KidsPILAT.MP4 from Chris Thompson on Vimeo.
We are a family of 5 striving to live a missional life following our Savior wherever that may take us.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Monday, June 4, 2012
Whirlwind!
The last few days have proven to be a total whirlwind. Quick update - The kids finished school, Sara wrapped up her work with her clients, Chris finished teaching, Kate turned 5, we were all part of the amazing wedding of John and Krista Ternus (Sara's cousin).
What's next? June 6th - June 10th we will be in Roscoe and Milwaukee visiting family, friends, supporters and potential future supporters and church mission boards. June 11th-June 22nd we will be in Colorado at Missionary Training Institute attending the Program In Language Acquisition Techniques (PILAT). This is program for both the parent and the kids. We will be learning language learning techniques and transition training. We will also use this time to visit friends, supporters, potential future supporters and church mission boards as well. If you are within a couple hours of Denver, Colorado and would like to get together let us know! So Minneapolis friends - we will be gone most of June but we haven't left for Haiti yet. Our plan is to leave August 1st, Lord willing.
We will be in Minneapolis and the midwest from June 23rd - August 1st. Yippee.
We are at about 68% of our monthly commitments. Praise God!
Monday, April 23, 2012
Friday, April 20, 2012
Hello and Goodbye
I knew that entering this new line of work would mean saying a lot of goodbyes. We aren't planning to leave for Haiti until July so I figured that goodbyes wouldn't really have to start yet. What I wasn't ready for was the Hellos and Goodbyes. I'll explain..
As part of ReachGlobal we attend many conferences and trainings with other cross cultural ministry workers. We spent 8 days in January with fellow workers from Latin American and the Carribean at a conference in Orlando. And just last week we spent 9 days with other ReachGlobal candidates going to all parts of the world. During these intense training/conference weeks we get to know each other extremely well. Our weeks are spent in 12 hour days together, working on projects, discussing theology and missiology, delving into the Word, and forming bonds with one another.
And then we say goodbye.
Sure, we will see some of these individuals again at future conferences. But many we won't see again. All 5 members of our family deal with these goodbyes differently. I sleep, Eloise gets angry, Luke cries, Kate creates imaginary scenarios where we can still be together, and Chris busies himself with household tasks (I'm not complaining about that).
These hellos and goodbyes are just a reality of our lives now. In Haiti many teams will come through, we will attach, and they will leave. But it is worth it! Over the past 9 days I was able to see the image of God uniquely reflected in 20+ individuals. I was able to learn from the wisdom of others and see the body of Christ at work in the world. It was priceless.
Just hoping it gets easier.....
As part of ReachGlobal we attend many conferences and trainings with other cross cultural ministry workers. We spent 8 days in January with fellow workers from Latin American and the Carribean at a conference in Orlando. And just last week we spent 9 days with other ReachGlobal candidates going to all parts of the world. During these intense training/conference weeks we get to know each other extremely well. Our weeks are spent in 12 hour days together, working on projects, discussing theology and missiology, delving into the Word, and forming bonds with one another.
And then we say goodbye.
Sure, we will see some of these individuals again at future conferences. But many we won't see again. All 5 members of our family deal with these goodbyes differently. I sleep, Eloise gets angry, Luke cries, Kate creates imaginary scenarios where we can still be together, and Chris busies himself with household tasks (I'm not complaining about that).
These hellos and goodbyes are just a reality of our lives now. In Haiti many teams will come through, we will attach, and they will leave. But it is worth it! Over the past 9 days I was able to see the image of God uniquely reflected in 20+ individuals. I was able to learn from the wisdom of others and see the body of Christ at work in the world. It was priceless.
Just hoping it gets easier.....
Monday, February 20, 2012
Friday, February 17, 2012
not-so-random connections
In our now over a year time since we have been support raising and actively seeking people and churches out to partner with us, I have continually been amazed at how God has brought a wide variety of people in our path whom we never would have expected. Today was one of those days when a parent of one of my students randomly connected me with a Haitian pastor near our area. From the parent, I heard a little about what he was doing with helping his community grow better crops in what seemed like a sustainable way. This pastor then called me earlier this evening and while I only understood part of the conversation due to his poor cell connection and Haitian accent, he repeatedly encouraged me personally and told me that he would be praying for me and my family. I have no idea where this relationship will end up, but I certainly was uplifted in our brief talk together.
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