Tobias, the Stench, and the Wardrobe

wardrobe
Parenthood is like
going to Narnia...
As a child I loved reading C. S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Actually, as an adult, I enjoy it even more. I have always loved fantasy and science fiction and have always dreamed of finding that hidden door into a world very different from ours. There's just something within me that rebels at the mundane, the everyday, the painfully normal routines of life. I'm sure that part of my excitement about going overseas is fueled by my love for adventure.

What I conveniently forget is what it would really be like to be one of the characters in an adventure story. I don't dwell on the little details like what they did without toothbrushes or toilet paper, how cold it would have been, how hard the ground, how hungry the empty stomach on a long journey. I forget how how smelly they must have become without baths, or the stench of dragon manure.I forget for many of these characters, it would not have seemed like an adventure at all, but like real life with unusual and severe challenges. If I am honest with myself, unusual and severe challenges are not my favorite thing!

Papa n' Toby
Papa n' Toby
I have another problem. In dreaming about fantastic adventures, I can miss the real adventures taking place in my own life. Through the process of birth a few weeks ago, our son Toby left his tiny world in the womb and entered ours. At least an alien from Mars would have experienced the sun, atmosphere, the ground, colors, and many other things Toby hadn't until now. I can see transformations every day in Toby as he grows visibly larger and more mature. And how miraculous it is to see him learning to smile and communicate with us.

Sure, we deal with the stench of the diapers and the weird milk-breath. Sure, he keeps us up at night and makes me feel at times like I slept on the hard ground all night. One reason the Bible tells us that children are blessings is this adventure of life we get to share with them.

While I may never see Narnia in my lifetime (though I never quit hoping), I want to become more aware of the adventures God places in my life. Only after the story is written will we be able to look back and realize just how great of a fantasy our lives were.

Computer Technical Conference (CTC) Nov. 08'

I just returned from a 3-week computer conference in which many great things happened:

  • Met numerous, experienced computer professionals applying their skill to Bible translation
  • Learned about software used to improve accuracy and speed in translation work
  • Learned about the challenges and opportunities IT professionals face in many regions of the world

This conference was very valuable, and I feel like I can be of much greater assistance in helping with translation software. I now know dozens of people who can help solve a problem if it's beyond me. I made some friends, and I thank all who were praying for safe travelling.

Need in Indonesia

Today (Apr. 18) I discovered the Joshua Project. It's a database frontend that allows you to see various needs by country. Can you believe that almost 30 million people in Indonesia have NO portion of the Bible in their language?

Click here to see the stats for yourself.

Cross Cultural Training Completed!

Picture of a beautiful lake in Charlotte
Crystal Lake, Charlotte

We were gone for a month for training from January 17 to February 16. Why a month? What did we learn? In a nutshell:

  • The value of going to the field as a learner rather than as a know-it-all
  • The absolute necessity of keeping our spiritual walk alive through setting aside significant blocks of time with the Lord
  • Ideas on how to work well on a multi-cultural team
  • Principles of keeping our marriage strong overseas
  • A deeper understanding of different worldviews and how to minister effectively across cultural differences
  • Ways to recognize and adapt to the stress of living in a new culture
  • Exercises on how to plan for disasters
  • Methods for learning a new language
Picture of all the wonderful people at ICC
ICC Friends!

After this month of training, we feel better equipped to handle the transition into a new culture. We realize that we can't do it alone and must be interdependent. We have a deeper sense that ministry throughout the world involves a commitment to relationships. This requires good communication, openness, honesty, and the power of the Holy Spirit. Thanks to all who prayed for us during the training—it was a powerful experience.