The Call for Missionaries

Lottie Moon, missionary to China from 1873-1912, once wrote this challenging letter back home,

"It is odd that the million Baptists in the South can furnish only three men for all China. Odd that five hundred Baptist preachers in the state of Virginia alone must rely on a Presbyterian minister to fill in a Baptist pulpit. I wonder how these things look in Heaven. They certainly look very queer in China."

the Evenk of Siberia

Missionaries today are still making the same appeal. Yesterday we received a newsletter from missionaries in Ecuador. They write,

"There are two kingdoms. The kingdom of this world, and the kingdom of God. We have to decide which kingdom is ours. Yet most of us like to keep our foot in the door of the world. We need to pull that doorstop out and be freed to live out God’s ideas.

We are misguided if we think that our life goals must be:

1. education
2. marriage
3. own a house
4. profession
5. possessions
6. retirement

But isn't that what the sleeping giant of the American church believes? In the nine years I have been back in the States, I have not met one Christian person, one Christian family who has left for the mission field; who has left to take the light to those who haven't even had the opportunity to hear in the darker corners of the world. Not one. Be willing is not enough - not enough to get one Evenk saved.

Something is wrong. Something is very wrong, indeed.

Entry [into Argentina] Fee for American Nationals

Bad news for us - taken from the Embassy of Argentina's website:


"Entry Request Fee for American Nationals

When entering Argentine Territory, the American nationals must pay a "reciprocity fee" of U$D 131.- or its equivalent in Argentinean pesos.

The payment of this reciprocity fee is NOT a visa, since Argentina does not require visa to American nationals when travelling for tourism or business purposes. The Argentine Government set this entry free on equal amounts Argentine citizens must pay when requesting a Visa to travel to the U.S."


That tacks another $524 onto our trip, just to get into the country - assuming Tony can use his Argentine passport. If the US balks about that, now that he is an American citizen, and makes him use his US passport only, it will go up to $655.

And don't forget the airport exit fee - $40 per person last time we were there. So another $200 just to leave Argentina.

Ay, ay, ay.

We are thinking of scratching the exploratory trip and just moving there.

This is getting ridiculous.

Random Act of Culture - the Hallelujah Chorus

On Saturday, October 30, 2010 the Opera Company of Philadelphia and over 650 area choristers met at Macy's Center City Philadelphia. Unkown to shoppers, they had arranged to burst into song at noon.

I can't even imagine having been there! Amazing.


Imagine what heaven is going to be like! Wow.

:)

Ex-pat Bloggy Friends

A couple of months ago we had the pleasure of meeting Katie, the author of Seashells and Sunflowers. I discovered her blog when I came across Bloggers in Argentina. She blogs about her ex-pat life in a small coastal town south of Buenos Aires. She is writer extraordinaire, takes amazing pictures, and explains the culture (and food!) of Argentina exceptionally well.

Truth be told, I normally don't make friends over the Internet. But after reading over her site a bit this summer, and then talking with Tony, we decided she probably wasn't a psychopath (don't laugh - the only time I ever friended someone over the Internet, she actually was a pychopath). So, anyway, when we saw that she was getting ready to come back to the States for a visit, we decided to invite her over for dinner. It's been a while since we've lived in Argentina, so we were interested in hearing the latest news, and from an ex-pat's perspective.

We had a wonderful evening chatting with Katie. She was delightful company and is absolutamente divina. Her Spanish is better than mine, so Tony had a good time speaking argentino with an American who actually understands his rapid-fire Spanish. She also won some brownie points laughing at his very Argentinian jokes - which she also actually seemed to understand. And she liked my food (which is good, because I made the mistake of trying out a new recipe on company - not a good idea if it doesn't turn out right. Fortunately, it did.).

So, check out her blog Seashells and Sunflowers, if you are interested in learning a little bit about Argentina. She writes about the culture, the food (recipes included), the people, the places, and is currently even writing a little series on (the touristy aspect of) Patagonia here, here, here, and here. Her site is also a wealth of information and links for anyone considering travel to Argentina.

You can view more of Katie's amazing photography here.

Enjoy!

:)

More Quotes from Shadow of the Almighty

[No, I did not post 6 times yesterday. Google clitch or something. Apparently I fixed it - just wish I knew what I did!]


Here are some more, hopefully awe- and obedience-inspiring, quotes from Shadow of the Almighty by Elizabeth Elliot. Jim Elliot writes in his journal and letters:


"Remember that we have bargained with Him who bore a cross, and... His emphasis was upon sacrifice, not of wordly goods so much as of family ties."

"I try to get in what I call 'reprobate reading,' a little every day, just to keep from dropping into the stereotyped and conventional."

"IITimothy 2:4 is impossible in the United States, if one insists on a wife."

"Does it sound harsh so to speak? Consider the call from the Throne above, 'Go ye,' and from round about, 'Come over and help us,' and even the call from the damned souls below, 'Send Lazarus to my brothers, that they come not to this place,' Impelled, then by these voices, I dare not stay home while Quichuas perish. So what if the well-fed church in the homeland needs stirring? They have the Scriptures, Moses, and the Prophets, and a whole lot more. Their condemnation is written on their bank books and in the dust on their Bible covers."

"So don't lose your daydreams. 'Nothing is too good to be: so believe, believe to see.' In my own experience I have found that the most extravagant dreams of boyhood have not surpassed the great experience of being in the Will of God..."

"The command is plain: you go into the whole world and announce the good news. It cannot be dispensationalized, typicalized, rationalized. It stands a clear command, possible of realization because of the Commander's following promise. To me, Ecuador is simply an avenue of obedience to the simple word of Christ. There is room for me there, and I am free to go."

"My going to Ecuador is God's counsel, as is my leaving, Betty, and my refusal to be counselled by all who insist I should stay and stir up believers in the U.S. And how do I know it is His counsel? 'Yea, my heart instructeth me in the night seasons.'"


For more read the rest of Shadow of the Almighty: The Life & Testament of Jim Elliot and  The Journals of Jim Elliot.

Awe-inspiring.

:)

Don't Waste your Life by Lecrae

I am quickly becoming a Lecrae fan. I just love his lyrics. LOVE his lyrics.

This week the doubts have been creeping in.

Why are we doing this? Why go? Why go there? What difference can we make, anyway? What are we going to do? We don't have enough training. Or studies. Or skills. Maybe we should just stay. I mean, what if the kids get sick? What if we get hurt? What if we die? Or one of the kids does? No.... no, maybe we should just hang around here for a while...

Then encouragement comes at just the right time, in just the right way. Today it was a Lecrae post on FB.

I think I'm his #1 fan. Watch it. (The ending ROCKS.)

New York Cheesecake

(Because ever girl moving overseas needs to know how to bake a good cheesecake. And from what I recall, there is cream cheese in Argentina. Mmmm-MM!)

This recipe is as easy as it is fabulous.

filling

32 ounces (1 kg) (4 - 8 ounces packages) cream cheese, room temperature (use full fat, not reduced or fat free cream cheese)

1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar
3 tablespoons (35 grams) all purpose flour
5 large eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup (80 ml) heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 store-bought graham cracker crusts

In bowl of your electric mixer place the cream cheese, sugar, and flour. Beat on medium speed until smooth (about 2 minutes), scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well (about 30 seconds) after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the whipping cream, lemon zest, vanilla extract and beat until incorporated. Pour filling into store-bought graham cracker crusts, dividing equally between two. Place on a larger baking pan and place in the oven.

Bake for 15 minutes and then lower the oven temperature to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Continue to bake for about another 50 minutes or until firm and only the center of the cheesecake looks a little wet and wobbly. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack.

Cheesecake freezes well. Defrost overnight in fridge.

Tips: Sometimes the surface of the cheesecake cracks. To help prevent this from happening, do not over beat the batter, especially when creaming the cheese and sugar.

Another reason for cracking is overbaking the cheesecake. Your cheesecake is done when it is firm, but the middle may still look a little wet.

Enjoy! This is a rich, dense, authentic tasting New York Cheesecake!

[Photo Credit and Recipe adapted from: Joy of Baking]

:)

The Great Commission

... is for all of us who call ourselves Christians. It is a command, not a special calling.

Watch this video:



I think we think and talk about it all wrong in the church. As Hudson Taylor put it,

"It will not due to say that you have no special call to go. With these facts before you and the command of the Lord Jesus to go... you need rather to ascertain whether you have a special call to stay at home."

Anise-Almond Biscotti

This is what I'm cooking in the kitchen today.

Mmm-MM!

ingredients

3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/3 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons aniseed, ground
1 cup whole almonds, toasted, coarsely chopped
1 large egg white


preparation

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Mix sugar, melted butter, 3 eggs, vanilla extract and ground aniseed in large bowl. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and stir with wooden spoon until well blended. Mix in almonds.

Divide dough in half. Using floured hands, shape each dough half into 13 1/2-inch-long, 2 1/2-inch-wide log. Transfer both logs to prepared baking sheet, spacing apart. Whisk egg white in small bowl until foamy; brush over top and sides of each dough log.

Bake logs until golden brown (logs will spread), about 30 minutes. Cool logs completely on sheet on rack, about 25 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.

Transfer logs to work surface; discard parchment paper. Using serrated knife, cut logs on diagonal into 1/2-inch-wide slices. Arrange slices, cut side down, on same baking sheet. Bake 12 minutes. Turn biscotti over; bake until just beginning to color, about 8 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)

[Recipe credit: Epicurious.]

:)

Teaching Art in the Homeschool

I groan inwardly at the thought of doing Art or Crafts with my kids. Fortunately for me, my son could care less about either. My daughter, on the other hand, LOVES to create things. And she often seems to want me to do them with her.

So my idea of teaching Art (of which I am utterly inadequate to do), Money Management (according to Tony, same), and Selfless Giving (meaning the world does not in fact revolve around you) is taking my daughter to Color Me Mine, and suggesting she use her own money to make something for someone else.

On the way I said, "Honey, you know I don't like to do crafts." (Gasp from the back seat). "But, I'm doing this for you. That's what love is. When you do something you don't like for someone else because they want you to do it. You set aside how you feel about something and you do it anyway because you love them."

Once there, Dear Daughter decided to paint a unicorn bank so she can have place in which to save her money. She also picked a cat bowl to give to Mom-mom for her cat, who loves cats. Anything cats. DD picked the colors, and I was drafted to paint.

So that takes care of Art for the next 6 months at our house. For me, anyway. But, I am sure, my dear, sweet, artsy-craftsy, most adorable daughter will surely try to drag me back there within the month. I'll just keep answering, "Save your money - then we can go!"

:)

Phrase of the day

Por la boca meure el pez = by an open mouth dies the fish


You don't quite understand this refrán (saying), you say? Blank stare?

Tony had to explain this one to me with a visual, "You know (opening mouth wide), fish swim around with their mouths wide open, looking for food...? (staring at me, waiting for comprehension)... Sometimes they swallow the wrong thing...? (still waiting for the light to go on)

Like a... hook?".

I believe the Biblical equivalent is,

"When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise." ~ Proverbs 10:19 NIV

Now, if I could just remember this...

:)

Busy, busy

I'm still here, just busy teaching my kids, and teaching other people's kids as well...

I discovered I actually LIKE teaching 1st & 2nd graders -
 what a great age. :)

Also busy squeezing some field trips and outdoor activities in before the weather gets too cold...

State Park lady pointing out how to identify poison ivy when it has no leaves (it's the fuzzy stuff)

Preparing for the mission field also means working on the "Must-visit-these-museums-before-leaving" List.

Tough, considering museums and baby don't seem to gel. Recent trip no exception. This really needs its own post entitled, "Museums and Other Disasters".

On a lighter note, we recently visited an Apple Cider Factory:

Throw apple on conveyor belt...

get apple cider out...

 

feed leftovers to cows.

Also visited Mom-mom for a great day of power-washing the mold off her house.

Now there's a man. 

 Always a great time. Mom-mom feeds us.

(Mommy likes this.)

:)