28 June 2008 "Strawbucks" Cafe...En Route
Strawbucks Café is a weekly blog by the Straw family. We invite you to sit down, enjoy the conversation, and consider “picking up the bill” through a donation to our air ambulance program. Visit http://aircalvary.com/contribute.html to join the effort.
This week we are "en route" to our new home in PA for the next several weeks before deploying to Gabon. We'll have to take a "rain check" from our normal rendez-vous and meet up with you next week for a longer visit. Until then, here's a peek at our summer schedule:
Here's our summer schedule:
7/5: 8pm Steve's 20th High School reunion (State College, PA)
7/7 - 7/11: Alace travels with her mom to Texas for family visit (Dallas area)
7/9 - 7/12: Joey & Megan participate in city missions trip (York, PA)
7/13: Speaking at C&MA church (Coalport, PA)
7/17: Deliver family effects to port in Virginia for shipping to Gabon
7/26 - 8/3: Attending Airshow as an exhibitor (Oshkosh, WI)
7/27: Presentation at a C&MA church (Appleton, WI)
8/8-8/10: Weekend Mission activities at C&MA church (State College, PA)
8/9: Radio interview, "RevFM" WRXV (State College, PA)
8/11-8/16: Family beach trip
8/17: Speaking at C&MA church (York, PA)
8/17: 4pm Family gathering (Leutchford's- Harrisburg, PA)
8/22: DEPART JFK
8/24: Family day in Paris!
8/25: Samuel's birthday in Casablanca!
8/25: 11:30pm (local) arrive in Libreville, Gabon
21 June 2008 "Strawbucks" Cafe with Joey
Strawbucks Café is a weekly blog by the Straw family. We invite you to sit down, enjoy the conversation, and consider “picking up the bill” through a donation to our air ambulance program. Visit http://aircalvary.com/contribute.html to join the effort.
If you could describe yourself as an animal, what would it be and why?
I would be a black lab. Because, I'm mellow when I need to be, but I can adapt to things when I need to be. I'm able to be fun when it's time to be fun. I know this because we used to have a black lab, Kaiser, that we adored. We raised Kaiser for the seeing eye organization.
Is there a song that describes you pretty well?
"One World" by Toby Mac. It's a fun song and it challenges me to use my one life well.
What are some of your "high's" of being in France?
Making French friends pretty quickly, having other American kids to go through the experience with, our camping/hiking trip at the Gorges du Verdon (see pictures here http://picasaweb.google.com/Gabon.Pilot/ExcursionGorgesDuVerdon ), and the Marseille soccer match!
What are some of your "low's" of being in France?
Some of my friends dropped out of classes at my French public school right as I was going through a hard time, also seeing some of my friends getting bullied at school and not having anything to do about it, and being away from all my friends and family.
Did you have any bizarre or strange moments here in France?
There's been nothing really bizarre, but it was fun to be in Geneva under the "Jet d'eau" (see video here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=CX5KpAzByXk ).
What are you looking forward to the most about our visit to the states in July and August?
Obviously seeing all my friends and having time to just talk with people that are close to me, also playing soccer with friends and showing them my new moves, and the jr. high event at our church - S.M.A.S.H.
What are you looking forward to most about making a new life in Gabon?
Starting over in a new place and having a new way to do things that is NOT FRENCH! Also, going to the beach, hanging out with Tim & Meredith Brokopp, learning more soccer skills, and making new friends.
What are your biggest fears about going to Gabon?
Not making friends right away, the heat being overwhelming, and not being able to see my friends for a long long time.
Are you afraid of getting sick?
No... in fact, I welcome it!
What have you learned about yourself in your time in France?
I think that I might be a little more patient than the average American now. I think that I've learned to be more flexible and to learn another language.
What will you miss most?
I'll miss my French friends at school, like Luka and Arthur.
Any final words of wisdom to pass along to your crew?
Be thankful for the time that you have with your friends and family. I'd also like to give a "shout out" to:
Andrew M.- I'm looking forward to more spicy cheetos!
14 June 2008 "Strawbucks" Cafe with Steve
Strawbucks Café is a weekly blog by the Straw family. We invite you to sit down, enjoy the conversation, and consider “picking up the bill” through a donation to our air ambulance program. Visit http://aircalvary.com/contribute.html to join the effort.
Another Bizarre event for Steve while in France…
About a week ago, Alace and I decided we
would do the healthy thing and walk to
school in the morning, then back home for
lunch. Roundtrip, it’s about 3 miles, so it’s
not too far and it us a great time to chat
and get a little cardio in by keeping up the
pace. The “bizarre-ness” of it all began on
the way home after the morning class.
About half way to our apartment complex
is Sam’s school. Behind the school is a
rather large community park that offers a great short cut. Most of the student’s
from Sam’s school also walk through the park on their way home for lunch. As we
neared the park, we heard a lot of noise- more noise than the usual, “I-just-got-
out-of-school-and-I’m-letting-off-some-steam” noise that is an everyday
occurrence. Jokingly, I said to Alace that there must be a fight.
As it turned out, this was a rare moment of “right-ness” for me. As the location of
all the hub- bub came into view, we saw that it was indeed a group of about
fifteen or sixteen preteens circled around, watching two or three others pushing,
shoving, and kicking. Step #1: Make sure your kid is not involved… check. Step
#2: Make sure your kid is not “egging” them on… check. Step #3: Scan the area
to find if your kid is around… check. We saw Sam watching from a distance of
about 20 yards. He seemed to lose interest and set out in the direction of our
home, not noticing his mom and dad approaching.
Ok… so everything is going well up to this point. It appeared that Alace and I,
along with the other mom and dads in the area, had run through the mental
checklist (see “steps 1, 2, & 3” above) and all was well. Until…
It would seem to me that after a parent has completed the immediate checklist in
such a situation (see “steps 1, 2, & 3” above), that they would move on to the
logical next steps as follows: Step #4: Monitor and qualify the scuffle- is this just
a “boys being boys” situation or is a more serious like a bully getting the best of
another, making it a clear mismatch needing adult intervention… Check. It
appeared to me that this indeed was a mismatch scenario however, looking
around, I noticed no other parents stepping in. I don’t care what country you're
from, this step is universally correct, in my mind. Step #5: Step in and break up
the fight… check… well… let’s not “check” this one off the list so quick…
As I approach the mob, I clearly expected the following scenario to play out, in the
same way that it had when I was a kid- Adult shows up, fight ends. Simple,
straight-forward, no one gets hurt. So, without saying a word to Alace, I made a
beeline for the mob. As I approached, I noticed a couple of the kids on the
exterior rings of the circle take notice of me, the adult, and their fervor seemed to
die off. All was going according to plan. Then, I remembered. Usually the adult
should say something… something important that would bring everything to a
screaming halt. Time was of the essence here. Hmmm… what to say… what to
say… And then, it came to me! Of course! It was lunch time! Everyone in France
knows what to say to disperse a crowd and get them moving home at meal time!
“Bon appétit”!
Now, let me just say a word here about my communication skills in French. I’ve
been known to mess up words that are very similar, like the words for
"needs” (besoins) and “drink” (boisson) and the words for “horses” (chevaux) and
“hair” (cheveux). However, I know for sure that the words that came out of my
mouth that afternoon were correct. So, when I said “Bon appétit” in a loud
booming voice, I had all the confidence in the world that, like Pavlov’s dogs, these
young, impressionable youths would snap back to reality and begin their
pilgrimage to their homes where they would find refreshment and nourishment.
However, what happened next sent me into another dimension altogether.
As the words “Bon appétit!” left my mouth, the world seemed to snap into slow-
motion. A simultaneous roar went up from this crowd of preteens and they went
into a jumping tizzy! 3 or 4 of the screaming, yelling pre-teens came right around
me and started pushing me! I kid you not! It was one of the most surreal
moments of my life. With all the deftness of a foreigner, I stuck to my guns and
yelled out again “bon appétit!”, thinking that maybe they had not read the script
correctly and just needed another chance. No luck. The tizzy continued and one
boy said something that resembled, as best as I could tell, “we already tried to
stop them”. However, translating this sentence took me a couple moments and,
by that time, the mob had morphed and had started shifting behind me. Having
only one or two kids left in my immediate view and, not wanting to admit defeat
in my course of action, I said, one last time, “Bon appétit!” to which, one of them
replied, smiling, “bon appétit!” Then, he moved right past me and joined back into
the mob.
I wondered why he smiled at me, and it was then that I noticed that I had been
smiling! I’m not sure when it happened, but sometime in the 15-20 seconds in
which this bizarre confrontation was taking place, the utter “bizarrity” of the
situation had stupefied me into a smiling idiot! No wonder these kids couldn’t
take me seriously! I had forgotten the part of “Step 5” that included the adult
breaking up the fight being firm and having something more imposing to say
rather than “HAVE A NICE MEAL!!!”
Moments later, another parent had apparently joined me in “Step #5” and
proceeded to demonstrate to me that way in which this step is carried out. The
parent, a father, appeared out of nowhere (note to self: element of surprise is
essential). Then, he moved right to the middle of the circle and grabbed the two
main combatants (note to self: demonstrate your physical prowess). Then, he
proceeded to give them all a tongue-lashing that everyone in the park and the
surrounding apartments could clearly hear (note to self: have something to say
that produces desired results).
Step #5… CHECK!
07 June 2008 "Strawbucks" Cafe with Megan
Strawbucks Café is a weekly blog by the Straw family. We invite you to sit down, enjoy the conversation, and consider “picking up the bill” through a donation in to our air ambulance program. Visit http://aircalvary.com/contribute.html to join the effort.
If you could describe yourself as a piece of fruit, which would it be and why?
A Kiwi, because they’re green (my favorite color) and sometimes people don’t eat them, which is good- maybe I won’t be eaten. Also, they’re good, like me!
If aliens came from outer space and took you back to their planet, would you rather be placed in a zoo where they would look at you, or be a performer in a traveling carnival on their planet?
A traveling carnival because there would be more chance for escape.
The views, skiing, Tip-Top (a store like Claires here), new friends, and, sometimes, the food- tartiflette is my favorite.
Going to the hospital, people that are not nice to foreigners, not a lot of Mexican food places, and missing my friends.
Obviously, going to the hospital was a big one.
Seeing my friends, eating Mexican food, going to a movie theater where you can get popcorn (with extra butter, of course!), seeing family, visiting Ohio to see Gram & Gramps, and feeling “at home.”
I’m excited to do homeschooling, meeting new people, hanging out with the Tim & Meredith Brokopp, and going to the beach.
Snakes and hippos! Meredith said that she got a drink, one time, that had a cockroach in it! I’m worried about getting malaria too.
I’m not so good at learning new languages, but I can speak a little French now. I learned to ride my bike with no hands! I learned that I can babysit… and I love it! I learned that our family can get through hard times.
I made some French friends here- so I’ll miss them. I also made American friends here- I’ll miss them too. I’ll miss tartiflette too. C’est tout!
Um… I miss you all! If anyone needs a babysitter, let me know… my rates are reasonable. ;^) I’d like to give a “shout out” to my cousin JJ (by the way, can you please bring a bag of Swedish Fish and a root beer to the airport when you come pick us up? Thanks!)
31 May 2008 "Strawbucks" Cafe with Alace
Strawbucks Café is a weekly blog by the Straw family. We invite you to sit down, enjoy the conversation, and consider “picking up the bill” through a donation in to our air ambulance program. Visit http://aircalvary.com/contribute.html to join the effort.
I have been re-reading one of my favorite books lately. "When Crickets Cry" is a book I would gladly crawl inside, befriend the characters and breathe in the fragrant waters of the Tallulah River that runs dead center through the novel. This book attempts to blur the line between the biological mechanics of the heart and the poetry of human emotion that springs forth from the very center of our being. "While it (the human heart) pumps more than a hundred thousand times a day without stopping, funneling hundreds of gallons of fluid around the body, it derives no benefit from the blood it pumps, making it the most unselfish of organs." Charles Martin, the author, put forth the thought that if anything in this universe has the fingerprint of God it is the human heart.
I have never given much thought to my heart before reading this book. I have never given any thought to the temperature of my blood, the color of it before and after being sent to the lungs to be reoxygenated, the flow through the three main arteries and how miraculous it is to be able to suffer an attack and even when half dead, the human heart will still pump. It is not only the most unselfish but the most faithful and courageous of organs.
The book follows a brilliant heart surgeon's broken and battered life. He has retreated deep within himself, turned his back on his prolific career and lives a nearly solitary life next to the Tellulah River in Georgia. His life collides with a young brave girl in need of a heart transplant. The story unfolds from there. I highly recommend it.
All this talk of the human heart reminds me of a friend of mine who's son had a heart transplant when he was just a toddler. He is now in high school. Everyday since receiving his new heart he takes dozens of different medications daily at just the right times to keep his body from rejecting the new heart. He has to pay attention to every cough, cold, cut and sore. He isn't tall, in fact his is quite short due to all the medications hampering his growth. He possesses a bravery and bravado I have rarely seen. He has an uncanny understanding of his existence and God and life. He lives unapologetically and with passion. His new heart has forever changed the way in which he lives his life.
It makes me think of God and scripture. God promises all who call on Him through His Son a new heart. "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." Ezekiel 36:26 He is the ultimate heart surgeon. He takes my flinty hard heart and softens it, melting it into flesh and blood. Just as my friend, who's human heart was transplanted, has to take specific medications at specific times so do I. I need a myriad of daily intervening medications spiritually infused into my transplanted heart. My body is constantly trying to reject this new heart. This caustic environment in which I live is forever at war with my heart of flesh. There is an epic battle fought day and night for all that pours forth from the center of my being.
"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." Proverbs 4:23
18 April 2008 "Strawbucks" Cafe!
It's incredible! Since last July, our funding team has been providing our family's stipend- food, tuition, travel, etc. We are so thankful!
We encourage giving in $50 monthly units called "Bongolo Bonds"- our needs represent 115 Bonds monthly. However, the 1st quarter of '08, we averaged 96 bonds. Aprils' trend is also downward- 87.
Strawbucks! Our family would love to have you as a teammate and would also like to propose some team "huddles". Every Saturday at the "Strawbucks" cafe (our website's blog- RIGHT HERE!), one of our family will bring the conversation piece as you invest in some "fru-fru" coffee for us (roughly $50/mo.).
Please pray with us and consider supporting this worthy effort to be the hands and feet of Jesus? http://aircalvary.com/contribute.html (cut & paste to your browser).
12 April 2008 Prayer Update
TESTS- We just finished another round of testing at the end of our second trimester. This round of testing has been much more difficult, but we got our results yesterday and... WE PASSED! Praise the Lord! It's hard not to stress in the face of them, but we're doing our best to continually reminding ourselves how far that we've come in such a short time. We meet regularly with our language partners and we are understanding and being understood more. This is the results that we're praying for. So we're praising the Lord for this progress.
LIFE IN ALBERTVILLE- We were so blessed to have the opportunity to lead our little French Assembley of God church on Easter Sunday in singing "In Christ Alone"... in English! I played the guitar, Joey on bass, and Megan sang! The people politely smiled and some actually knew the song and followed along. We've been praying that we could be used to bless others and we've seen this start to happen more and more. We are so thankful.
LIFE AT SCHOOL- We were also able to bless the other C&MA students by hosting an Easter dinner at the community room of our appartment complex. We had a meal together, played some games, and worshipped our Risen Savior in song! We broke out the guitars again for this.
KIDS- Megan has really picked up on this whole "being a blessing" thing and has done some babysitting gigs for some other families for free and even when the parents were at home, just so they could get some more things done or study or whatever. Joey and Sam have been reaching out to kids at the local soccer fields with mixed results. Some of the other boys want to establish their dominance physically, so they've run in to some tough situations where they just had to walk away. Through it all, they've stayed positive and haven't given up trying.
SUMMER- We're back in the states on the 27th of June. We're gonna be packing up stuff, making some church visits, a visit to one of the biggest airshows in the world (Oshkosh, Wisc.), and touching base with as many friends as possible! Joey and Meg's are really looking forward a 4-day jr. high event at our home church- York Alliance.
AIRPLANE- We're still in the midst of our fundraising where the businessman from California is matching every dollar raised up to $300,000!!! We are seeing people step up to donate- especially a lot of other missionaries, of all people! We've had two gifts of over $18,000 each and a bunch of other sized donations. I think we're up to about $100,000 raised and with the match, that's $200,000. How cool! About a 1/3 of the way there! Please pray for wisdom concerning our aircraft choice. After some additional prayer and discussion, we've thought it best not to put a downpayment for the preferred aircraft in Germany until after I pay them a visit in May. We want to make sure that everything lives up to what we've investigated it all to be.
SCHOOL IN AFRICA- We have felt confirmation to homeschool our children along with another family (The Solvig's) whose children are about the same age as ours. They have felt the same level of confirmation, so we are praising the Lord for this decision in unity! YES! It's funny that this was one of those conditions that we put on the Lord when this part of the journey started... "Lord, we'll answer this call as long as we don't have to homeschool". HA! How the Lord works to form us and change us! We are also praying for wisdom concerning a person coming and assisting us in getting started down this road of home schooling. We hope that a young person, just out of college, may want to come and lend a hand with the homeschooling as we'll have our hands full with getting settled into a new environment. Please pray for us as we concider those that are expressing interest in joining us for this purpose.
GOD-SIZED PRAYERS-
1. Blessing people in practical ways: We pray for a successful launch of the air ambulance ministry in Gabon in September. There are so many logistics to work out- hard not to get overwhelmed some days. Also, we pray for a successful hand over of the guest house duties by the end of the first 9 months of our time in Africa as the family doing this now (the Solvig's) will be leaving at that time. Also, the local churches of Gabon have asked the Office of Short Term Ministries to consider ways to launch small enterprises to assist the unemployed men of their churches (16 churches in the city of Libreville- population 650,000). There is an idea brewing in my heart to mentor aircraft mechanics through our program and, further down the road, pilots! How cool would it be to work ourselves out of a job someday!
2. Blessing people in WORD: We pray for the times when we are able to speak to francophone people with clarity. We pray that we are able to change from conversations about education in a language to being able to conversations about Jesus! We are starting to memorize scripture in the French language and pray for opportunities to use this knowledge.
3. Local Church Ministry in Gabon?: This thought runs through my mind every now and then. There is a group of anglophones that meet weekly for Bible study in Libreville. In the past, they have looked for direction and leadership to form more of a faith community. Wouldn't it be so cool to see this group equipped to reach the people of thier city and those that come and go there? We're committing this idea to the Lord, knowing that we're going to have our hands filled initially in Gabon.
4. Short Term missions involvement: The STMO office of the C&MA will be establishing a program in Libreville. It is being run by our good friends Tim and Meredith Brokopp. It will be interesting to see how this works and what may develop out of that. They have already said that they'll be using my services to move people and resources to and from Bongolo Hospital. I'm praying for additional ways that this partnership could develop.
5. English training: We're seeing the TESOL language classes being used to expand Christ's Kingdom around the world. We'd like to pray about getting education in this area as well.
6. Deeper connection's with the churches that support us: We pray for meaningful ways to link to what the Lord is doing in the churches that are praying for us and supporting financially. Emails, newsletters, and personal visits are our current avenues of linking, but we're praying for fresh ideas for strengthening the ties. I have no idea what that would look like, but am praying that direction.
I think that's it for now!
Blessings,
Steve and Alace Straw
ps. Alace will be visiting C&MA missionary friends in Macedonia this coming week (Wendy Coons and Dave & Brenda Aderholdt). Also, in mid may, I'll be dropping in on other C&MA missionaries, Steve and Karen Mack, for a quick overnighter and worship service on my way to some aviation training about an our drive south of Berlin. Please pray for rich times of fellowship and encouragement to be shared among all during these visits.
18 March 2008 Prayer Update
Please continue praying for...
... schooling (kids, plus mom and dad)
... chances to bless others (other students and the locals)
... wisdom for the upcoming decisions (transition logistics/kids education/etc.)
... a single women who would come and get us started with our home schooling group (homeschooling seems to be where the Lord is guiding us and the other Gabon based families)
... finances- seems like there's no end to the weakness of the dollar and the strength of the euro.
... monthly supporters- we've had some key supporters drop off and we're praying for additional team mates on our funding team.
11 February 2008 Prayer Update
Here are some current items for us:
FINANCES: We're still getting hit hard by the unfavorable exchange rates. In the last week, the dollar has rebounded a little against the euro, but we're still dipping into our savings to make up a monthly shortfall. Our resources seem to be moving through our fingers faster and faster. Please pray that we can make God-honoring decisions as self-funded missionaries.
CHILDREN'S EDUCATION: We do have a new situation that has developed in regards to the kids education in Gabon. It appears that the new director of the Int'l school in Libreville is not very accepting of the missionary kids and the discounts that they have enjoyed. He is also teaching the children "T.M."- Transcendental meditation! WHOA! So, if he stays around, we'll have to come up with a new plan. We recently contacted another missionary family to discuss a possible "home-schooling" situation with all of our kids- 6 in all. Home schooling is not the first choice for either of our family's, but we're willing to go that way and we have seen others do it with great results. We are starting to pray together that maybe a single person (maybe right out of college) would be interested in coming to live with us for a year or so to help us get started on this program. Will you please pray that we carefully and wisely choose the best situation where our children are cared for and they are nurtured as Jesus followers?
AIRCRAFT FUND CHALLENGE: We are praising the Lord for his provisions! A Christian businessman from California is putting up about $325,000.00 toward the purchase of a new aircraft that will serve the medical needs of the Bongolo Hospital for years and years to come. He has asked others to join together in matching his generous gift. Please pray that this will happen by mid-May (July at the latest) and in a way that exalts Christ.
MORE PRAISES: We have started to see some response to the Aircraft fund challenge, however, the first two to respond were both missionaries! One missionary couple pledged $10,000 to the project! WOW! What an example it was to Alace and I for sacrificial, joyful giving from people that are living on a limited budget.
Thank you all for praying- your teamwork makes this all possible! -Steve & Alace
25 January 2008 Now Available...
AIRCRAFT SPECIFICATIONS : Click on the "Photos & Downloads" tab, scroll to & click on "Aircraft Info". Click on the image (.jpeg) that appears, then again to magnify the image. You'll see that the aircraft we plan to buy comes fully loaded!
LATEST EMAIL NEWSLETTER : Click on the "Photos & Downloads" tab, scroll to & click on "Our Newsletter Archives" to find a .jpeg file of our latest newsletter.
14 January 2008 Bonne Année!!!
We're about to email our supporters some terrific news. A generous businessman has agreed to put down 1/2 the cost of the preferred aircraft for our mission! This represents an investment of over $300,000! WOW! The Lord continues to provide this effort with momentum that overwhelms us. We are so thankful.
Since we're in our final 8 months prior to deploying to Gabon, we're going to ask everyone to pray with us that the other 1/2 come quickly. The aircraft is for sale in Germany at this time, but there's no garuntee that it'll stay available as long as we need it.
We feel strongly that the Lord is leading us this direction, so, I have set a date to attend a 3 day training session in Germany, for aircraft and engine familiarization. At that time (mid-May 08) we are hoping that the aircraft will be fully paid for and I'll be able to fly the airplane back here (to France) until we're ready to make the trip to Gabon.
This is really exciting to talk about, and even more awesome to praise the Lord for His provision. There has been no "slick" advertising or fund raising schemes, yet, our Faithful Father has seen to it that things are coming together in HIS way and in HIS time!
Our family really appreciate all your prayers. It means so much.
25 December 2007 Merry Christmas!!!
Christmas Eve: We had a very memorable Christmas Eve as we took an hour drive into the heart of the French Alps and up a tram next to Mont Blanc. We had a very chilly time at the top and were grateful to find some coffee and hot chocolate waiting for us. Check out the photos posted on the other page of this website.
Language School Update: Our first trimester ended with an 8 part evaluation! Oral expression and comprehension, written expression and comprehension, grammer, and an essay of 250 words. It was tough, but we managed well enough to continue on! Thank you for praying about our language partners. Alace met a woman while ice skating and Steve will start to meet with a son of one of the staff at the school!
Aircraft Update: We continue to see progress towards the acquisition of an aircraft appropriate to start the first ever air ambulance service in Gabon, in partnership with the Bongolo Hospital (C&MA). Many generous people have pitched into the growing aircraft fund, and recently, an experienced pilot with key connections in the aviation industry has come forward to join our quest. We will be reporting on these developments as soon as we can.
We wish you a great new year!
Love, The Straw Family
22 November 2007 HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!
We are so Thankful to our heavenly Father as we pass along some PRAISES!
The C&MA missionary team at our language school got together for a Thanksgiving celebration on Wednesday, 21. It was a meal with all the trimmings (well, Ok... we were missing the Cranberries) and the time together as teamates was a treat. We thank our Lord for such a great group to share the journey with.
We found a really good deal on a car, but the owner wasn't ready to sell for another 3 weeks until his new car arrived at the car dealer. At the same time, we were considering another car, but it was more expensive. We prayed that the Lord would clearly show us how to proceed. We decided that we should be careful with our expenses and buy the cheaper car, even though it meant 3 bitterly cold weeks on the bikes. However, we felt peace about this choice. The day after this choice, we were notified that the seller was suddenly ready to sell the car THE NEXT DAY! Praise be to our Provider Father. We are now much warmer and arriving to classes much more refreshed and ready to go.
Another Praise: We have received word of a major donation in the works for the purchase of 1/2 the cost of our preferred aircraft type. This donor is challenging his friend to match his generosity and cover the other 1/2. His friend? The CEO of a major aircraft corporation! WOW!
Another Praise: Wendy Coons, our good friend from our home church (York Alliance Church- PA) and missionary to Macedonia, is going to come and celebrate Christmas with us! Anyone else wanna drop by?
Another Praise: Megan was invited over to a schoolmates house to study and play together with another schoolmate. As is the norm in France, you don't just drop off your kid, you are invited in for a drink and conversation. So, Alace and I made new friends as well, over some coffee and tea! Please pray that we can develop this links- not just for language study, but for allowing Jesus to shine through our conversations.
Please continue to pray for our language acquisition. We are leading up to a major examination in mid-December.
10 November 2007 NEW PHOTO'S POSTED
Check out our new crop of photos on the "Photo's & Downloads" tab! Enjoy!
09 November 2007 Bike Rides in the Snow!
We are getting back to classes after a week and a half break. Alace and myself to our language school and Joey, Megan, and Sam to the French public school- which is their language school. So, PRAY for us as we get back into the routine of things. We are hoping that we recall things from our first semester quickly and build upon it effectively.
Also, Joey and Megan are now being assigned a special period each week for one on one interaction with a french schoolmate in a study hall period. Their school is working very hard to accomodate their language learning, which has been very nice. We are also challenging our kids to balance their time between French speaking friends and English speaking friends. As you can imagine, they naturally gravitate toward the English speakers. Please PRAY with us that they get to know one or two French friends well enough to have them for a sleepover by Christmas.
We've also been challenged with some car problems. This was a very discouraging thing as it happened on the outset of our vacation time, casting a dim light upon the coming days. However, we did salvage some extended time together as a family, chilling out at home, and watching some movies that we borrowed from some other students. Please PRAY that we make wise decisions concerning our transportation needs. Just to give you a flavor of things... today we were made our 3 mile round trip to the schools and back in rain, sleet, and snow!
Also, the Euro is clobbering the Dollar nowadays and that's making our funds thinner and thinner. We're working to make adjustments, but there's only so much we can do. Please PRAY that our needs would be met in a way that would bring glory to our Lord.
We are grateful for all our praying supporters. Thank you for this crucial teamwork with us.
19 October 2007 Scary Moments part deux?
First of all, an update on Megan...
MEGAN- Meg's continues to be great... no sign of any problems. We are praising God for HIS healing touch.
SCHOOL- Studies continue to get harder as more and more is expected. Please pray that we are able to expand our relationships with French people to find one or two that would be willing to be "language coaches" for us.
KID's SCHOOLS- Joey, Megan, and Sam are dealing with some of the normal things (bullies, locker room issues, and homework), but, being the "new & different" kid, the normal stuff becomes tough to deal with.
MOST RECENT "LOST IN TRANSLATION" MOMENT- We wanted to get some rotiserie chicken from a butcher/grocer for dinner. These are often in a very visible "bin" on the sidewalk in front of a store. I (Steve) was with the kids as we rolled up to just such a place. There was no one around and all the items needed to do self service were right there- the bags, the tongs, the ladel for gravey, etc. So, thinking self-service was the way to go, I selected a chicken, put it in the bag, scooped in some gravey, and closed up the bag. It was at this exact moment (closing the bag) that I found a very angry butcher bounding out the front door, yelling at me, and then pushing me firmly to the curb and grabbing the bag of chicken out of my hands in one motion. The yelling in French continued as the kids and I looked on, very alarmed. I even noticed that his co-worker appeared in the doorway of the shop with an average sized butcher knife in hand! In the moments that followed, he calmed down as we used my limited French and his limited English to understand one another. Apparently, they will have an occasional chicken thief and are a little touchy about things. I now know to never ever assume that anything is self service until I have asked!
TRANSPORTATION: We've had some bumps and bruises and very chilly mornings to deal with on our bikes, but there is light at the end of the tunnel- we will be purchasing a 1990 Nissan Vanette in "OK" condition, from a former student. In fact, he's also a pilot/mechanic who is headed to Cameroon with SIL- the place where I will most likely doing the maintenance on the aircraft, once deployed to Gabon. A neat connection.
That's our update for now! Have a great weekend, everyone. Steve
10 October 2007 Straw Family Email Update
SCARY MOMENTS [FULL STORY FURTHER BELOW / DATE 06 October 2007]
This past Saturday morning (6 Oct) Megan woke up with blurry vision, confusion, vomiting, and mood swings from frantic to drowsy and falling off to sleep. Was this an aneurism? A freak seizure? Meningitis? Had she bumped her head? We prayed and sang to her while waiting for a friend to come and pick us up. From about 9am to 5pm, doctors at the Albertville Hospital evaluated Megan, including the routine physical exams, multiple blood tests, a CAT scan. All tests came back “normal” and, by noon, Megan was starting to be back to her normal, perky self. With a history of migraines with Alace and her mom, with similar symptoms, the doctors felt this was the issue. As we left the hospital, Megan was chattering away about our plans for the remainder of the day, requesting to meet up with friends and go tree climbing! Her turn around was baffling and remarkable! (For the full story, visit “Breaking News” section of our website “StrawsInAfrica.org”)
AN UNDESIRABLE SCENARIO
You might be able to imagine the fear and anxiety that Alace and I had that day. A child in distress; helpless parents without a solution and adequate transportation (we’re still on bikes); sketchy communication (our phone just started working- but we had no phone numbers at hand).
It struck us later that in many of our speaking engagements this past year, we spoke of just such a scenario being the daily reality in many parts of the world, every hour of every day. These are the scenarios where the air ambulance will play a vital role. We never imagined how close this would hit to home. If we had not been fortunate enough to dig some phone numbers from our files, we would have been knocking on our neighbors doors or starting to walk to medical assistance with Megan in our arms.
ANOTHER BIZARRE ITEM
Then, just as the week was starting to seem routine… (excerpt from Alace’s blog myspace.com/suddenlight); “You will never believe what happened today. I hit a little french boy with my bike! I had just dropped Sam off at school and was biking down the road when suddenly a boy of about 8 or 9 ran out into the road in front of me. It was a cross-walk but there was no possible way I could stop in time. There was this moment when the boy and I looked at each other with twin expressions of shock and terror as we both realized impact was inevitable!” It turned out that the boy, the bike, and the babe (my words) were all OK and continued on their way. WOW!
PRAISE!
- It turns out that we only live about 1.5 miles from the only emergency room in Albertville!
- France Telecom had just gotten around to turn our phone line 2 days prior to Megan’s emergency.
- Our language school staff jumped to support us- Corine arranged transport; Verena stayed with us for hours!
- Medical Care- Great care at the hospital and input from fellow students, Lisa Nicky & Drew Hall (both C&MA).
- Outpouring of prayer- Prayer at our school and in the US had begun before we even arrived at the hospital.
- Care for Joey & Sam- Corine and the Flude family hosted the boys. They had a great time!
- Recovery- After a time of prayer (before the CAT scan), Megan started her recovery & has felt better since!
- French Connection- Steve has joined a soccer club and Alace is linking with neighbors.
PRAYER ITEMS
- Continued health & safety- Alace also had a close call with a truck as she was biking.
- for a continued French Connection- Steve has joined a soccer club and Alace is linking with neighbors.
- For kids adjusting to new schools; all are in school, making friends, and learning a new language.
- For language school; tests are getting more difficult and new information keeps coming.
- For family unity through the bumps in the road.
- For us to locate a suitable vehicle here as cold weather approaches.
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BONGOLO BONDS REMINDER
Our fund raising efforts began about a year ago and we are grateful that many signed up as part of the BONGOLO BOND funding team. Just a reminder that many decided to donate the entire years’ worth at once- $600 and that your “anniversary” date may be approaching. We still stand just 5 Bonds (monthly giving of $50) away from full funding! Please consider joining this growing team!
UPDATES
For the “freshest” Straw family news, make regular visits to our website StrawsInAfrica.org and click on the “Breaking News” tab for Steve’s journaling about weekly life on the journey.
We are so grateful for your prayers and displays of support. We can’t do it without you!
Blessings,
The Straw Family
Please consider becoming a part of our financial support team! Here are your options:
Option #1: Through Air Calvary via the internet: Simply log on to “AirCalvary.com/contribute” to use PayPal. Insert “Gabon Family” or “Gabon Airplane” in the “item” box.
Option #2: Through Air Calvary via US MAIL: Put “Gabon Family” or “Gabon Airplane” in the memo line of your check and send to: Air Calvary, P.O. Box 727, Bedford Hills, NY 10507-0727