Finished Up School!

I finished full-time language school today! What an incredible feeling to complete the program! I will continue to take 3-4 hours a week to improve, but I am thankful for how the Lord has helped me along this journey! Indeed, All things are possible with Christ!

My Feelings...In all Honesty...

So, I am sure that you all gave up on this post. I can come up with a million reasons why it has taken me 2.5 weeks, instead of two days, to write this including being busy, sick, having sick little ones, and such, but I should have made time for it. Sorry.

I recently received a card with these words:
"It's an uncertain world that we live in
where so much keeps changing so fast,
And things that we thought we could count on
too soon become things of the past..."

Wow, this so describes the situation in my land. The voting is taking place and we still don't know the outcome, there was a short calm period, and then, out of nowhere, more violence, deaths, protests, etc. I must say that I was discouraged to hear about the recent activity this past weekend, but, at the same time, it is so evident that the Lord is using this to show the people the reality of Islam. So, sometimes there is a struggle within myself. There is a part of me that wants to live in a stable environment where I don't have to worry about when I might be trapped inside my home and having enough food if we are, if I will have to wear the hijab or not, if my friends and family will ever visit me or not because they feel there are security issues, if I need to watch the news to know what parts of the city to avoid. However, I know I keep saying this, but I truly believe that God is preparing hearts in all this to bring people to Him. I believe this with my whole heart. I pray for more laborers right now. The people are opening their hearts and minds. They are listening and receiving Bibles. How could I want anything different than God's will. This is what we are here for. Maybe it is God's will for things to get better, but in these times, with my uncertainty, how could I ask for anything except for the Lord's will to be done. So, maybe, there will be more gunfire outside of my ground floor apartment and there will be moments of doubts and fears. I don't think this will happen, but God is our rock shield, fortress, deliverer, high tower... My prayer is for God's strength and boldness. I know I need God. I know that I can not do anything without Him, and there are times that I confess that to Him and beg Him for the strength and boldness that my family and I need, and also for the attitude to serve Him willingly and joyfully. I read a quote the other day, "I find that it is not the circumstances in which we are placed, but the spirit in which we meet them that constitutes our comfort."-Elisabeth King. It is our attitude that often stinks when our walk with the Lord isn't what it needs to be.

I love the country which God has placed me. If my friends and family would all move here then I would never need to leave. :) My greatest fear is actually in a time where visas are terribly difficult to come by, that we would have to leave. The Lord has knitted my heart with the people and the work here. I am really looking forward to getting this language down so that we can focus on ministry and watch the Lord work in the hearts and lives of the people.

Why No Change…The True Need…

The people of the country are looking for change in the wrong places. They look to the government to protect, provide, and please them. They are looking to men to provide them with things that we know come from the Lord.

1.) God is our strong tower, shield, fortress, rock…when we have trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation, we are in the Hands of the Lord and He covers us with his wings.
2.) God provides for our every need. He gives us each day our daily bread. He promises to clothe, shelter, and feed us as we seek first the Kingdom of God and make Christ the center of our lives.
3.) We find comfort, joy, and peace from God alone. He is the God of all comfort! In Him alone can we find joy no matter what the circumstances are, and through Him we can have a peace that passes all understanding!

We know that after Christ is preeminent in this country, then the politics will follow.

The true need here, the same as any country, is first a spiritual need, which demands laborers. “So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God,” Romans 10:17. “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” Romans 10:14.

We truly believe that God is using the things that are going on here to open people’s eyes to the deadness and wickedness in the false religions. Even the muslims, are readily accepting Bibles and are asking questions about God’s Word. Is God working to fulfill his prophecy in Isaiah 19?

What's Going On...My Perspective...

Part 1 in a 3 Part Series: What's to come:

2) Why No Change?...The True Need…
3) My Feelings…In All Honesty…

The country is in a state of limbo. When we arrived 17 months ago, the country was considered a mostly Islamic country but with a large amount of religious freedom and stability (safety). However, shortly after our arrival, we began hearing of Coptic churches being burned and the people being attacked. Then in January of this year, the youth of the country decided that they had enough. They had enough of being arrested and tortured without cause. They had enough of the government taking their money when they could barely afford to put food on the table. They had enough of the same president that had been in place for 30 long years, and they really didn’t want to see his son take his place. So, after 18 days of protesting, over 840 deaths, and 6,000 injuries, Mubarak stepped down and turned his power over to the military.

So, what has happened since then? The country became a free state, the economy has improved, people are treated fairly, and everyone is satisfied and content, right?? Wrong. The crime rate has gone up, and, according to the people, the economy is even worse than before. Therefore, in the last month, the youth has gone back to the square. We have seen a couple of weeks of violence, with a break for parliamentary elections that were held on Monday and Tuesday, and which will be continued December 14.

These elections are supposed to be the first in more than 30 years that were not fixed. They are particularly important because the members will take a big part in writing the country’s new constitution. The candidates consist of both secular and religious groups. The most extreme group is known as ‘Salafi’. If this group takes the country, every women will be made to veil, the pyramids will be closed, and tourism will no longer be an industry. Of course, churches of any type will not be allowed. The second group (more well-known) known as the ‘Muslim Brotherhood’ or the ‘freedom and justice party’ are a little more lenient but still have a strong Islamic influence. I believe they would heavily tax Christians and other non-muslims, and try to force them out of the country. We hear a lot about these parties, mostly bad in our neighborhood, but when we ask who the people want in office, the large majority of the people answer, “I honestly don’t know.”

Please keep the country and these elections in your prayers. Tomorrow, I will continue with “Why No Change…The True Need…” in sha allah (Lord willing).

Glory be to God for one saved!

Selwa, a 24 year old coptic girl that babysat for us when we first came here, came over to the house today to visit. She sat with tears in her eyes and told me about problems she was going through and how she wanted to go to america or any other country. The conversation quickly turned to religion and I asked her to tell me how she believed she would go to heaven, being that many people call themselves "christians" but believe very differently. After not being able to give me a good answer and changing the subject back to her problems, I was able to tell her my testimony and explain to her that her true need was a personal relationship with Christ through faith alone. She was very interested; it was very obvious that the Lord was working. I sat down with her and lead her through the plan of salvation. After taking much time to make sure she understood, she told me this was something she wanted to do at the time. This young lady began praying in a standing position with her palms up, like the coptics do, but ended it on her knees, face down, begging God to save her.

There was a very sweet moment in the middle of the time we were talking, after going over Romans 10:9-13, that it looked like a light bulb went off in her brain. She said, I always thanked God for the cross and for loving me, but never thought to ask Him for salvation.

She left with gratitude and joy. She talked about how she was going to tell her family. Then, she asked if we could explain it to her sister as well. Thank GOD!!

I am so humbled and overjoyed to see God work in such miraculous ways!!! -Just last night, I felt defeated. - God is Good!!!

"Want to go home?"

So, I haven't written in a while. The last couple of months have been super busy. We have upped our hours in language school and will up them again next week. The kids are doing well. Joshua is potty training and finally getting the hang of it, and Sandy is beginning to talk a little more. I have been a little worried about her speech, but I believe it is coming slowly due to her hearing two languages everyday.

Now that Ramadan is over, I am not sure what to expect to happen in the country. Elections are supposed to be in the next few months (it's difficult to know exactly because they keep changing the month and never give an exact date). The islamic extremists are coming out from under the woodworks and really working their way into the runnings. While the educated population is against these men, the average person (majority) seems to want these men in office.

I battle with thinking on these things and continuously reading the news. My heart will become uneasy, and then the Lord reminds me of His promises. Here is an excerpt from one of my devotions a couple of weeks ago:

Psalm 94:3,6-14,16-19,22-23 – The psalm begins by the psalmist praying for vengeance against those that are boasting in iniquity and hurting and murdering the Christians, widows, and fatherless. Then, it is as the Lord is saying, ‘I made the ear and formed the eye, of course, I hear and see what is going on. I chastise the heathen, of course, I will correct also. I teach knowledge, of course, I have knowledge. But, blessed is the man that I chasten and teach out of my law. For, I will not cast off my people or forsake them.’ “Who will rise up for me against the workers of evildoers? Or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity? Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence. When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O Lord, held me up. In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.” Then, he speaks about how they are accusing him and he is innocent, but how the Lord is our defense and refuge.

The Lord is showing me that He hears, sees, and knows what is going on in the world. He will avenge the heathen, but He will also chastise the believers. He says, I know what they are doing wrong, but I also know what you are doing wrong. Then, He asks who will stand up against them. I don’t believe He wants someone else who will rant and rave against them or to give revenge. I believe He wants someone who will tell them the gospel. Then, the psalmist said, I am falling, but the Lord had mercy and held me up. He gave comfort and delighted my soul in the midst of tribulation.

Lord, Father, God, Savior, I understand now that You know what is going on in the world and will get revenge. Yet, You want me to focus more on my life and walk with You and minister to those evildoers and workers of iniquity. Help me to set my focus and to continually be a witness for others. I love You, Jesus! Amen.

Recently, someone asked me, "Doesn't that just make you want to go home?" I have to say, "No, definitely not." My Lord is Great and He deserves all honor, glory, and praise. Please pray with me for boldness to do His will.

A Year, Already!?!

Cant believe we have been in Egypt a year now. Two weeks ago, I walked into the bedroom one night and told David how happy I was that the first year was coming to an end. I made it. From what I heard, that was the most difficult time for missionaries. Then, after that, I had one very difficult week-maybe the worst since the first month. Lonely, disappointed, stressed (did I say lonely?) - these are a few of the emotions I was experiencing. I thank the Lord that He saw me through it, and I am doing much better now. I have learned that there will always be trials, but the Lord is always there to help me through them. An attribute that I love about Him is His LOVINGKINDNESS!

This past year I have been shocked by:

*How difficult it was to find and buy furniture to set up our home. Then, how long it took to get it delivered. "Really, you can't deliver before 60 days?"

*How the Lord used Churches to provide for our needs and encourage us through prayers and letters and cards.

*How it can be so fun and frustrating at the same time to learn a language.

*How many american items I can get in this city!

*How religious the people are. Didn't realize that a country could be so religious. -But how easy it is to witness to people because of this. :)

*How quickly things can change. Aka-the revolution.

The Lord has been so good to me this past year. There have been some tough times and there still are, BUT, there are so many MORE GREAT times. God's grace has been so evident to me and to my family. And those tough times have grown me closer to Christ!

Culture Shock or Sin?

In the last week, I have heard so many people talk about how much they hate Israel. It seems like most of the people in this country does not even think of them as people and would love for the people of Israel to be slaughtered like cows. This has added to some frustration I have had (like feeling used all the time) and I have found myself with a very bad attitude towards the people I am supposed to love and serve.

And then it hit me: CULTURE SHOCK! Right!?!?

I spent some time talking to David about these things a few nights ago. He agreed with me that some of the things we have recently heard (not on television, or through the "grape vine", but from people we know) have been horrible things. Then, he discussed the idea of culture shock. Does it happen? Certainly! But the Biblical term for my thinking was "Sin". Ouch. Without realizing it, I had made an excuse for my sin. So thankful that my husband was so honest with me so that I was able to confess it to the Lord and ask Him to help me to love people as He does.

Matthew 5:43-48 - Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

God's Still in Control!

When I came to the field nine months ago, I must say, I thought it would be a fairly "quiet" place. Naive, I guess, I thought that since the main industry of the country relied heavily on tourism, everything would remain relatively peaceful in order to keep the money coming. Since we have gotten here many things have changed and I don't really know what to expect for the future. What I do KNOW is that The LORD is GOOD-all the time, and HE is in control.

Our trip to the states last month was good. I really enjoyed spending time with our family and visiting our churches. I learned a lot about trusting the LORD and relying solely on God for all things.

Now, we are back and getting used to some changes. Some good and some that will require adjustment:

Good:
-The people feel more liberated (or at least more hopeful for the future), and Christians feel more at ease to witness.
-More opportunities for us to personally witness because we can share the hope that we have in Christ when much of the city is afraid of what may come.
-The young people have cleaned much of the city and are trying to push people to keep the country clean.

Not so good:
-Many stores (including our "super center") is still not open due to the looting that took place last month, and the meat is more expensive than before. We went to buy beef last night and it was $8 for 1lb of regular ground beef. Needless to say, we didn't get any. Hoping to find it cheaper somewhere else tomorrow.

So, maybe you're wondering how I'm doing personally through it all. I'm ok. I cried on the way to America because I missed my friends and hated leaving them in such chaos. I cried on the way back because I missed my family and friends in the states and was worried about how my children would react to being away from Grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins again. But, the truth is, they are doing well and so am I, thank the LORD. There have been some tough times, but His grace is SUFFICIENT! I am not afraid to go out by myself during the day, but believe the Lord has given us wisdom to avoid certain parts of the city at certain times. I do appreciate your prayers. There are always attacks from within and without, but it is comforting to know that the Lord is on the throne, and we have friends across the world partnering with us in prayer.

Mixed Emotions

Since the bombing in Alexandria, which killed 23 people on New Year's Day, there have been many mixed emotions in the country. The coptic church that was bombed was filled with about 1000 people that attended a midnight service. The coptic religion does not teach that one may attain heaven by trusting in Jesus Christ alone as Savior. Therefore, we are even more grieved.

All of the "christian" community has been deeply effected. Many of our friends have cried while talking with us about what happened, while others have responded with extreme anger. The most encouraging thing that we have heard is that one of our language teachers told us that her muslim friend told her, "If this is what Islam is, then I don't want it anymore." Many coptic people are also scared and are looking for eternal security. Please pray for ALL of the Egyptians. Please pray that the Lord will use this for His glory, as we believe that He will.

For those of you that have called and written asking about our family, we honestly do not believe that we are in any more danger than we were before this happened. We just ask you to pray for the souls of the people here and that no more violence of this manner will take place.

"Does your husband love you?"

So, sitting in Church for two hours or more on Sunday Nights with a two year old and 9 month old is a little difficult to say the least. Tonight, I decided to go down stairs after the first hour and let Joshua play with the other kids. I sat right inside the door to the apartment and the doors always stay open. Tonight, a 22 year old muslim girl was walking by and came in to talk to me (thanks to my beautiful white children that everyone wants to touch). So, we had the basic conversation of what's your name, how old are you, where are you from, etc. Then, I asked her if she knew of Jesus. She said yes, and then said a few words that I don't understand yet. Then, I told her basically everything that I know how to say in arabic about the Lord. She grew a little quiet and then started asking me about my husband. She asked if he was American. Then she asked me if he was a good man. "Yes", I said. And before I could say anything else, she asked, "Does he love you?" (This is a question I have been asked more than once since I have gotten here.) I then explained to her that my husband does love me very much. I told her that my husband loves Jesus and Jesus loves him. And the Bible teaches him to love his wife. I pray to tell these women that "yes, my husband is a good man, and he does love me, but it is because of the Lord. I want them to see the love of Christ.

Please pray for this young lady. She is 22 years old and currently engaged. I believe with all my heart that the Lord brought her into a CHURCH tonight because He is trying to reach her.

David's blog!

www.heisworthy.wordpress.com

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Eid Al Adha

I woke up to sounds of a big celebration this morning: Firecrackers, music, and kids laughing and having fun. It made me sick. Today, is a holiday for the muslims called Eid Al Adha. It means sacrifice. Simply put, everyone got up and went to the mosque around 5:30 this morning. Then, they went to their homes and took their animals they had bought and slaughtered them. If they had yards, this was done in their yards, but for most of the city it was done in the streets and many of the streets are filled with blood. After that the meat is butchered, and all of it is eaten within the next three days. This is done with hopes of improving their chances to go to heaven.

As we walked around our neighborhood this morning, we watched as the poor people stood outside the gates of the villas, waiting for some meat. It is very important for them to eat some of the sacrificed meat. I watched as one lady received a peace and held it so proudly. Her children were rubbing on it. It brought them hope.

Lord, please use us in this needy land. We know that you are the living sacrifice and their is no need for any other. Use us, Lord, to spread Your Word. Send more laborers into the field for Your glory. We love you, Lord Jesus!

God is so good. God is so good. God is so good to me! The last couple of weeks have been difficult, yet rewarding. The weather is finally cooling down!! Yay! I thought we were over the worst of the heat when we had a couple of cool days in the beginning of October, but it warmed back up to the high 90"s and we even saw 5-6 days in October over 100 degrees. Now, the weather is absolutely beautiful. Highs in the low 80's and lows in the mid 60's. We are trying to spend all the time we can outdoors and take advantage of this!

I have had a chance to meet up and begin a relationship with a girl that works at Pizza Hut. Her name is Rasha. She is about 26 years old, been married for about a year and is a follower of Islam. Our conversation is limited right now, but I pray to be a witness to her more as I learn the language. Please be in prayer.

I have dealt with some culture shock during the last couple of weeks and have been a little homesick. I think some of it is because it is normal for the amount of time we have been here and some of it is because I have been thinking about the holidays coming up. The holidays will be different without the big family get-togethers. However, it is my desire to see the Lord glorified here in Egypt and I am so glad to be here, doing His work. Also, David, O what do I say! There's no words for my husband. He is the most incredible man I know. He is the most godly man I know. His life convicts me. When he prays for something, I Know the Lord is going to answer. He treats me like a queen. He is an amazing dad. And, he is a bold witness to those he is around!! So thankful that God gave me the most wonderful husband in the world!! I sure do love him!!

Also thankful that my kids have been so healthy since be have been here!!

I didn't mean for so much time to pass before writing. Things have been so busy. We have settled into our new house and it is beginning to feel more and more like home. Joshua had a difficult time for a while. I believe he went through some culture shock, even though I never predicted that one since he is so young. We celebrated his second birthday last weekend! We had a nice party with americans, egyptians, and family that attended via skype. Sandy is six months now, and is such a blessing! She is a wonderful baby! She cut her first tooth a few days ago. I can not believe how fast both of my children are growing and developing. Please pray with us for wisdom and persistence as we train them up for the Lord.

Language school has been difficult, but rewarding. It is so nice to be able to pick out a few words when people are talking and to be able to say some sentences. I stay with my children in the Church nursery on Sunday mornings. That used to be one of the most difficult times for me. I was lonely, and even though I was with other women, I wasn't able to talk to them hardly at all. This Sunday I left feeling so good about what I was able to say and understand. Don't get me wrong, I know I have a long way to go, but we're making progress.

David is doing great! I am so proud of him; I always am! He is so determined and works so hard to get this language down. He is a bold witness to those he is around. Not to mention, that he is the best husband and father in the world!! I truly love him more and more everyday!

Always thought I would dread cooking from scratch on the mission field, and it is more time consuming. However, it has really become a hobby. I love looking for new recipes and trying new things. I made a buttery apple cake tonight. Just tried a bite. It was ok. David likes it. I'll probably give most of it away tomorrow because we don't need it (health and weight wise), but hopefully it will make someone happy and it was very inexpensive.

Thankful for God's Goodness!

We have pretty much finished setting our house up and are getting ready for language school. I am so thankful that my husband came and found us the perfect apartment. The pastor we are working with told us that he believes our place is a gift from God. I agree with him. We have begun learning some of the language by talking with people, but we start classes in just a couple of days. David is doing great. He learned some arabic before we came which helped tremendously when talking to taxi drivers and getting our furniture. I thank God for giving me the best husband in the world!

The kids are adjusting well and are starting to get on a flexible schedule. Joshua is already using some arabic words! Not just repeating them! We are thanking God for his goodness to us!

Progress

It was really hard for a while after Mom and Carrie left, but I am doing better now. We have gotten more of the necessities for the house, but still need a few more pieces of furniture and appliances. We found a language school, and yesterday we checked out a daycare which was walking distance from it. All I was thinking about the whole time we were there was that kids movie - Matilda. Wow, the lady that ran the school had a strong sense of darkness about her, and we were told at least 10 times that our children would have regular health checkups because they had doctors on call and would receive their vaccinations there. Scary! I wouldn't trust them with my children's daily needs and I sure wouldn't want them giving them medicines. We will be checking out another nursery and will be meeting women we have recommendations for. Pray for the Lord to lead in this area as I need to leave my children a few hours each day to learn the language. Oh- by the way- we can make it home 99% of the time without getting lost! :) Praise the Lord! We are making progress.

Settling In

We are getting a lot of our shopping done to set up our house. We have some furniture ordered, but won't get it for about a month. Almost everything is made on demand, and we have to wait for it. We have bought a washing machine, but won't be able to get it for another week. We are really looking forward to getting it. There's a lot of washing to do in this heat and dust. Everything has to be washed everyday. When we got here, we were facing 108-109 degree weather. It has cooled down some now, and from what I hear, it may be a little cooler than it is in GA. Temps will go back up here on Monday though.

The Beginning of our New Life

We made it to Egypt safe and sound! David picked out a great apartment, and it was nice having a home to come to. (I love my husband who worked so hard to find us a wonderful place to live and had the necessities ready for us when we came in.) Life here has been very different. More different than I expected. Shopping has gone well. We now have a bedroom suit and a sofa and love seat. It is hard to find furniture that is not really expensive or terribly cheap. We have been working hard to get things done ASAP. We are usually out by 9:30 and do not finish until about 9 or 10:00. Then, we unpack and clean.

Culture shock has got us a few times. More people than I expected don't like us. We usually have ladies try to curse us and our children at least 2-3 times a day (Not David, he fits in!). But, I must say, the people who like us are really hospitable and loving. People assume we are rich and try to rip us off. And, we get lost every time we come home. haha. Today, we were right around the corner and didn't know it. This city is confusing and everytime the taxi brings us home we go a different way! Crazy.

We have almost everything here. We have found some good places to shop that are not far from home. This is a blessing.

We are attending Bro. Thomas' Church on Sundays and Thursdays. It is all in arabic. The people there are very friendly and Bro. Thomas' wife, Ruth, really seems to love Joshua and Sandy. She doesn't speak english, but she has a good spirit about her.

Mom and Carrie seem to be having a good time. They have never been outside the states and it has shocked them. We have all learned a lot. They have been a tremendous help. I can't imagine doing all we have without them. It would have definitely taken us a lot longer.

Thanks for all of you that have prayed and written. I will get back to you personally when things slow down some. Keep writing though. It sure is encouraging.

Still in GA

Well, after a long day of packing and repacking suitcases. I went to the airport with my children, mom, and sister. We said our farewells to my Dad and other siblings, nieces, and nephews, and got onto the plane with the thoughts of not seeing each other again for years. Well, after sitting on the plane for over three hours, they made the announcement that for the first time in 21 years the plane would not take off due to technical difficulties. We took our carry-ons and sleeping children, got on Marta at 12:30am and met my Dad to head back to my parents. Tomorrow will be filled with more goodbyes and probably more tears, but I am thankful to the Lord Jesus for allowing the mechanics to find this problem with the plane and to keep us safe. I believe prayers were answered for our safety. Thank you all for praying. The Lord is so good to us-all the time! I am enjoying experiencing the Lord- His mercy and His grace!