Pages

March 26, 2009

praying for courage,..

REALLY quick... cause I dont know the next time I will be able to connect. We leave in about 5 days. YAY!

- we are still trusting that our VISAs will come in. we were told that they were "being assesed"

- the art show was a blast and every piece has new home..

Hopefully the next post will be from the other side of the planet!!

March 17, 2009

Getting to the limit of the possible....


ART SHOW TODAY!!

_____________________________________



From Western P-A to Western Australia.

Exactly two weeks until we leave.

-overview
-last two weeks
-pictures

In case this is the first time you’ve tuned in to our tiny little program here… a QUICK insight to what we are doing. If you would rather skip it -- move on to the grey text.

Matt and I are leaving for 6 months. We will be working/volunteering in Youth With A Mission, possibly the biggest mission organization in the world. I explain it like this; its kinda like the Peace Corps with a biblical foundation. YWAM, Perth has a broad variety of specific ministries with focuses such as medical/clinic teams, birth attendant teams, maintenance and construction teams and so on all for practical needs. But also training and equipping teams of people with a heart for art/media/music ministry, counseling, or abolishing slave trade. The core of all of that though is to grow in a deeper relationship with God and change lives by sharing him with others- letting hands and feet do the talking. Teams are usually “stationed/trained” in Perth, Australia for 3 months and sent out for 3 months to a ministry location along the Indian Ocean area. Recently, we found out that our outreach location MAY BE Cape Town, South Africa.
For your prayers, from my past experience praying for the country of South Africa; culturally they have dealt with serious racial issues provoking deep wounds that influence all areas of society. The extreme diversity of YWAM, christians from around the world working in unity in the Holy Spirit, will create a humongous impact. (prayer and financial support info at the bottom of the page)
When we come back at the end of September it is our heart that we will be able to staff and train others in a base in the U.S.

The last few weeks have been a rollercoaster of experiences and circumstances. As we moved out of our apartment we were offered a house to stay in for 2 weeks while some friends of ours were on a mission trip to Ecuador. A definite humbling blessing to acquire some alone time before floating in and out of families’ homes and onto community living in Perth. After that we found out that Verizion, our cell phone company, does not charge the usual shut off fee if a person can verify that they are leaving the country. Also after some late international phone calls we were told that both of us did not need to apply for a Visa, just Matt does and then I am a ‘dependant’ on that VISA-- so just one charge for both! We applied a while ago and have called to check up on the status of that still-expensive little sticker and it is -we are told- ‘still processing’. All and all though God has DEFINITELY confirmed that we are ‘gonna be ok’, financially, direction, peace- you name it. Keep the prayers fly n’!


Pictures


Streets of silver


























Matt the amazing!







The murals of Franklin.. luv em!
















Happy st.pattys day. (shot in Pitt a couple weeks ago)

The view from the house we stayed at...

March 5, 2009

"You're leaving already?"


We've come a long way, and haven't even left the out skirts of town.

26 days till we leave. March 31. . .

I would rather not be reminded.

Franklin is a laid back, chill, tortoise of a town. Some days that pace is great, others it provokes stress for those that naturally like a stronger, swifter current. While we are frantically packing up our stuff for storage, applying for our international visas, floating from temporary living space to temporary living space... we are waiting on Matts FBI check to come in, waiting to hear back from different sponsors that have stepped up to support us, waiting for gaps of our finances to be filled in, waiting to finally say Matt's CD is finished.
Our faith is being tested.

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." romans 12:12


Thursday Matt came home early. I assumed at first that he was using vacation time of some sort; but the look on his face said it all. His voice cracked under his breath, "I got laid off." He wasn't the only one, they just knew he was leaving soon anyway. Why not right? After a long walk and a uncomfortably quiet afternoon he said "I feel at peace though Steph, God is gonna take care of us". He's right. Nothing has changed. Though I have to speak those words to hear them as well as say them. Im not going to say some thing cheesy like "God is on our side"-- But I do believe that to bring light (optimism, perseverance) to something our faith is inevitably going to be challenged. We have many of witnesses; who believe we are just doing a 'good thing'- working in third-world countries. This call, our vision, is to do more than a 'good thing',.... but to point in Gods direction and say "Hey man, couldn't have done this without the God of the universe."

THE NEW BROTHER BEAN where the art show will be in Seneca. March 20-21. If you google "Russ Black Insurance, Seneca, PA" it is in the plaza right across the street.





















Matt workn' on some new stuff...

















* * *


OUR APARTMENTe

Memories- whoahhh-oh-oh-oh memories.
































Bedroom & Bathroom at the apartment.^ v





























Art made in that apartment. Art that made that apartment.
Many pieces, were stored before I got a chance to snap their portrait.















Present to the Galloway youth Group v





























Murals- these I will miss.






































one of my favorate sketches ^above
In case your wondering the dog was a gag-gift xmas present this year. Paris Hilton anyone?
Pack n' up...
























"God can do nothing
until I get to the limit of the possible"
--Oswald Chambers