Lessons Learned from My First Month on the Field

Lessons learned from my first month on the field

I would not normally think that I am used to instant gratification but upon arrival in Scotland it was blaringly obvious I was very much an instant gratification person. Not to say that I get angry when I don’t get what I want when I want, but I am not used to waiting and jumping through hoops constantly. Things started quickly enough thanks to the family I am working with. They had done the whole looking at apartment thing for me and found one that was perfect for what I needed not only in price but location as well. In fact, the day I landed I paid my deposit and first month’s rent and had my keys given to me. That is when the brakes hit and they hit hard! First things first of course, I needed to pick up my biometric card from the Post Office. The biometric card is my ID here in Scotland. It shows I have a visa and a right to be here. The official paper says you must pick up the card within 10 days of arriving in the country. So, two days later I went to the Post office to get it. What I hadn’t seen on the paper is that I actually wouldn’t be ready for pick up until I had been in the country 7 days. The ladies at the Post office were very kind but brought that to my attention. So I had to think, why is it, they threaten you with being removed from the country if you don’t get it within 10 days, but they don’t send it to you until 7 days after being in town? My friends told me that this was totally normal, although I don’t think I believed them at the moment! 

So, the next step is to get a bank account and a way of communication. Don’t worry I didn’t forget about the biometric card thing. The end of that story is coming. I go down to the local bank and tell them I want to open an account. Although I did have my American ID, they required I have a piece of mail from the government such as utilities or something that proves my address. Well, you would think that would be easy right? Wrong! My utilities are “pay as you go” and so therefore, no bill. I just take the special key card to a local store, put money on it and plug it into my machine and voila! Electric and heating! So the man at the bank said I needed something else. We looked into what I would need and made the necessary contacts to make that happen. The only problem, it would take about 2 weeks just to get that mail in. Meanwhile, I went to the mobile phone place to look into a phone. Their regulations are I must have a Scottish bank account. 

At least I did get to go to Ikea and Costco and get some much needed items and found some things on a good sale such as a bed frame (which I thought would be harder to come by for a good price). Once we got my bed frame put up, it was time to order a mattress. Went to the local mattress store, found a good one on sale and that was that. Or so I thought! When I paid for it, we discussed delivery. I could get it delivered but it wouldn’t be delivered for two and a half weeks! So we asked what if we just took it ourselves? Still won’t be ready for two and a half weeks. I had to resign myself to realizing I wasn’t going to be staying in my new flat for some time. 

Now back to the biometric card. I went in the exact date it said it would be ready. Nope! Not there. Once again sweetest ladies ever, and the one in charge said to check back in two more days. I also got an email address from her to email the proper place should it not come in. I was a bit worried and yes a bit frustrated. Now I began to understand what the missionaries were saying. 

Getting something done here is just plain and simply not easy. Oh, I love it here and everything about this country but I am realizing how good we had it in the states. After a few attempts at trying to find out if my official government paper had been sent out, it finally arrived. I was so excited! Finally able to open a bank account and just in time too, my next rent was due in 4 days! I happily took my ID and my paper with my name and address on it to the bank. I dealt with a different person that day. I gave her my required items and after a moment she said she didn’t think that would work. That not only did I need that official document, but I had to send the application back in and get what they called a National Insurance Number (which, by the way, takes over two months to get). I was almost heart broken. Then she said, wait, do you have a letter from your employer? If I could get a letter addressed to the Bank from my employer (aka the church) it would work instead. Well, of course, we could do that just fine! Wish someone had mentioned that the first time we went in!!! Went back an hour later with letter in hand and opened an account. I am too pampered in the states! 

Bank account in place and now it’s time to go get my mobile phone. That would be easy right? Walk in, tell them you want a phone, give them your bank account particulars, and immediately get denied because I haven’t been in this country long enough to build credit. Those pesky rocks of reality dashing my hopes and dreams again! I could have gone with “pay as you go” for that as well, but the phone price out of pocket was staggering and something I just didn’t want to do. Thankfully my amazing coworkers in the ministry offered to add a line to their account and I could pay them monthly for mine! 

So now the time comes for my mattress to finally be delivered and I get to stay in my own flat! I went grocery shopping and filled my fridge (which also was a huge and crazy story as to how I obtained that)! Decided it was time to try out my oven. Much to my dismay, there are absolutely NO markings on the oven. The thing is so old, it’s all worn away. I fiddled around with the stovetop and figured approximately what was a high setting and low setting. After about a month of waiting I was able to get a new one from the landlord.

You may wonder if things are starting to settle down? Yes they are and I am learning that I am not always going to find what I am looking for and that’s ok. The choices we enjoy in the states are not the same in other countries. You want a solid deodorant instead of a roll on or spray? That is hard to come by. So when you see it buy it, it may be the last one you find! How about canned chicken for easy meals? Every form of canned meat is on the shelves EXCEPT chicken. So I am learning. I am learning to find another way to do things. I am learning that if you see what you are looking for get it, because there is a huge chance it won’t be there tomorrow. And I am learning that that is ok. 

Amongst all this set back and frustration, one thing remains the same. My God! He is faithful and loving and has taught me a lot about leaning on Him even in these frustrations. I have begun to teach children’s church here on Sundays and by the end of the year, we will be starting a mid-week youth program as well. I am doing what I have always dreamed of doing and enjoying the lessons along the way. As I look out my window down to George Street here in the City Centre of Perth, I still have a hard time believing I am here. This is my new home! After traveling for 3 years of deputation, it’s strange to be buying a bed and a microwave and dishes and putting down roots. But it’s a good strange. Will things always be happy go lucky? No, we all know that. But one thing I will cling to for as long as God allows me to serve here in Perth: “Faithful is He who calleth you who also will do it."

By Deana Hewston

Missionary to Scotland

Scripture Sunday - Psalm 107:35

Photo by April - Missionary wife in Nepal

Trendy Thursday

All across the globe everyone in every culture has their own trends. Through time many have meshed together, but there are still hundreds of countries and tribes that daily dress in their own unique dress. In some countries everyone has the same national dress. In some countries, it is a melting pot of many cultures. In some countries, there are dozens of individual casts or tribes of culture.

As missionary ladies board a plane with their family and belongings and head to a foreign land, they many times step into lands of very different trends and styles. They many times seem very foreign and strange in the beginning. It can go against our group mindset. We are all comfortable inside our own "herd". And it can take time to adjust to a new genre of style. Others on the hand, may jump into the most wild and bombastic styles with much gusto. Either way, we all try to mesh and mingle into the culture as we minister, lead and love. That is if the national dress belongs in the context of, "clothed and in their right mind".

As the time passes, you find yourself being more attractive to the styles of the country you live in than the country you came from. The language of dress can be a blessing. When we can't speak clearly and we don't know all the cultural rules or procedures we can at least attempt to join the crowd and look the part. We will still probably make mistakes as we try to be "trendy, cultural in touch foreigners" but we will draw smiles and happy faces of the natives. They love to see foreigners embrace their way of life.

I thought it might be fun and interesting for all of us to see some of our missionary ladies and mini-ladies as they serve in their countries. They have filled their roles of pastors wife, friend and counselor with love and grace. They have embraced the culture the Lord has placed them in with joy and beauty. You will see many countries and sometimes some ladies such as myself who minister to different cultures in the same country.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Homemade Beef Jerky

Beef jerky - one of the frequently requested items in missionary care packages. A craving that makes us experiment on the field. Some internet research and a few attempts in the kitchen later and we have a recipe that now is our favorite, even more loved than the packaged jerky in the States.

Step one - Choose a lean cut of beef.
Step two - Cut it cross-grain in order to make it easier to chew once it is dried.
Step three - Prepare marinade.

Marinade instructions per one pound of beef

4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. chili powder (less depending on desired flavor)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. liquid smoke
1/2 cup water

Mix marinade ingredients together. Pour marinade into a container and place slices of meat in marinade. Allow to marinade in fridge for 24 hours.

Once you are ready to dry the beef slices, preheat the oven to 150 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius) for a Convection oven. We pat off each slice with a paper towel to prevent the jerky from being too salty or spicy once it is dried. Place the slices of beef about an inch apart on an oven rack as pictured below. Be sure to place a drip rack underneath as the marinade will drip off while the meat is drying. Allow the meat to dry for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Note: Whether or not you pat the marinade off the meat before drying or how long you allow the meat to dry is all up to you. You can try this recipe and decide more or less on the ingredients and time allowed to marinade and dry per your desired flavor and texture.

Once the meat is dried, we store it in an air-tight Ziploc bag or container. It usually doesn't stay there very long!

Scripture Sunday - Genesis 1:14

Photo By: Lisa Lyons - Missionary Wife in Japan

Her Story Silhouettes by Shari {#5 The Laughing Trio / God's Precious "Packages"}

Hey there, I'm Shari. One of my favorite things to do is read about or study the lives of those who have gone before us or who are walking beside us in this endeavor of being a missionary lady.* 

Their stories challenge me, encourage me, and teach me. My hope is that these "silhouettes" or glimpses of their lives will do the same for you.  

Each silhouette contains a small synopsis of a lady’s missionary service, a particular story from her everyday life that resonated with my own, and a short Bible study about a truth that I learned from it.  I hope that as you read these posts you might be challenged to find out more about these great ladies, that you might find something that speaks to your heart or helps you in your own ministry, and that ultimately you will be encouraged to remain faithful to your calling.

So grab a cup of tea, sit back and enjoy, and let me tell you about her story.

Silhouette:   

Evangeline French, born in 1869, was no coward and courted death many a time while she was growing up. She was definitely not of a genteel nature and did nothing half-way. At one point she exclaimed, “If I could take upon myself the world’s misery, I would - and jump into the sea with it.” Her sister quietly responded, “Eva, there is no need to do that. It was done long ago, on the cross.” Subdued by this thought a few weeks later she trusted Christ as her Saviour. There was an immediate change in her life, and she turned her passion and energy to the mission field. She applied to the China Inland Mission and Hudson Taylor accepted personal responsibility for her suggesting she go to North China. In 1893, at the age of 24, she arrived in Shansi 7 years before the Boxer Rebellion.

 

Also an adventurer by nature and full of spirit, Mildred Cable, born in 1878, was attending a special mission when she accepted Christ as her Saviour. A couple of years later she attended a meeting where a missionary to China was giving an update and she felt a calling to go. After finishing her study in nursing and chemistry, she attended the London University and studied human sciences. She had become engaged to a man who also desired to be a missionary in China, but in 1900 just as she was finishing her study, word came of the Boxer Rebellion and the slaughter of the “foreign devils” which included 58 missionaries and 20 children from the China Inland Mission. Her fiancé decided he would not go and would not marry her if she wouldn’t change her mind, as well. Although it broke her heart, she decided not to marry him because she was sure of God’s calling. In 1902, at the age of 24, she arrived in Shansi and began her work with Eva. Although the two were both headstrong, independent women, they developed a great bond that would prove to last a lifetime.

Francesca, born in 1871, was Eva’s younger sister by two years, and they were as different as night and day. Francesca was amiable and loved music and the arts. She was well read and adept at the art of persuasion. After an older sister married and their father passed away, she took upon herself the care of their mother.  When her mother passed away, as well, Eva and Mildred asked her to join them. “A threefold cord which could not easily be broken,” was their motto and they eventually became known as the Laughing Trio. 

They returned to the field in 1908 to the school that Eva and Mildred had set up in Hwochow which had around 200 students. For the next decade or so they went about setting up schools, churches, a rehabilitation center for opium addicts, and a mission that helped Moslem women. They trained “pioneer bands” which were groups of Chinese Christians who would take the Gospel into unreached territories and taught many people the Chinese phonetic script so that they could read the Bible for themselves. 

By June of 1923, they felt it was time to hand the work over to the Chinese Christians. They knew God was calling them to live a nomadic life and travel the Silk Road. The slow 3-mile per hour speed of those that traversed the Gobi Desert was perfect for “Gossiping the Gospel” along the way. In their first 8 months they travelled 1,500 miles until they reached the last city inside the Great Wall named the City of the Prodigals for the many criminals that passed through it. They spent the winter at a small mission station there where they helped a Chinese evangelist establish a Bible School. 

When summer came they were ready for their great adventure. They had a little two-wheel ox cart filled with Bibles in a vast array of languages provided by the Bible Societies in Shaghai and London. They also took along some bedding, a little bit of food, and a few cooking pots. Their goal was to go where no other missionary had been before and visit every oasis and village outside the Great Wall of China and “find the lost.” Everywhere they went they proclaimed the name of Christ. They were undeterred as they followed trade routes, traced faint caravan tracks, and searched out countless by-paths exploring the most hidden oases. They crisscrossed the Gobi Desert five times and endured the hardships of windstorms, thefts, warlords, violent soldiers, threats of death, thirst, pain, sleeplessness, hunger, stoning, and even seeing the execution of friends. They continued in this work until, during a time of political unrest, all foreigners were kicked out.

In 1936 after 36 years of service together, the Trio returned to England and worked with the British and Foreign Bible society for the rest of their lives. The Trio was well known and admired, and between them they authored 20 books for adults and children. Huge crowds would gather to hear them speak of all the Lord had done during their time in the Gobi Desert. 

Mildred died in 1952 at the age of 74. Eva died in 1960 at the age of 90, and three weeks later, Francesca died at the age of 89. They truly followed the Lord’s will to the ends of the earth and back, and in the process reached thousands of souls for the cause of Christ. Mildred’s statement, “God provides the men and women needed for each generation” is challenging and a call to search our hearts to see if we are one of the ones God wants to use to go to the ends of the earth. They are all true examples of ladies of whom it can be said, “She hath done what she could”!

Her Story/My Story: Gwa-Gwa, which means “Little Lonely,” was taken from her home in the Tibetan foothills when she was less than a month old. She was sold to a Chinese couple that lived a great distance away and were not able to have children of their own. At first they were excited with their purchase until they realized she was deaf and dumb, and then they no longer wanted her. She suffered beatings from her adoptive mother, who was an opium addict, and when a few years later a son was born, Gwa-Gwa was sent to the streets to be a beggar. She was about seven years old on that fateful day that she came knocking on the Trio’s door for the first time. Dressed in filthy rags and covered in bites from the vicious street dogs, she was a poor sight indeed, but the Trio invited her in and gave her some soup. Each time they left for a trip, Gwa-Gwa would follow their ox cart for as long as she could and then wait longingly for their return. The missionaries left instructions with their caretaker that, while they were away, she was to be given soup each time she came to the courtyard.

Eventually the Trio asked Gwa-Gwa’s mother if they could purchase her for ten shillings. They knew it would be challenging, to say the least, and definitely take more that soup each day to provide for this little one, but when they looked at her they saw her through Christ’s eyes. They knew that, whether or not anyone else thought so, she was precious. They renamed her Ai-Lien which means “Love Bond.” They loved her and she loved her three “mamas.” Years later she commented that she experienced kindness for the first time in her life on that day when the Trio invited her into their home for some soup.  In her own words, “It was the first time someone said ‘Come’ and not ‘Go!’”

Daily the Lord provides us with opportunities to learn important life truths. I learned a truth one wintry day years ago at the hand of a child.  Let me preface this story with two things:  Missionaries with children seem to receive packages several times a year. As a single lady, not so much. The gifts tend to be monetary. To be perfectly honest, I know it makes way more sense to send a monetary gift rather than a package where the shipping will cost more than the contents itself, but the kid in me still loves it when one is delivered to the house. The second thing is that I love opening my home to the children of the missionaries I work with and the children that I minister to. I have toy boxes, a rocking horse, coloring/painting supplies, etc. that they love to play with. I want it to be a fun, safe place where they enjoy spending time. I also love displaying special treasures and decorations in my home. Since I do not want to have to put them up each time the children come over, I decided long ago to teach them what they were allowed to play with and what was “precious” and, therefore, valuable and not to be touched. It only took a couple of times of saying, “Don’t play with that. That’s Miss Shari’s precious thing. Play with this instead” for them to know what they could and could not play with.

One day, a fellow missionary, her children, and I arrived back at my home after an outing. To my great surprise and delight I had a package on my porch for the first time in ages! I was so excited, as were the children. We all jumped out of the van, grabbed the package, and I proceeded to open it as soon as we were in the door. With eager eyes the children waited to see what contents the box from a church in the States held. There were a few bars of soap, some plain tea bags, a couple packs of pencils, and an angel doll. The doll’s halo was tangled in its black hair that looked worn from being played with, and the dress made from white yarn was now a dingy gray and stained in several places with spaghetti sauce. I took one look at the doll and then at my friend in hopes that my disappointment didn’t show. I thought, “Well, at least the children can play with it.” I handed it to the girls and said, “Here you go, girls.” Penny, who was five or six at the time, took it from my hands and with big questioning eyes looked at me and said, “How come you don’t think it’s precious?” Out of the mouth of babes. I felt smitten in my heart for discarding a gift in such a manner. Someone had taken the time and paid the postage to send me this doll, and I took one look at, decided it wasn’t precious or even wanted, and promptly discarded it. 

Study:  God’s Precious "Packages"

How many times do we quickly discard something, some situation, some trial, or someone because we don’t feel they are "precious"? How many times do I look at the “gifts” or the “packages” God sends my way and with an ungrateful heart discard them as useless or of no value? The Bible says in James 1:17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” 

That day Penny taught me that all gifts are precious. She also taught me that kids see facts not flaws. 

What Penny saw – Fact: A beautiful angel doll that is so “precious” I’ll never be able to touch it.

What I saw – Flaw: A used toy that was of little worth or value.

Which view was true? They were both true for each of us, but that isn’t the point. Which view is better?  Penny’s, of course. Sure the doll was slightly “loved” already, but that didn’t hinder Penny from having fun playing with it. 

I went on to ask myself these questions:

Which view shows a more gracious spirit? 

Which view leads to a happier more content life?  

Which view shows the Lord you trust Him and what He has for you today? 

Sometimes the Lord brings “packages” into our lives that don’t meet our high expectations, and sometimes it can be downright disappointing if we are not careful to view them correctly. I have known many people who have weathered the storm of a difficult situation to come out the other side and actually thank the Lord for the trial. Beforehand they never could have imagined that anything good could come out of it, but now as they see more clearly, they can see the value in it.  Like Joseph, they can say, “…but God meant it unto good…”

The lady who sees facts not flaws and loves the “package” for all the potential it holds is the lady whom God can entrust with His most “precious packages.” Life is made up and defined by what view we allow our eyes to see through. Every day I have a choice to look at life’s packages through eyes that see only flaws or through eyes like Penny’s that see only potential. Proverbs 17:8 “A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.”

My challenge to myself that day and to you as you read this is that when you go to open the next “package” that God sends your way, look at it through Penny’s eyes and know that no matter what it is, it is a precious gift and that God means it for your good.

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*Disclaimer:

I have chosen to highlight the life of these ladies because of what they have accomplished for the Lord not because I agree with their doctrinal beliefs.  As with all study of man, our focus should be on the character traits they bestowed in their lives that allowed the Lord to use them, how the Lord used them, the methods of ministry they incorporated that allowed them to be effective, etc.  We do not study man to get our doctrine.  Our doctrinal beliefs should only come from the Bible.  To that end you may find you don’t agree with the doctrine of a particular person that I write about, but I believe there is still much wisdom we can gain from studying their lives. 

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* The names in the "My Story" section have been changed to protect the innocent and the guilty. :)

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Resources & Book List:

Facing the Persecution

This man has eaten at my table.

He ate food I helped prepare.

I filled his cup with drink.

I never realized what a hero of faith was sitting at my table that evening.

Sometimes you never know who God brings in your path... how powerfully He will use them. When a friend of ours, Pastor Bijay Pradhan, asked me to help him with a blog post he had written in English, that's when I became fully aware of the hero I had met.

Please allow me to introduce you to this man.

Chandan Mandal: A Man of Faith

 Chandan, second from the left

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Hebrews 11:1

“And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.” Psalm 9:10

The Hall of Faith. That’s what they call Hebrews 11. It’s a list of many of those who knew what real faith is and demonstrated it in their lives, often at great cost. We read about them, but it is difficult to imagine meeting or seeing such faith lived out so vividly firsthand.

In Hebrews 11:1, we learn that faith is not something that we see, but “the substance of things [which we] hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” When we continue reading this chapter, we learn about many godly people who were examples of strong faith. What kept their faith alive was that they walked with the LORD continuously, even while facing intense, dreadful persecution and pain.

It is rare to find someone of such great faith these days, but it is not impossible.

When people are blessed to meet such a person of faith, it grips their hearts and changes their lives forever. His story should be told. That is why I am sharing this with you. I have met such a man.

He isn’t famous. He isn’t well-known. In all likelihood, most people have never heard his name. He is Chandan Mandal. Chandan lives in the remote eastern part of Nepal. He was saved in May 2009, and baptized a month later. Since he was saved, he has been a faithful and fruitful Christian for the Lord. After returning from a foreign based job in 2011, he decided to stay at his village and share about Jesus Christ with his family, friends, and villagers. That’s when the intense physical, emotional, and spiritual persecution began.

One day he told me that he was called to a discussion in the village with those who are against Christians. I asked him if he was going alone. His answer surprised me and pricked my heart. In reply he said, "No! God is with me." Oh, what a faith! At that time he was the only Christian in his village. His walk with the Lord was so intimate that he was burdened to start a church in his village no matter the danger… no matter the cost.

In 2012, I had an opportunity to go to Chandan’s village with one of our Bible college students. We held a Gospel preaching meeting. Two people got saved on that day. One of them was Chandan’s father.

The following month, a group of us returned and had an open air meeting. More than fifty villagers attended. During the service time, several young Hindus came to hinder the service. Although they did not physically assault us, they threatened us and demanded that we not do any Christian activities. When our trip was finished, our group returned home, but Chandan boldly stayed in his village.

Since then, Chandan has suffered persecution in many different forms, but because of his faithfulness the Lord has blessed him. Two young men in the village have since received Christ as their Saviour.

On April 24, 2015, early in the morning a deadly cobra bit Chandan’s only son. He was just eight years old. Proper medical treatment was too far away, and they were too late to help him. While Chandan was taking his son to the hospital in an ambulance, this young boy died just one hour after being bitten.

I was 200 miles away from him, but I had been keeping in touch with him on the phone. After talking with him that day, he said his son had no more progress; he was dead. I tried to comfort him. In answer he said, "I believe God will make my son alive again, but if not, I will still accept that He gave me a son, and He took him back." To trust God’s sovereignty, wisdom, and love in such pain and heartbreak! Oh, what faith!

When I heard this tragic news, I and two friends immediately left Kathmandu to comfort him. After travelling all night, we reached Chandan’s village. The scenario was very painful. His wife was unconscious and was admitted to a local dispensary. All the family members were mourning.

After a while I noticed that Chandan’s father and some other relatives were not treating Chandan well. I asked him the reason, although I had suspicions of what it was. As I guessed, he told me that they were blaming him that his son died. They believed the snake god was angry because Chandan had become a Christian. They thought it was a curse, a very common reasoning in this country. I tried to convince his father, who was a professing Christian, but he was not convinced.

The relatives had created an atmosphere of superstitious hysteria. As far as they know, Chandan’s son was the first person in his village that died because of a snake bite. This also made them blame him for other things going wrong in the village. They believed the gods had been angered, including the snake god.

In the following days, the people attempted to force Chandan to do many religious activities they do after someone's death. These things included shaving the head, puja (religious worship of gods), purifying his body by taking a ceremonial bath, etc. Their attempts to force him failed. Chandan refused and would not give in. He would not forsake the Lord no matter the danger.

Later, the persecution became so intense that Chandan was almost ready to leave his village. He asked me what to do. I told him he must do what he felt the Lord wanted him to do. Finally, he decided not to leave his village, because he said he did not want to be an example of a Christian running away from suffering for Christ. Oh! What faith!

It has been eight months since this tragic moment in his life; he is still faithful in the Lord and trusting Him with all his heart.

God is working in this village. Some have been saved, and some hearts have been softened toward the Gospel too. Even one of his brothers accepted Christ, and another one is listening closely.

In Matthew 8:10, Jesus spoke to a centurion about his great faith. “When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.” I also can say that I have not seen a man of this much faith in my life. I am very thankful to the Lord for him. As for me, he is an example of true faith. And oh! What faith!

Please join me in prayer for this dear brother.

Pastor Bijay Pradan
Truths Inside the Bible

(Thank you, Brother Pradhan, for allowing me to help with this post as well as allowing me to share this story. God used it to challenge me to stay faithful at any cost.)

Mushroom Mozzarella Bake

A friend posted this low carb recipe on Facebook and since it includes two things I love - mushrooms and cheese I wanted to share it with all of you. 

Bonus: it's low carb! 

Use it as a side, or just make it when you just get a craving for fresh mushrooms, as I often do. 

Ingredients:

1 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced (0.454 kg)
3 tbsp butter (45 mL)
3/4 tsp seasoning salt (3 mL)
2 tbsp whipping cream (30 mL)
1 tsp dried parsley (5 mL)
1/4 tsp black pepper (1 mL)
3/4 cup grated Mozzarella cheese (175 mL) **You can also make this with cheddar cheese as well!

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
In large frying pan or electric frying pan with lid (slightly ajar), fry mushrooms in butter over medium heat until softening. Keep cooking until water evaporates. Remove lid of pan. Add seasoning salt; stir-fry until mushrooms are nice and brown. Add whipping cream, parsley and black pepper. Allow to simmer over low heat until whipping cream reduces a bit. This can happen extremely fast. Arrange mushrooms in shallow casserole dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Her Story Silhouettes by Shari {#4 Eliza Davis George / God's Two Love Letters}

Hey there, I'm Shari. One of my favorite things to do is read about or study the lives of those who have gone before us or who are walking beside us in this endeavor of being a missionary lady.* 

Their stories challenge me, encourage me, and teach me. My hope is that these "silhouettes" or glimpses of their lives will do the same for you.  

Each silhouette contains a small synopsis of a lady’s missionary service, a particular story from her everyday life that resonated with my own, and a short Bible study about a truth that I learned from it.  I hope that as you read these posts you might be challenged to find out more about these great ladies, that you might find something that speaks to your heart or helps you in your own ministry, and that ultimately you will be encouraged to remain faithful to your calling.

So grab a cup of tea, sit back and enjoy, and let me tell you about her story.

Silhouette: Eliza Davis, one of eleven siblings born to former slaves, was raised in the state of Texas. Although she was brought up in a Baptist church, it wasn’t until the age of 16 that Eliza trusted Christ as her Saviour. She had the privilege of attending Central Texas College, and upon her graduation in 1911, she joined the teaching staff. It was during a prayer meeting held at the school for different regions and nations, that she felt a sure calling from the Lord to go to Africa. When she made her desire known, she faced opposition from all sides. People could not understand why she, a beautiful, educated woman, would want to leave her prestigious job to go to the mission field. Her response was, “My African brother is calling me; I hear his voice…Would you say stay when God says go?” Despite her best efforts, the mission board refused her request to be sent. She dedicated herself to prayer and fasting to see how the Lord would bring about His will. Many a time she refused to sleep and instead stayed up all night in prayer for the unsaved in Africa. These sleepless nights served to further strengthen her love for those in Africa and her determination to go. Finally, after two years, she was commissioned by the National Baptist Convention to go to Liberia as a missionary and establish a trade school.   

On the 12th of December, 1913, Eliza Davis boarded a ship for Africa with six other missionaries. One year later on the 20th of January, 1914, she landed in Monrovia, Liberia. With the help of another single missionary, she set about to open a school and named it Bible Industrial Academy. Her hope was to teach children to read the Bible and to show them helpful life skills. Eliza’s focus was always on the young people because she knew they were the future and hope of Liberia becoming a Christian nation. After only two years they had 50 children attending the academy and had seen more than 1,000 souls saved in the surrounding area. This proved to be only the beginning of what the Lord would accomplish through her dedicated life. 

At first she focused her soul winning efforts in an area called Sinoe County. She began discipling and training the young Christians, who in turn started new ministries and churches. At the age of 40 she married a fellow missionary named C. Thompson George. After 20 years of marriage he passed away, and Eliza found herself once again on her own. Her indomitable spirit and incredible ability to endure, despite untold hardships, allowed her to continue branching further and further into the interior of Liberia until there were over 150 churches and many schools established. Besides adopting her three children, Maude, Cecelia, and Cerella; she rescued many other little girls from arranged marriages by using part of her small salary to pay the girls’ dowries. She became known as “Mother Eliza” by all who knew her and even the presidents of the country honored her for the work she did to help the Liberians.

The mission board tried to get her to retire several times, but she was undaunted, and her desire to reach one more village kept her in Liberia long after others had left. Ill in health, she finally returned to the States in 1972 turning over the last of her works to trained nationals. She continued to raise awareness and rally those who would listen to her concerning the needs of her beloved Liberia. Her 64 years of service left an indelible mark on the hearts of the ones she loved and gave her life for. Her last journey to Liberia was made in 1974 at the age of 95. It is said that on her 100th birthday, hundreds of Liberians paraded through the streets carrying banners reading, “Mother Eliza George, Great Daughter of America, Great Descendant of Africa, Great Saint and Missionary Mother.”  She is a true example of a lady of whom it can be said, “She hath done what she could”!

Her Story/My Story: Eliza was known by one of two names, Mother Eliza or the God Woman. Everyone that came in contact with her was soon aware that she knew God and that she knew how to get her prayers answered. One of the many hardships Eliza faced during her time on the field was lack of financial support from the churches back in America. With the folding of her mission board at one point, the death of her husband, and the general economy of the country, it was a daunting task to provide the funds needed to keep everything going and to continue to grow the ministry. Time and again her life as a prayer warrior showed through as the Lord heard and answered her prayers. One time she and two of her orphan boys traveled over 200 miles on foot just to collect a money order for $200 that had been sent from America. It took them days to get there traveling through rain, rivers, and jungle. Upon arriving she found she was too late and the money order had been returned to the States. This setback did not dampen her spirit as she knew God had a purpose for their trip and that He would provide for their needs in another way. Her willingness to endure hardship and yet keep her loving servant’s heart for year after year when others had long come and gone was a living testimony to the Liberians. It was only one of the many reasons a young Liberian had cause to say, “Her life was the best commentary of the Bible we have ever read.” 

This idea of our lives being a “commentary” of the Bible to those we come in contact with, and especially to those we minister to, lines up with II Corinthians 3:2 which says, “Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:” Although I had read this verse in passing many times before, it was shocking the first time I linked it directly to my life. I remember thinking, “Oh my word, MY LIFE is an epistle that is known and read of all men? What in the world kind of “letter” am I representing to those I’m ministering to?” In that moment I realized that I may be the only “Bible” that those who cross my path might read that day or any day, and it was overwhelming to think what the pages of my life were saying.  We have the opportunity to affect the lives of those the Lord brings across our path, and we have the responsibility that that affect is for their good. 

This truth was driven home to me on one particular occasion about 10 years ago where I had the opportunity to see just how a moment in time on two different random days of my life had affected others.

It was the second night of a missions conference at a large church in Schaumburg, Illinois where there were over 75 missionaries present. As it happened I had actually attended this church as a child for about 6 years until my family moved away. As I was standing beside my display table greeting people and answering questions, I saw a guy that looked so familiar to me, but I couldn’t quite place his face. I finally recognized him as having been one of my high school students from my first year of teaching. I hadn’t seen “Jim” for over 12 years, and he was now married with three kids. I had heard that he was working as an assistant pastor in Michigan, so I was surprised to see him there and found out that he and his family now lived in Schaumburg and attended this church. He seemed excited to see me, and went to get his wife and family so I could meet them. “Jim” also brought one of his best friends and his wife along, too. When he arrived back at the table he introduced me to his family and friends quite emphatically in this way – “This is Miss Shari House, the teacher who gave me the only demerits I ever received. It was my last year, my last week, and she gave me a detention ruining my perfect record.” Needless to say, I was shocked.  I didn’t remember the situation at all, but believe me, he did. I was so surprised, and I asked him if he remembered what he got the demerits for. Of course, he did. He said that I told him he was speaking condescendingly to me. My first thought was, “He probably was. He was such a bright kid, but he thought he knew everything.” My second thought was, “After these many years, that is all he remembers about me.” I can’t even remember what I said to him after his introduction, but probably, he will continue to remember me as the lady who ruined his perfect record.  

Since I was speaking to the missionary ladies the next morning about the topic of being a vessel of honour and using our lives to affect the lives of others in a positive way, the idea was on my mind and I thought to myself, “I wonder if he truly deserved those demerits, or if I was just having a bad day, or if I let my pride get in the way and chose not to live as a ‘vessel of honour’ that day.” I didn’t have too much time for reflection for not even five minutes later an older gentleman came rushing up to me, shook my hand, and said, “Are you Shari House?” I nodded in the affirmative, and he said, “I’ve been waiting 25 years to meet you.” I was dumfounded. All I could say was, “Who are you?” He said, “Just a minute,” and ran to get his wife and came back shaking my hand over and over and saying, “This is Shari House, this is Shari House.” Again, I asked, “Who are you?” His name was "Mr. Smith." He had a son named "Bill Smith." Still, I was confused. He went on to explain that Bill and I had been in the 8th grade together at a Christian school in Cincinnati. He showed me a recent picture of Bill, but I didn’t recognize him and my mind was fuzzy trying to put a face with the name. As the story came out Mr. Smith revealed that at sometime during that 8th grade school year, I talked to Bill about the church there in Schaumburg. Whatever I said to him about the church left a good impression on Bill’s mind. The next year, I transferred to a different school, and Bill’s family happened to move to the Schaumburg area. He told them of this church and that I had only good things to say about it, and they decided to try it out. At the time of the conference they had been members of that church for over 25 years, and they had always wanted to thank that young girl who had told their son of this great church.  Hmmm, I thought, “That day, so many years ago, during my conversation with Bill, I had chosen to be a vessel of honor.”  The “pages” of my life had spoken good things.

Study:  God’s Two Love Letters

First of all, what is the purpose of an epistle or a letter? I could come up with about four reasons, although there may be more.

1. To inform or announce

2. To bring comfort or encouragement

3. To bring rebuke

4. To gossip or slander

God’s 1st Love Letter is His Word.

I think we would all agree that the first three purposes for a letter would definitely line up with God’s purpose in giving us His Word or His “love letter,” and that the fourth would bare no resemblance. Knowing our human frailty and desire for physical contact, He gave us Himself in word form.  

If I want to know who God is...if I want to know how God will respond to me...if I want to know how to please Him...if I want to know why He loves me….I don’t have to look any further than the words on the pages of His love letter to me. 

Do you ever take out a note from someone you love and read it over and over? Is it worn from the many times you’ve unfolded it, read the contents again, refolded it, and put it somewhere safe?  God’s Word is His love letter to us. We should read and reread it until we know every word it says and the pages are worn with our cherishing of it. 

I challenge myself when reading the Bible to make special note of the things God says about me so that when I need some encouragement in a particular area or with a specific situation, I know where to find it.  

Here are just a few verses I have found of what God writes to me in His love letter:

A. Genesis 1:27 – God created me to be like Him.

B. Psalm 34:18 – God is near when I’m brokenhearted.

C. Psalm 71:6 – God controlled my birth.

D. Psalm 139:1 – God knows me.

E. Psalm 139:2 – God understands me.

F. Psalm 139:3 – God compasseth my path.

G. Psalm 139:13 – God possesseth my reins.

H. Psalm 139:15 & 16 – God knew me before I was formed.

I. Isaiah 40:11 – God gathers me in his arms.

J. Jeremiah 1:4-5 – God sanctified me and ordained me.

K. Jeremiah 29:11 – God thinks about me and has a plan for me.

L. Jeremiah 32:41 – God rejoices over me when I do good.

M. Jeremiah 33:3 – God hears me when I call and He answers.

N. Matthew 6:32 God knows of my needs of food and clothing.

O. Matthew 7:11 – God gives me gifts that I ask for.

P. Matthew 10: 31 – God knows the hairs on my head.

Q. Romans 8:31 – God is for me.

R. Romans 8:39 – God will not let me be separate from Him.

S. John 3:16 – God loves me enough to sacrifice the thing most precious to Him.

T. II Corinthians 1:4 – God comforts me in tribulation.

U. II Corinthians 5:18-19 – God has reconciled me to Himself.

V. Ephesians 1:11 – God has given me an inheritance.

W. II Thessalonians 2:16 – 17 – God has given me consolation and hope.

X. Revelation 21:4 – God will wipe away my tears.

God’s 2nd Love Letter is Us.

Yes, the Bible is God’s love letter to Christians, His children. It shows us His love, mercy, and grace. But what about those who will never read the Bible or don’t have a Bible in their language. How do they learn of God’s love, mercy, and grace? I believe we, as Christians, are God’s “love letter” to the world. For what other purpose does God leave us here on earth once we are saved if not to show others Himself through our lives. 

When we look back at the four purposes for writing a letter, I would love to say that the “letter” of my life has stuck mainly to the first two reasons, but I’m afraid that more often than I’d like to admit it has included #3 and sometimes even #4, as well. When I view my life as a parallel “epistle” that God wants to use to show Himself to others, I have to wonder if when people read the “pages” of my life, I read more like a letter of rebuke than I do a letter of comfort and encouragement.  

We should endeavor to be those things to the world around us that God is to us, and we should make sure the “epistle” of our life is something worth reading and contains only those elements that God would want us to say.

Each day we bear the responsibility to ask ourselves if it can be said of us, as that young Liberian said of Eliza, “Her life was the best commentary of the Bible we have ever read.”

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*Disclaimer:

I have chosen to highlight the life of these ladies because of what they have accomplished for the Lord not because I agree with their doctrinal beliefs.  As with all study of man, our focus should be on the character traits they bestowed in their lives that allowed the Lord to use them, how the Lord used them, the methods of ministry they incorporated that allowed them to be effective, etc. We do not study man to get our doctrine.  Our doctrinal beliefs should only come from the Bible. To that end you may find you don’t agree with the doctrine of a particular person that I write about, but I believe there is still much wisdom we can gain from studying their lives. 

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* Some accounts give her death year as 1979 and some 1980.

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Resources & Book List:

1.  Born to Lose, Bound to Win:  The Amazing Journey of Mother Eliza George, 1980, Lorry Lutz

2.  When God Says Go:  The Amazing Journey of a Slave's Daughter, October 1, 2002, Lorry Lutz (Revised edition of Born to Lose, Bound to Win.)