Ministry From The Far Side
Missionaries are humans too! Observations from a missionary to Moldova.
Writer's Block 12 Nov 2008, 2:24 am
I am struggling with my writing lately. I am not sure if it is the myriad of details of ministry that continually are bouncing through my head. Perhaps it is my reading (or lack thereof) that isn't putting thoughts into my head. It might just be the distractions I face regularly, small things that derail me, pushing me off track.
My personality makes focusing a challenge at times. I don't do well in long meetings, and can handle only so much talk. I bounce from one job to the other, but I DO get them all done. I don't do well sitting for long periods of time, but need to walk.
Yet I want to write, to create. I enjoy the process and the result. I enjoy crafting sentences and phrases, driving towards an idea that challenges and stimulates the reader.
So if you have ideas for assistance, feel free to pass them on!
Source: Ministry From The Far Side | Raatz
Quotations 7 Nov 2008, 12:59 am
I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.
-Winston Churchill
A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.
- George Bernard Shaw
A liberal is someone who feels a great debt to his fellow man; a debt he proposes to pay off with your money.
-G Gordon Liddy
Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner. -James Bovard, Civil Libertarian (1994)
Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer of money from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries.
-Douglas Casey, Classmate of Bill Clinton at Georgetown University
Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.
-P.J. O'Rourke,
Civil LibertarianGovernment's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it; If it keeps moving, regulate it...and if it stops moving, subsidize it.
-Ronald Reagan (1986)
Source: Ministry From The Far Side | Raatz
Another Sunday Morning 18 Oct 2008, 9:18 pm
I am up relatively early. The house is still quiet and the sky is just starting to get lighter. The girls are still snoozing, snuggled in with sweet dreams. The dogs have already been outside and my cup of coffee is ready for my enjoyment.
It is another Sunday morning.
For the last 20 years, Sunday have been the culmination of my week, usually preaching or teaching. For years, we went to our church, ministering in some form or fashion. For two of those years, we were itinerating as missionaries, speaking in scores of different churches.
But for our years in Moldova, Sunday has always been an anomaly. Worship can be great, but it is in a different language, turning every service into a language lesson. I usually preach, but even that is at a basic level, whether I am preaching in Russian or through an interpreter. You can't go high-level language when the language is in the way!
And though we have a "home" church, their kids program has gone to the dogs, (or almost non-existent). That too makes it a challenge to relax and enjoy the service.
Yet perhaps I now understand the power of choice---choosing to simply GO and be WITH other believers. I can CHOOSE to worship, even if I don't understand it all. I can CHOOSE to have a searching heart, and pray that God will speak to me and encourage me.
It is just another Sunday morning? Not if I'm open to letting God speak and move once again.
Source: Ministry From The Far Side | Raatz
Nothing Spiritual, But Just Too Funny 13 Oct 2008, 11:49 am
Source: Ministry From The Far Side | Raatz
Convoy of Hope 8 Oct 2008, 8:48 pm
Last Saturday, we had a wonderful Convoy of Hope outreach in Sarata Galbena. We had to vary from our original plans, and we held it at the church, rather than a city park. The weather had promised to be wet and cold, and the Pastor and I realized that the church building would be better.
To be honest, I was a little hesitant. I didn't want it to turn into a standard church service, full of Christians and with no nonChristians. I wanted the day to be a gift to the community.
And it was.
A wonderful day, with the church building packed to the max (and beyond), with almost 2/3 from outside the church. We had some great songs, and an excellent children's team from Baltsi had the kids captivated. We didn't preach a hard message, but simple told them of God's gift. I told them that a lot of churches only want to receive from people, but that this church wanted to give.
After the service, the church served a huge lunch, we had dental giveaways, face painting, and lots of balloons. And best of all, the church was full of visitors the next day! Pastor told me that most had never stepped foot in the building before.
A Convoy of Hope outreach fulfilled its purpose--as a bridge between the church and community.
Source: Ministry From The Far Side | Raatz