find a better one?  I mean he only looked for a few days, surely there is something with plumbing we can get.  Tell me you are joking."  Daniel looks at me with stern reproach in his eyes and says, "Wow.  You need to calm down.  I thought you would be okay with any situation."  Calm down?  Me?  I noticed I was beginning to sweat a little.  "Just give me a few minutes to think okay?" I snapped back at him.  So I battled with my self for about ten minutes.  I reminded myself that I did sign up for this and that I better just suck it up, as I so glibbly counseled the Robert's kids.  Taking a deep breath I got up and walked over to where Daniel was sitting.  "I'm sorry, you are right.  I am sure I'll be able to get over it."  I say with NOT 100% sincerity. Daniel smiles an approving smile and sweetly says, "I was kidding about the whole thing.  Our house is better than we expected.  It has four bedrooms and a guest house out back.  It is fully fenced and gated and has two bathrooms."  He sits back still smiling which now takes on an evil twist.  "I just wanted to test you and see how well you'd do with less than perfect circumstances." 

As relief floods my shallow heart and I stifle the urge to sucker punch him I feel a creeping sense of shame.  I wish I had responded the right way the first time.  But I am so thankful for what God has provided for us.  To some of you that house may sound luxurious, over the top even.  To us it looks like a big present wrapped and delivered by God.  And just think, with all that room we can host lots of short term missionaries!  Pack your bags and mosquito nets!  Thanks for all your prayers again!  God continues to be faithful in everything!   

I now belong to the Second Reformed Bapti-costal Church of the Open Closed Hand.  Don't be surprised if you haven't heard of it.  We (my fellow missio students and I) planted a fictional church in class a few weeks ago.  We all had to preach in it once and last week we had to come up with our version of the 10 commandments as they pertain to missions.  So I thought I'd post the first picture of our "congregation".

Currently we still need about 20 people to commit to $50.00 a month for our support to be finalized.  What does $50.00 look like to you?  A dinner out with your family once a month?  How about ten lattes?  A new pair of shoes?   

We know first hand how difficult it can be to give up something we enjoy doing or having.  In the current economic climate we understand that this may be a sacrifice.  When you think about what you might spend $50.00 on this month, we ask you to prayerfully consider using it to spread the Gospel in Uganda.  God can get His will done without us but He delights in allowing us to join Him in His work.  Please partner with us in support and prayers.  Thank you to our dear supporters who have already given sacrificially.   

I'm having one of those days where everything looks bleaker than it really is.  Like Jacob I feel like I have been wrestling with God but instead of holding on for the blessing, I've let go too soon and just got an atomic elbow drop to the face.  (Yes I watch Ultimate Fighting on occasion, I know what that looks like).  Here is the deal...FAITH.  Or my lack thereof.  I just found out that my dear dear friend who has been battling cancer was just declared in full remission.  Yay right?  Well, I had already let her go in my mind thinking that God wouldn't heal her.  So when He did my jaw dropped and I sat there ashamed that I didn't believe He would in the first place.  It's not that I didn't think He could do it but that I didn't think He would.  I mean I've been praying for Hannah's complete healing for two years now and it hasn't happened.  Why should I presume to ask God to heal something as deadly as ovarian cancer?  I am faithfully faithless.  Okay maybe that's a tad harsh.  If I was totally faithless then I wouldn't be a Christian.  But surely you know what I mean?  Those hard situations where we have no idea which way it will go so it's easier to assume the worst instead of asking for a miracle?  Ever been there?  Here is another one for you...try fundraising for missions.  And even better try fundraising for missions in the current economic crisis.  One word...painful.  We are set to get on a plane on Janurary 14th 2009.  That is two months away.  Roughly 60 days.  And we aren't fully funded.  How's that for faith building?  But instead of my usual drama queen response complete with anxiety, nail biting and the fetal position God drew me into His word.  Imagine that...going to the word of God for comfort.  Novel idea!  In the book of Hebrews in the 13th chapter God lists our "cloud of witnesses".  Heros in the faith.  This is no name-it-claim-it bunch of yahoos but godly, mature, faithfilled people who took God at His word.  And I find such comfort in that.  What are you facing today?  What situation has you in a half nelson on the mat?  (again with the wrestling...I'm married to Dan remember...)  What can we do but cry out?  Who do we have in heaven?  What example do we have in the Word?  God is faithfully faithful.  His character is stable and His promises are always fulfilled.  So for the moment He has given me faith to plod on.  And I praise Him because of it.  And one more thing...okay two more things: THANK YOU JESUS FOR LINDA'S REMISSION, and I TRUST YOUR PROVISION! 

(In writing this I realized that even though God hasn't "fixed" Hannah completely, He has always brought her through each illness.  Sometimes His miracles aren't wrought in the way we think they should be but are undeniable nonetheless.  And I'm thankful.)