Field Forum 2009

We spent the last week with our whole Mali team in Teriya Bugu. It was a time for business and meetings as well as spiritual refreshment. Though the boys didn't sleep well and the week was tiring, it was an overall good week. Dawson enjoyed getting to play with his friend Ella all week. Here is a picture of our whole team. We're a big group! (About half are in Koutiala working at the hospital and the others are elsewhere).

We took Jeremie with us. He was a lifesaver. Silas stayed with him all the time. It was great to have him there since often the boys all wanted to go different directions so there was an adult for each one.

And this is what happens in the mini hot season of October when the boys have to wear shirts. I actually stopped putting clothes on Silas by the end of the week because his heat rash was so bad. Poor boy was miserable- not to mention he also got another tooth while we were there. Again, YEAH for jeremie! :)

The two biggest things I came away with that the Pastor spoke about was that we will always have agitators in our lives. They are there to show us more of our sin and lead us to Jesus. So rather than get angry and frustrated by them, we need to see how that leads us to the cross. Also, he mentioned a quote from Chuck Swindoll "life is 10 percent what happens to us and 90 percent how we respond to it." So I'm working on that one- trying to make sure my attitude is good regardless of the situation. Wish it were as easy to do as say. I guess another big thing for me was another reminder that my role as mother is my most important job and the way that I can most worship the Lord. A fellow missionary who works with prostitutes and in the prisons in Bamako said as she led worship that her role is no more important than mine and Becky's (another mom with kids) as we sit and watch our little ones crawl around on the floor. It was such a blessing to me. I so enjoy working at the hospital but I have been challenged over and over lately that my boys are my first calling. They are my first priority. It is more important that I care for them and love them and show them Christ than work at the hospital each morning. Since our friend mentioned her comment in the service, I've been quoting to myself "this is my spiritual act of worship" as I care for the boys. I want to see it as worship. To speak love and truth, to be slow to anger, to talk to them about the Lord, I want it to be my worship.