Looking back over the past year, I can hardly believe all
that we have seen and done.
We began 2015 in America in the small town of Columbia,
Mississippi. We rang in the new year with good friends around a fire pit in the
freezing cold watching fireworks while all the neighborhood kids ran around
with sparklers. It was a magical beginning to an eventful year.
During the course of the first five months, as a family we
visited Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana,
Kentucky and Virginia. We even got to visit parts of Mississippi that we had
never been to before. All the while, we were visiting with friends and family.
We got to speak in more than 70 places to share about the good things happening
in Yangon, Myanmar. It was quite the whirlwind.
From mid-May to mid-June, we just focused on family, soaking
in every possible moment with our loved ones. One of the highlights of this
time was the wedding of CJ’s brother, Joe, to his beautiful wife Lori. It was
such a special time and we were so happy to be included in their festivities.
We arrived back in Southeast Asia on June 12.
We spent our first days back trying to find a new place to
live. It was not a happy time and one that I don’t want to spend time
reflecting back on. However, the Lord did bless us with a house that meets our
family’s needs in the most perfect location, and that’s what we remember. We
did learn a lot through the process as challenging as it was, and if anything
we came out stronger and more grateful. ‘Nuff said.
Once we were in the new house and settled, we hit the ground
running. We spent many of those early days back in Myanmar reconnecting with
our local friends and spending time with our house groups and their leaders.
Also during our first month back, we had two new co-workers
arrive, Leah and Julia, from Missouri. Not only have they been extremely
dedicated and energetic in the “work” but they have also become like family to our
girls and us.
We’ve also done a bit of traveling during these months back
in this part of the world. We visited Nyaung Shwe and Taunggyi in Shan State as
a family. Mia and I went with Leah and Julia to visit ancient Bagan and Mount
Popa. Of course we’ve been to Bangkok, Thailand (where we have to go to renew
our visas) but we also took a 20-year anniversary trip to Phuket. It was one of
the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen.
I got to go to a women’s conference at picturesque Inle Lake
and then we had our “Serving the Servants” partner conference in Ngwe Saung at
the beach in Myanmar. We’ve enjoyed the traveling and seeing new places in this
amazing country where we live.
In the midst of all this, I started working on a Masters
degree at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary through their distance
learning program, and I’ve been homeschooling Zoë (in 10th grade)
and Miá (in 6th grade.) I finished my semester with a 4.0 and the
girls both made all A’s and B’s – although it was not easy, let me tell ‘ya!
We had some guests visit us in these last few weeks. John
and Cheryl Blackmon spent a little over a week with us here in Yangon at the
end of November. They brought us goodies from America and Christmas presents
from our families. They even brought us Chick-Fil-A sandwiches! They worked
alongside us and encouraged our brothers and sisters here. They reminded us of
many back home who are interceding for us on a regular basis, and we were so
uplifted by their time spent with us.
In December we had a Hispanic volunteer team come to help us
with our Christmas “parties” that we would put on in places all over our city.
Through time spent on our knees, CJ felt led by Father to do Christmas
outreaches in 12 different places. When CJ first told me that he wanted to do
12, I thought he must be crazy. I can’t even begin to explain all the work,
effort and preparation that goes into pulling even just one of these outreaches
off. And he wanted to do 12!!
But with the help of the volunteer team, Leah and Julia, and
our local friends and partners we did complete 12 Christmas outreach events. It
was exhausting, but yet so amazing. Through these events we were able to share
the Good News with more than 2500 people including more than 2000 first time
hearers. Having just finished our 12th event yesterday, I’m still in
awe over it all. We saw many make decisions and some were even dunked. Because
of such amazing response in one particular area, we have the beginnings of a
new house group there. Talk about ending on a high note…
Looking forward to 2016, I just can’t imagine what all He
has in store for us.
There are some things I’m praying for. I’m praying our
family will be able to come visit us. I’m praying that more folks in America
will feel burdened to come on short trips here. I’m praying that Father will
send some people for a longer-term investment here.
Of course, I’m praying that more and more people in our city
will come to know my Father and that new house groups would begin.
I’m praying for another successful term in seminary and for
my girls’ schooling.
It looks like 2016 is going to include more traveling as
well. Next week, Mia and I will be making a trip to Karen State and then our
family is going to Chiang Mai, Thailand for a conference in mid-January.
Also each year, I pray for a theme-verse. I pray that Father
would challenge me with a passage that I will continue to study and share and
that I can focus on throughout the year. This year, Father has given me Psalm
86:11-12 which says, “Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your
faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will
praise you, Lord, my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever.”
I am looking forward to examining the many aspects of this particular passage
in the midst of other Good Book readings and discovering all that He might
teach me in the coming year.
2016. Wow, how time flies.
But isn’t this amazing roller coaster of a life that He has
given us so exciting? Ok, I know it’s not always exciting in a fun way.
Sometimes there are really hard times that we have to go through. Even though I
might not share them all, trust me, we’ve had more than our fair amount of
challenges. But with every challenge, comes blessing. Psalm 84 concludes with
“blessed is the man who trusts in you.”
Whatever comes in 2016, I will trust. I will trust and have
faith.
The important thing is that we get on the roller coaster,
right? We can’t just stand there waiting to get on board, we have to get in,
strap on, and go. Where will your roller coaster take you? I promise that if
you trust in Him, it will take you to places you’ve never imagined. Let’s go!
