A life of service

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While dropping off a meal for a friend, her son was insistent on giving me 50 cents towards us going to Belize.  I was blown away.  Here is a child who has a mother struggling with cancer and he wanted to bless us!  What a call to service that was.  For me it was a reminder that all I have is "good enough" to bless someone else. 

It was also a reminder to give even when it "hurts" or when I am hurting.  Being a blessing to others is a lifetime calling.  I hope I am able to serve in the way this woman's son did.  May it deepen the call in our own lives.

Last week we finished school.  The children (and I) are delighted!  :)  Now on to packing, organizing and repairing! 

Spring

We're Leaving on a Jet Plane!

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AN UPDATE FROM 

The Davis Family
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Thank you for your continued prayers and support over the past 2 years. We have officially been given the “Go ahead” by EMM, Hopewell and the community in Belize to serve for a one-year term in Orange Walk Town City, starting in August 2015. Yes, that is only 2 months away!


We Praise God for his timing and work! We are glad to have spent this extra time in preparation for what lies ahead. It is difficult to briefly describe the growth and development our family experienced over the last 9 months.


Some things that happened in our family: 
• Abigail and Selah were baptized at Hopewell in February.
• Abigail, Selah, Zion and Zephaniah have enjoyed deepening relationships in choir and viola.
• Nathanael was able to work toward his BA in Interpreting.
• Spring has started parenting classes and is working on family relations.
• We have been blessed staying with Spring's parents.
• Hopewell Christian Fellowship, our home church, has taken a more active roll in the mission.


Thank You
for being our community, as we go, we ask for you to connect with us through our blog, Facebook, Instagram, phone calls and video chats (Skype, Google Hangouts, or Glide). Feel free to ask us more intimate questions about our transition; we love sharing the story of how God is moving in and through our lives.


Please Pray For Us
As we prepare to transition as a family to Belize. For those supporting us, thank you, your sustaining gifts are allowing us to walk out God’s calling in our lives to touch a community in desperate need of hope. If you’re not currently a monthly supporter, would you consider a new commitment of supporting us monthly, to bring our finances to 100% and help us prepare for our next commitment? If you would like more information about financial support:


How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” – Romans 10:14-15

Not just skin deep

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One of our children recently said something that horrified me to the core.  As we walked past an African American Muslim family, it was belted out "I don't like black people" 

I was in utter shock. 

This child lives with my brother, has friends in choir of different races; and had a nanny from Guiana. 

This extremely embarrassing moment has lead me to explore.  What makes us afraid?  What makes me think I don't like someone?  How can I help my children be aware of their own biases.

In a country and world where you can still get killed for the color of your skin, I feel it is necessary to work toward a different understanding for all of my children.

I am not sure that I've fully convinced this child that their "convictions" are wrong.  I hope the process of learning and growing develops something new in them. I want to continue to allow them to see people that are different from them.  I want them to taste different foods, to sit at other's tables. It is my prayer that fear and dislike would turn into a curiosity, and desire to learn. 

Although I still wish this didn't happen, I have am thankful that we are able to learn, expose our children to differences, and in the process change opinions. 

We should not fear our biases, but recognize when they are there and work toward loving the way Christ loved us.

fully mama and fully human,
Spring

Culture Shock?

Nathanael and the children were able to visit the International Spring Festival at North Penn High School.

 

This is a far cry from how they will experience culture when we go to Belize.  That being said, we feel it's very important to expose them to different people and ways of thinking.  We have not yet gotten them past saying "yuck" to a dinner they are not fond of. 

 

They still will experience culture shock, but hopefully we've done some things to prep them beforehand.

 

 

This weekend I had an extraordinary time at MidAtlantic Deaf Men's Retreat (MADMR) at camp Hebron near Harrisburg PA. This is the second year I have attended. I had a great time fellowshiping with over 90 men, most of whom where Deaf. Noah Bucholz the guest speaker for the weekend presented on apologetics. I learned so much about Deaf ministry from these anointed and adept Godly men.

Some of the men I met last year. Others I knew from Philly Deaf Church in South Philadelphia, Connecting Deaf Fellowship located outside of Norriston and First Deaf Mennonite in Lancaster County. There was many new faces and it was great to meet most of them. I felt very welcomed as we chatted well into the night about language, ministry, being men and life in general. I am blessed to have met so many great Deaf ministry roll models and glean from their vast wisdom.

Noah Bucholz got his undergraduate degree from Wheaton College and his Masters of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary. Noah is one of the most dynamic Christian Deaf speakers I have ever seen. He presented on apologetics that the Deaf men may be faced with. Some of these where evidence of Young Earth Creationism, the validity of the gospels and proof that Jesus is God. It was amazing.

“Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant(Exodus 4:10).” The most valuable thing I learned this weekend was how to do Deaf ministry. Often I understand how Moses felt when he asked I AM to send someone else who had better speech. Here I am trying to be a missionary to Deaf in a foreign land and sometimes I can't even understand the Deaf around me let alone trying to minister to them. It was wonderful to see how Deaf do Deaf ministry. I learned so much about Deaf Worship, Deaf preaching and Deaf mobilization.

I can not fully express the richness I gained this weekend. I was thankful, honored and blessed to be part of something so actuated by God. I have grown and gained so much knowledge from this experience.

God is amazing!

This post is much delayed from the summer, but I am glad I waited because there is more to add.

First off, for years Nathanael has been a part of a group working with Deaf blind individuals to enable them to get support staff, and live independently.  For me for years I missed the value of it.  It took time away from our family, it was a lot of work for him.



Over the summer we were able to meet with a man and his mom who Nathanael's been working with for years.  This man is amazing.  He's lost his sight, hearing and now is slowly loosing his ability to touch.  Take all of that into account and you wouldn't believe it when you meet him.  He's engaging, and funny.  He has a great outlook on life.  It is humbling.

As a family we attended their annual picnic.  I worked on my deaf blind signing.. (I have a LONG way to go!)  Nathanael and another couple took people out on boat rides. I was reminded of why we do what we do, how important it is to reach out, and how language learning is a ministry.

The end of this story is also quite amazing.  As a family we serve at Chosen 300, a ministry that serves meals in Pottstown.  Out of the blue, a deaf man and a Deaf blind woman "happened" to show up for the first time.  Then just "happened" to show up when Nathanael was there, an interpreter who has experience in working with Deaf blind people.  It was a neat interaction, and wonderful that they unexpectedly had an experienced interpreter there.  God is so good, to us and to them. May you be encouraged in your week of pressing on to your calling!

Eph 3:20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Spring

Goschenhoppen Folk festival

Today I won't post about visiting a church, about Belize, training, or Oasis.

We spent some time today at the Goschehoppin Folk Festival.  A and S were a little reluctant to go, especially because for me this is counting as a school day.  In the end I believe they had a lot of fun.

We learned a lot about what life would have been like 100 and even 200 years ago.  

It was interesting to think about how much was required of children, mostly due to needing help to survive

Our kids got to try their hand at washing, shelling peas, explored a garden, spoke with shoemakers, tanners, wheel-builders, gunsmiths,farmers, and play games.

I am hoping they learned that kids were much more easily entertained years ago

One thing I didn't think about was catching up with old friends. We saw a few old friends.  Here is Nathanel talking with my former teacher: Harry Ansalmo, who retired this year after 27 years of teaching.  Nathanael remided me today that I'm a part of his legacy.  What an honorable position to hold!  He believed in and encouraged me.  It was very good to see him again.  

As a fun closing picture.. all of the kids loved rubbing their hands on the lemon balm in the garden.  Abigail and Selah decided they should put their whole head in to get the smell on them ;)