The Lord Provides

Making the transition this week leaving my job of 19 years and 25 years in industry to go on staff at Alice Drive Baptist to prepare for our new life as missionaries.  This is our next step in answering God's call into ministry.  It became very clear this is not a one time experience but an ongoing process we are going through.  We have to continually separate from ourselves and look to God in every day things of our lives.  Not easy for me at all, sounds great typing it up but not see easy during the day.  Tonight, I can say I trusted in the Lord and I saw His provision.  Tonya and the kids had a near miss in the car today, they are safe.  Pastor Clay is a blessing with his leadership to learn and prepare.  Thank you Lord for loving us and the opportunity to know the Lord Provides.

Our Obedience Costs Other People

After reading a devotion from "Our Utmost for His Highest" we have pondered, prayed and began to understand how our obedience is costing and will continue to cost other people. The farther we get in this process the more we see the pain of sacrifice; separation from family and friends, leaving our daughter here in the states at college, giving up a steady income to one of depending on others and asking for financial support.  We have to fight our human pride from getting in the way of asking others for support.  Words can not describe how hard this is for us but we know if we do not ask it is disobedient to God.  It is uncomfortable reading and hearing the church talking about our ministry and needing money.  Part of our spiritual growth requires us to depend on God through others.  Luke 8:1-3 reminds us God uses others to tend to the needs of His servants.  Remaining faithful and being free of our independence is diffictul.  It is hard not to dictate to God our terms of obedience.  We want to do so much by ourselves.  Doing so would stop us in our tracks and limit His work.  We are understanding how God moves in all directions to reach people and show how He works.  We have already seen amazing testimonies from others who partnered because they wanted to be part of what God is doing.  They can't go but they can support through giving and prayer. If we say we do not want other people to suffer or sacrifice because of us it would relieve our stress but greive His Spirit.  He will care for those who suffer or sacrifice on behalf of our obedience.  Obey and trust are the words we follow and we leave all the consequences with God.

The Call

God’s call for Tonya and me to serve on the mission field began over 12 years ago.  I had answered a call to full time Christian ministry about ten years ago, and was commissioned by Millbrook Baptist Church to begin work in the ministry.  We had a close network of friends that "Experienced God" and asked God to use us where He was at work.  God has done some amazing things within this core group and has literally sent us all over the globe. But I had no peace about opportunities that came my way. Job responsibilities led me to Sumter a little over five years ago. Tonya and I plugged right in and began to serve at Alice Drive Baptist Church. I have served as a deacon, a Bible Community Teacher, a member of the music ministry, and a leader in children’s ministry. Tonya has also served extensively coordinating VBS experiences and, most recently, stepping up to serve as interim Children’s Pastor at ADBC.

I have journeyed to Botswana in 2008 and 2009 to help build a church in Old Neladi and reach out to the children and church there. During these trips, I struggled over His call for me, and was wondering what God had in store. Two things were becoming very clear to me: God seemed to working most clearly in churches that had a strong ministry to children; and there was no full time children’s minister in the entire country of Botswana.  So many faces of children affected by HIV/AIDS.  Happy children because there was food and a place to play.  Healthy children because Botswana provides them with antivirals.  Dangerous children because they can spread a disease that can ravage a nation if they continue living the same life style as their elders.  Lost children because they need to know Jesus as a savior from this destruction.  There has been alot of effort into church planting but very little for children outreach.  I saw a video from the second President,  Quett Ketumile Joni Masire where he stated, "the success of any cattleman's ranch is in the calves.  The future of Botswana is in the children."

On my last full day in Botswana in 2009, Norman Schaffer, pastor of Open Baptist Church in the capitol of Gabarone (which partners with, Old Naledi Baptist Fellowship), shared he sensed God calling me and my family to come and serve the children of Botswana.

The moment Norman laid out this possibility, I had a strong sense and awareness that this was from God. We began to talk and pray.  I brought Tonya and the children into the conversation. It seemed like all signs were pointing that this was a call to explore.  On the plane trip home from Botswana to Johannesburg, who would be on the plane but Sir Quett Ketumile Joni Masire himself. He was seated very close to me on the plane. I spoke to Sir Masire and told him what we were doing.  He personally thanked me for helping the children of Botswana.  I knew then that God was going out of His way to make it clear ~ This was His plan for me.

Tonya and I made an exploratory trip to Botswana to further explore this call. We met people whose lives have impacted by the missionary outreach in Botswana.  We got to stand in the very place David Livingston started his church in Botswana.  His prayers, over 100 years later are getting answered.  We got to experience many different cultures and people groups while on this trip.  I saw rain for the first time.  I could see before my eyes how God is at work in Botswana.  A place of no political unrest, a place where you can go into the schools and preach the Gospels, a place where there is a thirst for His Word and most of all a place where there is hope.

The specifics became clearer and God affirmed His call to us. We will work with an initiative called The Botswana School Outreach, which goes to schools in Botswana to teach abstinence and to share to the gospel. The leader of this ministry will be leaving May 2010 because of health concerns and had been praying for someone to take over this ministry at the same time I sensed God's calling.  We will also train children’s workers throughout the country, working specifically with Open Baptist Church’s mission points. In short, we will be champions for children’s ministry in a country of 1.8 million people.

Tonya and I are humbled that God would choose us, broken vessels, to be part of His work.  I have no training other than raising children, leading teams and being a manager.  But we know this is God's plan for us and we have answered His call.  We ask all of our friends and family who are reading this blog to pray about partnering with us in this ministry. Pray for our family! Pray for us as we reach out to a country of 1.8 million people who need to take their next step toward Jesus! Pray how God would have you support this ministry financially. We are going as faith based missionaries - trusting God to work through His people to provide the money necessary to live and do ministry.  Pray how you can be part of helping save a nation ravished by the affects of HIV/AIDS. About 35% of Botswana’s population is made up of children from birth to 15 years of age. About 30% of these children are HIV positive.

If you are interested in giving to this ministry and being a champion with us you can send your gift to the address below.

Alice Drive Baptist Church
1305 Loring Mill Rd
Sumter, SC 29150
for:  Children's Missionaries to Botswana

Tonya's First Trip

I made my first trip to Botswana in Oct 09.  We toured the country and met lots of wonderful people. Scott had talked with Pastor Norm of Open Baptist in September.  Pastor Norm believed that Scott was the answer to the churches prayer.  They had been praying for some time for someone to serve as a National Children's Minister.  The Lord had been dealing with Scott for several years and Scott had been wrestling with his calling.  When Norm asked Scott about being the National Children's Minister in Botswana, Scott knew that was what God wanted him to do.  Scott called me that day and told me to be praying about the possibility of us moving to and serving in Botswana.  I didn't even question him...I knew at that very moment this is what God had been preparing for us.  I hung up the phone with Scott and called my sisters, parents and closest friends.  There was never a "we might be going" it was a "we are going to be moving to Africa"!  No one was surprised.  They could see how God had been working in our lives to bring us to this point.  Our pastor - Clay Smith - told us that I needed to travel to Botswana to meet the leaders of Open Baptist Church and affirm that I felt led to go too.  We made the trip in October and both overwhelmingly agreed that this was our next with God.  For years we had talked and prayed and agreed if God opened a door for us in ministry we would walk through it.  I never really understood how God opened doors but now I knew.  While we were in Botswana at a prayer meeting in a home, we shared what God was doing and how He was leading us to Botswana.  Another missionary that was at the prayer meeting, Heidi, said she had a word for us from the Lord.  She opened her Bible to Revelations 3:7 and read "What He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open.  I  know your deeds.  See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.  I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name." That was a Holy and very humbling experience.  I tried to open my mouth to share with the group about our kids but I could not talk.  I was overcome with emotion, gratitude and awe.  I asked God and Scott many times during my trip "Why me?  Why us? Why wouldn't God call someone with years of Children's Ministry experience?"  God gently reminded me ~ "I know the plans I have for you."  "You were created for such a time as this." So we are walking through God's open door - or maybe I should say we are doing what our friend Becky told us to do - We are running through God's open door!!             

The Family

Please pray for our family as we are taking the necessary steps to move to Botswana.  Please pray

for Scott as he transitions from his current job to our church staff.  Pray for Him to grow in knowledge and wisdom. Pray that he has the ability to "soak up" as much as he can from mentors and leaders before we go.  Pray for Makenzie (19) as she heads back to college.  Please pray that she would make healthy and committed friendships and would find her place to serve on Campus. Please pray that she would find a church that she can connect and serve in.  Pray that God would prepare her in every way necessary for us to leave.  This is  the hardest part as a mom, leaving our daughter in the states.  Pray for all of our boys (Hunter 15, Chandler 13, Parker 10, and Josh and Joe 4) that they would continue to be excited about what God is doing in sending us to Africa.  Please pray that God would be preparing hearts in Africa to recieve them as friends when we get there.  Pray that I would be discerning in knowing what needs to be done before we  leave.  Pray that God would show us very clearly what our next step is.  We are trusting Him with every detail.

Following HIS call

It's still hard for me to wrap my mind around the God of this Universe calling 2 broken vessels that he has mended and filled to serve Him as National Children's Ministry Coordinators in Botswana, Africa.

I think my favorite saying these days is "I have no idea." I'm just grateful that I know and trust the only ONE that does have all the ideas and knows everything! My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. HE is leading and we are trusting and following. It feels like doing a trust fall straight back into the arms of God. There is no one or nothing there to catch us....Just Him!