As most of you know, we are at Field Personnel Orientation (FPO) just outside of Richmond, VA. We have been here for about a month and have another 3 ½ weeks to go. I say this to explain why I have not updated the blog is some time. This is a very busy but rewarding time of transition for us. Soon we will be in Malawi and after a month in Zambia, the blog updates should come in a timelier manner. I must make a disclaimer at this point. From my understanding we will have an Internet connection that approaches dial-up. From which direction I do not know. Hopefully, it will be from the faster side. If at all possible, we will be including photographs with my attempt at the written word.
This last week, one of our studies was on the persecuted church. This was such an awesome view of Christians that live in an oppressive society/country. The persecuted church is experiencing tremendous growth in many areas. This study has changed the way I pray for the persecuted. In the past, I have prayed that the persecution would be lifted from them, but this would probably affect their explosive growth. Instead, we should be praying for grace as they are persecuted. In the west, we Christians often pray that God will take away our burdens. The Christians in the persecuted church pray that God will give them strength to bare these burdens. According to scripture, persecution is the normal and freedom from persecution is the exception.
We also had an introduction to telling Bible stories. This will especially be helpful to us, as we will be serving in a country where most of the population is illiterate. Please don’t mistake illiterate with ignorant. We will be learning much from these people who simply don’t read. They are great storytellers and we will be training them to share the Gospel through Bible stories. In turn, they will teach others who will teach others. Southern Baptist Missionaries refer to this as T4T, Training for Trainers. We realize the task of reaching the entire world for Christ is a monumental task even for 5000+ missionaries. We did an exercise in class where two people from one table would train another table. Two people from the second table would train another table. This went on until the entire class was taught. Some teaching couples would have two or three generations of teachers. Others had as many as five generations. We were told that if we could have continued this for 35 generations the whole world would have been taught this little story. From this, you can see the value of training trainers.
If you would like to receive our news/prayer request letter, just drop us a line, I mean email and we will add you to the list. We try to send one out at least once a week at this point. You can reach us at: mailto:alrudd47@gmail.com
We would love to hear from you.
I love You, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my mountain where I seek refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:1-2
Monday, March 2, 2009
Monday, February 2, 2009
First Week at FPO
Well, we are at the SBC IMB ILC for FPO. What does al this mean? It means that every organization has it own peculiar set of acronyms. Let me explain what I just said.
We are at the Southern Baptist Conference International Mission Board International Learning Center for Field Personal Orientation.
Now isn’t the first sentence much easier to read using the acronyms? Just think, we have to learn a whole bunch of new terms and acronyms and believe me, these are used on a daily basis here. It’s like a foreign language.
We have finished our first week and have already learned so much. The high light of the week was the personal retreat we did Friday from 11:00am until 2:00pm. We were asked to not speak to anyone except God and listen to what He had to say to us. This was so refreshing. With our busy lifestyle here in the U.S. we seldom have three hours that we speak to no one except the Lord.
What He impressed on me was that time is so short. At my age, that kind of made me nervous. When you hear from God and He says your time is short. I started checking my pulse to make sure my heart was not skipping a beat or something. Actually, I hope, He was tell me that there are so many people that need to receive the good news that He loves them and died on the cross for the forgiveness of their sins. I must be more diligent in my witnessing to the lost.
I do not, let me rephrase that, I did not read much. I seldom read a book. I’m not proud of that but I read slowly and our microwave society did not give me much time for reading. I am proud to say that I have already read a book. It was given to us to read last Wednesday. That’s four day ago. I know that no big deal for most of you but it is for me.
I don’t want to bore you too much now so I will SFN and TTYL.
Oh yeah, that’s: I don’t want to bore you too much now so I will stop for now and talk to you later.
TTFN. You figure that one out.
We are at the Southern Baptist Conference International Mission Board International Learning Center for Field Personal Orientation.
Now isn’t the first sentence much easier to read using the acronyms? Just think, we have to learn a whole bunch of new terms and acronyms and believe me, these are used on a daily basis here. It’s like a foreign language.
We have finished our first week and have already learned so much. The high light of the week was the personal retreat we did Friday from 11:00am until 2:00pm. We were asked to not speak to anyone except God and listen to what He had to say to us. This was so refreshing. With our busy lifestyle here in the U.S. we seldom have three hours that we speak to no one except the Lord.
What He impressed on me was that time is so short. At my age, that kind of made me nervous. When you hear from God and He says your time is short. I started checking my pulse to make sure my heart was not skipping a beat or something. Actually, I hope, He was tell me that there are so many people that need to receive the good news that He loves them and died on the cross for the forgiveness of their sins. I must be more diligent in my witnessing to the lost.
I do not, let me rephrase that, I did not read much. I seldom read a book. I’m not proud of that but I read slowly and our microwave society did not give me much time for reading. I am proud to say that I have already read a book. It was given to us to read last Wednesday. That’s four day ago. I know that no big deal for most of you but it is for me.
I don’t want to bore you too much now so I will SFN and TTYL.
Oh yeah, that’s: I don’t want to bore you too much now so I will stop for now and talk to you later.
TTFN. You figure that one out.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
The Latest
Well, here is the latest. It seems that the IMB is serious about us going to Malawi. We received an email with our flight schedule. We leave Huntsville April 10 around noon. We will be able to sleep late that day, as if we have been able to sleep for the past week. We may have to get up and go have our last breakfast in the US for the next 18 months. What would you have if it were your last meal before the greatest adventure of your life?
Well anyway, we fly to Dallas, and I thought Africa was in the other direction, then overnight, over the Atlantic to London. Maybe they need to get a little extra running start for that distance over the water.
We arrive at Heathrow Saturday morning and stay there allllllll day. We leave from London at 7:05pm headed for Johannesburg, South Africa. They must have some new headlight on the plane they are trying to break in. When I was a Boy Scout we learned we should rest during the day and travel at night but I thought that was if we were lost in the desert. It could also be that they don't want to feed us and only travel between supper and breakfast.
We will land in Jo'berg at 6:55am. What did I tell you, just before breakfast and leave for Lilongwe just after lunch. We arrive, wouldn't you know it, just before supper. We have been traveling now for three day and haven't had a single meal. They must have hired a retired NASA rocket scientist to figure that schedule out.
Mzimba is a 3 and a half hour drive from Lilongwe. No McDonalds, no Crackerbarrels, not even a Waffle House. Just people selling "bush meat" on a stick. I guess if you are hungry enough, you will eat anything.
Well, maybe not grubs.
I just hope I don't have to drive us to Mzimba. Three day with out sleep or food and I'm expected to drive on the wrong (left) side of the road. Now that could be ugly.
Well anyway, we fly to Dallas, and I thought Africa was in the other direction, then overnight, over the Atlantic to London. Maybe they need to get a little extra running start for that distance over the water.
We arrive at Heathrow Saturday morning and stay there allllllll day. We leave from London at 7:05pm headed for Johannesburg, South Africa. They must have some new headlight on the plane they are trying to break in. When I was a Boy Scout we learned we should rest during the day and travel at night but I thought that was if we were lost in the desert. It could also be that they don't want to feed us and only travel between supper and breakfast.
We will land in Jo'berg at 6:55am. What did I tell you, just before breakfast and leave for Lilongwe just after lunch. We arrive, wouldn't you know it, just before supper. We have been traveling now for three day and haven't had a single meal. They must have hired a retired NASA rocket scientist to figure that schedule out.
Mzimba is a 3 and a half hour drive from Lilongwe. No McDonalds, no Crackerbarrels, not even a Waffle House. Just people selling "bush meat" on a stick. I guess if you are hungry enough, you will eat anything.
Well, maybe not grubs.
I just hope I don't have to drive us to Mzimba. Three day with out sleep or food and I'm expected to drive on the wrong (left) side of the road. Now that could be ugly.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Time line
I would like to give a time line to let everyone, all one or two of you, know where we are in the process of relocating to Mzimba, Malawi.
My last day at my current job is January 23. We have to be in Richmond, VA at the International Learning Center Monday January 26. We will be there for 8 weeks. This will be a time of training and transition. We will learn many things that will help us living in a foreign and maybe even a hostile country. We will learn things that will help us transition to a society where microwaves and can openers are totally useless items.
We will complete Field Personnel Orientation (FPO) around March 27. Our on field date is April 9. This will probably very a little depending on travel. We will spend a couple of weeks in our house in Mzimba getting settled and over jet lag. We will then travel to Zambia for what is called 40/40. I haven't the foggiest why it is called that. I do know that we will spend the first few days living in a tent and then move into the home of a local family. We will sleep where they sleep, eat what they eat, help them get water, and whatever else they do on a day-to-day basis to survive. We have been told that this is the hardest part of the 40/40 four weeks in country orientation but the most rewarding. We will then move to the city where we can actually shower. Let me see. If I have my figures correct, that's 8-10 days without a shower. Oh my. I may just have to accidentally slip and fall into the pond where we will get water. Unless there are crocks present. And I am not talking about the shoes.
In the city and after a looooong shower we will experience riding the public transit system. This could be riding on the back of a bicycle, motor scooter, pickup truck, van, or bus. If it moves and they will stop it public transportation. There is even "in-transit" meals. Every time the van/bus/whatever slows or stops vendors will crowd around the windows with some sort of roasted meat on sticks. Who knows what it is. And you complain about airline food. We will also do some shopping in the open air markets. Where is Walmart when you need one?
I'm thinking this 40/40 training will end sometime in May and we should be ready to start what we came to Africa to do. I imagine by that time we will no longer be Americans but Africans. Our Area Coordinator said this training will teach us to "walk as Africans". They must have a whole different way of walking.
Prayers are certainly appreciated during the 40/40. Especially when we are handed a freshly removed goat kidney to consume sushi style. Now that will be some interesting reading for a later blog entry.
Stay tuned, the best is yet to come.
My last day at my current job is January 23. We have to be in Richmond, VA at the International Learning Center Monday January 26. We will be there for 8 weeks. This will be a time of training and transition. We will learn many things that will help us living in a foreign and maybe even a hostile country. We will learn things that will help us transition to a society where microwaves and can openers are totally useless items.
We will complete Field Personnel Orientation (FPO) around March 27. Our on field date is April 9. This will probably very a little depending on travel. We will spend a couple of weeks in our house in Mzimba getting settled and over jet lag. We will then travel to Zambia for what is called 40/40. I haven't the foggiest why it is called that. I do know that we will spend the first few days living in a tent and then move into the home of a local family. We will sleep where they sleep, eat what they eat, help them get water, and whatever else they do on a day-to-day basis to survive. We have been told that this is the hardest part of the 40/40 four weeks in country orientation but the most rewarding. We will then move to the city where we can actually shower. Let me see. If I have my figures correct, that's 8-10 days without a shower. Oh my. I may just have to accidentally slip and fall into the pond where we will get water. Unless there are crocks present. And I am not talking about the shoes.
In the city and after a looooong shower we will experience riding the public transit system. This could be riding on the back of a bicycle, motor scooter, pickup truck, van, or bus. If it moves and they will stop it public transportation. There is even "in-transit" meals. Every time the van/bus/whatever slows or stops vendors will crowd around the windows with some sort of roasted meat on sticks. Who knows what it is. And you complain about airline food. We will also do some shopping in the open air markets. Where is Walmart when you need one?
I'm thinking this 40/40 training will end sometime in May and we should be ready to start what we came to Africa to do. I imagine by that time we will no longer be Americans but Africans. Our Area Coordinator said this training will teach us to "walk as Africans". They must have a whole different way of walking.
Prayers are certainly appreciated during the 40/40. Especially when we are handed a freshly removed goat kidney to consume sushi style. Now that will be some interesting reading for a later blog entry.
Stay tuned, the best is yet to come.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Children in Botswana
These children were photographed in a small village church in Botswana. The children and adults truly enjoy singing. There were no pianos, no hymnals, and no director. Someone, child or adult, would just start singing and everyone would join in. I enjoyed their impromptu style of singing.This is probably the way it was with the people that followed Jesus from place to place.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Botswana rural public transit system
This is a common sight in rural Botswana.There are a large number of wild burrows in the bush. They travel in small herds or whatever burrows travel in. They could care less about traffic and pose a danger to motorist. Fortunately, the rural highways are not very busy.
I realize I should be posting something of more interest but this is a time of learning so your patience is appreciated.
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