By Our Love (Song by Christy Nockels)

The wildfire assistance mission teams are honored to share this video compilation of photos from the opportunities we had to serve in Estes Park, Fort Collins and Colorado Springs.  We praise the Lord for the work He did on our hearts through this outreach.

Colorado Springs Team

Our final service day was scheduled to help the victims of the Colorado Springs wildfire.  The team that day was made up of the following people:  Tyler Babb, James & Shauna Boyce, Diana & Michael Durrill, Becca Fleming, Paola Gonzalez-Pacheco, Stefan McDaniel, Kenny Post, David & Julie Rudie, and Erik Zertuche.

Fort Collins Wildfire Teams

A large group of people went up to Fort Collins and were split into two groups to work on two different homes.  The first group was made up of: Jason Ammon, Steve Fensler, Paul & Jill Ice, Adam & Rebekah Johnson, Heidi & Stefan McDaniel, and Tori Schneider.

The second group, which worked on Gary & Martha's home, included:  James & Shauna Boyce, Mike & Michael Durrill, BJ & Becca Fleming, Chris & Gannon Holder, their boys CJ & Joey and their cousin, Zachary.  CJ and Michael found a collection of rings, the most precious being Gary & Martha's wedding rings.

Estes Park Wildfire Team

On our first scheduled day of service most of the projects had been called off due to heavy rains in the area.  Lysiane Bashford & Diana Durrill were able to still join a small group of men & women from the area to help a family in Estes Park begin the process of sifting through the ashes of their home.

Colorado Wildfire Assistance

Valley Community Church members had the incredible opportunity to come alongside victims of the 2012 Colorado wildfires and serve them as they begin the process of rebuilding.

Samaritan's Purse International's relief programs provide desperately needed assistance to victims of natural disaster, war, disease and famine.  It is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization and we were honored and humbled to partner with them in this ministry to Colorado families.

Pictured (left to right):  Tyler Babb, Paola Gonzalez-Pacheco, BJ Fleming, Erik Zertuche, Becca Fleming, Steve Fensler, David & Julie Rudie, Jason Ammon, Adam & Rebekah Johnson, Jill & Paul Ice, Shauna Boyce, Michael, Diana & Mike Durrill
Not Pictured:  Lysiane Bashford, James Boyce, Chris & Gannon, CJ & Joey Holder, Heidi & Stefan McDaniel and Tori Schneider

Help Wanted!

A friend asked me recently how the kids are doing on processing all that they saw and experienced.  I thought that was a great question and one that should be answered here on this blog.

I anticipated a little more culture shock when we went over to Bangladesh. Oh, I was confident that they would do well but I think I was a little surprised at how well they really did.  Things are so different in Bangladesh that I thought they would ask more questions, be more hesitant about trying new things, and miss the comforts of home a lot more.  They surprised me by adapting quickly and easily with little to no complaining! Even in the most difficult situations, our kids showed us that they are capable of adjusting and coping to just about anything that world travel can bring.  For example, sleeping in airports, riding on a death-defying bus with a crazed driver, watching adorable little goats be killed for your lunch,  carrying  TP everywhere you go, etc.  They took all these things and more in stride.  The red ants, spiders, cockroaches, mosquitoes…all dealt with like pros (probably better than the adults!).  The eastern toilets took some getting used to but not so much for reasons of awkwardness as it was the lack of cleanliness.

I also anticipated an adjustment back to American way of life.  We were hardly gone long enough to make this something that we should have to worry about, but I was more or less thinking that the materialism and consumerism here in the USA would be difficult to swallow once we returned from observing tremendous poverty.  Nope.  Not an issue for any of us. We are blessed with so much more than my Bengali friends but I am ashamed to say that I still nurture discontentment by browsing the Pottery Barn catalog.

So while we have adjusted very well to what we saw and experienced, here are some of my observations on how we are all processing or what we came away with:

Mike loved, loved his time in Bangladesh.  He fell in love with the people and culture.  He gained a burden for the missionaries and Bengali leaders.  I think it opened his eyes to the unique needs that missionaries have for support from their churches that is much, much more than financial.

Michael seems to be more sensitive to others and more appreciative.  Of everything.  It just seems as though he has learned to be more thankful for family and alert to God’s abundant provisions. He is also in tune to how easy we have it when it comes to worshiping publicly.  He had the opportunity to do a Bible study with a family in the hill tracts of Bangladesh who had recently come to Christ and had been experiencing persecution from their community.  The power of that reality combined with the truths of Matthew 5 really impacted his heart.

Morgan – She is the most discontent here in the US.  She has asked on more than one occasion if we could move to Malumghat.  As we talk about her reasons for wanting to do so, we learn that she longs for the family time and slower pace of life.  Once you get a taste of that it’s hard to give up. I am working on making life here a little bit slower for her.  I don’t know how we’ll do it while school is still in, but summer is just around the corner!

Bryn is the hardest to figure out.  She talks a lot about the time she had at the hospital with the newborn baby she called Peanut.  She thoroughly enjoyed that ministry!  She asks about Donna from time-to-time, which is sweet.  I believe she is processing, but she is already a girl who keeps her thoughts to herself and it requires careful work to draw them out.

Kenlee is so funny because she can’t even think of one thing she learned while on the trip. We asked her to share one thing God taught her or one thing she learned about God…and she can’t do it!  As far processing…I honestly can’t tell you if she needs to or not!

Josiah – now this boy is changed.  He is so much more thoughtful and sensitive now (both of which he already was before the trip).  He seems more spiritual, too.  He is always wanting to pray and talk about God.  I think the Holy Spirit really worked in his heart but he hasn’t necessarily found the words to share the specifics about it. (He is only 7.)  Josiah also now longs to be right by daddy’s side whenever he isn’t in school.

As for me, well – I’m committed more than ever to focusing on my family and keeping our life and schedule at a healthy pace.  I have been working hard to say “no” to things I really cannot find time to fit in, especially if they will take away from that number one priority of family.  I am also praying earnestly that  God would send laborers to Bangladesh to help my friends and loved ones share the truth of His Word.  He hasn’t called us, and we are so happy serving Him at Valley Community here in Colorado, but there is a desperate need for harvest workers on that ripe, ripe field.  I came home very burdened that there are not enough people there for the work load. Like it or not, I am praying that someone from our church will be called, someone from our school will be called, and that many more someones from around the world will be called to help take the gospel of Jesus to the beautiful people of Bangladesh.

How Great is Our God (World Edition by Chris Tomlin)

This is the video we showed in church for our presentation yesterday.  (The foreigners you’ll see at the end of this video are friends who serve in Far East Asia.)I really love this one because it reflects the needs on the mission field as well as the JOY that believers have in Christ all over the world.  We look forward to worshiping with every tribe and every tongue someday in heaven!

This is How We Know (Song by Matt Redman)

I made a video highlighting some of the ministries and people we saw and participated in while on our mission trip.  This one emphases the kids and what we did while there.  It was made with our school chapel presentation in mind.  I hope you enjoy it!

Malumghat

For those of you who haven’t been there in years and wonder how it looks now….here are some pictures for you to enjoy.  As I said, it’s a little like stepping back in time.  Feel free to insert your memories here:

Standing in the school field and looking at the back of the hospital.

The national school.

Darwan shack across from Houses 9 and 10.

House 10 (Now the nursing school).  This was my childhood home.

Sign as you come up to the hospital from the north (Cheringa).

If these brick could talk….

Guest House room (complete with cockroaches!).

The walk down into Hollywood Bowl.  The pavilion you see on the right covers a couple of Bengali style clay ovens for khanas.

Guest House (rooms 3 & 4).

See?  Didn’t I tell you it was like stepping back in time?

And it still has all things bright and beautiful everywhere you look!

Behind the guest house looking down into Mud Lake.

Behind the guest house (on Mud Lake side).

Guest House

Hollywood Bowl/Mud Lake region.  Where the red is – that is someone walking UP the hill to toward House 1.

Yep…another image from our memories and yet….LIVE.  Weird.

The bamboo grove around Mud Lake.  These are HUGE…their trunks being as big as a salad plate.

Guest House

On the path up from Hollywood Bowl (looking toward the khal with House 1′s carport in view.)

Darwan Shack on the hill in front of House 2.

Standing between Houses 2 and 3 and looking at House 4.

As pretty as I remembered!

Houses 3 and 4.

House 4

House 5 (looking from House 6).

OPD on the right and the front gate.

OPD

Ahhh!!!!

Don’t you just love the grass roof they built into the corner for shade?  It’s just beautiful!  And aren’t those girgen trees as awesome as you remember?

The view behind SGR 2.

Behind SGR 2 – the most beautiful green in the world!

Hollywood Bowl (and that’s my son!  How cool is it that he got to see Malumghat!?!?)

And so, there you go!  Hope you enjoyed your walk around Malumghat!  I love it and miss it so very much already.  The really amazing thing about Malumghat is that life is slow there…just my speed: 

• There is no running off to the grocery store (and yet you never run out of food).  
• There is no shopping for this or that (so there is no spending money on things you don’t really need….ahem – Target.)  
• There are only so many events per year (as opposed to our so many events to choose from per night).  
• There are three (yes, THREE) meals a day eaten together as a family.  Even during the school year because you just walk home for lunch!
• There is rest hour built into each and every day.
• There are unlimited things to do if you have any sort of imagination.
• And you get to know people because you have real-life conversations.  No email, text, cell phones, Facebook, etc.  It’s real life and real deep.  

I’ve always wondered why I resist the rat-race so much here in the USA.  I find myself stressed out with our culture of busy-ness more quickly than the average American.  It’s been a frustrating and discouraging thing to me for many years, but after this trip I now have a better understanding of myself.  THIS is how I grew up…and this is WHY I love a slow pace.  I had the best of childhoods and I am ever so thankful!