Outfitting Phase

Last month we graduated from The Master’s Mission (TMM) missionary training program and are now in the strange new world of “outfitting.” It’s pretty much just more training in new areas (although some are the same – bugs in my dry goods, spiders in my bathroom and a snake trying to hide under my foot.)  From descriptions I’ve heard of furlough, we’re also about as busy and crazy as that too, with meetings and travel and logistics, only without the culture shock. (Although I’d contend we’ve had a slight bit of that too – but that’s another story). At least the language is still the same – though missing its Southern charm.

​We are living in the basement of a fellow church member, which is a huge blessing for many reasons. When we first drove up the driveway, Josiah exclaimed, “It looks like The Master’s Mission only all together in a smaller space!” And indeed it does, after a dirt road, we came around a bend in the long driveway to see a pond with a dock, a trampoline and 4-wheeler paths – some of the boys’ favorite things on the mountain – with the house on a hill in the background. They were all familiar sights in a way, with the blessing of making it feel like home, though everything was new. Praise God for unlooked for blessings!

One of the benefits of living in a basement is that we have a large enough space to have all of our belongings and boxes in one place to be organized and then repacked, either for long-term storage or to be shipped to Romania. Right now we’re still working on organizing everything we brought home from the mountain. It’s slow work, with lots of decisions, but the small headway we make daily will hopefully add up over time

Along with the belongings and logistics tasks, Lance is doing an internship at our church for six months. He will be working with each of our pastors in their areas of oversight: church body, outreach, families and youth among other things. This will gain him valuable experience and mentorship before starting ministry oversees. 

The boys continue to adjust to our new normal. Josiah is in a classroom for 3rd Grade with his grandma as his teacher. I’m homeschooling Micah for Kindergarten/First Grade (we’re not quite sure where we are) and Alex continues to gradually adjust to this being home now. We’ve made bedrooms by hanging tarps in the back of the basement and, with a few carpets and a couch for delineation, have a living room area and a play area for the boys.

We still have April as our target date for leaving and trust God will help us be ready in time both logistically and financially. For now we’re enjoying our mini Master’s Mission, and Alex’s still-strong Southern accent.

​- Ruth, for our family.