A Greek Birthday and Thoughts on Home

No Disney-themed birthday parties or trips to the city swimming pool for this birthday girl this year.  In true TCK style, Annora celebrated her 5th birthday in Athens, Greece at our regional mission conference last month. She dined on delicious food we couldn't name, visited exciting historic sites and was serenaded and gifted by kind, generous European missionary families that we'd just met. It was certainly an extra-special birthday! And yet... what she really wanted for her birthday was simply to play with her cousins who live in Wyoming.



We had anticipated Christmas 2013 would be a tough season for us since we had never spent the holiday apart from either of our families. We sampled all the wonderful things that the typical Hungarian Christmas season has to offer and planned our own simple celebration at home. (To see Nora in our Hungarian Church's Christmas program, click here.)This celebration was then put on hold while we spent the morning hours online saying a final goodbye to a cherished relative in the ICU who was predicted to have just a few short hours to live. We longed to be "home", but where is that?



This nomadic life we've been called to is an amazing gift. We don't take for granted the things we see and try just 15 minutes from our house, the places we visit, the jobs we have or the people that have become our surrogate family. This life we lead can also be filled with weighty soul ache.  We miss our family, friends, and the wind-swept land we love. We are absent from the births, the deaths, the first steps and the soccer games.



It isn't just us, either. You probably don't live in the exact geographical location you would choose surrounded by all of the people you would like to be near. Everyone knows this soul ache at some time or another. I can't help but think how gracious it is of God to provide such a poignant reminder that this life is not our home. We shouldn't get too cozy here.  The point of this life isn't our comfort, but our conformation to His will. One day when Jesus calls those of us who have surrendered to him to his side, then, and only then, will we truly be Home. Let that be our aim - to Seize Eternity!

“But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.” 

― C.S. Lewis, The Last Battle

Not sure what I mean when I say "surrendered to Jesus"? Check out this short video. 

Enough

“There just isn’t enough ___________”.  I think the Enemy likes to keep us focused on scarcity in our lives, whether real or imagined.  If we are preoccupied thinking about how little we have, we will miss opportunities to be radically generous with what we do have.   Maybe you have been feeling short on money, opportunities, energy or encouragement this Christmas season. Our family has been feeling pinched for time, lately.  Maybe feeling impossibly squeezed would be a better description of how we were feeling a few weeks ago. Simplicity and leading out of rest are some of our major family values, but even operating from what we thought were bare-bones expectations was stressing us out. There were just not enough hours in the day to do what we felt we needed to be doing and still set some aside to recharge emotionally.  We just couldn't find enough time to get awesome lessons planned for each day; not enough time to meet all our kids’ physical needs (how many days has Annora been sporting that blue marker on her face?) let alone their emotional needs; not enough time to exercise properly or cook grain-free meals etc., etc. 

As Dave and I were praying together last week Dave said something profound. It was game-changing for us, and stilled our striving immediately. God gives us everything we need to do everything he has called us to do. If we feel like there isn’t enough of something, we’re probably doing more than he is asking us to do. [ 2 Peter 1:3]. This doesn't mean God won't call us to do something that's beyond our ability. When we rely on God and call on his Name, he'll give us what is needed, though it is beyond our mere ability. This is not done by our own power, but by God's. Next time the Enemy tries to stress you with scarcity, reject his attempt at distraction. Know what God has called you to do and then obey God with the resources God has provided for you. 

I (Jenn) was able to model this for the 8th grade students by taking a day out of our packed unit schedule to have a surprise "recharge day" on the day before their yearly musical performance.  I would have liked to cover more material, but one of our main objectives here is to encourage and equip the students and these TCKs were in need of some encouragement. The "recharge day" was a big hit and I could watch their stress slip away for 45 minutes. The entire middle school cast went on do an amazing job that weekend putting on Beauty and the Beast, Jr. Next unit we will be working on developing personal purpose statements. I am really excited to share with you what they come up with! 

 

Taught to teach or teach to be taught?

I (Jenn) think that sometimes God asks us to teach the things we need to learn. I've heard another missionary here in Hungary say that, "God doesn't call the most holy to the mission field, only those that have the most stubborn hearts and require the most extreme circumstances to become pliable.". For my part, I couldn't agree more.

As my 8th grade health class has been working it's way through this last unit, Dealing with Stress and Grief, I have been reminding myself as much as I have been teaching the students how to manage their time to prevent stress, "Recharge" to decrease stress, grieve the losses involved with living the TCK life, being familiar with patterns of life transition and expressing their emotions in a healthy, respectful way.

In developing this unit I pulled from the materials we collected during the two years of preparation we had before coming to Hungary. Many of the materials I used are part of WorldVenture and the Association of Christian Schools International training programs, but I was also able to pull from my personal transition experience which is still underway.  As I cried my way through the lesson on grieving the losses involved in life change, I spoke the words I needed to hear most about the nearness of God to those who weep. It is true that God often teaches us so that we can in turn teach others, but it is also true that sometimes God asks us to teach others so that we can  understand what he has been doing in us.

Thankfully, I am not the only one learning life lessons in the Health classroom. One student left my classroom in tears during the lesson on stress management and returned later to thank me for teaching on that subject because it was just what she needed.  In between the lessons on grief and life transitions I was told that one of our students will be moving back to her passport country after 11 years in Hungary.   When I collected the writing assignment on addressing unresolved grief, I found that near half the class had turned in a blank sheet of paper because the feelings they had uncovered were too personal to share. Some of the students simply wrote, "thank you" instead.

That's what I want to write too.  Thank you. Thank you Lord for teaching us all so patiently and for teaching us so that we can give these TCKs the tools they need to navigate life successfully. Thank you, friends, for teaming up to pray for us and support us financially so that we can all impact eternity.

His and Her Classrooms

And We're Off! 

A new school year begins at ICSB 

Dave's Classroom ready for students!

Dave began his career at ICSB this week with 6th grade keyboarding, 7th grade Ancient World History and 8th grade Medieval World History.  He has 66 students from 11 countries including Hungary (30%), the U.S.A. (40%), Korea, China, Albania, Canada, Bulgaria, Italy, Russia, Sweden and Finland. Many of these students (20 %) are ELL, or English Language Learners. Whew!  While the lesson planning for such a diverse class has been daunting, Dave is off to a great start.  He has already heard from some of the parents that their students are excited about history for the first time.  He also has his homeroom class, one section of the eighth grade, for devotions every morning.  We are very excited to begin the school year, begin building relationships with these students and take our first steps in the role God called us to several years ago. 

Introducing Mrs. Kelley

Do you remember when Jenn wrote an update about how God has specifically called her to foreign missions?  (If you don't you can find the link to the post at the end of the e-mail.) Several months ago she shared some of the things God had been doing in her heart regarding future ministry opportunities.  She ventured to suggest that teaching a health class may be in her future.  We had no idea when she wrote that post, or when we arrived in Hungary, or even when Dave started back at school that this opportunity would be coming our way this term!  There was a need for an 8th grade health teacher and with Jenn's experience and education as an RD she was a perfect fit. She couldn't be more excited about the content of the course, working with the students or working with such a handsome colleague. (She means Dave.  He is the 8th grade social studies teacher in case you forgot...)

Annora and Allister at the Ovoda

The course meets just twice a week for 45 minutes each class.  The older kids will be able to spend the day at the Ovoda (sort of like a Hungarian preschool) on those days and Anna will nap at a friend's house.  This allows Jenn to engage our students in a structured way without loss to our family.  The house may not be as clean, but we are
focusing on the eternal things. We are giving thanks and glory to God for providing the resources necessary to step into this role before he placed the desire in Jenn's heart, for changing Jenn's heart about teaching before there was a need and for his timing in introducing the need.  We serve a good God who leaves his fingerprints in the details                                                           of our lives if we will but watch for them.

Click here to check out the blog Jenn wrote about herself titled "More than an Accompanying Spice."

Working Through Spaghetti-Squash Brain

What is it about moving that makes you feel so tired? Aside from all the physical labor involved in packing up house and relocating, what makes your brain feel  like an overcooked spaghetti squash? In part the mental fatigue of moving is due to our inability to do as much on “autopilot”.  When you move to a new place, you can’t drive home, pay a bill, or get groceries without thinking through every step.  In moving to a new country we've been dealing with these changes and more. Let’s take grocery shopping for instance.

In Cheyenne grocery shopping was as simple as driving to the grocery store once per week, buying my usual brands of the items on my list, waiting and paying at the checkout and pushing my cart full of bagged groceries back to my car, driving it home and stocking the fridge and cabinets.


In Budapest grocery shopping requires writing the meal plan based on what we know to be available and what size of pan will fit in our “fun size” oven. (Thank you 4 yr. old Annora for adding scale to our pictures.) Then we need to collect the grocery buggy and head to the bus stop.  After a 20 minute ride to the grocery store nearby we need to carefully walk up and down every aisle often checking each variety of an item and consulting a dictionary to make sure we are in fact buying wheat flour and not laundry starch.  When buying produce we must use a computerized program (in Hungarian) to print labels for each fruit or vegetable. At the Checkout we have to follow the rules regarding emptying the cart, count out Hungarian forints and quickly bag our own groceries in bags we brought from home.  Loaded grocery buggy in hand we take the bus home.  The whole trip takes about two hours. We also need to make three or more 30 minute trips through the open vegetable market during the week because our fridge is small and produce will spoil quickly if left out. 

Hopefully this example gives you an idea of the scope and magnitude of the challenge we face crossing cultures.  Each day challenges our assumptions about how life should work. Just as we have shared our journey up to this point – with all the ups and downs – we want to continue giving you an inside look at the cross-cultural life of ministry through our eyes. We are so glad we are here and love learning all the ins and outs of living in the country God has called us to– even if we have to bag our own groceries.

The Month in Review!
We have been in Hungary for 6 weeks.   The first week we spent overcoming jetlag and unpacking our trunks into our duplex. The second and third weeks were largely spent making careful purchases for our new home and learning how to navigate the public transportation system.  It was also the third week the kids started óvoda (like a Hungarian preschool) and we discovered tejföl does not mean yogurt like we thought! (It is sour cream and we ate it on our granola for a week thinking, “wow this yogurt tastes like sour cream!” If it looks like a duck… We blame it on culture shock.) During weeks four through six, we have battled the flu and have been attending language school. Week five we are all healthy and have finally figured out when to put out the recycling.  We will finish language school this week and are excited for Dave to begin at ICSB on August 14^th and students to arrive August 27^th.

Devotional

Below is a devotional sent to us by our sending agency, WorldVenture. I thought it was so well said, I decided to post it on our blog for others to benefit from as well. Jenn and I are beginning to comprehend this type of life as we watched God do the impossible when we, and so many of you, decided to ask in prayer!

Enjoy.

Dear Mission Family,

One of the implications of living in the shadow of the cross is understanding what it means to pray, think and live supernaturally.  I believe it is the heart of sanctification.  We are to live by the power of the Spirit of God.  But how easy it is for us to forget.

A good friend met with me recently and announced that he is a genuine apostate.  He has left the faith.  This friend has a dramatic conversion story, many examples of powerful Spirit work in and through him, and he is a seminary grad and former pastor.  But he has tossed it all aside believing now that present reality is the only thing that ensures peace in this life.  The supernatural, including an inerrant Word of God, Jesus as the Son of God and even the hope of eternity for him is gone. 

I wonder if my friend doesn't actually reflect my own challenge of trying to live my life apart from faith in the supernatural.  For my friend, it is now intentional; for me it is simply that it comes unSpiritually natural. 

Kind of like the disciples when the 5,000 men and more were listening to the Master.  "Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here." 

That was an excellent response to a very real problem.  The disciples might even have had some concern for the crowd and were giving a very reasonable solution.  Jesus could have agreed with their plan and dismissed the crowd.  However, that solution would not have taught them to live supernaturally.  And so Jesus replies, "YOU give them something to eat."  Immediately they were forced into the realm of the supernatural.  Using the best language of my Missouri roots we would say, "Ain't no way no how!"  True, but it IS the way to live, think and pray.  Jesus encourages us to operate in the realm of the supernatural.

I wonder how often I roll through my day not even thinking about what God might want to do through me that is impossible without his intervention.  Perhaps I've developed a habit of measuring every challenge by my capacity rather than by God's.  Perhaps I've even applied that to the capacity of my WorldVenture department or our WorldVenture impact in the world.  "Oh, we can't do that.  We don't have enough..." you fill in the blank.  And so there it lies, dead in the human capacity pool because we fail to pray supernaturally.  We don't even give God a chance to say no!

I think it was Martin Luther who once said, "I've got so much to do today it will take two hours of prayer to get it all done."  There was a man who understood the difference between personal or organizational capacity and supernatural prayer.  Would you care to try it on for size this month?  Actually, it never fits; you don't have the capacity!  But why not test this supernatural God with some supernatural prayer?  Reopen that "ain't no way no how" folder and see if your prayer can match your God.  And don't forget to act if God whispers back, "YOU give them something to eat!"

Doug Hazen

Regional Mission Director

Northwest Regional Connections

Clearance!

Friends, we are so excited to tell you that we have received clearance from WorldVenture headquarters to leave for Hungary! We will keep this update brief because we are up to our eyeballs in packing, sorting, organizing, phone calls and cleaning in addition to attempting to maintain some semblance of sanity.

Let us share just a few of the amazing ways God has been working during the past month to make our departure possible:

Week 1: Three families that has previously told us they would not become financial partners contacted us to tell us God has instructed them to join our support team and wanted to know how to do so!

Week 2: Two students of Dave's, one from his time at Wheatland Bible Church and one from Laramie County Community College joined our financial team for a huge boost in our monthly support!

Week 3: A group of three sisters prayed about giving, pooled all their money, including their cherished $2.00 bill, and told their parents they wanted to send it in to WorldVenture so that "The Kelleys can help the hungries".

Week 4: Wheatland Bible Church prayed during their Sunday morning prayer time that we would have the funds needed for clearance to leave for Hungary and within 24 hours we did!

The ways in which God has been providing for this coming term in Hungary keep surprising and delighting us. He has written us a beautiful love letter composed of the last several weeks. We couldn't begin to share all the stories of faith and generosity in one update, but we did want to share just a few and give our gracious Master all the credit. We are so honored to be on this faith-journey with all of you and pray you are encouraged.

We are still in need of more people to give financially on a regular/monthly basis in order to reach full support.  If becoming a monthly financial partner is something God has laid on your heart, please do so. You can sign up online on WorldVenture's website. Please contact us if you have any questions.

We will be leaving for Hungary June 24th! We will be making stops at four churches along the Front Range leading up to our departure. We would love to see you before we leave, unfortunately we will not be able to meet with everyone.  If you would like to join these congregations in commissioning our family to the mission field, please consider attending one of the following services. 

May 26th - 10:30 at Christ Center Community Church in Fort Collins,CO
June 2nd  -   9:30 at Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Broomfield, CO
June 9th   - 10:45 at Wheatland Bible Church in Wheatland, WY
June 16th -   9:00am , 11:00am and 6:00 pm at Element Church in Cheyenne, WY

We hope to see you there!