Enjoying a few relaxing days in the capital.

It came and went so fast that it seems like a blur.  One minute we were anxiously waiting to see if they could get into the country and the next minute we were saying goodbye.  My parents trip was what we had been waiting 16 months for and then like the blink of an eye – it was already over.  I’ve been wanting to write about their trip and give all the details of the fastest week we’ve ever had.  But, it sometimes I honestly think “were they ever really here?”.   It just went too fast!  How did I write about all their new experiences without writing a book?  I’ll try to keep this somewhat short, but you might want to sit down and take minute to read all this!

Just as we were preparing for them to get here, a massive fight broke out in the capital city, which resulted in the deaths of many.  Then there was a problem with the landing gear on their first international flight which meant that they got stranded in Chicago for a day.  Then they were stuck in Paris for another day waiting for a connecting flight.  Our leadership recommended that they cancel their trip all together.  We talked with them and they said that they wanted to try and come anyways despite the challenges and the possibility of them not being able to enter the country at all.  Steve headed down to pick them up a day early so that in case of problems he was already in the city.  We waited on pins and needles to see if the plane would touch down.  I was beyond excited when Steve handed the phone over and I heard my mom’s voice.

They headed up here together the following morning where the boys and I were checking the clock with great frequency.  Finally they arrived – looking pretty hot and tired after five hours in the car.  The boys were so excited to show them our house and all around the center.  Even though they were overwhelmed by the heat they were great sports about walking around and seeing everything we’re involved with.

We spent the next few days trying -unsuccessfully! – to keep them cool and show them all about our lives here.  We took them to the village and introduced them to all our friends.  My mom had printed off a bunch of pictures that I sent to her, brought them with her and we passed them out to everyone in the village.  It was really fun giving them out – people could point out each other in the photos but couldn’t pick out themselves.

If you read our newsletter – you read about our dinner in the village with our adopted African family.  After I had told my parents that they would be sitting around eating out of the same bowl with everyone and using just their hands – we get there and our friends had rounded up furniture from several houses, there was a tablecloth on the big table and plates with silverware for everyone – I don’t even know where they came up with all those things.  It is a special memory for me.

We visited our friends and our old host family who live in another town and visited the market where we do our shopping.  Just trying to give them a glimpse of our life here – needless to say, they were a little overwhelmed.

Then we all headed back to the capital city for a few days of relaxing before they left.  It was a wonderful few days of staying at a hotel, sleeping in airconditioning, a pool right outside our door, restaurants…just what we needed.  It was great to have a few days just as a family to see my parents be able to play with the kids at the pool.  We went to eat a few times, did some souvenir shopping and visited the park, but mostly we just enjoyed the pool!

Then, it was time to say goodbye.  The week just went so fast.  We hugged quickly as they headed inside the gate and took three crying kids back to the hotel.  It was a very sad ride home.

But, I am thankful that they were able to see first hand what we’re doing here, why it’s important that we’re here – even when it’s difficult.  I’m thankful that the kids have some new memories to keep them going until we see them again.

Check out the “photos” page to see all the other photos from their trip.

The house is getting a whole lot louder

A house with three boys in it is usually a loud one.  But, believe me, a house with three boys and two African drums is MUCH louder!  Micah and Malachi have been wanting drums for a very long time.  For my sanity level, I was trying to hold them off as long as possible.  Then came the news that their friends both had drums and were taking lessons in town.  I knew the battle was lost at that point.  There is just no way I could see the disappointment on their faces as they watched Corbin and Elijah get out their drums and pound away.  So, we went to the wood carver and saw the drum that had already made.  We asked him to make an identical one for Malachi and to get them both all “tuned” up so that they would play correctly.  We told the boys that they would have to pay for the drums on their own with their allowance money.  With no hesitation at all, they handed over a years worth of savings.  (Side note: allowance money seems kind of silly most of the time since there isn’t anything to really spend it on)  Today the boys did a little practicing for Gramma and Grampa via skype.  Pretty amazing that they can see and hear them all the way in Michigan – technology is pretty awesome, huh?  Ephraim is still waiting for his drum – I told him that he needs to wait until he’s six.  So, I’ve got a little over a year before my wonderful boys are all pounding away.

Signing Mo up for classes at his school

I walked into their house the other day and saw him sitting at the table working so hard to practice his writing.  I sat there grinning like a proud mama as he worked to write his letters.  We wrote about our little buddy, Mo, in our last newsletter and our desire to see him get a good education.  He is such a special little boy and I know that God has brought him into our lives for a special reason.  I know that it’s hard for him to focus on school because so many of his friends in the neighborhood are not going to school at all.  It would be easier for him to just run free all day and play.  But, I am so thankful that his mom wants to see him getting a good education as well.   His home is not a safe place for him and we were working really hard to find a spot in a boarding school, but there was not a place for him to start this year.  But, we have found a private school in town where he will get a good education in French.  We pray that he will continue working hard in his studies. Please keep praying for him and his family.  I went to see his mom the other day and we talked about the people living in their home that regularly beat on Mo.  She is worried for his safety and yet there is little she can do.  I pray that we can be a source of love and hope for him – even if everything else around him is darkness.  I long to rescue him from his life, but I can’t.  I have to trust that my friendship with his mom and my words to her will give her a desire to speak up.  I have to trust that God can use what the world means for evil to somehow bring good in the lives of him and his family.  I have to just speak truth to his family and put Mo in God’s hands.  Please keep praying that through us he would see Christ.

Cleaning up the crabs

Who says we don’t have delivery service here in Guinea?  In the past week, we’ve had food brought right to our door – not once, but twice!  This girl came around selling a huge fish that had bought caught in a nearby river.  We are honestly only used to seeing little tiny fish already smoked and for sale in the marche’.  Malachi wanted us to buy the fish so bad, but I think he meant more as a pet than a dinner.   The next time was two ladies who came bearing a bag full of live crabs for us to buy.  We had a bunch of kids over at our house hanging out and they had quite a fun time of pulling them out and getting our kids to play with them.  It was pretty funny to watch everybody jumping around to keep from getting pinched.  We decided to see if we could create our own Red Lobster (you can tell we’re getting desperate for restaurants around here!).  We cleaned them up out back and boiled them in the kitchen while the boys looked on.  It wasn’t quite the success that we had hoped for.  Basically they were too small to get any real meat out of.  Ephraim and Micah said they just liked looking at them and really didn’t want to try any, but Malachi was our brave one and enjoyed a few bites.  I don’t think we’ll try that again, but it was another “first” experience for us over here.

The ladies showing us all the crabs for sale

Having more fun playing with the crabs then eating them

Malachi and the fish he wanted as a pet!

Walking behind Fatou to see her peanut fields

When I asked if it was a long walk to her peanut field, Fatou said “no, it’s nearby”.  About halfway up the mountain I realized that our versions of “nearby” are two totally different things!  But, these are the opportunities I have prayed for; opportunities to see more of her world and be a part of it.  For my friend, her life very much involves the fields.  She is there everyday working so hard in the blazing sun to weed and harvest.  She proudly showed me her area of land and explained what was next for her to do.  I was secretly pretty thankful she didn’t want to do any work that day we were there.  She said she just wanted to show me her land.  I was really thankful for the extra time that I had with her just to talk and learn more about her family.  It’s not often that it’s just the two of us since when I visit at her house there is usually the whole family around.  So, I was able to ask more questions about her marriage and her kids.  I’m thankful for the chance to learn about her culture and continue strengthening our friendship at the same time.  Keep praying that these opportunities will continue and I will be able to share more about my faith with her.

Cretsinger and Bryant kids

Sun, sand and french fries – sounds like a good day to me!  We, along with our friends, the Bryants, headed off to the beach for a day this past weekend.  I know if you look at our pictures it could seem like we go to the beach all the time.  But, it’s the only place we have to go for some family time.  There is literally nowhere else for us to spend the day.  We really needed to just relax, enjoy time with our friends, and give our kids some time with both their parents.  Even though we’re still in the middle of rainy season, we had a beautiful day.  Some day I will learn to put sunscreen on as soon as I get to the beach, but after just a 1/2 hour, I was totally burnt and have suffered for the last two days!  The hotel is barely functioning these days with no patrons, no water and no electricity, but somehow their kitchen was still open.  We had a great lunch – anytime I don’t have to cook is a great meal!  We spent the day watching the kids play football, explore the rocks, wash up on shore, and dig in the sand.  It was a great day as a family – we need those every once in a while.

Steve and all his helpers building the new playground

I put some pictures on my facebook page the other day with some of the projects that we have been working on around the mission center.  Most of my posts on here are of things that are happening in the village and our time there.  But, we do work very hard here on the mission center and we are excited about the things that we’ve been able to be a part of since we moved here.  One of our ministries is running the Guest Home and we’ve been enjoying making some landscaping changes and creating a seating area off the back.  We’ve been installing solar panels, ceiling fans, additional lighting – all things to make everyone’s stay more comfortable.  We’re working on giving the entire Guest Home a makeover before our annual field meeting.  There’s still a lot more to be done, but we’re excited to see progress already.  Steve has also been working very hard on building a new playground here on the center.  It will be a great place for kids to play.  Our kids have loved rushing there after school to “help” Dad with the project.  There have been a few other construction projects on Steve’s plate and if you know Steve at all – you know that he is happiest with a tool in his hand. We’ve also been settling into our roles as the area business managers – we had no idea how much work this would entail for us.  But, we’re enjoying the relationships with people in town as a result.  Spending time at the hospital for visits, paperwork and billing; the tax collector who helps us with all the government paperwork; the labor officials who help with questions on our employees – there are so many others that we are getting to know well through this new ministry.  One of the great things is that Steve is able to work one on one with a young man here building all these projects on the center.  We just pray that through all these times together, time spent with our family and the talks together – that he will have a desire to know Christ.

After a great day at the beach

I kept telling myself that I would be more faithful at just getting on here a couple of times a week and writing about whatever was going on.  But, the days seem to go by quickly and honestly, usually when there’s a free moment at the end, I am ready to just fall asleep.  But, I sat here for a minute thinking what I could write about and immediately I knew what God has blessed me with.  I am so very thankful for the people in my life.  We’re going through a very discouraging time right now – the outcome is still unclear – and it feels very dark in this valley.  But, we sent out an email to our supporters yesterday asking their advice on this situation – asking them to be praying for us – and I we have been overwhelmed by the love and support that’s been sent our way.  Honestly, I have cried through several of them.  To know that we are so loved, so cared for – even from so far away – is truly a beautiful thing.  It’s a God given thing.  I thank Him that He speaks so clearly through those who love Him.  I thank Him for blessing us with such a team of encouragers.  I thank each of them for their prayers for us.  We are blessed.

I want you to know the people who are becoming so close to our hearts even though you’re far away.  I want you to ache with sadness for them as they are completely caught up in a lifestyle and religion that gives them no hope and no peace.  I want you to hurt like me when you see them beating their wives and children, when they lie and steal.  There’s so many things I can’t adequately describe.

The men in the picture with Steve are the guards for our mission center.  They work in shifts to be a presence of safety and to help us understand many of the requests and problems that come from the village.  Most of these men are leaders in our village as well and everyone looks up to them for advice.

Steve is their “patron” or their boss.  He spends a lot of time with these men.  Listening to their issues from the village, their personal issues, their work here on center, getting to know them and their families, visiting them at home – you get the picture.

I want you to pray for these men!  I want you to look at their picture and know that these men have a great deal of influence over the people in their village.  I want you to pray that they would have a desire to hear the things of God.  Right now they don’t want to have anything to do with Christ and they want to keep others from hearing about it as well.  I want you to pray that God would do a mighty work in their lives.

I have been really saddened this week by some of the things that they have done to their families.  I have struggled with wanting to be their friend when I hear that they are hurting their wives, their children, lying and living in sin.  But, how I can expect different things from them?  They do not know the truth.  I am struggling, but I take great comfort in knowing that my Savior knows exactly how I’m feeling right now.

I know this a rambling thought.  Just pray.  Pray for these men.  Pray for Guinea.  Pray for a turning away from a false god who destroys and turning TO our great God who waits for them with open arms!