NTM

The picture shown is two rivers that meet and mix into one.  However, if you look closely at the picture, you will see that they are actually flowing side by side for some time before they truly mix.  One is brown and one is black water.  Where they meet is called the mixing of the waters….once they mix, you can no longer see the two different colors.

This picture made me think of our time here so far.  What do I want to look like in this culture?  Do I want to be so differnt from the Brazilians that I always look a shade lighter or darker?  Also, if I am more "Brazilian" in my ways so that I am not so different, willl I still stand out because of Christ that lives in me?

I pray that in Christ, I will be differnt.  I want the life of Him to flow through me in a way that you can see more of Him than me.  As for being more "Brazilian" in my ways…I imagine that people will always be able to tell that I am American by orgian, but hopefully the colors won’t be quite as distinctive.

On a lighter note:  Things are going well here.  We have had a wonderful time seeing Joel’s parents and being able to asses what we will need to take down to Via for our language training.  We leave the 21st to start heading that direction & we look forward to learning Portg. so that we can better serve here in Brazil.

We are moving to Brazil June 15 & 16, 2009 for our first term.  We are excited to see how the Lord is going to grow us & use us while there.  We would greatly appreciate your coming along side us and praying with us.  Thank you so much!

Please pray with us:

~as we travel June 15 & 16, 2009

~for our family to adjust well

~for us to learn Portuguese well

~for our focus to remain on Christ!

June 15, 2009…

Not long till we head to Brazil!  Time is just flying by…in some ways it’s hard to believe that it’s time for us to be leaving.  In other ways, it seems like we’ve been moving toward this goal for quite a while.

We are soooo excited to be heading to Brazil to begin our ministry.  Our first year will be spent learning Portuguese down in southern Brazil, but we know it will go by fast. 

We can’t wait to be at PQQ.  However, knowing our host cultures language will be a great benefit.  Especially since we are planning on being involved in the Outreach program….so it’s off to Via (southern Brazil) and then back to PQQ after that.

So that’s what is going on with us right now….just preparing to head to the banks of the Amazon.  Not many people get to say that.  For this reason we feel privileged & blessed.

Now don’t get us wrong, there is nothing special about us.  Often people tell us that they ‘could never be a missionary.’  Well, we can’t either.  We are just normal people, with normal problems, with normal fears…isn’t it amazing that God is willing to use us (and we mean you too…wherever you are, doing whatever you do)? 

Here’s a quote to end with…"God uses the ordinary to do the extraordinary."  Not sure who said it or where it’s from, but we know it’s true. 

Many americans make new year resolutions.  We never  have.  However, this new year we are preparing for new changes in our lives.  This is the year we plan to head to Brazil for our first term of missionary service.  This is the year Angela and the children will have to learn a totally new language.  This a year we will have to learn a new culture.  This is a year that we will learn to depend on God in a whole new way!  

We pray that as we are learning to trust God in a deeper way, that you will too.  Not only do we hope that you’ll experience this with us, but that you will experience God in a new way in your own life as well.

This new year, let us seek to better serve and love our Savior!

We are headed to CT to spend Christmas with Jeord, Jill & their children (Joel’s older brother’s family.)  We would appericate your prayers for safe travel, good health & good fellowship.

We will be returning to MO by Jan. 5, 2009.  We begin classes the 19th and would just ask that you pray that we’ll get back into the routine of things well.  We want to learn all that we can while we are here!

We also need to begin the process of filling out forigen paperwork and buying airline tickets.  There a lot of details to be mindful of and we just ask that you pray that we’ll have wisdom in the decisons we make.

We often find ourselves facing ‘the unknown’ in life….where will I go to college, who will I marry, what job will I have, and so on.  It is no different for us.  Although we are in training to be missionaries, we still face a number of unknowns as well….how are we going to pay for tution, when should we leave for Brazil, what will it be like living there as a family, and so much more! 

Tribal people around the world face very different unknowns…when will I eat again, are the spirits going to kill me because I made them mad, will my husband beat me today, should I pick up the baby I just had or leave it in the jungle to die…I don’t know if we can care for the child….these are just a few examples of the unknowns of a tribal person.

The thing is, as a christian we can face these ‘unknowns’ with boldness!  We have Christ on our side!  We want to live each day with the intent to bring glory to Him.  And weather or not the rest of it works out, we know that He is in control & that He will NOT forget us!  This true for ALL of us…tribal, Brasilian, American, whoever!  WHAT A MIGHTY GOD WE SERVE!!!

This holiday season we have had been blessed to spend time with family & friends.  How awesome it is to have others in close fellowship with us.  We’ve had the wonderful opportunity to share what the Lord is doing in our lives and the work we are about to embark on.  Although we are being trained for our future ministry in Brasil, we also know that we can apply most of what’s being taught even now.

Right now two of the classes we are in are, Phonetics and Teamwork.  In Phonetics we are learning the diffrent sounds the human mouth can make.  It’s amazing how the Lord made all the diffrent parts work together for speech.  In class we have tried to speak languages from places like China, Africa, Brasil, Mexico and many, many other places.  Let me tell you, it’s hard!!!!  God sure did a good job when He confused the languages!!!  In Teamwork we are learning about a number of things from qualities of good leaders, qualities of good "followers," to how does a good ‘team meeting’ function.  All of these areas are areas that will be a part of life on the mission field.  What we are learning now, will be more than useful once we are on the field….that is, if we can remember all that we’ve been taught. 

On the "Outreach" front, Joel is still working at Medical Missions for Christ.  Currently he’s leading a Bible study and working in the office one day a week.  One on one discipleship seems to be working much better than trying to go for a group.  God is faithful though, and we know that no matter the size of the Bible study, God has a purpose for Joel’s ministry.

Let us leave you with a saying we heard recently…."God has a perfect record of faithfulness, and He WILL NOT break that record for you (or me)."  Isn’t that encouraging?  God is God.  He does what He says He’s going to do. When things are going wrong, or you feel down, remember who God is.  He’s perfect and He always will be!

Things here are going quite well.  Classes continue as usual.  We are thankful for those who prepare our classes and have thought of all the diffrent aspects of missions over seas.  I guess it helps that most (if not all) of them have actually been over seas.  : )  Some of the current classes we are in are…Foundational Bible Teaching, Communications and NTM Finances.  Monday we also start Phonetics.  We are learning lots of diffrent things and are growing in the Lord as well.  We are doing a lot of prep work for a class that is for "Partnership Development." It’s all about giving others an opportunity to partner with us in this ministry.  God is certianly challenging us in this area!  We want to always make sure we are doing His will & not ours.  The kids are well.  Each of them seems to enjoy their day. Oh!  One excititng thing is that we spoke to the leadership on the field in which we would like to serve.  They have given us a ‘formal invite’ to come there.  We still have to finish our training here and then become acutal members with NTM, but each step is a step in the right direction.  Now that we have the invite we are starting the long process of applying for passports.  We not only have to apply for American ones, but Brasilian ones as well. Knowing this can take a significant amount of time and money, we have decided to start now.  Okay, that’s our current news for the time being.  We would love to hear from you, if you have time. ; )

Trusting in Him in ALL things~

                                          Joel & Angela Ketcham

Hi!  We just want to let you know that we are in the process of changing e-mail addresses.  We’ll check the old one for a little while still, but please take note….

joel_ketcham@ntm.org

We’ll make sure to give you a ‘heads-up’ when we offically stop using the other one…just to be on the safe side.

Please pray that our time here at MTC will be spent well & that we will learn all that we need to.

Also that Ethan & Summer will have a good experience at school this year: that they will remain safe & healthy, that they will learn well, that they will make good friends, and that their teachers will be patient & kind.