all the places

 Oh man, Dad's been gone, Aunt Sharon's been here, and I've missed a slew of reflection.

I couldn't have done Matt's time away without Aunt Sharon...I wasn't feeling well this weekend and she was all over it...even taking the girls to a bday party and doing grocery shopping and laundry and all the fun grandma jobs...like sleepovers with each of the girls, sewing projects with Lily and staying up past her bedtime being my friend. 

She catches me up on all of life from our Kansas and Mishler people, speaks into our lives, and asks the good questions sometimes life is too busy or not well known enough to ask, "How do YOU feel about this?" and "Have you thought about trying this?"

Matt, on the other hand, has really been having an unexpected time of his life. I mean, we knew Alaska would be neat, but honestly, he hasn't gone on a dog sled or ice fishing or anything like that.  Indigenous eskimo pastors from all over Alaska came, some hundreds of miles by dogsled, helicopter and tiny planes, to gather together for this teaching, and while he didn't experience much of the beauty of Alaska, he sure did experience and grow close to the beauty of her people. 

He was incredibly touched and mesmerized by the men and women he worked with, ministering in such a unique context and in very challenging places. English was the second language of all the pastors he worked with, and Matt was also really moved by how the Lord used our life of ministry in Haiti to enable him to bridge the gap again, and to train and better equip brothers and sisters facing entirely different warfare and realities than he has been experiencing in Mississippi or experienced growing up. 

He would have stayed ten more weeks and would have loved to have gotten to the villages of the men and women he and Charles were teaching...and was MOST touched by the great need they have for HELP and for GOOD training and equipping. While I'm not ready to move to Alaska, ever, (the sun came up every day around 11 am and was gone again by 4), I love that what was needed is what Wesley does...and Matt's on a mission to get them MORE help and equipping.

Glad he's home, wish Aunt Sharon could just make the guest room hers, and continuing to pray for our Haiti home...the daily uncertainty is so great, the stress levels so high.  

Praising the Lord for His work in ALL places.