This video provides a great introduction to Africa Inland Mission's heart for Africa.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
From Candidates to Appointees
The snow was falling all day. A thick blanket of the stuff covered the ground outside the window and I couldn't help but smile at the irony of the situation. We talk of Africa, of getting (or not getting) malaria, of life in remote villages, of learning new languages, of how God is bringing redemption to peoples who live amongst the red dust and the heat. It is almost surreal to think that as we sit watching the icy crystals fall, on the other side of the planet people wipe the sweat off their brow as they walk under the indelible African sun. A delightful juxtaposition.
Our time at Africa Inland Mission's Candidate Week was amazing. Being surrounded by so many people who have a passion for Africa makes my heart smile and we find ourselves happy to think that many of the friends we made we will possibly see across the pond someday.
Here are a few things that made Candidate Week an enriching time for us:
When we left, we were candidates and now, we return as appointees (being "appointed" is the official term to signify that we have been accepted with the organization)
Our tentative departure date for Nairobi, Kenya is January 2012.
In some ways that date seems very near. It seems near when we think that we are planning to move to Kenya indefinitely. It seems near when we think about the amount of financial support we have to raise. It seems very near when we think about saying goodbye to family and friends and places that we love.
In other ways that date seems very far. It seems far when we think about the people in Nairobi whom will be our neighbors. People whom we don't know yet, but already feel a deep desire to know. It seems far when we consider that we have been looking forward to this for years.
We want to say thank you to those of you who have been praying for us and specifically to those of you who prayed for us as we went to Candidate Week.
Because of the generous gifts that came in almost all of the cost of Candidate Week was covered! There is a remaining balance of only $500. Information about making financial contributions to Candidate week is here.
March 17the Update: Due to some more donations for Candidate Week, we now have a balance of only $300 remaining.
Our time at Africa Inland Mission's Candidate Week was amazing. Being surrounded by so many people who have a passion for Africa makes my heart smile and we find ourselves happy to think that many of the friends we made we will possibly see across the pond someday.
Here are a few things that made Candidate Week an enriching time for us:
- Seminars on interacting with and living in African culture
- Our 3 hour counseling session in which we learned a lot about ourselves
- learning about AIM's vision for ministry
- Learning how to live healthy lives in Africa
- Learning all the nitty gritty details of how AIM finances are structured, what our health care will look like, what education will look like for our kids someday, having a retirement account, taxes and the like
- How to have healthy relationships, conflict resolution and how to say goodbye in a healthy way and transition to life in Africa
- How to share with others what God is doing in Africa and how we are planning to be a part of it
When we left, we were candidates and now, we return as appointees (being "appointed" is the official term to signify that we have been accepted with the organization)
Our tentative departure date for Nairobi, Kenya is January 2012.
In some ways that date seems very near. It seems near when we think that we are planning to move to Kenya indefinitely. It seems near when we think about the amount of financial support we have to raise. It seems very near when we think about saying goodbye to family and friends and places that we love.
In other ways that date seems very far. It seems far when we think about the people in Nairobi whom will be our neighbors. People whom we don't know yet, but already feel a deep desire to know. It seems far when we consider that we have been looking forward to this for years.
We want to say thank you to those of you who have been praying for us and specifically to those of you who prayed for us as we went to Candidate Week.
Because of the generous gifts that came in almost all of the cost of Candidate Week was covered! There is a remaining balance of only $500. Information about making financial contributions to Candidate week is here.
March 17the Update: Due to some more donations for Candidate Week, we now have a balance of only $300 remaining.
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