So my friend Sean has been wanting to get a shed for a while now for his backyard because he has kids now and you just can't store stuff in a trailer...it's not feasible with a family's worth of stuff lol. He's been doing the research on the supplies and stuff he'd need and he was able to pick them up this past Wednesday. We had to take the Teen Missions trailer with the Diesel F350 to Home Depot just to get all the stuff. I'll hopefully have a supplies list to post on here later, it was quite intense. It honestly filled a 16 ft trailer and it took the two of us about an hour and a half just to unload it from the driveway and stack it out back.
We were able to start working on it this past Saturday and got the whole floor down. Because we weren't pouring any concrete, he wasn't required to get a permit for it despite it being a whopping 16 x 12 building. We layed concrete blocks down as a base and then built the floor joists and frame. We put house wrap over the top of that to keep any moisture and bugs out, and then put on the plywood flooring. We were set for the day after putting a coating of floor sealant over top of that just to re-enforce no moisture coming through. (yeah dad, it was from Sherwin-Williams heh)
Yesterday, we spent some time cutting and framing together all the walls, making mounts for two windows on either side, and getting them ready to put up today. We got a couple other guys from staff to come over this evening after work and we tacked in all four walls and put the top-plates on, securing the whole thing together. It's really starting to look great and I'm excited to get to the siding and then the trusses for the roof etc. I've been taking pictures along the whole process and will have those up on Facebook. If I ever figure out how to do pics on here too I can for those of you without FB. Anyhow, that's what I've been up to lately. I"m looking forward to seeing several of you when I come home for Christmas for a couple weeks!
Monday, October 19, 2009
Two Weeks Ago
So yeah I know, I'm not good at this whole "remember to update your blog" thing but I suppose there's more to write about when you space things out :) Two weekends ago (that being, not the one we just went through in case you're reading this at 3 am and are getting confused. And if that's the case, let me know cuz I doubt anyone has ever read this blog in the middle of the night hah...) I helped my staff family (the family who 'adopted' me while at BMW) move out of their trailer on Heavenly street out to their house in Port St. John. I'm really excited for them that they were able to move and it was fun helping them. They've moved on from staff, now that things became difficult with some family stuff and I'm really going to miss them but am happy that they are doing what they believe God is leading them to do. I also had the first time experience of going to an IKEA superstore because there is one in Orlando and my friends Sean and Sharon were going to get some laminate for their daughter's bedroom floor. I tell you what, that place may "look" like a Best Buy on the outside but it's definitely not on the inside :P I will probably always think twice if I ever got married about making my wife spend hours on end in a Best Buy because I will remember what it was like for so many hours in IKEA haha.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Some Teen Missions Overseas updates
Hey gang,
I know it's been awhile since I've blogged but it's pretty much been day to day work as we're getting back into
the swing of things after the Staff Field conference. That went really well, by the way, and hopefully many of the
ideas that were come up with will be able to be done.
Anyhow, I wanted to share with you some of the updates that have been coming in from our overseas bases and rescue
units. For those of you that don't know, Teen Missions is in association with Aids Orphans and Street Children. It was
started by the folks at Teen Missions who have a burden for the families and children in Africa who are suffering
because of the AIDS pandemic. We have found since the beginning of the decade that a "rescue unit" is much more
feasible than an orphanage because while an orphanage can only house so many children, a rescue unit is liking
taking an orphanage to the people. This first one is a report from our base in Zambia:
"Greetings,
Yesterday I sat in the office listening to Mike Monze and Mathews Shikishi and just shook my head. The plight of the people when there is no doctor is just tragic. Mathews said that last week a lady came by the Mukema unit for medical help. She had walked about 7 miles to come to the unit, crossing two rivers. She couldn't really say what was wrong just that she was having pains. Mathews wasn't really sure what to do as she didn't really share anything that he could recognize as wrong. He referred her to the clinic at St Mary's and she left. Her younger sister was with her and also a young boy. They hadn't walked but a short distance from the unit when they had to stop because of the pains. They went behind an ant hill and found a place for her to lie down. While there she delivered a baby. Out in the open, with only grass and leaves for a bed, there was no doctor not even a mid-wife. Mathews helped her and they got her to St Mary's clinic. The mother and baby come by the unit the next day and thanked Mathers for his help and the new mom left to continue the long walk home. Just another day where there is no doctor.
Mike then shared that recently people brought a lady to Luswishi on a bicycle ambulance. She had just delivered a baby and the baby was fine but she hadn't delivered the placenta. The lady was in pain and extremely weak, unable to talk. While they were trying to assess the situation the lady stiffened up. They saw her eyes roll back into her head and she became limp. Queen rushed up to her and began praying, rebuking death and commanding life back into her body. They immediately prepared her and began the long journey to the clinic. Queen continued to pray. Maybe about half way there the lady opened her eyes and seemed to revive and short time later she began to talk and shared that she had died but now was feeling fine. I don't know how true, in fact, that was except that is what the lady shared. They did get her to the clinic but the clinic wasn't able to help her either and they took her to Kitwe where they were able to remove the placenta. The mother and baby have since returned to the unit and they are indeed fine. Life and death can hang in the balance where there is no doctor.
Zambia"
This next one is from Belize, our base that we have had for several years. We've run a couple of bootcamps there and have hoped to be able to set up a BMW school there from that but it has not taken off in the culture as well as we've hoped. It's also been a problem in trying to find a family to be full time coordinators down there as it is a difficult place to be and as it says in Matthew, the work is plenty but the people are few. This past summer, however, a family joined staff with the intentions of going to Belize and God has really been opening doors for them. They led a team there this summer and are currently serving in Belize. Just recently they've sent this report:
"We currently have 7 students enrolled to start BMW on 9/22/09. We have interviewed another 6 students that we are praying about and may possibly have a couple more interviews to go. We are blown away by God's goodness at choosing to open the doors the way He has. In the beginning we thought if we at least ended up with 3 or 4 from Copper Bank, it would be a great start, now we are looking at having as many as 15 students and some from as far away as San Ignacio, 9 miles from the Guatemala border in Cayo. We need God's wisdom though as in some cases, it is obvious the parents and/or pastors are more excited than the young person. They want their young people off the streets and away from their bad friends. We keep trying to push for those that really feel called to serve the Lord, but we know even if they come with different motives, God can really work on their heart. We had two 14 year olds apply. The first one we rejected on the spot as he was obviously not prepared for it and it was his mom's idea. The other one we are still praying about.
David Powell
9/18/09"
It really is a miracle that there is this sudden interest in the Bible program and it is such a blessing to hear as I spent two weeks during BMW down there at the property repairing the chain link fence and uprooting giant stumps from the ground after Hurricane Dean hit.
This last report is from another base I've been to back in 2006. It is from one of the students in Siberia which now runs a Bible school. I was on the first team to this location and helped establish the first Bootcamp that was run there. So much progress has been made on the grounds as well as increases in the bootcamp attendance and now the BMW starting:
Last Friday, on Sept.25, when I was at the plumbing store, buying
a WATER METER, I came across a very good accquaintence of mine, a
jew, that is now about 80 years old. Each time we would meet I try to
tell him that he needs Jesus... He would be very polite listening; he
would tell me that he is reading the Bible for Children because he
cannot understand the Word of God that is addressed to adults.
But this time at the end of our talk he agreed to pray a prayer
of repentence according the FOUR SPIRITUAL LAWS booklet.
God is wonderful!!! He is so patient with us for He does not want
anyone to perish but have an everlasting life!!! 1 Tim 2:1-6."
Vera Moskalyova: "Last year, at Siberian Boot Camp, I came to
know about a Bible School that was to be opened at Krasnaya Niva at
the end of August. I wanted to be the part of it from the very
beginning. But I have got one of my knees injured and had to go
through a surgery and a very complicated treatment.
All this time I was thinking about BMW and praying for the
possibility to study there. I have a great desire to serve God, to
grow spiritually and to be firmly enrooted in Christ the Lord.
This year my dream has come true. I am studying at BMW for one
month by now. I like it here very much! I have already come to know
many things that I have never known before. God reveals His truth
through His Word, through our teachers. I feel very satisfied with my
studies although there are many things that are sometimes very
difficult for my understanding! Let's for example take Russian
Grammar!!!
I give thanks to God and to everybody who made it possible for me
to study here. God bless You all!."
October 1, 2009. E.Trofimova,
L.Litvinova.
I know it's been awhile since I've blogged but it's pretty much been day to day work as we're getting back into
the swing of things after the Staff Field conference. That went really well, by the way, and hopefully many of the
ideas that were come up with will be able to be done.
Anyhow, I wanted to share with you some of the updates that have been coming in from our overseas bases and rescue
units. For those of you that don't know, Teen Missions is in association with Aids Orphans and Street Children. It was
started by the folks at Teen Missions who have a burden for the families and children in Africa who are suffering
because of the AIDS pandemic. We have found since the beginning of the decade that a "rescue unit" is much more
feasible than an orphanage because while an orphanage can only house so many children, a rescue unit is liking
taking an orphanage to the people. This first one is a report from our base in Zambia:
"Greetings,
Yesterday I sat in the office listening to Mike Monze and Mathews Shikishi and just shook my head. The plight of the people when there is no doctor is just tragic. Mathews said that last week a lady came by the Mukema unit for medical help. She had walked about 7 miles to come to the unit, crossing two rivers. She couldn't really say what was wrong just that she was having pains. Mathews wasn't really sure what to do as she didn't really share anything that he could recognize as wrong. He referred her to the clinic at St Mary's and she left. Her younger sister was with her and also a young boy. They hadn't walked but a short distance from the unit when they had to stop because of the pains. They went behind an ant hill and found a place for her to lie down. While there she delivered a baby. Out in the open, with only grass and leaves for a bed, there was no doctor not even a mid-wife. Mathews helped her and they got her to St Mary's clinic. The mother and baby come by the unit the next day and thanked Mathers for his help and the new mom left to continue the long walk home. Just another day where there is no doctor.
Mike then shared that recently people brought a lady to Luswishi on a bicycle ambulance. She had just delivered a baby and the baby was fine but she hadn't delivered the placenta. The lady was in pain and extremely weak, unable to talk. While they were trying to assess the situation the lady stiffened up. They saw her eyes roll back into her head and she became limp. Queen rushed up to her and began praying, rebuking death and commanding life back into her body. They immediately prepared her and began the long journey to the clinic. Queen continued to pray. Maybe about half way there the lady opened her eyes and seemed to revive and short time later she began to talk and shared that she had died but now was feeling fine. I don't know how true, in fact, that was except that is what the lady shared. They did get her to the clinic but the clinic wasn't able to help her either and they took her to Kitwe where they were able to remove the placenta. The mother and baby have since returned to the unit and they are indeed fine. Life and death can hang in the balance where there is no doctor.
Zambia"
This next one is from Belize, our base that we have had for several years. We've run a couple of bootcamps there and have hoped to be able to set up a BMW school there from that but it has not taken off in the culture as well as we've hoped. It's also been a problem in trying to find a family to be full time coordinators down there as it is a difficult place to be and as it says in Matthew, the work is plenty but the people are few. This past summer, however, a family joined staff with the intentions of going to Belize and God has really been opening doors for them. They led a team there this summer and are currently serving in Belize. Just recently they've sent this report:
"We currently have 7 students enrolled to start BMW on 9/22/09. We have interviewed another 6 students that we are praying about and may possibly have a couple more interviews to go. We are blown away by God's goodness at choosing to open the doors the way He has. In the beginning we thought if we at least ended up with 3 or 4 from Copper Bank, it would be a great start, now we are looking at having as many as 15 students and some from as far away as San Ignacio, 9 miles from the Guatemala border in Cayo. We need God's wisdom though as in some cases, it is obvious the parents and/or pastors are more excited than the young person. They want their young people off the streets and away from their bad friends. We keep trying to push for those that really feel called to serve the Lord, but we know even if they come with different motives, God can really work on their heart. We had two 14 year olds apply. The first one we rejected on the spot as he was obviously not prepared for it and it was his mom's idea. The other one we are still praying about.
David Powell
9/18/09"
It really is a miracle that there is this sudden interest in the Bible program and it is such a blessing to hear as I spent two weeks during BMW down there at the property repairing the chain link fence and uprooting giant stumps from the ground after Hurricane Dean hit.
This last report is from another base I've been to back in 2006. It is from one of the students in Siberia which now runs a Bible school. I was on the first team to this location and helped establish the first Bootcamp that was run there. So much progress has been made on the grounds as well as increases in the bootcamp attendance and now the BMW starting:
Last Friday, on Sept.25, when I was at the plumbing store, buying
a WATER METER, I came across a very good accquaintence of mine, a
jew, that is now about 80 years old. Each time we would meet I try to
tell him that he needs Jesus... He would be very polite listening; he
would tell me that he is reading the Bible for Children because he
cannot understand the Word of God that is addressed to adults.
But this time at the end of our talk he agreed to pray a prayer
of repentence according the FOUR SPIRITUAL LAWS booklet.
God is wonderful!!! He is so patient with us for He does not want
anyone to perish but have an everlasting life!!! 1 Tim 2:1-6."
Vera Moskalyova: "Last year, at Siberian Boot Camp, I came to
know about a Bible School that was to be opened at Krasnaya Niva at
the end of August. I wanted to be the part of it from the very
beginning. But I have got one of my knees injured and had to go
through a surgery and a very complicated treatment.
All this time I was thinking about BMW and praying for the
possibility to study there. I have a great desire to serve God, to
grow spiritually and to be firmly enrooted in Christ the Lord.
This year my dream has come true. I am studying at BMW for one
month by now. I like it here very much! I have already come to know
many things that I have never known before. God reveals His truth
through His Word, through our teachers. I feel very satisfied with my
studies although there are many things that are sometimes very
difficult for my understanding! Let's for example take Russian
Grammar!!!
I give thanks to God and to everybody who made it possible for me
to study here. God bless You all!."
October 1, 2009. E.Trofimova,
L.Litvinova.
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