Saying Our Good-Byes…

Saying Our Good-Byes…

They began several weeks prior to our departure, one after another, anticipated but still very difficult. My grief was palpable, obvious and deeper than I was prepared to manage. My prayer request has been over and over: transition, acclimation, and the lifting of the overwhelming sense of dread. My worried state of mind concerned my husband, family and friends.  But, I am happy to report my spirit is renewed and though I still would prefer “to know” a bit more, I am not currently in tears or refusing to board the aircraft ;)

We begin this journey in deep gratitude, as it has been easy to count our blessings, which have most abundantly come in the form of generous friends. We have been amazed and awed by the immense number of prayers, inspiring words and well wishes (personally, Facebook and email) from too many to name. We covet your prayers more than we can say.  These have strengthened our spirits and provided much encouragement. A special thanks to a few families for without their support, this journey would not be possible.  The Hilliard family for providing a storage space, the Stewart family for caring for our van, the Reyher family for graciously opening their home to us, the Byrd family who rescued us during our move, the Klein family for helping with the dirty work, the Johnson family who have been both inspiring and encouraging and to all of our prayer warriors: my family, our church family, my homeschool family, friends and co-workers, we are only able to step forward in faith because you are shielding us by covering us in prayer.  Lastly, a nod to the ground crew in Bere who have graciously and patiently answered every query we sent and provided encouragement as well.

We will board the plane smelling of French bath salts courtesy of the complimentary upgraded VIP suite we received our last night in Paris (see photo on Mason’s FB page). We hope we will be able to greet you with the scent still lingering!

Looking forward to being “in the know.”

Thank you for your prayers - Kim and family

So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

Entry has been granted!

Our passports with visas affixed for an extended “unique” stay in the country of Chad have arrived.  This was greeted with excited enthusiasm from Mason and mixed emotions for me.  The girls are still trying to determine what they can purchase with their new Visas!! It now feels real… painfully so. My emotions are vacillating between excitement, fear, and melancholy.  I am extremely sad to think of upcoming farewell gatherings with my extended family, my homeschool family, my church family, and many dear friends.  Yet, I am excited for new experiences and adventures mixed with a bit of fear. As a mother, I can’t help but worry over the changes and sacrifices we have surrendered unto our girls. I also feel the pressure and stress of packing for year… What haven’t we thought to pack or plan to carry with us? We have 4 weeks to ponder this question plus sorts closets, shelves, dressers into piles of TAKE, STORE, GIVE.  It is amazing how many things lose their value when faced with the limited space in both the TAKE and STORE piles. Many tasks I thought I had so much time to complete are still lingering on my to-do list as well as a few that I no longer have time to complete such as improve my cooking skills. Yes, bread making was on the list as well and though I have committed more time to bread than dinners over the past year, it is still a sketchy outcome! So as we begin our final preparations, kindly pray for efficient use of time and space, for helping kiddos choose keepsakes, saying goodbyes, for peace and most especially reliance on God as we take a giant leap of faith into another continent.

Thank you for your prayers - Kim and family

So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

"Feed my sheep… tend my sheep"…

3.1.14

"Stay where you are. Find your own Calcutta. Find the sick, the suffering, and the lonely right there where you are — in your own homes and in your own families, in your workplaces and in your schools. You can find Calcutta all over the world, if you have the eyes to see. Everywhere, wherever you go, you find people who are unwanted, unloved, uncared for, just rejected by society—completely forgotten, completely left alone.”

         My last post included that quote.  It hit me right in the face the last few days.  I traveled to San Diego, CA to a conference for anesthesia faculty and was able to bring my family along.  While they had a blast visiting with some local friends, I was struggling with an overwhelming preoccupation with "the unwanted"...  The weather was wonderful, the waterfront was amazing, downtown was lively and beautiful, but the unavoidable number of homeless men and women was truly heart breaking.

         Homeless people have always been in all the big cities I visit, but this time I was really affected by it.  I was in a posh hotel room and across the street was a homeless man with a wheel chair… he was sleeping in the bushes.  And there were homeless in the park, and in the alleys, and on the sidewalks and they were kindly being ignored by everyone passing by.  I realized that God didn’t want it this way and was urging me to do something for the "least of these." 

         I kept thinking about Jesus saying to Peter, "Feed my sheep… tend my sheep"…so that is what I did.  I went to the market and bought peanut butter and bread.  I eat it all the time so I figured it was a reasonable idea.  I loaded it into my backpack and walked block after block through streets, sidewalks, and parks, talking with men and women and feeding them and "loving others."  Does it make a difference? There are so many and you can't help them so why bother?  I think it mattered for those few who, for a moment, had kind interaction with a stranger who offered a sandwich and extended God's blessings and love. 

         I shared with Kim what I had done that day while they were out visiting the zoo.  The next evening, my youngest daughter prayed for our meal in a way most Americans do not pray: "Thank you God that we have food to eat and a place to sleep.  Please be with those homeless people, keep them safe and let them learn about you."  

     How will they know if they never hear?  Why would they follow if there is no one to model a different life?  It wasn’t about the sandwich.  It was the message.  You never know who will be listening. 

         Find the sick, the suffering, and the lonely right there where you are…

Love,

Mason, Kim, Grace (Maddie), & Emmie McDowell

            Psalm 139: 9-10   

                  9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, ¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

Who is a missionary? 1/25/2014

Who is a missionary?                                          1/25/2014

In ~4 months, we will be full time missionaries in Chad.  Who are these people?  Today I am wrestling with the "M word".  Missionaries (and missionary kids) invoke various images for many people. I often find a caricature image being suggested, as though missionaries are either untouchably saintly or just crazy or weird. 

One dictionary describes missionary as a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development.  That’s pretty good but it says more about WHAT a missionary is, not WHO? (or whom?  You can sort that part out).  The more I speak with people about who I am and what I feel called to do, the more entangled I feel in the trappings of a definition.  I'm not a what, I am a "who".

I think the distinction to make here is that missionaries are "normal" people that you know (ok, some more normal than others).  Missionaries are not just actors in distant countries.  We are your friends, family, neighbors.  Me? I am an imperfect guy trying to be the best version of myself in a way that reflects God's light.  Don’t be freaked out by that--  Having faith is nothing to run from.  Its bigger than the box you may want to confine it to.  Christianity isn’t perfection.  Don’t let imperfection of people who follow Jesus keep you from the simplicity of His message. We all sin.  We all fall short.  God loves you anyway.  That makes it really easy to turn to faith in Jesus. You can read/hear the truth and believe it is possible.  The "repent" part can be harder because (1) its a loaded word that scares people AND if you choose Jesus, (2) you will want to turn 180 degrees, face Him, and choose a new path.  That may require you to leave a few things behind.  After years of "hiking" in a new direction, I easily can say I prefer walking in the sun (or Son); Its warmer in every way and that warmth radiates to people around you. Presto: instant missionary. 

So with that in mind, we all can be missionaries. My best advice comes from this borrowed line: "Preach the Gospel always; if necessary use words."  Don’t be creepy or fanatical in a way that is a turn off.  Know your audience.  I can be all things to all people and remain true.  Let your actions speak for themselves.  And guess what? You don’t even have to go away to be a missionary.  Sometimes people may think too narrowly about how they could personally serve.  Even though I feel called to Africa, I like to remember that we can be used anywhere.  The point is to pray and seek God's guidance about how and where you can be an encourager.  

I'm not an expert on her life, but I really like this quote attributed to Mother Teresa because it reminds us that God sends us to serve all over, including our own homes and neighborhoods:  She said, (you can) "Stay where you are. Find your own Calcutta. Find the sick, the suffering, and the lonely right there where you are — in your own homes and in your own families, in your workplaces and in your schools. You can find Calcutta all over the world, if you have the eyes to see. Everywhere, wherever you go, you find people who are unwanted, unloved, uncared for, just rejected by society —  completely forgotten, completely left alone.”

If you aren’t sure where to start your "training" for this path, read a Gospel from the bible (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John) and see what Jesus really teaches.  It may not be the stuff you "heard about"; Its love and not hate.  Go love someone and let it shine. Embrace the "M word".  

Love,

Mason, Kim, Grace (Maddie), & Emmie McDowell

            Psalm 139: 9-10   

                  9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, ¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

This is a recent family photo (Dec 2013 in the U.S.) with some trick photography.  I was in Chad when they took this pic so they taped a photo of my face onto a family friend who served as my "stand in".  Who knew Kim could be funny?  I think I look pretty good in that shirt. 

Want vs Need... Im thankful for what God has provided

1.1.2014

I'm truly thankful for all that we have and for all the people in my life. Happy New Year friends! Take time to love your family, friends, and neighbors (and your enemies).  

I was struck by the following passage in the book Revolution in World Missions so I decided it was worth sharing. It is a good reminder as we enjoy a prosperous new year that not everyone in this world has as much.  At the same time, many also recognize they do not need so much to be happy.  

I pray we all find the right balance in our lives.  

  Economist Robert Heilbroner describes the luxuries a typical American family would have to surrender if they lived among the one billion hungry people in the Third World:
We begin by invading the house of our imaginary American family to strip it of its furniture. Everything goes: beds, chairs, tables, television sets, lamps. We will leave the family with a few old blankets, a kitchen table, a wooden chair. Along with the bureaus go the clothes. Each member of the family may keep in his ‘wardrobe’ his oldest suit or dress, a shirt or blouse. We will permit a pair of shoes for the head of the family, but none for the wife or children.
  We move to the kitchen. The appliances have already been taken out, so we turn to the cupboards ... the box of matches may stay, a small bag of flour, some sugar and salt. A few moldy potatoes, already in the garbage can, must be rescued, for they will provide much of tonight’s meal. We will leave a handful of onions and a dish of dried beans. All the rest we take away: the meat, the fresh vegetables, the canned goods, the crackers, the candy.
  Now we have stripped the house: the bathroom has been dismantled, the running water shut off, the electric wires taken out. Next we take away the house. The family can move to the tool shed. Communications must go next. No more newspapers, magazines, books—not that they are missed, since we must take away our family’s literacy as well. Instead, in our shantytown we will allow one radio.
  Now government services must go next. No more postmen, no more firemen. There is a school, but it is three miles away and consists of two classrooms. There are, of course, no hospitals or doctors nearby. The nearest clinic is ten miles away and is tended by a midwife. It can be reached by bicycle, provided the family has a bicycle, which is unlikely.
  Finally, money. We will allow our family a cash hoard of five dollars. This will prevent our breadwinner from experiencing the tragedy of a peasant who went blind because he could not raise the $3.94 which he mistakenly thought he needed to receive admission to a hospital where he could have been cured.

Sunrise photo taken during my visit in December 2013.  Even the starkness of Chad can be beautiful!

Love,

Mason, Kim, Grace (Maddie), & Emmie McDowell

            Psalm 139:9-10   

                  9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, ¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.