For me, my home is in Bangor Northern Ireland where I grew up and have spent most of my life except for the times I've lived in Haiti. Since Bill was 18 he hasn't lived anywhere longer than 5 years so Youngstown, where he grew up still feels like home to him. And for Sam & Joel Haiti really feels like home to them. You can imagine when people here have been asking us where we are from its been a little tricky to answer.
On Thursday we leave Bills home to go to my home which I am pretty excited about. Its been a year and the longest I have been away from home and I am ready to go! We are so thankful we have been able to visit NI both last summer and this summer. Because most of the ministries in Haiti are teaching, things shut down for the summer so instead of taking a one year furlough every 4 years most of the missionaries go 'home' every summer. Although most of this time is spent raising support and sharing in churches we feel so thankful to be able to spend time with family and friends.
So home for us is all over the place and sometimes we get frustrated and just want to be in one place and never leave which is never going to happen given that we are from two different countries! But when we feel like that we look back at the experiences we have had, the places we have been, the people we have met and the ways we have seen God work and are thankful for the travelling around knowing God is using this time to grow His Kingdom.
We have often sat down to have a meal with each person at the table being a different nationality yet we are part of the same family of Christ. One of my favourites was in Haiti with two of the visiting professors eating at our house (their wives were at home). The first man was from Nigeria, he was married to a girl from Kenya but they lived in the states, the second man was from Haiti, married to a Russian girl again living in the states, Bill from Canada and me from Northern Ireland. As we shared visa and immigration stories, whats its like to be married to someone from a different culture and how we all managed to be in Haiti at the same time It got me thinking about the family of God. Isn't it amazing how we, as Christians can go almost anywhere in the world and meet people that we will spend eternity with in Heaven!
Anyway one of our supporters sent me these verses and it so true...
Philippians 3v20 ' But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.'
Hebrews 13 v14 ' For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.'
Our earthly 'home' may change but our heavenly home always remains the same and how much better will it be than this earth! Something to focus on when times are difficult, when we don't want to get on another flight or when we want to have a more 'permanent' home.
But for now we keep getting on the flights and living somewhere that might not feel like home until God calls us somewhere else.
Some things to pray for as we leave Canada and head for NI.
Pray for a safe flight and that the boys would travel well and adjust well.
Pray that we could have no problems at immigration in London. We are all travelling on a British passport except Jacob who will travel on his Canadian passport, which our sister in law picked up today. (Praise the Lord it was ready in time!)
Pray for all our speaking engagements that more people would get involved in the work in Haiti.
Pray too for the provision of a car, currently we will be sharing with my mum and sister. If anyone had one that we (or my mum so we can take hers!) can drive please get in touch.
For those of you in Norn Iron were looking forward to seeing you!
So home for us is all over the place and sometimes we get frustrated and just want to be in one place and never leave which is never going to happen given that we are from two different countries! But when we feel like that we look back at the experiences we have had, the places we have been, the people we have met and the ways we have seen God work and are thankful for the travelling around knowing God is using this time to grow His Kingdom.
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| From the hot mountains of Haiti |
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| To the cold prairies of Alberta! |
We have often sat down to have a meal with each person at the table being a different nationality yet we are part of the same family of Christ. One of my favourites was in Haiti with two of the visiting professors eating at our house (their wives were at home). The first man was from Nigeria, he was married to a girl from Kenya but they lived in the states, the second man was from Haiti, married to a Russian girl again living in the states, Bill from Canada and me from Northern Ireland. As we shared visa and immigration stories, whats its like to be married to someone from a different culture and how we all managed to be in Haiti at the same time It got me thinking about the family of God. Isn't it amazing how we, as Christians can go almost anywhere in the world and meet people that we will spend eternity with in Heaven!
Anyway one of our supporters sent me these verses and it so true...
Philippians 3v20 ' But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.'
Hebrews 13 v14 ' For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.'
Our earthly 'home' may change but our heavenly home always remains the same and how much better will it be than this earth! Something to focus on when times are difficult, when we don't want to get on another flight or when we want to have a more 'permanent' home.
But for now we keep getting on the flights and living somewhere that might not feel like home until God calls us somewhere else.
Some things to pray for as we leave Canada and head for NI.
Pray for a safe flight and that the boys would travel well and adjust well.
Pray that we could have no problems at immigration in London. We are all travelling on a British passport except Jacob who will travel on his Canadian passport, which our sister in law picked up today. (Praise the Lord it was ready in time!)
Pray for all our speaking engagements that more people would get involved in the work in Haiti.
Pray too for the provision of a car, currently we will be sharing with my mum and sister. If anyone had one that we (or my mum so we can take hers!) can drive please get in touch.
For those of you in Norn Iron were looking forward to seeing you!
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