Our home away from home.

We bought a house…

Well a house on wheels of sorts.  We bought a 1999 Gypsey Royale Caravan. 

Much of our missionary assignment involves travel.  We are on the road at least a couple of days every week or so.  Sometimes we are on the road for a week or two at a time.  When it was just the two of us traveling was easy.  (Well let’s be honest we got pregnant several months after we got here so travelling then meant stopping at every possible bathroom opportunity to empty my pregnancy sized bladder.) We packed light and that made moving hotel rooms or hosts homes easier.  But now we are a family of three. 

Joe and I felt called into missions, Peter well he didn’t have much choice in the matter.  So Joe and I are trying to balance between involving Peter in our call and giving Peter room to find his own call.  I know, I know he is only 4 months old but we realize that patterns start early and habits are easier to form than to break.  So we are trying to be intentional now about being the parents and missionaries and family we want to be even now when Peter is a non-verbal and non-opinionated member of the family.  We are also trying to balance between doing what is best for our ministry and doing what is best for our family.  Many times they are the same thing.  But there are and will be times when what is best for our ministry is not what is best for our family and visa versa.  So again we have to be intentional about making sure that it is not always tipping in one direction (whether it be family or ministry.)  We felt it was important to give Peter a sense of routine or a place of his own even when we are traveling to assemblies, or site visits or with a team.  We wanted to make sure he had a place to unwind after the 5 hour dedication service or the 8 hour district assembly.  We wanted to start family traditions that make him thankful for where and how he lives not resentful of it.  But at the same time we  don’t want to raise him to think that that the world is all about him and does revolves around him.  All of these things and more were the things we talked about when we were discussing our family and our ministry and the possibility of a caravan. 

On one of our journeys Joe said jokingly we could just get a caravan/camper.  He was kidding but it started a conversation that carried on for several months.  We joked about and then we started talking seriously about it.  We talked to our friends, our mentors, our co-workers, other missionaries, our boss and asked is this a good idea, how will it be viewed by those we will be working with, is it worth the investment, what are the pros and cons we are not thinking of and are we crazy for considering this.  We looked at a few caravans and we talked about it and prayed about it some more.   We tabled the discussion several times and then we would pick it up again.  Until a couple of weeks ago when we found a caravan that was in our budget and fit our need/want list.  And after looking at it several times and talking and praying over it some more, we bought a caravan.  On a Thursday we signed the papers and had the official handover.  Then the next day we hooked it up to the field truck and drove it off the lot and went on our first trip with it.  Two countries, 6 district assemblies, 1 field rally, around 2500 kilometers (about 1500 miles), 4 different caravan sites, and 8 tanks of petrol (gas) and a whole lot of memories later.  We made the right decision and we are thankful for and blessed by the experiences that we have had and that we are going to have as we see the countries of our field and set up our home wherever the road leads us.  This next week we will be taking it back out for another assembly weekend. 

Until next time: Ostrich’s look much smaller and cuter from a safari vehicle than when you meet up with an ostrich family while on a walk in a nature reserve. Then you realize how big they are and how small you are.  Thankfully Joe masterfully protected our family and no animals or humans were harmed in said walk.  Shortly after we picked up a walking stick and we turned around when we came upon a herd of Kudu. 

Busy and Blessed

Busy and blessed.

Life here has settled into a somewhat predictable rhythm.   Each week is a little different depending on what is on the schedule.  Most weeks involve a trip to the airport or a couple of days traveling.  Occasionally we have a week where we are home the whole week.  

Sometimes we are with teams for a week or two at a time.  In mid September we were with a team from Upstate New York.  The team was a Jesus Film Team, so the focus was on showing the Jesus Film and on training the leaders on the District on how to use the Jesus Film Equipment.  We had a wonderful time with the team and getting to know the pastor and church members and surrounding community better.  Peter was a big hit wherever we went and he made a lot of friends. 

Peter is doing great and is now 5.5 kilos/over 12 pounds.  He is only waking up once during the night now.  He is cooing and “talking” with us now.  He hasn’t yet figured out that he can control his arms and legs but he is definitely moving them more and more.  We are very blessed that he is a good traveler and handles our ever-changing schedule with ease.  We pray that continues as he gets older but we will adjust if it doesn’t. 

This week we are home most of the week and were able to spend some time in the office getting things prepared for the upcoming District Assemblies.  On Friday we will travel to a District about 4 hours away to attend their adult camp and encourage people to join up with the Work and Witness team we will be bringing to their district in December.   On Sunday we will join a family from our church for lunch and fellowship.  Then we will have one of the couples who are volunteers in Swaziland in our home for a few days.  We will be in the office again for a few days and then on October 16^th we head out for a little over a week for 6 different assemblies throughout our field.  Four of the assemblies are in Swaziland, so Peter will get to decorate his passport. 

We feel very blessed to be a part of what God is doing here.  We are feeling more and more connected with the leaders on our field.  And count the various District Superintendents we work with as friends.  We have a wonderful missionary community around us.  We have a loving church family that is happy to see us whenever we are not traveling.  We have family and friends around the world who love, support and pray for us.  We are blessed and try to be a blessing to others around us. 

Pray with us for the upcoming assemblies and rallies that will be help throughout our field. 

Pray for the upcoming Work and Witness Teams.  Two of the teams are from South Africa and one is from Brazil. 

Pray for our family as we travel, minister and live life together. 

How can we pray for you?  What is going on in your life?  Drop us an email heaths.missions@gmail.com and let us know.   We love hearing from you. 

Until next time: Remember, the keys to the office don’t help you get into the office if you leave them at home.    Just in case you were wondering (but most likely figured out) that was Beth who did that.  On a day that Joe was staying home with Peter.  Thankfully the Africa Regional Office is in the same building as our Field office so I just borrowed a desk space from them. 

Godson's Story

One of the reason I love being a Nazarene is that the Church of the Nazarene is a global church.  There are people all over the world that claim the tribe Nazarene.  

This week I had the opportunity to see our tribe being the church.   This week I had the privilege to meet via email Godson Mulisho Bahabwa who is a native of the Eastern Part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. 

I asked Godson if he was willing to share a little of his journey.   Godson and his family have not had an easy journey.  War started in South Kivu in 1996.  Even now almost 20 years later according to Godson there is not peace.  In 2003 Godson’s family was attacked by rebels, and his father, mother, and elder brother were killed.   With no other option Godson fled from his home country and ended up in Namibia.  He was then taken to the Osire Refugee Camp where he lived for 12 years.  Life there was not easy.  According to Godson, he lost almost everything including his hope for living.   There were some bright spots in the 12 years.  He got married in the refuge camp to Elinda Felisberto from Angola in 2011.  They had their daughter Sofia Rejoice and son John.  Also during his time in the Refugee Camp he met Rev. Domingo who was pastoring a Nazarene Church and who received him as his own brother.   Godson started helping out in several different Nazarene Churches in various roles including worship leader and youth leader. 

Then the UN Refugee Agency offered Godson and his family asylum in Greensboro North Carolina.  Which is where we got to be a very small part of this amazing story.  On Friday evening I received an email from Rev. Domingo who is now the DS of the Namibia District.  He was asking for help in connecting Godson and his family with the Church of the Nazarene in Greensboro, North Carolina.  I sent an email to the pastors of the Nazarene Churches in the Greensboro area explaining Godson’s situation and asking if one of them could connect and support Godson and his family.   

Pastor Will Fields who pastors the Southeast Church of the Nazarene in Greensboro responded.  The Southeast congregation is now helping Godson and his family get adjusted to the new place they find themselves in.  They have stepped up and helped them buy food and donated needed kitchen and household items.  There may even be the possibility that Godson may be offered a job at one of the congregants businesses.  Godson and his family have been welcomed into the Southeast Church of the Nazarene family.

Godson and his family have a long journey ahead of them.  He asks for continued prayers for them as they adjust to life in the states and as they seek to find ways to provide for their needs.  But in Godson’s words “God has been with us and His mercy is upon them.” 

This week I am proud to be a part of the tribe called the Church of the Nazarene., whose members welcomed a stranger from DR Congo and helped them to feel at home first in Namibia and now in Greensboro.   

Rhythms

There is new sheriff in town in the Heath household.  He has only been around for 11 weeks but he has changed our lives.  Parenthood has got us marching to the beat of a different drummer.   But we love learning this new rhythm.  It is not always fun or easy, sometimes quite honestly it is overwhelming, frustrating, and exhausting.  But there are other times when it is beautiful, heart warming, and amazing. 

Peter started out in life a little small but just yesterday I spotted a cute little fat roll.  Also at what point do fat rolls go from being so cute to being…well not so cute. 

Here are a few ways that our little man has changed our lives. 

We are now in bed by 9 o’clock unless the little man decides he doesn’t want to sleep after his 9 o’clock feed.  If that happens then one of us is trying to convince that he does in fact wants to sleep.

We are learning a new language…Peter-ize.  We have not yet found a Peter-ize to English dictionary but we are having fun figuring it out as we go.  We know we are doing something right when he talks to us and we talk back and he rewards with us a big smile. 

We get excited about things like burps and coos and smiles. 

We keep track of things like how much ate and when was the last time he….”processed”…said food. 

We used to be able to go on a 1-3 day trip with one bag for the both of us.  Now with the addition of mini-us we need to bring a pack-n-play, a diaper bag, a car seat, several wardrobe changes, blankets, pacifiers and back up pacifiers.  And we try to be minimalists when it comes to baby gear. 

Sometimes we make the mistake of going to the internet for advice on something.  Which usually leaves us more confused because no matter what we do we will either emotionally, physically, or psychologically scar our child beyond repair.   

Our life looks totally different than it did a short 11 weeks ago but we would not have it any other way.  We are learning to dance through life and learning these new rhythms and steps as we go.   We are also trying to learn a new rhythm when it comes to our ministries/jobs.  Each week will look a little different based on what is happening that week.  Over the next few months we will be with several different W&W teams, preparing for and attending District Assemblies, being a part of several trainings, a camp, and doing several site visits for upcoming W&W teams.  Our little man will log in a lot of miles/kilometers in his car seat.  So far thankfully he is a pretty good traveler.     

Hopefully our next blog post won’t take 2-3 months to write.  However sometimes our little one doesn’t like the rhythm of sitting so much. 

Until next time: If you are changing a little boys diaper make sure you cover the…fire hose…or you and everything around you may or may not get sprayed J 

Projects and preparing

These last couple of weeks have been filled with working on projects and preparing 

for our little guy’s arrival.   We have also been enjoying a week with not a whole lot 

going on in the evenings.  June will be a busy month with several W&W teams 

coming and going as well as a volunteer couple leaving.  

Last Thursday evening we attended our last baby class.  It is hard to believe that 6 weeks have 

flown by so quickly.  We are now able to count on one hand the number 

of weeks before “jelly bean’s” scheduled arrival.  We are as ready as two first time 

parents can be.  He has a place to sleep, diapers to wear, clothes to wear, blankets to 

stay warm under and some books to read (or have read to him.)  We have been 

praying for him since before we knew for sure he existed.  We have also been 

praying for each other as we transition to being not just husband and wife but also 

parents.  

There are lots of exciting things happening on the field.  Follow this link to read a 

story of one the churches on our field.  http://nazarene.org/article/swaziland-

churchs-building-project-inspires-field-leader  

We were actually traveling with Rev Mashangu Maluleka when we happened by the 

church in this story.  It was a blessing to hear the pride and thanksgiving in their 

voices as they shared about what was happening at their church.  It is amazing to 

see how God works through His people.  

Another exciting thing we are working on is a Work and Witness team from our 

district, the Gauteng District, to another nearby District, the North Central District.  

We will be going in December and will be doing some light construction, including 

working on a play ground for the neighborhood kids, as well kids outreach, 

community evangelism and working with the youth of the community.  We are very 

excited to be a part of a team of various people from different cultures and 

backgrounds coming together to encourage and uplift other brothers and sisters in 

Christ.  

Over the next couple of months there are several volunteers coming and going.  Each 

one will be involved in using the gifts that God blessed them with to build the 

kingdom in various ways.  There are also several work and witness teams that will 

be coming alongside various churches and ministries here on the field.   We will be 

busy but we are blessed to be doing what we are doing.  (Thankfully we are not 

team coordinators for any of the teams coming; they all are working with other 

volunteer couples in the country where they will be serving, so we will be greeting 

them at the airport but not traveling with them during the whole time they will be 

here.)

Life is Good; God is great; and we are enjoying the journey and ministries we are a 

part of.  

Until next time: When you forget about items in the office fridge for over a month, let your husband clean it out.