Dear Brethren
Greetings in the name of our Lord who is a gracious, patient, providing and
healing God.
THINGS WE DID NOT KNOW ABOUT BEING MISSIONARIES
Before Kathy and I left the USA in 1975 for the Papua New Guinea mission field
there were some things we did not know about being missionaries even though
we took a 6 month course to prepare us for such.
I never know a missionary is a policemen, doctor, marriage counselor, mechanic, father, mother, adviser, problem solver and friend!
I never knew a missionary is rich, with barrels of money, but too stingy because he won't give away his clothes and food whenever they are asked for.
I never knew a missionary is a bad influence for the nationals because he wants to change their religion, way of life, etc, and the locals are better off as they are (yet hospitals and schools are wanted.)
I never know a missionary Is supposed to fix broken guns, stereos, machetes and theneighbor's truck- and who care about the broken heart!
I never know a missionary is supposed to be ready to meet airplanes bringing important people who never come- but when an unannounced plane arrives, he's supposed to be at the airstrip to pick up the people he didn't know were coming.
So now I know why missionaries have stomach problems!
It's from feeling an undercurrent of trouble among people while on the surface all is calm. (You want something to happen so things will be In the open, but there to nothing to do but wait.)
It's from a man being killed and not being able to get the authorities to make an Investigation.
It's having extra people in your home to be hospitable to when there Is no room, the supplies are low and there isn't much to eat.
It's from watching the giving of cigarettes to little boys by Government officials who say they've come to help the villagers when you've just finished explaining that you don't provide them with cigarettes because they are harmful to the body.
It's from observing a visiting Public Health officer tell a village woman to bring her children and clothes to the river to be shown how to wash them-when the woman happens to be one of the cleanest in the village.
It's from wanting to share the Gospel - but who is eager to live that life? And from wanting to teach literacy - but who wants to learn?
It's from wanting to love the people and be friends with them - but who cares if you love them and who wants friendship? (They do want the children's clothes, food or special favors.)
These things I now know. And of course, there are many things I don't know yet. One thing I still don't know is what it will take to make these people hunger and thirst after God's Word and live a Godly life. We could be discouraged as so few are truly converted. And there is much outside influence encouraging these people to keep their old ways and not to change anything. (Of course the same thing can be said in communities right here in the Bible-belt of America!) But God's Word tells us in Galatians 6:9-"And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap if we faint not."
FRUSTRATING TIMES (but the pension
plan is worth it!)
Some of the most frustrating times in the life of a missionary are the fund
raising times! For those who envision the missionary life as one of a full-time
vacation here is the truth.
They move from place to place. It is a life of stepping out of the warm cocoon
of "normal living" into a walk of faith (which we have all been called
to follow as Christians). Living a life not knowing if funds that have been
promised for their personal support will indeed be in their account from month
to month. Or being told that the promised funds (which did not arrive as promised)
would not being coming anymore because the parking lot had to be paved back
home, new carpet had to be installed, the roof was leaking or someone else came
asking for funds and "your funds are now being used to support them."
It is a life of packing and unpacking - living out of suitcases in homes/rooms
not their own - sleeping in beds not their own - driving cars not their own
- trying to keep a place overseas called home operational even when they are
not there in presence. It is a life of trying to convince mission committees
to allow them to make an appeal which will ask their people to give funds to
a project which will benefit people thousands of miles away and there is no
hope of tangible benefit for them from this contribution - presenting an appeal
to congregations who plead poverty from their multi-million dollared, steepled,
carpeted, air conditioned sanctuaries - waiting in limbo while committees and/or
congregations deliberate an appeal for funds (and many times not even hearing
if the answer is no) or appointments to present an appeal for funds- time travelling
back and forth from their area of work (immigration hassles, travel delays,
sleep deprivation, etc)-returning to their work field (with or without sufficient
funds). Re-finding accommodation (because they could not afford to keep accommodation
while they were gone), finding the funds for deposits on utilities and housing),
unpacking suitcases and stored items- trying to get back into a continuity of
the work after being unplugged from it for 3-9 months.
However despite these setbacks, there are missionaries still serving throughout
the world fulfilling the great commission, "go, teach and baptizing. Most
of us would not change what we do but would sure appreciate less grief. It is
you who support missionaries that hold our hands high when we are discouraged,
frustrated and tired. Thank you so very much.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Kathy's mother is recovering at a great rate. She is mobile again and so Kathy
and I are going on the road for the next 5 weeks with the “Fiji - horse
and pony show”. We will be visiting Kansas City, Memphis, Alabama and
the end of July will be attending the "Global Missions Conference"
in Dallas. Then back through Joplin for Kathy to get her permanent dental crown
fitted before heading to Tennessee and “beyond”. Our plans call
for us to return to Fiji in early September.
This past month I had the tooth I broke in Fiji (eating Frosted Flakes from
Brazil) fitted with a crown. Both Kathy and I were blessed that a brother in
Joplin who is a dentist did the work and only charged us the materials and lab
work. However the final bill was over $1,000. I have been able to work this
off on their property trimming trees which were damaged during ice storms earlier
this year. This tree trimming stunt is a young man's work. Did you know that
tree hugging leaves big gouges on your arms if you don't wear long sleeves?
Thanks for telling me now that I have the gouges! Oh, don’t cut off limbs
above your head - yep gravity - straw hats help but the knot still comes up!
There were a couple of times I thought the ladder and I were going to nose-dive
into the ground but other than a few scrapes and bruises I finished the job
without a visit to the emergency room. I know the angels were having to tag
team to look after me and I do appreciate it. They are probably on "recuperation"
leave for a while.
Last weekend we visited two congregations who were introduced to us through
“networking”. I talked about this in our past newsletters and cannot
emphasis enough our need for you to network with us. You know people and congregations
we don’t. Unfortunately in fund raising for mission work it is not always
“who you are and the need you have” but “who you know”.
We need you to talk with mission committees, mission people and elders who will
allow us to present the needs we have in the Fiji work. You know us and what
we have been doing and hope to do, you know people who might be able to help
us to financially to meet this need, we need you to NETWORK FOR THE LORD on
our behalf.
THE BODY OF CHRIST IS A NETWORK
The body of Christ is a family which by nature is a network. It is this network
that we need to engage to help with the need that we have for an established
Bible School in Fiji. You are our network.
The past year has been a time of testing and learning as we have settled in Fiji. Even though Fiji is a nation with a high percentage of Muslim and Hindu followers we have seen that they are not militant nor overly opposed to the Christian message. There seems to be a large number of people seeking to know more about this God who created the world and we who live in it. How long this will continue only time will tell. We have also seen that land to build a school is reasonably cheap ($2,000 per acre) but one has to have money to buy it. The weekend before we left Fiji I had the privilege to meet and talk with the town clerk of Lautoka city. It happened to be at the golf club during opening day ceremonies where I was introduced to all the members. He said he would be more than happy to help us however he could to get the school up and running when we get back to Fiji in September. Talk about a God-send!
Since we arrived in Fiji in May 2007 the American dollar has continued to erode in value and prices for basis food (rice, sugar, salt etc) and especially fuel (gas over $7.00 per gallon and kerosene which a lot of people cook with even higher) continue to escalate. We have lost over 30% value on the funds we had raised to work and live with. ($100 today only buys $70 worth.) So unfortunately (or we pray that some might see it as an opportunity) we are trying to not only raise funds for the school but need $600 per month for personal support and $800 per month for our work fund. A total of $1400 for personal needs is needed. We are also trying to raise $6,000 one time support to travel to some of the other islands to hold leadership workshops after we get back. Airline as well as all other forms of travel is becoming more expensive as well.
Our larger needs are for the school which will require $200,000-250,000 one time funding for land, structural buildings and furnishings and monthly funding of $4,000 for staff salaries, student and operating expenses. We are determined to go ahead with the belief that God wants this school established and that He is preparing His network of believers to supply the needs that this opportunity calls for.
This is where we need you as our network. Because gasoline prices have gone so high here in the USA it is not feasible to just get in the car and travel around looking for the support we need for the school. Kathy and I have been doing this for over 30 years and it never gets easier. We have a number of contacts but you have many more than we do. We would like to ask you to look at the contacts you have and see if there might be a possibility to make contact with people or congregations who might be able to help us in our monetary needs, personally and for the school. We are scheduled to be back in Fiji in early September and we hope to do so with the needed funding and ready to get the school up and running so as to start classes in February 2009.
WE NEED YOUR HELP TO MAKE THIS A REALITY.
Please, first pray and then sit down and email (or call) your contacts and ask
for their help for this need. I have attached a flyer for our personal needs
and a flyer for the school needs. They are in PDF form and thus are printable
as well as transferable. Any contact for us to come and present our needs personally
for one-time or monthly support can be directed to my email or my cell phone.
Please, please don’t think that someone else will contact us we need YOU to help us with this.
Your prayers are appreciated and we look forward to talking with and seeing many of you before we deport these shores in September.
Please pray about this and contact any and all you can on our behalf. We have no doubt that the Lord wants this school in Fiji for the training of island men and women who will then teach their own people. We know the Lord has blessed His people for this need and are asking at this time for your help in meeting this need now so we can get this school started in February 2009. Can you help - will you help? Again I have attached our personal flyer and the flyer for the school explaining what we are trying to accomplish.
God bless your work in the Kingdom and your personal life as you live as the “salt” and the “light” on a daily basis.
Your servants because of the cross of Jesus
Tobey & Kathy