Eight Weeks in Our New Home

    Today marks the 8th week that we have been here at Beautiful Gate, Lesotho! Sometimes it's hard to believe that this is our new life for the next 2 years [or so :) ]. I think the best way to describe what we have been going through since coming here is adaptation. As anyone living in a new culture knows, the one thing you can be sure of is change. When Karen and I came here a year ago we didn't necessarily go through too much culture shock. We lived at the Maroon House on campus with the other 19 volunteers from Michigan, so we were always surrounded by familiar faces. We did some site-seeing of the surrounding area as well as trips to the Village of Malealea. And before we left last year we went to a game preserve for a 2 day safari. It seemed a bit like going on a vacation or doing  just another mission trip.
    Being here this time feels a lot different. We live off campus now and instead of walking across campus to start our day we drive about 10 minutes to get to "work". We don't live with 19 other people this time. Now it's just the 3, make that 4 of us living in our house. Our first item of adaptation actually came before we left Michigan. Our housing for at least the first year was lined up before we came to Lesotho. We were going to rent a house from a South Korean missionary family that would be leaving just before we arrived. The change came just three days before we left when we found out the the husband was sending his wife and two daughters back home ahead of him while he stayed on just past Easter. It wasn't exactly what we were figuring on but we trusted that God was going to use this as a way to grow us. As it turns out, we have quite a nice, very generous, and rather humorous house mate that has been very useful in helping us to understand some of the quirks of the house as well as helping know more about the area and culture.
    We have also had to adapt to things like the power going out in the house on a somewhat regular basis...mostly around thunderstorms. We also regularly deal with our water going out as well. I have already pondered the question: "what would I rather have...no water, or no electricity?" I'm still undecided. I would choose no electric if we had gas to heat our water or a gas stove...but we're making adjustments to not having that luxury either. Then there was our vehicle. We purchased a two door Mitsubishi SUV before coming here, knowing that we would definitely need our own car. But within 2 weeks of our getting here our car was no longer drive-able. Back home I know of a few great mechanics and can purchase whatever part I need from the Auto Zone Just down the road and within a few days I'm on the road again. Here I don't know any mechanics, and it took me a while to find someone that a few people recommended. And after three weeks of it being at the shop we finally got our car back. But God blessed us with a car that we could borrow right up to the day we found out that our car was done...praise God!
    There have been many things about being here that we have needed to adjust to. But one thing that we were used to was seeing God at work in everything. Even before visiting Beautiful Gate a year ago we could clearly see how God was at work to make this a reality of His plan. God has been training us and shaping us all of our lives so when we were ready to say yes to His call, everything was in place. We saw God clearly bring a couple to the same point in our spiritual walk so we would both be ready for missions. God provided the seminary training needed to fulfill his call for another shepherd. God equipped and trained a mother and secretary to be the operations manager of an orphanage. He took the heart of a teenager and set it on fire to serve Him wherever He called.
    We saw God take care of the easy things like selling a house that we were seriously upside down in. (That's an amazing story all by it's self!) We watched God bring in all the necessary money for our first year here in just a little over three months! And we were given such peace from God as He spoke so clearly to us that He had everything under control and going just as He had planned it.
    Things are definitely different here on the other side of the globe. Our friends here have a different language and somewhat darker skin than us. And although we are apart from our family, God continues to bless us with new and growing relationships. Things ARE different here but God is still the same. We've had to go through a lot of changes to get here, but our God is unchanging. The scenery here is quite a change from back home, but it was created by the same amazing God who makes the pristine snow of Holland, the brilliant colors of the tulips and the white billowing clouds that travel the seas. We live in a world that if full of change but it's much easier to handle with your feet on a solid Rock.
    It's only been eight weeks in our new home. We can't wait to see what he can show us in two years.......
 

Beautiful Staff

I want to share a portion of my perspective on the staff here at Beautiful Gate. I have been observing the staff for the past 4 weeks and I have been so impressed and so touched by their hearts. The more I get to know them, the more I admire them and praise God for their lives and the privilege to work with them each day.

Every morning the office staff and anyone else who is available, meets for devotions. Everyone takes turns reading scripture and a short devotional. The person who reads will then share his or her reflections and then we all get a chance to share our thoughts and we conclude with a time for prayer requests and thanksgivings and then have at time of prayer together. I am amazed at how easily they share their hearts and how beautifully they express themselves. They are real. They are transparent. This is one of the best devotional groups I've been a part of and I have already learned so much from them and from their example. They love the Lord and they know His word. I have noticed that they take God's word seriously and always look at it as their challenge to continue running the race with perseverance. They realize that God is speaking to them on that particular day, on that particular verse. I am so impressed and inspired.....They take Him at His word.  I want to live in that simple truth that God is real. He speaks to us and instructs us through His living Word and that He is always actively speaking into our lives.

I am impressed with the rest of the staff here as well. I see the joy in their hearts when they sing with the children and at chapel and for special ceremonies. Hearing the staff sing is definitely a highlight for me as they sing with such enthusiasm and with such beautiful harmony! 

The times I have heard them share their hearts I see that they too love the Lord and His Word. I spoke with a weekend housemother regarding having a church service on Sunday's for them on campus since they can't get to church on a regular basis. She said to me, "I praise God for the hearing and instruction of His word, even if it's for 5 minutes, it's what I need so badly."

They desire the teaching of the Word, praise God for that! It is a joy to see how Ron's position as Chaplain has filled this need and how he is such a wonderful fit here.  The staff have regularly come to him to ask for prayer, to share and to seek guidance in the Word. Prior to our coming, the staff had been asking for a pastor and spiritual leadership and they have welcomed Ron in his position as Pastor so freely and with much acceptance. This is such an affirmation from God in His call for us to come here.

Beautiful Gate has a beautiful staff!  I am blessed to be a partner with them in this journey to serve and to grow together. 

~Karen

Lesotho Living

Hello friends,
We are happy to report that we are settling in more and more each day here in Lesotho. Getting around in our car, buying groceries, getting phones and internet and adjusting to the language and Basotho way are more and more familiar to us.
The weather is unbelievably beautiful. Consistently sunny and blue skies, between 80 and 90 degrees, no humidity and cooling down considerably at night.
We enjoyed getting together with staff and volunteers on Tuesday night for a Bible Study and discussion. It was good.
We also came together as a BG family to watch online the funeral of a young man from Haven. Such a heartbreaking time but good for us to be a part of that and spend time in prayer for the family.
Yesterday one of the volunteers who has been to BG several times before and heads up mission teams, took Grace and I (Karen) out for an adventure discovering a neighboring cultural village. It was quite a beautiful drive through some mountainous areas and we enjoyed exploring the village. On the way home however, our car broke down. A radiator hose had come detached (which we didn't know..just thought there was a leak) and we were losing fluid rapidly. Thankfully our guide Jenny, had 5 liters of water along in the car so we poured that into the radiator and prayed that we would make the 20 mile drive back to our home up and down hills. It was a little stressful at times but we made it! So now I can say I've had my first adventure in the hills of Lesotho!
Grace started right into her job at the baby house the day we arrived and has been loving it as she did last year. She spent some time hanging out with the worship team from church last night and we invited some BG volunteers to our home for a game night on Friday which are all very important times of community. We have realized that our BG community is our family and we will be relying on them for those connections that are missing when so far from home.
Ron and my jobs began today. I was in training and went to my first managers meeting and Ron spent time studying in the chapel where all good pastors go to study. :)
We attended the local church yesterday. The service is spoken in English with familiar praise songs and everything! Worshiping with these people was such a joy. God is real and alive and well in Lesotho!
In between our work duties there are always opportunities to play with the children and provide one on one interaction with them. Always a joy!
Thank you again for your love and prayers and support. We need them and can feel them.
Until next time,
Ron and Karen

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end, they are new every morning, great is Thy faithfulness. "  Lam 3:22-23

PS. Pictures coming!

Today Life Changes

    Today life changes. We have been thinking about this day in some way since mid April of last year. After our two weeks at Beautiful Gate God has been leading us to take this next step...(he's actually been leading us for a long time now) So to follow Him we knew what was in store. Following meant quitting our jobs, selling our house, raising our own support and beginning to say goodbye's to family and friends for a while. And although none of those things have been easy or simple, one thing we know for sure is that God has been clearly orchestrating every aspect of these last nine months.
    Nine months...the time that it takes for a new life to be conceived, developed and birthed. And just like a pregnancy you have a pretty good idea of what those nine months will hold. It's what happens once there is new life that is very uncertain. Taking this next step will be quite a bit different. While we know on some level what we will be doing, we really aren't sure what God has in store for us. But in the same way that trusted God to bring us to this point, we will continue to trust him and follow him and and listen for his voice that was so clearly speaking to us along the way.
   So we look forward to what lies ahead and we have been humbled by the love and support and generosity of you who have been playing a major part in God's story that is being written in our lives. On behalf of my wife and daughter I want to thank you for walking with us on this journey and we look forward to how God will use willing hearts to further His Kingdom...the hearts of those who say yes to a "big' call and go, as well as those that say yes to committing to support and encourage and prayer, being called to send. May God's Glory be revealed through all who follow Him!
   
   

God Continues to Provide

God never ceases to amaze us!
    From the moment we made the decision to follow God's leading to serve at Beautiful Gate, God has been paving the way, and in a way that only He could orchestrate.

    And now we are happy to announce that we have sold our house! Praise the Lord!
We have never doubted that God would work everything out for us to be able to move to Lesotho...although there were times when it was difficult to discern what He was doing. From the beginning of listing our house for sale by owner we were always given hope and encouragement that He had a way to make the house sell. From the woman who walked through the neighborhood and knocked on the door across the street from us wanting to move into this area to the many people who went through our house and had the same time-line for moving in as we had for moving out, God kept showing us ways that it could work. And now a wonderful young couple will be moving and starting their family here much the the same as we did 24 years ago.
God has continued to provide and has provided everything at just the right time.

A prayer request for the closing of the house:
    The bank has requested that the closing happen before we leave, so we are praying that all of those details get finalized in the next couple of weeks.
    We are also so thankful that the funds keep coming in....thank you so very much for your partnership in this mission. Saying thank you just seems inadequate! Hopefully when you see the fruit of God's hand at Beautiful Gate; that will convey our gratitude more adequately!
Also, Bryan and Anita have found us a house that is fully furnished! And complete with a dog! (Karen loves that!) So grateful for God's provision in a house too!
They have also found us a car that we have agreed to purchase! Praising God for that as well!

In summary:
We have sold our house
We have a house ready for us when we arrive
We have furnishings for our house
We have a car
We have a dog :)
We have funding for the first year and commitments for more than half of the second year!
What a God.....what provision!
His amazing provision at exactly the right time confirms for us this calling and we are so humbled and grateful!

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written,

“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.”

He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.
(2 Corinthians 9:8-11 ESV)

In gratitude to Him who has called us and to you His people,
Ron, Karen and Grace

DEPARTURE DATE...CHECK!

Well, we finally have our departure date!
We've purchased our tickets and will be leaving Jan. 31!!!
Praises:
~We have the funding needed for the first year and part of the second is committed.
~We have the green light from Beautiful Gate that they are ready for us.
~ And we have an offer on our home!
So the packing and the farewells begin. My last day at Talsma Furniture was Dec.24 so thankfully I will have plenty of time for these things. Ron will be finished at work on Jan.16 and Grace will continue with her part time jobs until the week before we leave.
We enjoyed the Christmas season with extended family and our parents which were treasured times. And we were so happy to be able to spend our last Christmas on Van Raalte with our precious children and grandson. We had such a wonderful, memorable time. Those times will surely be missed.
Prayer requests:
~For our children and family members we will be leaving behind
~For the goodbyes...already have had a few...harder than we thought :(
As we look forward, we continue to trust in God's provision in all ways. We were called to this mission and believe God will equip and provide for that calling...and He already has!
Philippians 4:19
"But my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory which are in Christ Jesus."
Thank you again for your financial and prayer support, without which none of this would be possible.

Love and Blessings

YEP, EVEN WHEN WE CANNOT SEE!

God has certainly been moving!.... In ways we can see and in ways we cannot see!  We can see God working and are always encouraged by that. And we are also finding out as time goes by that there have been many things happening behind the scenes that we cannot see that amaze us and quickly cause us to be in awe of our great provider. The old hymn speaks truth: God moves in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform.
We are thankful to announce that we have our first year funded!
Thank you to those whose gifts have made this first goal possible ...you are a part of this amazing story and the furthering of His kingdom! We cannot express enough the gratitude we feel towards your generous hearts. We are truly humbled.
The next step now for us is to finalize the sale of our home. We have some options we are working on with the bank and our realtor and are hopeful we will be able to work out something that would allow us to leave soon!
Our goal is to leave around the end of January if all works out with our house and also our housing in Lesotho. As of right now there are some great possibilities. But again, as challenging as it is to do; we trust God and His timing.
Praises:
~Funding for the first year is in place
~People are coming forward to help before we even ask
~We are in training to 'wait on the Lord'
~We get to spend our last Christmas in the house with our kids and grandson
Needs:
~Large suitcases. (We have plenty of carry on size) We are fine with used suitcases and we continue to  check thrift stores for them.
~Prayers as we start to make final preparations and say our good-bye's

Thank you so much friends and family for your love, encouragement and support!
Hopefully our next blog post will have a definite departure date included!