Saturday, November 30, 2013
Monday, November 25, 2013
We have arrived!
> Well, it finally happened! After much waiting, and waiting, and waiting on permits and papers and visas and anything else that needed to be gotten, we finally are here!
>
> May I say that I do not recommend international flights with a toddler if they can be avoided. I, for one, hope that by the time we have to fly back to the states, a good teleportation device will have already been invented and that there will a station set up in Mt Hagen, Papua New Guinea. Here's to high hopes!
>
> Theron actually did not do too badly for a one-year-old who was cooped up on airplanes and in airports for 36 hours straight, and he has already recovered remarkably well from jet lag. On the first day, he seemed to be under the impression that morning had arrived at 4am, but by day three or so, he was sleeping in till 6 just like mommy and daddy!
>
> Morgan has started work with Field Maintenance (upkeep on mission housing), and is loving it! He works with two guys who are under strict orders not to speak any English with him, thanks to our dear fellow missionaries. As a result, he hopes to be speaking fluent Tok Pisin quite soon! =]
>
> Danielle has started at the MK high school, teaching and tutoring 6 lovely missionary kids. She is glad that she is working with another teacher who actually does have a grasp of high school calculus. However, physics, biology, and english are coming back!
>
> We still do have some support that we need -- about $350/ month in pledges. If you feel that God might be calling you to help with that, please do so! That money pays our grocery bill.
>
> Thank you all so much for your support thus far in actually getting us to the other side of the world!
>
> May I say that I do not recommend international flights with a toddler if they can be avoided. I, for one, hope that by the time we have to fly back to the states, a good teleportation device will have already been invented and that there will a station set up in Mt Hagen, Papua New Guinea. Here's to high hopes!
>
> Theron actually did not do too badly for a one-year-old who was cooped up on airplanes and in airports for 36 hours straight, and he has already recovered remarkably well from jet lag. On the first day, he seemed to be under the impression that morning had arrived at 4am, but by day three or so, he was sleeping in till 6 just like mommy and daddy!
>
> Morgan has started work with Field Maintenance (upkeep on mission housing), and is loving it! He works with two guys who are under strict orders not to speak any English with him, thanks to our dear fellow missionaries. As a result, he hopes to be speaking fluent Tok Pisin quite soon! =]
>
> Danielle has started at the MK high school, teaching and tutoring 6 lovely missionary kids. She is glad that she is working with another teacher who actually does have a grasp of high school calculus. However, physics, biology, and english are coming back!
>
> We still do have some support that we need -- about $350/ month in pledges. If you feel that God might be calling you to help with that, please do so! That money pays our grocery bill.
>
> Thank you all so much for your support thus far in actually getting us to the other side of the world!
Saturday, November 16, 2013
On Our Way!
Well, it's finally happened! Our visas were approved, our passports were returned to us with said visas, and our tickets are purchased!
Our patience has definitely been tested over the last four months, as we thought we were going to be leaving early in August. But we know God's timing is perfect, and we have had a wonderful, if somewhat frustrating, several months.
We will be leaving the states this next week. Please pray for us as we undertake a two-day across-the-world journey with a toddler! It should be interesting.
We have enjoyed this weekend with family, and had a birthday party for Theron today, complete with lots of cake!
Support Update: Thanks to God's faithfulness and the willingness of so many people to be used by Him in our lives, we have raised the initial amount that we need in order to leave the country! We still have some ongoing support left, about $300/ month that we need in pledges. We are so humbled and amazed by the incredible God we serve and His ability to provide for all of our needs.
Next time you hear from us, we'll be on the other side of the world!
Our patience has definitely been tested over the last four months, as we thought we were going to be leaving early in August. But we know God's timing is perfect, and we have had a wonderful, if somewhat frustrating, several months.
We will be leaving the states this next week. Please pray for us as we undertake a two-day across-the-world journey with a toddler! It should be interesting.
We have enjoyed this weekend with family, and had a birthday party for Theron today, complete with lots of cake!
Support Update: Thanks to God's faithfulness and the willingness of so many people to be used by Him in our lives, we have raised the initial amount that we need in order to leave the country! We still have some ongoing support left, about $300/ month that we need in pledges. We are so humbled and amazed by the incredible God we serve and His ability to provide for all of our needs.
Next time you hear from us, we'll be on the other side of the world!
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
At the Visa Stage
It would seem that God's preferred lesson in our lives at the moment is "patience"! Our work permits have been approved, and we have applied for and are waiting on entry permits now ("visas").
God has continued to amaze us with His faithfulness as He has used so many people to support us as we prepare to leave. Our funding has continued to grow: we are now at $8200 out of $10000, and have 16 out of 33 $25/month pledges for ongoing support. Wow!
We have been working at Golden Bell Camp Ground in Colorado for the last month and a half, while we are waiting. It is certainly not the worst place in the world to wait!!! We can see Pikes Peak from our living room window, and we love working at this camp ground. This morning, we had some snow that actually stuck around on the ground for a couple of hours. It was so beautiful.
Theron hasn't actually started walking yet, but he is standing on his own. He loves the deer that come around our house. I insist that he says "deer" when he sees them, but Morgan thinks that it is pure chance that the sounds he makes sound like that. =]
Right now, we have three biggest prayer requests:
1. Our entry visas would get approved soon.
2. Our funds would continue to come in.
3. Patience and peace as we wait on God's timing.
Thank you so much for being a part of our lives!
Danielle
God has continued to amaze us with His faithfulness as He has used so many people to support us as we prepare to leave. Our funding has continued to grow: we are now at $8200 out of $10000, and have 16 out of 33 $25/month pledges for ongoing support. Wow!
We have been working at Golden Bell Camp Ground in Colorado for the last month and a half, while we are waiting. It is certainly not the worst place in the world to wait!!! We can see Pikes Peak from our living room window, and we love working at this camp ground. This morning, we had some snow that actually stuck around on the ground for a couple of hours. It was so beautiful.
Theron hasn't actually started walking yet, but he is standing on his own. He loves the deer that come around our house. I insist that he says "deer" when he sees them, but Morgan thinks that it is pure chance that the sounds he makes sound like that. =]
Right now, we have three biggest prayer requests:
1. Our entry visas would get approved soon.
2. Our funds would continue to come in.
3. Patience and peace as we wait on God's timing.
Thank you so much for being a part of our lives!
Danielle
Friday, August 16, 2013
Hurry Up and Wait
That seems to be the motto of our life at the moment. After a crazy, busy finish to the school year and summer, we are now moved out of our rental house and... waiting. Our original plan was to be headed for Papua New Guinea by this point, but evidently God has decided that we needed a lesson on patience and trust! Our work permits have not yet come through, so here we are, waiting on that.
Waiting on work permits has actually been a blessing, since it has given us extra time to work on fund-raising. We have spoken at a couple churches so far, and through the incredible generosity of the people at these churches, we are now at $6500 of our goal of $10,000 that we have to have before we leave the country. Only $3500 to go! That actually begins to sound like something that can happen! We are so overwhelmed by the support and love we have felt from God's people over the last couple of months.
The other half of our support is measured in long-term pledges: we need 33 $25-per-month pledges. So far, 3 of those have been taken, and we have had several more people say that they are planning on signing up for one or two of those pledges. Again, we are amazed by the generosity of the people who have come alongside us to make this possible!
If you want to make a one-time donation toward the $3500 we still have to go, or take a long-term pledge, you can do that online here: Stephenson Donation Page
We are right now working on things like doctor appointments and tests for entry permits, so that we will be ready as soon as our work permits come through, and booking more church services to raise the rest of our support funds.
In July, we attended the General Assembly in Indianapolis for the Church of the Nazarene (the organization we are going through). We had a great time, both on the trip and at the assembly!
Thank you for being a part of our journey thus far! We will continue to keep you updated as we move forward.
-Morgan, Danielle, and Theron
Waiting on work permits has actually been a blessing, since it has given us extra time to work on fund-raising. We have spoken at a couple churches so far, and through the incredible generosity of the people at these churches, we are now at $6500 of our goal of $10,000 that we have to have before we leave the country. Only $3500 to go! That actually begins to sound like something that can happen! We are so overwhelmed by the support and love we have felt from God's people over the last couple of months.
The other half of our support is measured in long-term pledges: we need 33 $25-per-month pledges. So far, 3 of those have been taken, and we have had several more people say that they are planning on signing up for one or two of those pledges. Again, we are amazed by the generosity of the people who have come alongside us to make this possible!
If you want to make a one-time donation toward the $3500 we still have to go, or take a long-term pledge, you can do that online here: Stephenson Donation Page
We are right now working on things like doctor appointments and tests for entry permits, so that we will be ready as soon as our work permits come through, and booking more church services to raise the rest of our support funds.
In July, we attended the General Assembly in Indianapolis for the Church of the Nazarene (the organization we are going through). We had a great time, both on the trip and at the assembly!
Thank you for being a part of our journey thus far! We will continue to keep you updated as we move forward.
-Morgan, Danielle, and Theron
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
About Us
Our Story
We are Morgan and Danielle Stephenson, and our son,
Theron. We are working to raise support so that we can serve as
missionaries with the Church of the Nazarene in Papua New Guinea.
Danielle will be teaching at the Missionary Kid Highschool on Kudjip
Mission Station, while Morgan will be working in various functions on
the mission station, including maintenance and construction as well as
team building facilitating.
Danielle: I grew up as a missionary kid in Fiji and Papua New Guinea, and from a young age felt a passion for serving those in ministry. Having grown up in missions, I wanted to use my experiences to minister to missionary kids and their family. During my college career I discovered that I love teaching and tutoring. Over the last four years, God has been constantly at work in my life, breaking down my need for control and teaching me to trust in Him and in His plans for my life and that of my family.
Morgan: My dad was a missionary kid in South Africa, and I grew up hearing the stories of God’s work around the world. I have always wanted to see the world and to serve God however He led. In the summer of ‘09 I worked at Golden Bell Camp Ground in Colorado and found out that I love working outdoors and in a ministry setting. I felt called to ministry, but not as a pastor or a youth pastor. Since then, I’ve remodeled two houses and have worked at another camp doing challenge course, team building, and high ropes course facilitation. Most recently I have realized that God is calling our family to take the next step in surrendering to His plan.
Together we have felt strongly that this opportunity to volunteer as Global Serve Missionaries to Papua New Guinea is the next place that God is leading us. We are excited beyond belief to see what God has in store for us as we move forward!
Danielle: I grew up as a missionary kid in Fiji and Papua New Guinea, and from a young age felt a passion for serving those in ministry. Having grown up in missions, I wanted to use my experiences to minister to missionary kids and their family. During my college career I discovered that I love teaching and tutoring. Over the last four years, God has been constantly at work in my life, breaking down my need for control and teaching me to trust in Him and in His plans for my life and that of my family.
Morgan: My dad was a missionary kid in South Africa, and I grew up hearing the stories of God’s work around the world. I have always wanted to see the world and to serve God however He led. In the summer of ‘09 I worked at Golden Bell Camp Ground in Colorado and found out that I love working outdoors and in a ministry setting. I felt called to ministry, but not as a pastor or a youth pastor. Since then, I’ve remodeled two houses and have worked at another camp doing challenge course, team building, and high ropes course facilitation. Most recently I have realized that God is calling our family to take the next step in surrendering to His plan.
Together we have felt strongly that this opportunity to volunteer as Global Serve Missionaries to Papua New Guinea is the next place that God is leading us. We are excited beyond belief to see what God has in store for us as we move forward!
Support
We need people to partner with us as we pursue God’s
leading. Prayer support will be incredibly important during this crazy
step for us, and we want to ask you to hold our family in prayer. We
will be keeping anyone who wants to partner with us updated on our
family blog, and on this blog you can also find a Prayer Calendar. On this calendar,
you can commit to pray for us specifically on a certain day, with a
certain prayer request in mind. In this way we can know as we serve that
we are covered in prayer every single day.
As volunteer missionaries, we are responsible to raise our own support of $20,000 to cover our round trip airfare and the costs to live for year on the field. We therefore do need people to partner with us financially to make this possible for us! On this page there is a button where you can make a one-time donation or commit to ongoing financial support of our family.
Please feel free to email us at asmidgenofmadness@gmail.com. We would love to hear from you!
As volunteer missionaries, we are responsible to raise our own support of $20,000 to cover our round trip airfare and the costs to live for year on the field. We therefore do need people to partner with us financially to make this possible for us! On this page there is a button where you can make a one-time donation or commit to ongoing financial support of our family.
Please feel free to email us at asmidgenofmadness@gmail.com. We would love to hear from you!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)