Students Again

/ First Term Updates - Cote d'Ivoire/Senegal / By

Yes, we are students again; and like students everywhere, we are very thankful for Christmas vacation! Even though this past semester has flown by, we can see many things that God has been doing. Here are just a few: 

  • Not only are we learning French (slowly), we are being reminded of what it’s like to be a student! During some of our frustrating times, we’ve found ourselves saying, “If I ever teach again…” Hopefully, our future MK students will benefit from this! 
  • The French program in Quebec is truly a cultural melting pot. We share classes with students from as far away as Mexico, Peru, Portugal, Spain, Russia, Turkey, Iran, Israel, Korea, China, Japan, etc. As you can imagine, it’s also a religious melting pot, and whether just out of curiosity or even loneliness, we’ve had many opportunities to share the gospel of peace. 
  • In November, we gratefully received the news that a faithful-in-prayer supporting church has joined our team of financial supporters as well. 
  • Even though our vehicle has an ‘owey’, we were not injured when we did a 360 on a 4-lane highway covered in black ice!
  • In the past month, we’ve lined up some extra-curricular activities that will greatly help our French studies. 
  • New friends, the Totmans, Gayles, Snyders and Bobergs, are helping to make our time in Quebec very special. Thanks, guys!

…if we were to consider all of 2003, our newsletter would be too long…and we thought about starting with the evacuation from the Cote d’Ivoire in September 2002! We thank you for the part you’ve had in these blessings; your prayers have made it happen.

We’ve definitely faced some challenges as well:

  • Living in four different countries within a year has been difficult, not only financially, but emotionally as well. Although we feel we’ve said entirely too many good-byes, we’re enjoying the experience of having friends all over the world. 
  • Learning another language is never easy, but we’re finding it’s actually hard work! 
  • The need to raise more support before we can return to the mission field (hopefully Summer 2004) as well as the uncertain future of International Christian Academy (ICA) in Cote d’Ivoire has kept us wondering what God is doing in our lives. We’re continually reminding ourselves that we are walking in faith.

The biggest blessing of all has been God’s peace. At ICA, we sang a song with these words: “We can rest content, untouched by troubles.” We are frustrated at times, but His peace has been there for us when we let our walk of faith have its perfect work.

Peace – that’s what this time of year is all about. We?ll hear these words of the angels in Christmas musicals and children’s plays, and many of us will read them again on Christmas morning:

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Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, good will toward men.