Moving Forward...

Some folks lately have mentioned that they have not seen any news about Ivory Coast for a while. I've been telling people it's because there hasn't been much news to share (which is probably a good thing). Since the arrest of former President Gbagbo, politically things have turned around and are slowly improving. In parts of the country there remains a spirit of mistrust and apprehension, but the economy has restarted and overall people seem to be hopeful that the country is and will continue moving forward.

While there isn't much political news, the mission has been busy and has been moving forward. I know I have said it before, but I want to say it again, God has blessed us tremendously with great friends and ministry partners in Ivory Coast! Our Christian brothers and sisters who serve alongside us and have continued the ministry while we have been gone are incredible servants. I truly thank God for these precious friends and colleagues. This past month has seen a lot of great steps forward in God's Kingdom work in Ivory Coast.

The PIM Clinic was finally able to receive its medicine order! We have been trying to get these medicines into the country since last December, and it finally was able to make it into the country late May and get through customs (despite the political difficulties and governmental change issues) in June. Hats off to our Clinic Administrator, Konan Emmanuel, for his hard work and repeated trips to Abidjan.

We also have been blessed to partner with IDES in supplying aide to displaced families from the electoral crisis. The mission was able to provide over 150 families whom fled Abidjan, and had little to no resources, with two months worth of rice, oil, soap and bleach during this difficult time. The hope is that these gifts will help sustain them until they are able to either return home or get established in our community. It was a great testimony of the love of Christ by the mission, our church and the clinic. The mayor's office and our partners in the HIV/AIDS ministry (PEPFAR, EGPAF) heard of the aide program and decided to make a ceremony out of the distribution, including radio coverage on both the local and UN radio stations. Since then, 70 more displaced families have been identified and we are looking for resources to aid these new families as well. We thank the Lord for providing the means and partnership with IDES so that we could impact so many families and provide opportunities to follow-up with them and share more about the love of Jesus.

I'm excited to share that our teammate, Christina Skelton, recently returned to Abengourou. She left Ivory Coast with our family in March and then joined the CMF Burkina Faso team late April and stayed with our friends and former teammates in Ivory Coast, the Hauser family. Christina, the Hausers and their interns arrived last week and Brian Hauser was able to lead a spiritual retreat for our key church leaders. Our national friends and partners were excited to see the Hausers again and have Christina back. The Hausers and their interns headed back towards Burkina Faso Wednesday, but accompanied some of our pastors and Christina on a visit to Beoumi on their way home.

Beoumi is the region where the mission and the Association of Christian Churches in Ivory Coast are working together in a new church planting venture. We had planned on sending two church planters this past January to start four new churches, but were forced to delay the project due to the electoral crisis. Three leaders from Abengourou left this week to visit, teach, evangelize and encourage the contacts the have already made on previous survey trips to the region. We hope to send two church planters this coming January following our family's return this fall.

Our family continues to visit supporting churches and make new contacts in support raising. We have raised most of our Outgoing Expenses (i.e. visas, tickets, etc.), but have little new ongoing monthly commitments. We decided to try something new by asking people to provide a month's rent of $220. We are looking for 36 donors (individuals, groups, Sunday school classes, etc.) for a one-time gift of $220 to cover one month's rent during this next 3-year term in Ivory Coast. If you can't cover an entire month's rent, we can partner you with someone and you can cover half a month's rent at $110. If you are interested in helping send me an email (gablecmf@hotmail.com) or you can even donate online via e-check (preferred) or credit card by clicking on the link: https://p2p.paperlesstrans.com/default.aspx?i=cmfms&c3=GABLE+Andy+and+Stephanie&c4=55600

Our goal is to return to Abengourou, Ivory Coast late-September and no later than the end of October. Our family is looking forward to returning and continuing the work God has set before us. The kids keep asking when we are returning to Abengourou.

Thank you all for your prayers and support. Here is a list of things to be praying about this next month:

-Our family's support raising efforts to be fruitful (both financially and spiritually).

-Our teammate Christina's re-entry into Ivory Coast as she settles back in. (Actaully, this past year has been crazy since her arrival and she has yet to really settle in well.)

-The church leaders' visit to Beoumi. That their teaching and encouragement would bear fruit and sow seeds for a great coming spiritual harvest in that region.

-Funding for an additional 70 displaced families in Abengourou (about $4,750). And a prayer of thanks to IDES for their partnership and previous funding. Also for fruitful follow-up visits with the families that have received aide.

-The relaunch of the initiation of CHE in the Cocoterrain community (primarily Muslim) in Abengourou.

Blessings and peace to you all. May God continue to lead and move in us to do great things for His Kingdom.

Andy

getting geared up

It's hard to believe that our furlough time has gone by already. We are gearing up to head back to Ivory Coast February 1st. We have enjoyed being back this past year, seeing friends and family while getting to meet some new folks at the same time. I've been thinking about all that has happened over the past year.

Getting involved at the Lebanon Christian Church, who has graciously hosted us this past year, has been both refreshing and fun. The kids have loved going to "church class", especially since it's something they haven't really experienced before this year. For Stephanie and I it has been great to be involved with other adults without having to keep track or worry about the kids. We've been able to develop some good relationships along the way.

I also was excited to get back to my formal education. This past fall I started the Masters Degree in New Testament Studies through Johnson Bible College. It has reminded me that there is a big difference between my personal Bible study and doing class work. I can say I have mostly enjoyed the process (though at times stretching parts of my brain that haven't been stretched in a while!).

We also have traveled around a bit, but not too much (gas prices helped with that some!). Catching up with our partnering churches is always enjoyable. I love sharing about how God is moving and active in Ivory Coast, but it's equally good to hear what God is doing in the life of the church. We are incredibly thankful for our partner churches, they have stepped up in big ways for us. Our monthly financial support raising needs were an increase of $2500/month and over 2/3 of that came from current partners. To say that they encouraged us does not suffice. We feel exceptionally loved!

We are excited too by our new ministry partners from this past year. A small church in Brandywine, West Virgina with big hearts (our kids really enjoyed the visit) and another church in Troy, OH who have some great plans. We look forward to developing the relationships with these two churches! As you might imagine, support raising hasn't always been easy this past year, but God has provided as He always does in His time.

Our one-time Outgoing Budget has done well over the course of this year, again mostly because of the faithfulness of our current ministry partners. Whether it was a VBS over the summer, a special offering for plane tickets or a large gift from the church, you all have been wonderful. We still have about $5,000 left to raise for the up-front expenses of getting reestablished, but fully trust once again that God will provide.

So, thanks for praying for us during this time. Please continue to pray for our family as we make the transition back to Ivory Coast: that the kids would adjust well (little more to it this time), that the last bit of needed funds would come in, and that Mom and Dad would remain sane through it all!

Thanks again. We love you all deeply.

Andy

Home Sweet Home...

"Where is home for you?" I've been asked this question throughout my life, but find the question being asked even more since becoming a missionary. It's simple enough, but surprisingly tricky to answer. I usually end up asking a few clarifying questions "Do you mean... Where did I grow up? Where do I live most of the time? Where am I living right now? Or where do I enjoy being the most?" As a strange look comes across their faces I tell them, "I'm a missionary." Their response is, "Ohhhh" and I can tell they are usually thinking, "You are weird!"

For Stephanie and I, we usually say Lebanon, IN is home. Both our parents live within 20 minutes, it's the center of most our supporting churches and it's where our children have grown up (at least the stateside). In the past two years, I've heard our kids say "We're home!" in at least eight different places: 1. our house in Abengourou, Ivory Coast, 2. the house at the Lebanon Christian Church, 3. Stephanie's parents' house, 4. my parents' house, 5. the Baptist Guesthouse in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, 6. the SIL Guesthouse in Abidjan, 7. a hotel in Tennessee and 8. a hotel in West Virgina. For them "home" is a relative term. Home is whereever Mom and Dad are tonight.

Home is about having roots- a sense of belonging and an identity to a specific place. For a missionary home often partially describes a number of places, but none fully embrace its meaning. On the field there is a sense of "this is where we should be... where God has called us." Yet, we struggle to identify the host culture as our own, wading through differences in beliefs, values and mind-sets. Though we might be accepted and loved, we are still seen as outsiders. "Back-home" we navigate our culture with much greater ease, yet it's not quite the same place we once left. It also lacks the sense of belonging (i.e. this is where we should be). For our kids, it can be especially difficult because they haven't grown up in our host culture either. They have a sort of culture of their own somewhere in the middle.

So, how do you establish roots for your family (especially for your children) while your address constantly changes? The key is where you're placing your roots. The Bible tells us, "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:16-19 NIV *emphasis added) We must be rooted not to a place in this world, but to the love of God. God’s word teaches us that we "live in the world,” but are not to be of this world. (2 Corinthians 10:3) Just as home for our kids is whereever Mom and Dad are, our home is where our Father dwells.

For us, home finds its roots in the love, connection and sense of belonging and togetherness of our family. Whether we are in Ivory Coast, Africa; Lebanon, Indiana; or some hotel for the night we can be home dwelling in the love of our Father in heaven. Someday, we will end our wanderings and ever-changing address and head to our real home where Jesus is preparing a permanent dwelling place for us (John 14:2). Then, we will be able to truly say, "We're home!"