The Naked Truth About Deputation: Can You See Through My Eyes?

I want to preface this post by saying, it is my desire to help future missionaries, current deputation missionaries, and those who desire to minister to deputation missionaries. I love keeping things real, but I always try to keep things positive. I have spent the last five weeks being very positive in my "Delightful Deputation" series, but I want to be a little more blunt... a little bolder about some of the realities and difficulties of deputation. I pray that it doesn't come across as harsh, ungrateful, or complaining. Our family has been on the field for a while, and we had a lovely deputation! We did, however face many of the hardships that come with deputation.

I also want to thank the ladies who gave me some insight into the difficulties they have faced or are facing as they travel. Not once did they come across as complaining as they opened up and shared their hearts.

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Wednesday's Wonderings...

On the mission field it's hard to find what you've been used to so you learn to substitute with what you have available.  What are your best and favorite Kitchen Substitutions?

County Fair Funnel Cake Recipe

Here in sunny Jamaica it is just as warm and {sunny} as..... 4th of July in my beloved Missouri.

I grew up in a small town where the fair was a big deal.  The food was my favorite part.  Anytime our little town would have any kind of get-to-gether there would be funnel cakes and my sisters and I would be in line waiting for them.  Good times and sweet memories.

A few weeks ago, my husband was thinking about funnel cakes and he played with a couple recipes until he perfected this one.

I'll admit we eat them as a meal.
I'll admit we barely let them cool off.
I'll admit we get powdered sugar e-ver-y-where.

He honestly tried to use a funnel from his tool box that he works on the engine with.....but we settled on a ziploc bag with the end snipped off.  Much better and cleaner.

This was so much fun for my kids and the whole family loved eating them.  I was surprised at how fast and easy it was to make them.  I LOVE recipes that have normal ingredients in them.

County Fair Funnel Cake Recipe
3 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups milk
3 2/3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
vegetable oil, for frying

1. Take your 3 eggs (ours our fresh out of our chicken coop), sugar, and milk and beat them all together like you're mad at them.
2. Add in the dry ingredients and continue beating it until it is smooth and creamy.
3. Fill your skillet with the oil and turn on medium heat.  It needs to be deep.  If you need to conserve oil use a smaller skillet.  Note:  I use my cast iron skillet.
4. If you have a funnel, pat yourself on the back because you're special.  (If you don't skip to #5)  Put your finger over the end of funnel and fill it up.  Hold over hot grease and careful start swirling it into the cooking oil.
5.  If you don't have a funnel you can use a zip lock bag and just snip off one edge.  Works just dandy.
6.  Brown both sides and remove immediately to a plate with a paper towel on it.
7.  We sprinkle powdered sugar...lots of powdered sugar.  You can also top it with brown sugar, honey, cinnamon sugar or hershey's syrup.

Try not to burn your tongue! 

Note: I strain and reserve my oil to conserve and reuse it,  especially since the cake leaves no funny taste behind.

Have a lovely day, Maria

The Many Jobs of a Missionary ~ Parent

A few years ago, a supporting pastor of our teammates came to visit their work. My teammate was teaching the women at our monthly ladies' group that month; and after finishing her theological lesson, commenced a mini-lesson on proper table manners. At one more slightly intrusive point, the supporting pastor's wife, who had come along to our ladies' meeting and was trying to get the gist of the mini-lesson, gave a surprised laugh with the side-whisper to me, "Wow, she's brave." I laughed with her, because my teammate is brave; but I defended my teammate with this comment:

"Well, sometimes, we take the role of a parent."

We love them like our own!

This again was an unforeseen role that I find myself taking often--never having been asked to, but often feeling shoved into the role--and I don't mean for my own children!

On any given day, if you came by our house in the afternoon, you would see anywhere from 10-30 village kids (mostly boys) playing here. They enjoy the grass and our garden, the possibility of a free ball, the novelty of white playmates--maybe just a change of pace, I'm not completely sure. But I am almost sure that their parents/guardians do not know where they are. For hours.

One time, several boys began to be in the bad habit of sneaking in without announcing themselves in their own traditionally respectful way, and hiding around the corner of the house. I would be sitting at the kitchen table homeschooling my eldest and see a shadow flit past the window. I, having recently been thinking again about Charlotte Mason's (a 20th-century educator) philosophy of training right habits, went out, and decided to take it upon myself to teach them the proper way of respecting others' property. I instructed them, made them repeat back to me what I'd said (since you never know if they understood otherwise), and then made them practice announcing themselves the right way (according to their cultural customs!) three times each. (I was easy on them; Charlotte Mason suggests 10 times, I believe.) :)

Recently, a boy, who did not remove himself from our garage when we'd warned him to, walked right into steel poles that we use for our church building project that some other boys were transporting into the garage at the time. His head wound bled profusely. Seth put on some gloves (HIV/AIDS is always a concern) and patched him up in the dim light of dusk. When we visited the home to explain, his guardian was unconcerned.

Seth frequently includes other boys on outings with our own. Here, enjoying a hike on a nearby tree farm.

If you saw how we handled some of the youth here, you may think we overstepped our bounds; but after time, we have become more bold, taking on more of a parent-teacher role than would be permissible in American culture. A few months ago, a boy (whom we didn't know well) became violently angry at another boy during their play in our yard. He went home and returned with a kitchen knife intending to harm the other children who had denied his desires. When Seth was told, he applied corporal punishment--more gently than if it were our own child. Yet the boy yelped and dodged and scurried away afterwards with his tail between his legs. We have not seen him back to play. I am sure he was embarrassed. Harsh, say you? But we must protect our children and the others playing here. And no one else will intervene to save his soul from the path he is now on.

Time would fail me to tell all the stories of our own, as well as of other missionaries who have, for all practical purposes acted as literal foster parents--taking children in, feeding them, clothing them, and paying for schooling.

We have frequently had to expel children from our yard (for the day or week) for lying, disobeying our authority, disregarding our garden and ruthlessly breaking plants or killing baby birds, or most recently, repeatedly stealing right out of our chest freezer in our garage.

Then when we come to the teens, the troubles become more severe. Many girls in our youth group have become pregnant or endangered themselves through reckless dating and disobedience of their parents. A handful of times when coming home after dark on the village roads, Seth (sometimes with our family in the car) has stopped to tell an immorally active teen couple by the side of the road to go home, and has rebuked them for immorality, and at the least, the possibility of contracting AIDS.

On a lighter note, we have supported teens by attending important functions where they were honored or gave a speech, but their parents didn't go. Or by attending an important soccer game. Or by funding them for an important field trip or school function.

Four of our children.

At least five different mothers of our church youth have come to us asking for help to get their teenagers to listen to them. I say mothers, because in our youth group, very few teens have ever even met their fathers (or know who they are). None have fathers at home.

Those who have fathers and know them live in a distance relationship with the father, seeing him 1-3 times a year at holidays when he comes home from his job in a far-away city. This fatherless-ness has completely destroyed the African understanding and placing of value on family. Fathers are unnecessary, mothers rule and support the home, and poverty is a can kicked down the road every time another teen mother gets pregnant in order to receive yet another governmental "child" grant.

The children are destitute of caring instruction and nurture, and yet few are even aware of the drought of true parental love parching the land. So the cycle continues. We are trying to break this generational sin and misunderstanding by example and by teaching the few Christians under our influence--and sometimes, by adopting the role of parent when it seems that no one else is.

A young Christian father with his daughter and wife at church.

Some of our youth have become men and women now. We enjoy the adult conversations, even though we also have tasted--before our children are of age--that youthful "wisdom" that comes back from university ready to instruct experienced wisdom on how to better change the world, mixed with youthful blindness at the differences between village and city ministry (for one example).

My mom always thought the 20s were harder to parent than the teens; and I'm seeing that in our "adopted" kids, as we wonder sometimes, how much to pick? How much to say? We hand out dating advice, try to match some pairs up so they are not ensnared by non-Christians, and Seth has pounded the pavement at a near town not a few hours to find jobs for some of the young men.

Seth instructed high school students to clean up their classroom before beginning an outreach economics course last week.

From teaching youth in our pick-up truck to say "Thank you" for the lift, and not to throw their trash out on the side of the road, to breaking up literal fights between teen boys duking it out in front of our gate, to mediating between shouting mothers and silent, rebellious daughters, we have seen the importance of God's plan for the family.

To have so many "children" is tiring and emotionally wearing, but it is a necessity. Christian parents, step it up! Change your world (and your kids' world)--by being a parent who follows Christ.

Delightful Deputation (Part 5) The Facility for Training

Delightful Deputation (Part 1) The Focus
Delightful Deputation (Part 2) The Family
Delightful Deputation (Part 3) The Fun
Delightful Deputation (Part 4) The Friendships

We were on deputation. We entered the church where we were scheduled to present, and we set up our display.  We were ready. We looked sharp. Boys in ties and suits. Girls in lovely long skirts and nice blouses. I think I was even having a fabulous hair day that day. We greeted people as they entered the church. Smiles all around...

Until someone walked up and said, "Oh, by the way, are you ready to teach that class?"

Five minutes before "the class" we found out we were teaching "the class."

Wednesday's Wonderings...

Hello Ladies! We're starting this new feature on our blog and hope for much participation! We have so many missionary women serving around the world with plenty of wisdom and experiences to share. If you can help answer a question or just have something to share, please feel free to answer in the comments below. Thank You!

What are some "do not forget" tips for closing up your house for short and long term furloughs? Especially for the wet seasons? Do you leave the water in your toilets? Do you take the pictures off the walls? Do you leave the house key with the landlady of a trusted neighbor?

Easy "Red Lobster" Biscuits + Biscuit Mix

Ahhh, Red Lobster!  Such a treat.  

You sit down.

Endure giving your drink order.

Fidget with the menu while glancing surreptitiously toward the kitchen.

Where. are. they?

You glance at your watch.  It's only been 3.5 minutes, but it feels like an hour.

Then.  The Biscuits.

What's the rule?  Do we bless the biscuits?  I don't know if they need blessing, but they surely deserve gratitude.  

Oh, I do thank you, Lord.  

Take one.

Break it open and watch the steam rise.  

Taste it...

The tiniest crunch, then tender bliss.

Your tastebuds do a happy dance, 

and you melt in your seat.

The Red Lobster biscuit.

Imagine my surprise when after about 15 years of experimenting, I finally hit upon an almost perfect re-creation?  The slightly crispy edge, the light-as-air texture, the melt-in-your-mouth melange of cheddar and garlic and what else is in there?  I thought it was perfection in a bite.  HOWEVER, I couldn't get my family's full endorsement: they keep insisting they are "better" than Red Lobster.  To me, that just means "different."  But I digress.  (Gotta stay humble after all). 

Easy {Red Lobster style} Biscuits

2 1/4 cups biscuit mix* (see below for DIY recipe)

1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese*  (I prefer medium sharpness.  Can't get it?  Don't despair, alternatives below)

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. parsley flakes

1/3 cup mayonnaise (secret ingredient #1)

2/3 cup seltzer water (secret ingredient #2...any carbonated water will do)

Preheat oven to 450F.

Stir biscuit mix, cheeses and spices together to incorporate well.  Add mayonnaise and stir gently until crumbly.  Add Seltzer/carbonated water, stir just until dough is evenly moist (will be lumpy).

Spoon 2 inch mounds onto cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.  

Yields 12-14 biscuits (your family will thank you).  These reheat beautifully (if they last that long).

*CHEDDAR LOVERS OF THE WORLD: Can't get cheddar in your corner of the world?  Try another medium-sharpness melting cheese.  When I was growing up in Mexico, we used Manchego for almost everything.  Edam is a good European alternative.

TIP:  Cheddar can be mailed!  If you have to pay $14 a pound anyway, it may be worth it to have family or friends send you some occasionally.  Cheddar cheese (in airtight packaging) does not have to be refrigerated.

Homemade BAKING MIX

6 cups flour

3 tablespoons baking powder

1 tablespoon salt (kosher is best :)

1 cup shortening (make sure it's the kind you don't need to refrigerate!)

Mix cut shorting into dry ingredients until evenly distributed (will be crumbly).  Store in airtight container for up to 6 months.

Click  here  for a full description (and due credit)

NOTE: This recipe makes slightly more dense (and moist) biscuits than my store-bought mix.  When looking for an alternative to "Bisquick" style biscuits, I found that these ingredients matched up the best to my box mix.  I made these into biscuits, as well, and they were yummy!

For Biscuits:

2 1/4 cups mix 

2/3 cup milk

Bake at 450F for 10 minutes

For Pancakes:

2 cups mix

2 eggs

1 cup of milk

COMMENT BELOW what kind of cheese do you cook with when you can't find cheddar?  (Please share your country).

The Many Jobs of a Missionary ~ Shepherd

"Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches." ~Paul

What minister cannot relate to this verse? We may not relate to all of Paul's list in the prior verses summarized in "beside those things that are without"; we may not relate to the word "all"; but the word "care"--that is a weight that those in the ministry know.

Last year I shared some of that weight in my meditation on the failings of one young person in our church. (I shared that here 2 weeks ago.) December to January for our ministries here seem fatal at times to the spiritual growth of many of our young people. We have few adults in the church, so we often concentrate our hopes and efforts on a number of teenagers in our church, who are faithful regardless of parents' lack of spiritual influence on their lives. We hope that "getting them young" will help them to be solid church members as they grow older. About now is the time when we should be seeing some of this glorious hoped-for fruit, as many of those who were teens when we began the church are now entering into adulthood.

But alas, as they get older, the temptations also get stronger--more adult-like. This last month, I might have written that meditation a few times over. Many of our youth have fallen into different sins--fornication, drunkenness, disrespect to parents, lying, having an unbelieving boyfriend or girlfriend.

In fact, at times I have to remind myself to still feel the "care" of the church, to not be weary in well-doing. I have to fight against the temptation to not care anymore about people's failures or to be cynical when I see spiritual growth, to not think when someone professes Christ, "Well, we'll see..." But after numerous failures, you feel protective for your heart against great excitement, because then the surprising plummet into discouragement can be long.

While writing this, I just received a text message from a former church member who recently had a baby out of wedlock, asking to restore her relationship (I'm not sure to what degree) to the church. Before that, I was meeting with a current teen church member to discuss lack of church attendance because of several issues of unsavory character over the Christmas school break. Before both of those cases, in the last two months, we had more than a handful of similar counseling sessions with other church members.

So for these latter two cases, I wanted to ignore them.

"Oh Lord, can't I please go hide in a book for a while and forget scraping my shins on dark, treacherous mountain passes trying to rescue another trapped lamb?"

"Lord, please, I already filled my quota for visitation this month! I'm trying to improve at reaching out to the women, but did you have to send five my way at once?"

"Lord, I already visited three others and sat in on sessions with others. I've already heard of the failings of too many this season. Can't I let this one go? I'm tired. I'm feeling lazy. (And they're willfully disobedient.) Can't I just let this one come back to church when she wants without having to be proactive to try to warn her from her way?"

And sometimes, you might even get the impression that the flock thinks, "What are you all worked up for? What are you hurt about? You chose this job. [especially missionaries] We didn't ask you to be here. And anyway, you're just a white person. You don't understand our culture."

So do we give up?

Of course not. What a futile question. Paul, who had the care of several churches, also said, "Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory."

And aren't you glad for the parable of Christ, the Good Shepherd, how he went seeking for the lost lamb and called others to rejoice with Him when He found it? Nowhere in that parable does He complain that He's had to do this before, in fact, too many times lately (99)! Will He always have to do this?

Yes. We will always have this job. Because we have been given a gift from our Heavenly Father: the opportunity to care for His church--the one He loved so much that He gave Himself for it to wash it clean.

Others have their weaknesses. We have ours. "Who is weak, and I am not weak?" And one weakness we shepherds need to watch out for is thinking too highly of ourselves, and thus, losing patience and care for others with their burdens.

"But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another."

And let us not be weary, fellow shepherds, brothers and sisters in Christ, in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Sunday Scriptures - Ecclesiastes 11:7

MK Spirit Week Round Up

 

 

Thank you to all those who particiapted in MK Spirit Week.

We laughed.

We cried.

We smiled.

We pondered.

But the most amazing thing is that we enjoyed an amazing time celebrating some great kids all around the world.

One final opportunity to link your blogs (see bottom.)  I will also be accepting any new photo submissions for the blog posts for a few more days at thewoons@yahoo.com .

A look back...

Crazy Mustache Monday
Crazy Hair/Hat Day Tuesday
Crazy Clothes Wednesday
Crazy for Christ Missionaries Thursday
Crazy Holiday Friday

From the amazing response received, I am thinking maybe we can now call it the First Annual MK Spirit Week... See you next year!

 

MK Spirit Week- Friday

A fun and crazy week for missionary kids around the world!

February 10th - 14th

For more information, CLICK HERE.

February 14th

Friday

Crazy Holiday

 

We know it is Valentine's Day,

but don't you ever feel sorry for those holidays

that never get recognition? Did you know February 14th

is also National Ferris Wheel Day in America?

Or what about National Sponge Cake Day (August 23rd)?

Or maybe your country has an interesting holiday.

Pick a crazy, unique holiday and get dressed up!

Be sure to wish us a Happy __________ Day!

National Cuddle Up Day January 6th

(Don't have a blog? That's OK. Send us a picture at thewoons@yahoo.com .

We will post a few of the pictures we receive right here. Be sure to include the participant's name and country.)

National Chocolate Chip Day May 15th
Michaela (Southern Asia)

National Lost Sock Memorial Day May 9th
We had a sock funeral...
Gabriel Woon (Southern Asia)

National Brownie Day December 8th
Ben (Southern Asia)

Abigail Petersen (Uganda) – National Pancake Day- March 4

Daniel Petersen (Uganda) – National Chocolate Day – July 7^th

Abigail and Daniel Petersen – National Cherry Cheesecake Day – April 23

Alyssa Tharp-Nordquist (Brazil) National chocolate milk shake day! Sept. 12

Mikayla (Albania)

National Popcorn Day - Jan. 19 and/or Popcorn Lovers Day - 2nd Thursday in March

Love the Bible Day

The Spillman Family and Yuki Funakoshi (Ukraine)

 

Happy Siblings Day from the Meyer Family! (April 10th)

(Mexico)

 

Means Family (Mexico)

 

Mango celebrating National Dog Day (Stephens in Zambia)

MK Spirit Week- Thursday

A fun and crazy week for missionary kids around the world!

February 10th - 14th

For more information, CLICK HERE.

February 13th

Thursday

Crazy for Christ Missionaries Day

 

Dress up as your favorite Crazy for Christ Missionary, past or present!

When I thought of a crazy missionary, there was only one name that came to mind...

 

Photo by permission

Althea Tharp-Nordquist (Brazil)

My version of this dear Crazy for Christ Missionary

(Don't have a blog? That's OK. Send us a picture at thewoons@yahoo.com .

We will post a few of the pictures we receive right here. Be sure to include the participant's name and country.)

(photo from http://www.militaryindependentbaptistchurches.com/site/ks/staff.asp)

 

Ben (Southern Asia) as Captain Ray Davidson, US Army Chaplin

(Photo from http://missionaryetexts.org/images/judson-lg.jpg)

 

Michaela (Southern Asia) as Ann Judson (Burma)

(Public Domain photo)

Daniel Petersen (Uganda) as David Livingstone

 

(Public Domain photo)

 

Abigail Petersen (Uganda) as Amy Carmichael

 

Mikayla (Albania) as her Father Michael

"I don't really want to be famous like Jim Elliot, because it seems like you have to die to be famous. I want God to be famous, but I want to love God like Jim Elliot."

"Maybe one day I'll go to the other side of the world to study the language so I can tell even more people about Jesus. I would like to be like Mrs Leah when I grow up."

 

Gibson Family NYC

Abigail and Felicty as Gladys Alward and her first orphan girl "Ninepence"

Meyers Family (Mexico)

 

Alyssa Tharp-Nordquist (Brazil) as Monica Tharp

 

JJ was his dad John Spillman, Yuki was his dad Masato Funakoshi, Steven was Bob Van Sant

Dani in the middle sitting down was John Steven O'Brien

Spillman Family (Ukraine)